UFO Cowboys on Roku Channel

 

Yee Haw! Two of my favorite things together - ranchers and UFOs!

"UFO Cowboys" is a reality series that pits ranchers against the endless sky to pursue the mystery of the West's UFO activity.

Living in the West the majority of my life, I've seen just about every kind of UFO imaginable. Why? It seems to be tied to geology to some extent, as mining areas are attractive gathering spots. We also have less population to witness them. We are near the Pacific Ocean, a fine USO (unidentified submersible object) breeding ground, and clear weather much of the time. 

I just had to check out this series in a marathon run so I could review it. (I tell myself that, but men in cowboy hats and boots and endless prairie skies! C'mon!) 

In 2014 the Cowboy Skywatchers began to trace the skies in the West, taking note of something any rancher would run into often - UFOs and other unexplained phenomena that is prevalent here. 

I had big expectations as the stories these fellas were investigating were intriguing, but with all the special effects and bad acting, stilted lines, and awkwardness, any investigation was lost on the general awfulness of the presentation.

You know in Crocodile Dundee how out of place he was in NYC? But, as awkward as it was, it was rather charming and adorable? Well, not really the case with these boys.  

This is why I've turned down all offers to be on a reality show - they can edit you into stupidity. With the special effects and staged shoots, they lost so much credibility that it was nothing more than weak entertainment. Real researchers walk out of these kinds of badly edited shows looking  like attention whores and not legitimate minds.  I really don't want this for these guys. 

This could have been the "Mountain Men" of UFO hunting.

Then, for the pathetic pay reality show characters receive, they're expected to leave their jobs and potential earnings for a chunk of the year to go parade around for advertisers to promote the show.  This was yet another reason I did not go willing into this arena. It's hard to do real research when you're click bait in the public eye. 

These men might be busting it up investigating these things, but once it's translated to film, any qualifications are shot down. Had they themselves carried cameras or worn go pro's and investigated as they normally do, THAT would have been engaging as a viewer. 

I gave it a few tries, but I will continue as I at least like to know about the places and things they're investigating, even though I think the production company did a crap job on presenting these with proper respect or even sharp editing. 

I guess if I had to give this a rating with five horses being best, I'd put it at this - 

🐴🐴🐴

I give it three horses only because I like the guys, the things being investigated, and I feel kind of sad for the situation. They really should have signed the contract and included a safe word because sometimes I expect one of them to whisper to the camera, "brocolli," to get someone to rescue them.

I really only stuck with it for the stories and the beautiful locations.  American Chainsaws Production Company really screwed the pooch on the potential of this show.  It feels like if reality shows were bubble gum, they turned this into chewed gum stuck under a conference table.

The opening episode should have shown the men in their cowboy-like lives so they become individuals and legitimate horse-riding boys. How did they come together and why? Did they have UFO encounters that triggered this team to form? Can they tell their stories and reenact their memories?  

Then, the production company took it off the rails when they brought in the fog machine effects, staging rehearsed lines, and setting up the unexplained. These guys aren't actors and their "oh my gosh!" when they come across something is about as genuine as a parent acting surprised when they find their kid in hide and seek. 

I'm actually really interested in the team and any legitimate finds they've had, but I can't get past the bells and whistles and posey posey awkwardness that the production company insisted upon. 

I'd love to see a Beyond UFO Cowboys show just to hear them sit in a studio and discuss their experiences and finds. Honestly, even if they did it around a ranch campfire, storytelling.

Great idea, but I totally lay blame on the production company for tanking it.  I'm also rather surprised Roku was like, "cool, dude, we'll distribute it." 

I suggest you give it a try as everyone has their own expectations of reality shows. You may find it just a guilty pleasure.