Page 4 - 2018HOLIDAYS

4 January 6 - 12, 2019 cover story
By Joy Doonan
TV Media
Fans of “The X-Files,” rejoice! His- tory Channel has produced a new fictional miniseries that delves into the world of extraterrestrial investi- gations. “Project Blue Book” comes with many of the typical hallmarks of its genre — a lead UFO investigator struggling to get to the bottom of unexplained phenomena, an internal culture of government secrecy — but it has one major feature that sets it apart: the series stays remarkably true to the specific historical events that it follows. One of the network’s first scripted series, “Project Blue Book” premieres Tuesday, Jan. 8, on History.
The real Project Blue Book, after which the new series is named, was a classified research project conducted by the United States Air Force. The se- cretive study, designed to investigate unidentified flying objects, was initi- ated in 1952 and continued through the 1960s. Perhaps the most alluring aspect of this real-life study is the fascinating central figure of the Blue Book investigations: J. Allen Hynek, portrayed in the show by Aidan Gillen (“Game of Thrones”), was a respect- ed astrophysicist recruited by the air force to spearhead UFO research.
I want to believe
History debuts new UFO series ‘Project Blue Book’
El Dorado News-Times
Last fall, History revealed its of- ficial trailer for “Project Blue Book,” and if the sample of foreboding mystery it offers says anything about the coming series, UFO junk- ies everywhere will soon have a truly binge-worthy treat to help get them through the winter. The trailer displays Hynek’s initial skepticism as he is first recruited to the project, followed by ominous flashes of what
he discovers along the way, including the testimonies of
insistent UFO witnesses claiming “with God as my
witness, it was not of this world.”
Prepare to be a believer: “Project
Blue Book” is a series that combines
historical accuracy with sci-fi thriller intrigue
and depth of character progression. Sure to be a gripping story from
start to finish, the 10- episode series is
set to premiere Tuesday, Jan.
8, on History.
He started out as a skeptic, but Hynek did his best to keep an open mind throughout the project, and he ultimately came to accept the pos- sibility of alien life as a cause for cer- tain unexplained events on Earth. By the time Project Blue Book was shut down in 1969, there were whispers of government coverups initiated to prevent mass panic. Hynek came out of the project an unwavering cham- pion of truth and evidence-based conclusions.
Backing up Gillen’s Hynek is
Laura Mennell (“The Man in the High Castle”), who plays his wife, Mimi Hynek. There is also air force pilot Capt. Michael Quinn (Michael Ma- larkey, “The Vampire Diaries”) and a mysterious town newcomer named Susie (Ksenia Solo, “Lost Girl”). And you can keep your eyes peeled for Michael Imperioli of “The Sopranos,” who makes an appearance in a few episodes. Neal McDonough (“Mi- nority Report,” 2002) and Michael Harney (“Orange Is the New Black”) round out the main cast.
There’s something for everyone in “Project Blue Book.” While its central theme is bound to draw in those who are suckers for paranormal mystery, the show’s take on alien subject matter is less campy conspiracy and more sleek mystery thriller. “Project
Blue Book” also attempts to do jus- tice to history by exploring the ten- sion between sincere research efforts on the part of Hynek and potential coverups on the part of the U.S. gov- ernment.
It seems this last detail is a major theme of the 10 episodes that com- prise the miniseries. Seven hundred of the many thousands of cases from Project Blue Book were left officially unresolved. The eerie phenomena involved in the study typically fea- tured sightings of unearthly objects and light formations, sometimes moving at impossible speeds, some- times even having close encounters with government aircrafts. Still unexplained half a century later, these mysteries are ripe for fictional speculation, and, according to Gil- len, “Project Blue Book” satisfies the need for conjecture with equal parts intrigue and integrity.
Described as a family man as well as a brilliant scientific mind, Hynek’s personal life is explored in the show alongside his UFOlogy. As such, Gil- len’s task as an actor is to portray great depths through his relation- ships, particularly with Mimi but also with Quinn, the partner foisted on Hynek by the air force. Quinn seems to respect Hynek but also tries to rein in his investigative efforts at
the government’s behest. Gillen told IGN that one of the most compelling
aspects of the story is Hynek’s abil- ity to keep an open mind, question everything in the search for authentic truth, and “still retain his credibility as a scientist.”
Malarkey, whose character is based on an amalgamation of real- life figures involved in Project Blue Book, is as enthusiastic as Gillen about the depth of character that thetwogettoexploretogether.As the weight of the mysterious forces that they are dealing with becomes ever clearer, their
initial mutual resistance transforms into unex-
pected camaraderie. Any
show that deals with investigations into
the creepy unknown
needs a great detec-
tive team whose differ-
ences play off one another,
and the screen chemistry
of these two investiga-
tors is a major high-
light of “Project Blue
Book.”
A/Van Hook Tire
2x2
2880 N.W. Ave • El Dorado • (870) 863-8156
• Anti-Freeze
• Fluid Check
• Heater Check • Tires
• Brakes
• Tune-Ups
Authorized Dealer
+
MOBILE MEDICAL FOOTCARE
Certified Foot Care in Your Home!
Berniece
A/Medical Mobile Foot Care
Carelock, RN
Reducing Elongated & Thickened Toenails
2x2
B/Audibel HeaCrionrgnsS•erCvaiclleusses
www.mobilemedicalfootcare.com 2x3
65 50
Cash, Check $ 1st $ Return
or Credit Card
Visit Visit
Call For Appointment 870-639-9954 or 870-310-3765
Michael Imperioli as seen in
“Project Blue Book”
13211
10761