Terry Morrow: Knoxville-area 'Finding Bigfoot' installment to air Sunday

Photo by Chad Greene, 2012 // Buy this photo

TV personality Ranae Holland, left, from the Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot show signs autographs for fans on Friday, November 16, 2012 at the Powell Auction House. (Chad Greene/Special to the News Sentinel)

Looking for Bigfoot? Well, that’s a dumb question. Who isn’t?

OK. Maybe you aren’t, but “Finding Bigfoot” (10 p.m. Sunday, Animal Planet) airs an installment this week in which the show’s researchers think they’ve uncovered evidence in the mountains of East Tennessee.

“Bigfoot” researcher Cliff Barackman informed Knoxville-area enthusiast Matt Seeber the popular series had “great success” in their East Tennessee adventure.

What kind of success did they have? Did they find a Bigfoot, throw a net over it and drag it back to civilization?

“No,” Seeber, who did not accompany the group, said with a laugh. “I wish it was that successful.”

“Bigfoot” doesn’t allow spoilers.

“Bigfoot” crews spent about three weeks in the area. They traveled several secluded wooded spots and obtained permission to camp in places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where most tourists are not allowed.

They were also near Sweetwater, Morgan County and Oliver Springs.

Some episodes — but not all of them — have no more evidence than freshly fallen trees, heavy debris suddenly found or night vision images of a large creature mingling in the woods late at night.

Yet the show continues to be a monster hit for Animal Planet and has run for several seasons. There are many believers.

“Their idea is to not come into an area and capture (a creature),” he said. “They basically just want to show the creature does exist here.”

© 2013, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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