Joining the feeding frenzy that is the pre-release hype surrounding Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which will be released next week), the Sci Fi Channel will be airing the first three Indiana Jones films repeatedly on 17 and 18 May. Following that, they’ll air their own special, “Mystery of the Crystal Skulls” on Sunday 18 May at 9PM EDT. This special “explores the true history of the legendary relic, unearthing the myths, legends, and controversies that surround them. Could the skulls be ancient Mayan prophecies of doom or relics from the Lost City of Atlantis? Or do they, as some believe, store the vast knowledge of a highly advanced extraterrestrial civilization. To try to answer these questions, Sci Fi has launched an unprecedented expedition into the jungles of Belize to track down the missing skulls. It’s a quest worthy of Indiana Jones himself and one that tries to unlock the knowledge about humanity’s imminent destiny.
“Lester Holt follows in the footsteps of British explorer and adventurer Frederick Mitchell-Hedges, an inspiration for the fictional Indiana Jones character, whose daughter discovered the first ancient crystal skull in the 1920s in the Mayan ruins of Lubaantun. Bill Homann, a modern-day adventurer and caretaker of the Mitchell-Hedges’ skull, joins Lester on the quest that takes them through the treacherous jungles of Belize and in the rough waters of the Honduran coast. Together, with clues that Homann obtained from Mitchell-Hedges’ daughter and local Mayans, they go in search of another missing skull while surviving the bat-ridden caves and alligator infested rivers. Along the way, they come across amazing discoveries including a hidden Mayan temple that could house more treasures.”
There’s an 860 Mb downloadable promo clip available at this link.
For more information on some of these topics, see Mitchell-Hedges‘ 1928 Who’s Who entry, or this Wikipedia entry on the crystal skulls.