DT & EXU Show Intros

This was a great idea for a blog brought up by fellow fan Emily. Here, we break down the differences in the intros to "Destination Truth" each Season (or Series, as other countries call them), as well as the intros to each "Expedition Unknown" season. The sections that discuss "DT" are actually verbatim from this site's book, the "Fan Guide to Destination Truth," co-written by myself and my husband, along with a guest forward from Josh Gates, which you can purchase HERE Scroll down to read the piece

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 In Season 1 [of "DT"] , the intro script to the show was “I’m Josh Gates. My travels have taken me to the most exotic and mysterious places on earth. I’ve seen some unexplainable things which have raised some strange questions. Now, I’ve pulled together a crack team armed with the latest technology to search for answers. I’m not sure what’s out there waiting for me, but I know what I’m looking for - the truth.” 

The intro animation for Season 1 [of "DT"], which features the DT logo, showed the logo sitting on what looks like the horizon of a field or maybe an African plain, with the sun flaring behind it with shades of gold and purple as the sun appears to set to the right direction of the screen. The light noticeably highlights the second T in the word “truth.” We saw this same animation for Season 2, but the intro script changed slightly:

“I’m Josh Gates. In my travels, I’ve seen some unexplainable things which have raised strange questions. Now I’ve pulled together a team armed with the latest technology in the search for answers. I’m not sure what’s out there waiting for me, but I know what I’m looking for - the truth.” 

Season 1 of "EXU," as a new show to us featuring Josh, right off the bat showed us that this series more so focused on him, as well as his travels versus the paranormal or creatures. The camera work was more high depth, as more than two years in filming technology had passed since "DT" was off the air. Fans still express disappointment to this day that we have not seen past favorites such as Erin Ryder, Gabe Copeland or Rex Williams in "EXU," but Evan Stone has been heavily involved in the series and we have seen him interviewed and featured in the behind-the-scenes episodes regarding his crew.

The script for the Season 1 "EXU" intro was "My name is Josh Gates. With a degree in archaeology and a passion for exploration, I have a tendency to end up in some very strange situations. My travels have taken me to the ends of the Earth as I investigate the greatest legends in history. This is 'Expedition Unknown.'" The animation in Season 3 is the "EXU" logo carved in stone, with the effect of a flashlight shining over it from left, to right, to the center, with flecks of dust shimmering in the light, giving the feel of a long lost discovery. This intro is the same for Seasons 2, 3 and 4, just with some of the shots of him and the scenery changing. 

One of the biggest shifts [in Season 3 of "DT"] right off the bat was with the show’s intro animation. The animation is the logo sitting on a hilltop with the sun setting behind it in a pink-blue twilight color and the sky fades to a twilight blue tone. Along with big sponsorships, cameos from other Syfy program personalities, and many other firsts, the third season took us on a wild ride.

Before Season 4 of "EXU," a special four episode event aired called "Expedition Unknown: Hunt for the Yeti," which was quite ground breaking alone, for not only the discoveries, but for all the "DT" nostalgia. We got to revisit old sites from Josh's past investigations, and we even saw a clip from an old "DT" episode, which is quite cool. The script for the intro to these episodes was "I'm Josh Gates. I've traveled to more than 100 countries, exploring history's greatest legends, but there is one mystery that I've wanted to solve, above all others. Now I'm embarking on an epic adventure through the Himalayas in search of the truth behind one of the world's infamous creatures. This is Expedition Unknown: Hunt for the Yeti."

DT kept chugging along with the arrival of Season 4. The animation style of the show’s intro stayed the same, but a noticeable script change occurs. 

We hear Josh narrate to us: “I’m Josh Gates. In my travels, I’ve seen some unexplainable things, and I’ve done some things I can’t quite explain. Now, I’ve pulled together a team armed with the latest technology in the search for answers to the world’s strangest mysteries. I’m not sure what’s out there waiting for me, but I know what I’m looking for - the truth.” 

As far as changes [in Season 5 of "DT"], we also were treated to a change in the show’s intro animation. We sweep through the deep jungle in the night to see the DT logo sitting on top of what looks like ancient ruins. The shot then transfers over to a night vision view, paying homage to all the investigations requiring use of this device.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! Let me know on social media about other topics to explore for future blogs and your thoughts :-)