INTERVIEW: ‘UnXplained’ with William Shatner explores world’s mysteries
Photo: The UnXplained features the hosting duties of William Shatner, the legendary actor from Star Trek. Photo courtesy The History Channel / Provided by press agent with permission.
Bizarre rituals and mysterious phenomena are all in a day’s work for William Shatner and the creative team behind the new series The UnXplained, premiering Friday, July 19 at 10 p.m. on The History Channel. The Star Trek actor hosts the one-hour program and also executive produces.
In addition to Shatner, the creative team behind the series has a lot of credibility. Kevin Burns is involved as an executive producer for Prometheus Entertainment, and he created and produced Ancient Aliens and The Curse of Oak Island.
Each week, the new series will dive deep into an unexplained story that continues to confuse and perplex communities around the world. Shatner will introduce segments featuring scientists, historians and engineers, all trying to figure out the truth behind everything from mysterious structures to cursed ancient cities.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Burns about the new series. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect on the first season of The UnXplained?
Eight really compelling hours. Each episode contains six stories on topics ranging from evil places and mysterious structures to strange rituals and mysteries of the mind. A good number of the stories talk about humans who have accomplished amazing things that are even now — several decades after the fact — virtually impossible to explain. And, of course, there’s William Shatner as the host. He brings an amazing amount of credibility and curiosity to every episode. He’s more than a host; he’s a genuine partner in the creative process of the show. And he’s William Shatner. Who doesn’t love watching him?
How did the team choose the mysteries for the first set of episodes?
One of my executive producers, Rob O’brien, worked with a team of three very talented producers, each of whom had a small staff of researchers and associate producers. We chose eight categories that we thought would be the most compelling and brainstormed which six stories might be the most visual and compelling. Some of them, like the Winchester Mystery House and the Loretto Chapel Staircase, I personally knew about ever since I was a kid. A few others had been covered (in a very different way) in our Ancient Aliens series. Everyone contributed their ideas, and if it interested the group, we put it in the show.
What was it like working with the legendary William Shatner?
I had worked with Mr. Shatner very briefly on a TV Guide special I produced for USA network 20 years ago. I have always been a fan of his and had a hunch that this would be something he’d enjoy doing. What I didn’t count on was how genuinely curious and excited he was about the material. As I’ve said, he’s more than a narrator. He also suggests topics and contributes ideas. At the age of 88, he’s a dynamic force of nature. He’s funny, quick-witted and has a genuinely curious mind. Everyone working on this show is having a ball with him. Early on, after hiring him, he asked if he could come and meet the producers and brainstorm ideas with us. We had a ball. By the end of four hours (and lots of sushi) we had every story worked out. I was a fan of his before this all started; I am twice as impressed now that we’ve had this chance to work together.
Do these mysteries excite you? Scare you? Engage you?
Yes. All of the above. What I share with Mr. Shatner is a genuinely open and curious mind. I operate on the notion that no matter what we think, we really don’t have this world of ours completely figured out. It’s what has driven me to produce nearly 200 episodes of Ancient Aliens and more than six seasons of The Curse of Oak Island. It’s not so much that I believe in things like Ancient Astronaut Theory (although many people do), but that I want to learn more about it and decide for myself — whether or not there’s some merit to it. The UnXplained invites me to talk to brilliant scientists like Michio Kaku and Dr. Travis Taylor and examine how the impossible seems to happen all around us, every day.
Do you feel there are enough stories out there for a season two of The UnXplained?
We’ve already got enough stories for three more seasons, if we’re lucky enough to get renewed. I’m just eager to get to them before someone else explores these incredible mysteries.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The UnXplained, produced by William Shatner and Kevin Burns, premieres Friday, July 19 at 10 p.m. on The History Channel. Click here for more information.
