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The new Netflix docuseries The Manhattan Alien Abduction landed on the streamer’s Top 10 list in its first week. The 3-part series focuses on the apparent abduction of New York woman Linda Napolitano. Along with Linda, both believers and skeptics of Linda’s story are interviewed for the series, some scrutinizing the evidence that was presented at the time. For fans looking for another UFO watch, there’s a Netflix docuseries from 2023 that takes a different approach to the UFO phenomenon and the impact it has on those who experience it.
Encounters is a 4-part series that hit Netflix back in September, also landing on the Top 10 list. While The Manhattan Alien Abduction takes a more traditional documentary approach by just focusing on Napolitano’s case, Encounters explores a different phenomenon in each episode. From rural Texas to the coastlines of Japan, Encounters spans the globe, delving into the stories being told, interviewing eyewitnesses of the event, as well as scientists and government officials. Unlike other UFO documentaries in the past, Encounters presents undeniable evidence that both believers and skeptics can appreciate.
‘Encounters’ Set the Standard for ‘The Manhattan Alien Abduction’
Over the years, UFO documentaries were generally seen as silly, but lately, there’s been an interesting shift. Major filmmakers and studios are producing credible and successful UFO documentaries. Encounters was produced by Steven Spielberg-led Amblin Entertainment; sci-fi being a genre the Oscar-winning director loves to dabble in. JJ Abrams also produced a UFO docuseries for Showtime under his Bad Robot banner. It can be argued that a well-vetted and produced docuseries like Encounters helped set the standard for The Manhattan Alien Abduction. By including credible eyewitness accounts and expert interviews, Encounters adds legitimacy to any alien encounter it discusses. The reenactments are also well-produced, including real eyewitnesses in the actual locations where the encounters took place.
The anthology-like format of Encounters helps prepare viewers for a deeper dive into the topic, like The Manhattan Alien Abduction, which only focuses on one specific encounter. The four different cases in Encounters, while very different, have one major thing in common: Each encounter was experienced by a large group of people. The four episodes contain captivating interviews with eyewitnesses of the events, seamlessly weaving together their stories to show a broader picture of the encounter. It takes the audience back in time when the event took place, and speaks to witnesses who still grapple with their reality today.
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The Collective Belief of the Unknown Makes ‘Encounters’ Stand Out
Although mindsets may be starting to shift, for a long time, the stigma of speaking out about an alien encounter or abduction was met with skepticism. Thankfully, Encounters moves away from that norm and doesn’t cast doubt or judge the eyewitnesses being interviewed. Through their stories, it’s clear that not being believed was something that almost all the eyewitnesses had to endure after the event. Even though they faced skepticism, though, the collective belief in what they saw also brought them together. This is exemplified in the show’s first episode, which focuses on a 2008 UFO sighting in a small Texas town. The stories of bright lights and what one man called a “flying Dorito” in the sky began to reach reporters at the local newspaper. Reluctant at first to publish the story, they ultimately did, which led to more people coming forward, realizing that they weren’t the only ones who saw the UFO. The citizens of Stephenville who saw the event didn’t want to say anything at first because they didn’t want to be labeled as crazy, but once they realized they weren’t the only ones, that all changed.
Episode 3 also explores a mass sighting, this time across the pond. In 1977, the village of Broad Haven became the epicenter of the largest mass sighting event in the history of the UK, when over 400 reports of UFO and alien accounts were made. Again, the stigma kept people from speaking up, worried they would be ridiculed, and some were gaslit and told they didn’t see what they thought they saw. But, as audiences hear each story from individuals who did not know each other, it’s hard to ignore the striking similarities in their stories.
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Something that isn’t always explored in the more technical UFO documentaries is the psychological and emotional impact that UFO and alien encounters can have on the people that experience them. In The Manhattan Alien Abduction, Linda talks often about the toll her abduction experience had on her and her family. Encounters also delves into the toll the UFO encounters had on the eyewitnesses, who all share the same fear of being seen as crazy if they shared their story. Even though these eyewitnesses knew they weren’t alone in what they experienced, in almost all cases, the encounters came with lasting consequences. Some people became so obsessed with finding answers, and, in the case of one man in Stephenville, caused him to lose his businesses and his marriage. Others felt gaslit for years about what they saw, making them question if they’d be believed for anything else.
Episode 2 focuses on a case in 1995 Zimbabwe, where 60 students witnessed an alien life form in the schoolyard. This episode stands out because it includes interviews from that time period that were conducted by Harvard Psychiatrist, Dr. John Mack. Seeing the interviews of the witnesses as kids and as adults in the present day added a new layer to what they saw, and how it has impacted them over the years. One of the students even says that the aftermath of the experience was more traumatic than the event itself, because even though their stories lined up, people didn’t believe them.
Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, Encounters presents a compelling case that we’re not alone in the universe. In speaking to scientists and experts, the series adds credibility to the very compelling eyewitness accounts. Now, with more current evidence coming out about UFOs, and perhaps, the stigma going away, stories of encounters seem more plausible. If witnesses are more likely to be believed, more people will be willing to speak out if they have an encounter of their own.
All episodes of Encounters are available to stream on Netflix.
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