GREAT SAND DUNES MASSACRE

A park surveyor connects a grim death in a Colorado national park to local history.

Conducting archaeological surveys in national parks isn’t exciting, but it’s an important part of understanding the land. That’s what has drawn Chuck Bender to this work for many years and across many parks in this ongoing and well-researched series centered on the intersection of humanity and nature. But adventure always seems to find Chuck, and it does so once again as he surveys Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park. While Chuck is carefully taking measurements, a man seems to be spying on him—but why? Then the man is shot in front of Chuck, leading to a horrifying series of events that results in the stranger’s death—his name turns out to be Luke Rigby—by alligator. Chuck is shaken up, not only from witnessing the incident but because his 15-year-old stepdaughter, Rosie Ortega, will be arriving soon for a young filmmaker’s program. Is this incident a bizarre one-off or part of some wider park violence? Most important to Chuck and his wife, Janelle, is making sure Rosie is safe, so Chuck looks into the area’s history in an effort to understand the context of Luke’s death. At the same time, Rosie is trying to find an identity separate from that of her 17-year-old sister, Carmelita, an ultra-trail runner with an online following. Rosie is hoping her passion and talent could be directing, and she hooks into Luke’s story for her directorial debut. While Chuck’s investigation centers on the land, more compelling is Rosie’s story of growing into herself, complete with a potential crush on bad-boy fellow filmmaker Willie. While the series continues to have a draw in the national park backdrop, the unraveling interpersonal dynamics are more successful as Chuck and Rosie find out what was behind Luke’s tragic death.

This long-term series fails to blaze new paths, though it has some scenic views on the way.