UFO Files (TV series)
American TV series on UFOs and alleged cover-ups.
UFO Files aired on the History Channel from 2004 to 2007. This American television series explored topics such as unidentified flying objects, submerged craft, alleged encounters with extraterrestrial beings, and claims of government and military cover-ups. A follow-up series, UFO Hunters, began broadcasting on the same network in 2008.
The show featured interviews with a range of scientists, researchers, and experts. Among those appearing were ufologists like Dennis Balthaser, Stanton T. Friedman, and David M. Jacobs; physicists including Michio Kaku, Lawrence M. Krauss, and Bruce Maccabee; author and publisher William J. Birnes; research scientist Phyllis Budinger; former police detective James Clarkson; author Robert Collins; television writer Paul Davids; astrophysicist Frank Drake; Black Vault website creator John Greenewald Jr.; physician Steven M. Greer; former New Mexico state representative Andrew Kissner; paranormal journalist George Knapp; MIT professor Geoffrey A. Landis; podiatric surgeon Dr. Roger K. Leir; sheriff Herb Maursatd; ufologist Ted Phillips; Aztec UFO crash investigator Scott Ramsey; educator Chris Rutkowski; MUFON founding member John F. Schuessler; and astronomer Seth Shostak.
The series ran for four seasons, airing in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. A DVD set containing eight selected episodes is available, and individual episodes can be purchased from the History Online Store.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Documentary
- Runtime
- 45 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Company
- Weller/Grossman Productions, Inc.
- Network
- History Channel
- First Aired
- 2004-07-05
- Last Aired
- 2007-10-05
- Num Episodes
- 46 / (inc. 2-part episodes)
- Related
- UFO Hunters (2008–09)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
UFO Files aired on the History Channel from 2004 to 2007, exploring unidentified flying and submerged objects, close encounters, and alleged government conspiracies. The series featured interviews with a range of scientists, ufologists, and experts, including astrophysicist Frank Drake, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, physicist Lawrence M. Krauss, and ufologists such as Stanton T. Friedman and Steven M. Greer. Other contributors included former police detective James Clarkson, author William J. Birnes, and research scientist Phyllis Budinger.
The show's four seasons covered various aspects of ufology, from historical cases to contemporary sightings. In 2008, the History Channel premiered a follow-up series, UFO Hunters. UFO Files was later released as a DVD set containing eight selected episodes, with individual episodes also available through the History Online Store.
Reader's Guide
UFO Files served as a significant entry in the History Channel's programming on unexplained phenomena, bringing together a wide array of voices from both scientific and ufological communities. Its interviews with figures like Frank Drake and Michio Kaku lent a degree of scientific credibility, while the inclusion of ufologists and investigators kept the series grounded in the enthusiast perspective. The show's focus on alleged government cover-ups and submerged objects expanded the typical UFO narrative beyond flying saucers. By spawning the successor series UFO Hunters in 2008, UFO Files helped sustain public interest in the topic during the mid-2000s. Its DVD release and continued availability through the History Online Store have allowed it to remain accessible to new audiences. The series is often cited alongside other ufology documentaries and is listed in reference works on pseudoscience.
Did You Know?
- UFO Files was produced from 2004 to 2007 for the History Channel.
- A following series called UFO Hunters premiered on the same channel in 2008.
- Interviewees included astrophysicist Frank Drake, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, and ufologist Stanton T. Friedman.
- The series is available on a DVD set that is a collection of eight selected episodes.
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