Lost Tapes is an American fiction television series that aired on Animal Planet. Produced by Go Go Luckey Entertainment, the program presents reenacted found footage depicting traumatic encounters with creatures cryptozoological, supernatural, mythological or extraterrestrial.[1] Creatures featured include Bigfoot, the chupacabra, vampires, werewolves, and reptilians.

Lost Tapes
GenreFound footage
Horror
Thriller
Paranormal
Narrated byRick Robles
Theme music composerDevin Powers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes34 (list of episodes)
Production
Running timeApprox. 22 minutes
Production companyGo Go Luckey Entertainment
Original release
NetworkAnimal Planet
ReleaseOctober 30, 2008 (2008-10-30) –
November 9, 2010 (2010-11-09)

The pilot ("Chupacabra") aired on Animal Planet on October 30, 2008, for Halloween, but the series officially premiered on January 6, 2009.[2] Animal Planet commissioned a second season, which premiered on September 29, 2009.[3] Season 3 premiered on September 28, 2010, with episodes featuring creatures such as zombies and the Kraken. The show also used to air on Planet Green.

Overview

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Lost Tapes depicts traumatic scenarios where people are attacked and/or killed by mysterious, dangerous, deadly, wild, and ferocious paranormal cryptids. The series is shot in a documentary style. Most episodes begin with a quick introduction of facts, which include interviews with experts explaining scientific theories or facts and folklore behind the episode's titular creature. In the second season, some episodes began with footage of a person being violently attacked and often killed by the episode's creature, an introduction meant to set up the events of each episode. In the third season, every episode had such an introduction. The events of every episode in all three seasons are accompanied by videos of scientists, cryptozoologists, and folklorists giving their very thoughts and opinions of the creatures, which are called Lost Tapes: Revelations.

Episodes

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Season Episodes Original airdates
Season premiere Season finale
1 14 October 30, 2008 February 17, 2009
2 10 September 29, 2009 November 24, 2009
3 10 September 28, 2010 November 9, 2010

Critical reception

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Lost Tapes has received mixed reviews from critics. In a review of the season one DVD, TV Squad writer John Scott Lewinski gave the series a mostly unfavorable review, stating that in the case of this series, "Animal Planet could be accused of repacking a horror/sci-fi show as an animal documentary" and that much of the program is "outright bollocks." He did, however, state that the show holds some appeal for audiences looking for a scare, or "incredibly gullible people."[4] Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series three out of five stars, noting that while the acting was "subpar", the show overall was "simultaneously scintillating and bone-chilling."[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Lost Tapes Schedule Fallback". Animal Planet. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. ^ http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/lost-tapes/episode-guide/EP01086200 [bare URL] [dead link]
  3. ^ "Animal Planet Unleashes Bold Entertainment Slate in 2009-2010 Upfront Season" (Press release). Animal Planet. 2009-04-02. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  4. ^ Lewinski, John Scott (2009-07-18). "Mysterious creatures haunt Animal Planet's Lost Tapes DVD". TVSquad.com. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
  5. ^ "Lost Tapes - TV Review". 30 September 2009.
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