Aliens and ghosts and cults, oh my! Netflix’s new docuseries “Files of the Unexplained” aims to incite the imagination of viewers and question reality. Each case varies, ranging from missing persons cases to haunted locations and alien abductions. On the surface level, the show would be a hit, ultimately, however, viewers have been left unsatisfied.
In 2020, Netflix rebooted the hit American television series “Unsolved Mysteries.” Fans old and new welcomed the series with open arms and were left satisfied by Netflix’s efforts. “Files of the Unexplained,” on the other hand, lacks the oomph that fans were looking for. Each episode covered new topics, but by episode 2 it felt as though the producers had run out of stories to tell. When you hear “Unexplained,” you expect titillating and mind-swirling cases. Yet Netflix gave us below-average stories that you would expect to hear from a Reddit forum. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reflects this sentiment, receiving a whopping 12%, compared to “Unsolved Mysteries,” which viewers rated 68%.
Data or Blind Belief?
In episode five “File: Haunting of Lake Lanier,” it feels as though the producers are milking what can be explained by data. Testimonials in the episode claim that the lake is haunted, and it can’t be explained.
Yet Lake Lanier is a popular lake in Georgia, and the “unexplained” deaths can be chalked up to the failure of life jacket use and improper usage of a boating vehicle. According to the Georgia Chapter of American Fisheries Society, in 2020, 75% of fatal boating accidents were due to drowning. Of that 75%, we see that 86% had failed to use a life jacket. Furthermore, 77% of deaths were due to boat operators not receiving proper safety instructions. While the series claims this phenomenon to be unexplained, the data says otherwise.
The Truly Bizarre
The episode “File: Missing Yuba County Five” is the series’ saving grace, based on a true story about five men who went missing in the Plumas National Forest. Each of them had mild intellectual disabilities. The night they went missing, they went north to see their favorite local basketball team. However, on their way back, they took a detour towards the mountains. Family members explain that the decision was unlike them, and they tended to be at home on time. After several days, their car was found abandoned in the forest.
Authorities spent months continuing the search until four bodies were found within 20 miles from where the car was found. While four of the men were declared dead, an eyewitness saw Gary Dale Mathias, so he remains missing. The reason for why he was still alive and the others dead remains unknown.
This story is truly a mystery and incites your imagination and you begin to attempt to reason why the five men went into the mountains. This is the level of quality expected throughout the series, yet we are met with continually disappointing stories.
Future Expectations
Many of us love stories that make our skin crawl and spine tingle, yet many can spot when a show lacks the authority or credibility to make us truly question our reality. “Files of the Unexplained” felt as though random people were brought off of the street to give testimonials, making it hard to believe the stories they tell. While this season flopped and lacked stories worth watching, Netflix has put on better performances in the past. We can look to the future and hope that the new season brings new stories that will leave our paranormal-loving minds satiated.
