Between 1952 and 1969, the US Air Force investigated over 12 000 reported sightings of UFOs – more than 700 of which remain unsolved to this day.

This top-secret programme was code-named ‘Project Blue Book’, which is now the title of a 10-part historical fiction series based on the declassified government files of these investigations, and set against the backdrop of the Cold War and rising Atomic Era.

If you want to get a better sense of what we’re talking about, think “X-Files meets The Americans,” to borrow a description from The Los Angeles Times.

Project Blue Book is now streaming first on Showmax in South Africa. Each episode draws from an actual Project Blue Book case file, like the military pilot who claimed he’d survived a dogfight with an alien craft; a mass sighting of a mysterious V-shaped craft in Lubbock, Texas; a scout troop who claimed they saw a strange craft hovering in the woods; green fireball incidents over several military bases; and a film documenting an army platoon under UFO attack during the Korean War.

There are tinfoil hat conspiracy shows, and then there’s the most-watched new cable series of the year so far in America.

As Variety put it, “The most surprising thing about Project Blue Book is that it took so long to become a TV show in the first place”.

Project Blue Book is executive produced by Robert Zemeckis, the Oscar-winning director of Forrest Gump, who also directed the Oscar-nominated science fiction classics Back To The Future and Contact,  the classic Jodie Foster movie about first-contact with aliens.

The good news is that the show has already been renewed for a second season, and the great news is that you can watch the first season now.

We’re just humble fans of the golden age of series, so we’re not qualified to comment on US government policies or the existence of alien lifeforms. All we know for sure is that Project Blue Book is a fascinating history lesson that doubles as “a stylish, pulpy delight,” to quote The Independent.

Here’s the trailer:

For a little more information, here’s a snapshot of the story behind the UFOs that flew around Washington DC in July of 1952:

We may never know the truth, but series like Project Blue Book are sure to give some US government officials sweaty palms.

You can stream all 10 episodes now on Showmax. Existing DStv Premium subscribers can add Showmax to the bouquets for free, but don’t worry if you don’t tick that box.

Sign up for the FREE 14-day trial here, and you can get your binge on right away without paying a cent.

Remember, the truth is out there (ominous music playing us out)…