Cryptozoology for kids: the Secret Saturdays

August 29, 10:40 PMSalt Lake City Paranormal ExaminerSteven Symes

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Many may not be aware of a new series on Cartoon Network called the Secret Saturdays. The show centers on the subject of the paranormal, specifically cryptozoology. The show’s creator – Jay Stephens – has a personal interest in the subject, and so out of that came the show. The animation style of the show, by the way, hearkens back to the cartoons of the 60’s.
The show involves a family of scientists – the Saturdays – who are members of a larger secret scientific organization called the Secret Scientists (hey, it’s a kids’ show). The goal of the Saturdays is not to reveal to the world the truth about various cryptids, but rather to hide them from humanity. The reasoning is that mankind has a propensity to kill off animals, especially ones deemed fearful (i.e. wolves, etc). The family has even taken in a few crytpids as “pets” or members of the family, who join them in their adventures. The Saturdays must contend with other cryptozoologists in a quest to keep these animals hidden from scientific discovery. There is also another rival – who in the classic tradition of cartoons is evil for evil’s sake – named V.V. Argost. Argost runs a show called Weird World which explores paranormal events in the world, including cryptids. Obviously Argost does not want to find the cryptids to just take a few snapshots.
The show does not stop just at the show, but continues on with various merchandising including a full line of toys. Kids can get a taste of what it would be like to hunt down and catalog undiscovered animals as a (dramatized) cryptozoologist. There is also a website dedicated to the show inside the cartoon, Weird World.
The Secret Saturdays, which debuted in October of 2008, is introducing a whole generation of children t to concept of cryptozoology. The show obviously employs some dramatization and other bits of fiction for entertainment value – a fact that may miff a few cryptozoologists. There is no telling if such an introduction to the field will help open the minds of a new generation to the possibility of taking cryptozoology more seriously – only time will tell that. Either way, the show is pretty original and entertaining.

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