Shows To Watch If You Love The Curse Of Oak Island

Mesmerizing a loyal viewership of armchair treasure-hunters for nine seasons, the History Channel's "The Curse of Oak Island" chronicles the long-running quest of Lagina brothers Rick and Marty as they scour a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia in search of the legendary riches rumored to buried there. With seductive stories of wealth left on the island by everyone from pirates to the Knights Templar to Roman legions and others, the show keeps fans engaged with the brothers' relentlessly optimistic spins on even the most outlandish claims or speculations.

Admittedly, some of the sketchier ruminations on what might lie beneath the sandy soil of the tiny island must stretch the credulity of even the most dedicated viewers, whether it concerns Shakespearean manuscripts actually penned by Francis Bacon or a lone jewel ascribed to French Queen Marie Antoinette. On the other hand, actual historical treasures have been unearthed, mostly vintage coins from various eras, a few metal buttons, bits of gold, an ancient metal cross, some rusty hardware and few painted pottery shards. And while none of the discoveries have much in the way of monetary value, they're enough to keep spirits high and heavy machinery digging through season after season on the show. So, if you're a fan of "The Curse of Oak Island" and its tantalizing tales of vast riches hidden by mysterious entities in exotic locations, what shows should you dig into next?

For viewers who want more of what "The Curse of Oak Island" is best at, i.e., intriguing speculations and hands-on investigations about undiscovered wonders, one show should be first on their list: "Beyond Oak Island." It also features the intrepid Lagina Brothers exploring tales of treasures from around the world.

And that's just one of numerous shows for fans of TV treasure hunts. From The Discovery Channel, there's "Treasure Quest: Snake Island" (pictured), taking viewers on a search for Incan gold in South America, and "Cooper's Treasure" documenting a search for Columbus's sunken fleet in the Caribbean. Then, there's "Forbidden History," available on Hulu and Amazon Prime, offering treasure hunts along with a dose of conspiracy theories and other alt-history musings.

And while Rick Lagina himself may well tune into some of these C.O.O.I.-like shows, one thing is certain: he won't watch episodes of "The Curse of Oak Island" where he appears, admitting to MyNorth.com, "I tend not to watch... Ya know, it's hard to watch yourself on TV in my opinion. I am not a big fan of that." But, he adds, he is a fan of the series itself and is "gratified that people enjoy the show."

So, if Rick and Marty's exploits on "The Curse of Oak Island" simply aren't enough excitement for you, the above small-screen quests for untold wealth and stunning archaeological discoveries just might scratch that itch.