Destination Truth

Destination Truth is a Documentary show that airs on the Syfy channel. It stars Josh Gates and a team of investigators as they travel around the world to seek the truth behind various sightings of cryptids and alleged hauntings.

The show is noted for traveling to exotic locations and for the charisma and humor of its star Josh Gates.

Currently the Destination Truth crew consists of Josh Gates, Gabe Copeland, Mike Morrell, Bobby Pura, Dan Ramirez, Vanessa Joy Smith, and Ali Zubik.

Former members include Erin Ryder, Jael de Pardo, and Araceli Haldeman.

Tropes used in Destination Truth include:

Abandoned Area
Badass: Josh Gates, Unlike most of the guys who run away, any man that willingly charges at a Sasquatch, is either Brave or Stupid... or both.
Big Fun: Josh is taller than average, and very playful.
Creepy Doll: More like a whole island of them when the team visited the Island of the Dolls in Mexico.
Crossover: Grant, Jason, Steve, and Tango of Ghost Hunters often appear to analyze evidence that Josh and crew have gathered from their ghost investigations. This has proved controversial with Destination Truth fans who prefer the show not associate with them. Josh himself has appeared on Ghost Hunters.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: While not exactly a moron, Josh does act like a wise-cracking goof most of the time, especially when they first land at their destination, but the Badass and Real Life entries show he really knows his stuff.
Deadpan Snarker: Josh and Vanessa
Deliberately Monochrome: Night-vision
Executive Meddling: It's doubtful that the many appearances by members of Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International are Josh's idea. Or the numerous other Syfy personalities who show up as guest investigators to plug their own show.
Eenie Meenie Miny Moai: They seek out the spirits that are said to haunt the Moai statues.
Even the Guys Want Him: Josh
Foreign Queasine: Something of a Running Gag.
Funny Moments: Unleash Josh on a foreign culture and something funny is bound to happen.
Goofy Print Underwear: In one episode, when they touch down in Nairobi, they notice that Josh has ripped the crotch of his pants. He then has to strip in the middle of a crowded Kenyan marketplace, and sit there in his airplane-print boxers while the seamstress mends them.
- His excuse, "I'm an adventurous guy, I wear adventurous underwear."
Hearing Voices - Electronic Voice Phenomenon
Huge Schoolgirl: Ali is very tall and feels awkward in Japan because of her height.
Let's Split Up, Gang!: On investigations, Josh heads out with The Chick, Gabe, and audio guy. The two other male investigators and other cameraman head out on their own. The tech person stays at home base to monitor cameras and stay in touch with the teams.
Lighter and Softer: The first season was pretty straight-forward; those that followed featured more and more of the team's traveling arrangements Josh interacting with the local culture.
Name's the Same: While investigating the haunted Tanazian island of Memba, their host was a farmer named Jakob Marley, which Josh could not resist...

Josh (narrating): Something had scared the Dickens out of Jakob.

Paranormal Investigation: Usually half of the episode segments feature a haunting investigation while the rest deal with cryptids. In an effort to distinguish itself from other paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures, Destination Truth focuses investigating more exotic and interesting locations like the Great Wall of China or the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia.
- This is a genre slip from its earlier run where Josh would only rarely investigate anything to do with ghosts simply because as he put it, it was better off left to the guys on Ghost Hunters. That said, in following seasons, his investigations have slid to a pretty much even ratio of haunting/cryptid per episode.
Real Life: Josh is a member of The Explorers Club, has a degree in archaeology, and is a qualified SCUBA diver. All of his skills are put to good use on the show.
Running Gag: Every automobile Josh and the gang uses seems to either stall or break down at some point.
- On a recent episode in Alaska, Josh even wonders why they can't just have gotten a car that worked for once.
  - Not to mention the airplane that partially disintegrated mid-flight!
  - And the boats...
- On a recent episode of Fact Or Faked Paranormal Files (which features former team member Jael), a guest-starring Josh lamented that their three-person teams get to ride in comfortable SUVs, while he had to cram at least twice as many people and equipment into the crappiest rental cars available.
Scenery Porn
Somewhere a Paleontologist Is Crying: Say it with me...pterodactyls ARE NOT DINOSAURS!
- They're also NOT BIRDS!
Straight Man and Wise Guy: The rest of the crew usually plays The Straight Man to Josh's wise guy.
The Alleged Car: Another Running Gag on the show is that every car they get is a rough collection of spare parts held together by little more than hope. In Indonesia, the car caught on fire.