Mystery Hunters is a Canadian Documentary television series aimed at a young audience. It aired on YTV in Canada and on Discovery Kids in the United States. It was also dubbed in Japanese and aired in Japan on NHK. Teenage hosts Araya and Christina investigate real-life reports of mysteries such as spirits, legendary creatures, monsters, dinosaurs and UFOs. They use scientific rigour to try to find plausible explanations for the sightings and eye-witness accounts that trigger their investigations. In another section of the show, Doubting Dave, a scientist played by David Acer, attempts to explain mysterious personal experiences that have been emailed in by viewers, in a feature called "V-Files", as well as a way to create your own versions of the mysteries in the show in his "Mystery Lab" segment. Produced by Apartment 11 Productions, four seasons and 78 episodes of the series have been made, and it has garnered awards and accolades from around the world, including eight Gemini Award nominations, a 2006 Parents' Choice Award, and a 2007 Japan Prize for the "Stonehenge" episode, awarded the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Prize in the Early Education category.
WritersRamelle Mair , David Acer
Skunk Ape / Bigfoot
Sep 9, 2002
Skunk Ape Pictures with the sheriff's department show something very strange walking in a Florida forest. Christina is on the lookout for a giant, smelly ape-man lurking in Florida Everglades. Big Foot Araya searches for the elusive Big Foot in the Oregon Forest. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave makes a footprint cast out of plaster. V-File What are those strange objects I spotted over the skies of Mexico? (Rodrigo Velasco Fuhrken - 15 years - Tetelpan, Mexico)
The Prison Inn / Seeing-Ghost Dogs
Sep 16, 2002
The Prison Inn Christina stays overnight in a hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, converted from a notorious prison on the very night (Feb. 11) a man was hanged in his cell. Using the latest hi-tech ghost hunting equipment, she investigates. Seeing-Ghost Dogs Araya goes with a dog on a ghost hunt in North Carolina. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave shows how to see your very own aura. V-File Why do black holes swallow all that is near them? (Valentina Aracil, 11 years - Mar-del-Plata Argentina)
Ogopogo Lake Monster / Mummy Case
Sep 23, 2002
Ogopogo Lake Monster There have been so many recent sightings of a strange creature in the waters of Lake Okaganagan in British Columbia, that Christina decides to go and investigate the legend of one of the world's best known lake monsters: the Ogopogo. Mummy Case Araya discovers the secrets behind a thousand year old mummy in Toronto, Ontario. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave mummifies a chicken. V-File Is my house haunted because it creeks? (Matthew Rogers - 9 years - Manchester, England)
New England Vampires / Aurora Borealis
Sep 30, 2002
New England Vampires Christina visits the supposed grave of an alleged vampire. Aurora Borealis Araya experiences the Aurora Borealis. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave shows how images can persist long after we have seen them.
Hypnosis / Pet Psychics
Oct 7, 2002
Hypnosis Christina subjects herself to mind control in Toronto, Ontario in an effort to exercise control over Araya and ends up getting to the truth about hypnosis. Pet Psychics Araya investigates the possibility of talking to pets telepathically in California. A psychic shows how she found a family's a lost dog. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave demonstrates hypnotic illusions. V-File How do magicians make people levitate? (Joseph Rowe, 11 years - London, UK)
Ice Mummy / Cryonics
Oct 14, 2002
Ice Mummy Dead bodies have been found on a mountaintop in Lima, Peru. They were brought down for examination, and ever since, some bad things have happened in the town. Christina's investigation takes her to a lab where she discovers the bodies brought down are ice mummies. Cryonics Araya learns about Cryogenics - bringing frozen people back to life without any aging, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave constructs an igloo. V-File Why do people see a ""light"" when they're about to die? (Nicolas Cruces Pastorino - 11 years - Buenos Aires)
Brown Mountain Lights / Spoon Bending
Oct 21, 2002
Brown Mountain Lights Christina visits a hilltop in North Carolina with mysterious brown lights. Spoon Bending Araya attends a spoon-bending workshop in San Francisco. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave moves objects with his mind.
Nazca Lines / Trophy Heads
Oct 22, 2002
Nasca Lines Christina heads to Peru and nearby graves to investigate mysterious lines etched into the earth that stretch on and on, and twist in all directions. These humongous line drawings take on the familiar shapes of animals and people, forming a lost civilization. Mystery Lab Araya and Doubting Dave make giant chalk drawing drawings. V-File A black cat crossed my path is it true I will have bad luck? (Blanca Diaz Chavez, 12 years old, Ajijic, Mexico)
Bermuda Triangle / Cave Ghost
Oct 23, 2002
Bermuda Triangle Araya investigates this most enduring of marine legends - the Bermuda Triangle in Florida. Reputed to swallow boats giant and small, and suck airplanes out of the sky, Araya is undaunted by this most dangerous area of the sea and heads out to do what he must. Cave Ghosts Christina moves on to Pennsylvania to discover cave ghosts. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave tries to make Ghost Photographs. V-File Does space have a limit? (Modestino Orsini - 9 years - Alife, Italy)
Mexican Mummies / Psychic Spy
Oct 24, 2002
Mexican Mummies Araya visits a Mexican cemetery full of mysteriously preserved bodies. Psychic Spy Christina explores the secret language of animals. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave creates a vegetable mummy.
Ghettysburg Ghosts / Voodoo
Oct 25, 2002
Gettysburg Ghosts Araya looks for ghosts from the American Civil War. Voodoo Christina learns how to perform voodoo. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave goes on the hunt for ghosts with low-tech equipment. V-File Why is yawning contagious?
MacBeth / Salem
Oct 28, 2002
MacBeth Araya invokes the dreaded curse behind Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Salem Christina travels to Salem where she meets a modern day witch to learn the true story of witchcraft. Mystery Lab Doubting Dave creates his own curse and investigates fangs.
Dragons / Sewer Gators
Dec 2, 2002
Christina investigates reports of alligators breeding underneath New York City. Araya walks the hill where a dragon was allegedly slain. Doubting Dave makes plastic fangs.
Desert Mummies / Remote Viewing
Dec 9, 2002
Araya tests his ‘PSI’ abilities in a remote viewing facility. Christina unwraps an ancient mummy. Doubting Dave tests his own ESP.
Loch Ness / Whooper
Dec 16, 2002
Christina pursues some ghostly screams heard in the woods of New Brunswick. Araya travels to Loch Ness, Scotland in search of the legendary sea creature. Doubting Dave makes his own fake Nessie video.
