Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Stranger than fiction
Fans of “The X-Files,” rejoice! History Channel has produced a new fictional miniseries that delves into the world of extraterrestrial investigations. “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 secretive study, designed to investigate unidentified flying objects, was initiated 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 respected astrophysicist recruited by the air force to spearhead UFO research. 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 possibility of alien life as a cause for certain 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 champion 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 Malarkey, “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 (“Minority 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 justice to history by exploring the tension between sincere research efforts on the part of Hynek and potential coverups on the part of the U.S. government. It seems this last detail is a major theme of the 10 episodes that comprise 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 featured sightings of unearthly objects and light formations, sometimes moving at impossible speeds, sometimes even having close encounters with government aircrafts. Still unexplained half a century later, these mysteries are ripe for fictional speculation, and, according to Gillen, “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, Gillen’s task as an actor is to portray great depths through his relationships, 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 ability 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 the two get to explore together. As the weight of the mysterious forces
that they are dealing with becomes ever clearer, their initial mutual resistance transforms into unexpected camaraderie. Any show that deals with investigations into the creepy unknown needs a great detective team whose differences play off one another, and the screen chemistry of these two investigators is a major highlight of “Project Blue Book.” Last fall, History revealed its official trailer for “Project Blue Book,” and if the sample of foreboding mystery it offers says anything about the coming series, UFO junkies everywhere will soon have a truly bingeworthy 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 an extremely gripping story with an amazing arc from start to finish, the 10-episode series is set to premiere Tuesday, Jan. 8, on History.