What's going on in Oak Island?
I've been casually watching the History Channel's show on this off & on over the years The Curse of Oak Island: Official Series Playlist...
I think they have managed to buy all of the land on the island by now (maybe a plot or two are outside their direct control?), and they seem to have settled into milking the thing for all it is worth.
The series has that Ancient Aliens vibe and the same narrator ; only instead of "XYZ found in an ancient archaeological site seemingly dated to before the invention of such... if true, could it be possible, that it was aliens?"
He slightly modifies it to "XYZ found in/near/on the island an ancient archaeological site seemingly dated to whatever tenuous connection works to connect Oak Island to Ark Of The Covenant/Knights Templar Treasure/Pirate Treasure... if true, could it be possible, that it was The Phonecians/Knights Templar/The Dread Pirate Roberts?"
Probably my most least favorite character is the Anglish metal detector guy with his "Bobby Dazzler," "Top Pocket Find," "That's A Screamer!" & "Gold Baby!" catch-phrases:
He'll find some chunk of old rusted iron and speculate that "...This is clearly an 'inge for a gate or a door from the 'oarteen 'unnerts; you can tell by this bend 'ear..." and then they take it to their "Ancient Blacksmith Expert" who will say "This is a wooden barrel hoop dating to the late 1700s, you can tell by the deflection angle of the iron here it was probably a 100-gallon barrel..." or somesuch.
"Bobby Dazzler" used to make some really crazy predictions about what was dug up that were subsequently shot down by the many "expert scientists" the Oak Island team uses to analyze whatever they found. In the earlier seasons when "Bobby Dazzler" first showed up, Rick & Gary (especially Rick) were a little bit annoyed about "Bobby Dazzler" & his goofy catch-phrases and they sort of limited his appearances in the final show-cuts.
I loved/hated the guy too, but he makes for great comedic relief (whether intentional or not) and am happy they have kept him around. He has begun to rein in his more outlandish speculations in the later seasons, but they still throw in his completely off-the-reservation comments (when/if he actually makes one) about the finds.
Also, they love to send him in to the muck excavation tailings they occasionally do like when they drained the swamp that one season. I think that was part of Rick's price to keep him on the show. They do still give him a minor "character" to accompany him with a shovel for when he's out in the rando-woods looking for stuff.
I notice that they now make him use marker flags &tc before he's allowed to actually dig up whatever he has detected. I wonder if that is a function of the Canadian Gov't getting their claws into the operation (to claim whatever is found as Historical Artifacts) or if old "Bobby Dazzler" was actually pocketing some of his "Top Pocket Finds?" Perhaps some of both...
I have noticed that over the years the amount of Canadian Gov't regulation of the site has increased somewhat. Requirement of some on-site Official Archaeologists, Geo-scientists, Metallurgists & etc. As well as draconian Permitting requirements for Ecological Impact, Site Safety, Construction Codes Enforcement &tc.
Just amusing as hell, and although I do not foresee them getting to the end of it any time soon (one of History Channel's golden geese ruthlessly slaughtered), I sure do wish they would.
Maybe they will have better luck than Geraldo Rivera.
I guess since they aren't "DOING IT LIVE" they will be able to take care of that in post-production...
What a wonderfully amusing shit-show.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Gary Drayton finds the remnants of an old boot.
It took a lot of wading to find that little treasure. An accomodating recap helps immeasurably in reassuring oneself one hasn't just wasted another hour wading through another swamp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRBRU2bEc0Ihttps://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/reality-tv/the-curse-of-oak-island-season-12-episode-17-recap-the-team-hits-a-structure-in-the-money-pit/The love/hate relationship has a long and
treasured history, so to speak.
