TV Skeptic: 'Chasing UFOs' too much Mulder not enough Sculley What the BLEEP was that? Not only is that the most frequently repeated line of dialog in "Chasing UFO's," but it's also the reaction I had after sitting through the first two episodes of the new series premiering Friday on the National Geographic Channel. The series, which claims to use science to investigate reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), is the latest entry in a genre of unscripted TV that follows a formula that can be best described as: Easily frightened people searching in the dark for things that frighten them and getting frightened on camera. It's really not as scary as it sounds. The formula began with ghost hunting shows and then expanded to include cryptozoology, the paranormal, and now almost anything out of the ordinary. True to form, "Chasing UFOs" includes a team of "investigators" who climb into a big SUV and hit the road, explaining their latest case to each other, and the viewer, en route. The "Chasing" team, which consists of "adventurer" Erin Ryder, "scientist" Ben McGee and UFOlogist James Fox, brings little new to the formula, beyond singing a UFO song while driving to a location. UFOs may not be a good fit. For example, it may make sense to whisper while hunting for a large mysterious creature in a dark forest or while searching for a ghost in a darkened house, but lights in the sky? Are aliens in a mile-wide spaceship imagined to be so skittish that they'll bolt if they hear a raised voice? In the premiere, the team heads to Texas where they see videotaped evidence of mysterious lights that have been spotted in the sky. The video was shot by a law enforcement dashboard cam, and is basically an image of a light in the night sky. Is it a UFO? Very likely, in that it is an object, it seems to be flying and it hasn't been identified. Is it an alien spacecraft? Not likely. Yet that seems to be the first conclusion of the "Chasing" team. Whatever evidence is found, it is simply taken at face value. In the case of the video, there are a number of contradictions that just don't seem to add up. For example, the readout from the dashboard cam indicates that the video was recorded at two locations, miles apart, yet that doesn't match the constable's description. Following the formula, the next step in the investigation is to hold a town meeting, where the public is invited to discuss the UFOs. Here they seemed to strike gold. A few members of the public give surprisingly detailed accounts of lights in the sky. But it's interesting that several of the attendees are the same witnesses who have been featured in numerous media accounts and various Web pages, including Steve Allen, a pilot who describes seeing an alien spacecraft a mile wide. Because he's a pilot we should consider him some kind of an authority, a trained and experienced observer. Later they meet with Kacey Simmons, a town hall participant who leads them to the spot where he claims to have seen the lights repeatedly. It's here where the formula takes a bizarre turn. The investigators equip themselves with night vision cameras. Each camera is attached to a harness and a small arm that holds it in front of each investigator's head. This evokes a "Blair Witch Project" effect where we see the cast member's face close up, as they gaze at the sky, peer into the darkness or run from some unspecified danger, and inevitably exclaim "What the BLEEP was that?" The idea seems to be that should anyone encounter an actual UFO (Bigfoot, ghost, alien, etc.), it's more important to record the face of the investigator as they see the paranormal event, rather than to record the event itself. When the investigation involves sweeping the ground with Geiger counters and metal detectors, the team waits until after dark for full dramatic effect. It seems the creepy "Blair Witch" effect works only at night. Geiger counters and metal detectors function just as well in the daylight but, night or day, they work best when the operators know what they're doing. As with most shows following this formula, "Chasing UFOs" is not so much about aliens or UFOs. It's all about the colorful cast. This team is promoted as "real-life Scullys and Mulders" of "The X-Files" fame, but the mix is almost all Mulder with precious little Scully. As Ryder puts it, "I'm a ske-liever ... a skeptic believer." To which a skeptic might respond, "What the BLEEP is that?" Chasing UFOs - National Geographic Channel Finding Bigfoot: Animal Planet TV Skeptic: 'Bigfoot: The Definitive Guide' Ghost Hunters: Syfy TV Skeptic: 'Ghost Hunters' goes to the dogs TV Skeptic: 'Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files' looks at the real 'Battle of L.A.'