The “Haunted” TV Show
Read more articles on Movies, visual media and Let Me Share With You.January 3, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
January 3, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
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Have any of you in the states or Great Britain watched “Most Haunted”? Here in America, it’s found on our cable Travel Channel on Friday Nights at 10 PM, EST.
I find this to be quite unique in the sense that even though much of it looks staged, I am hoping part of it is real. At some point, I usually stop whatever it is I’m trying to do while it’s on, in order to give it my full attention.
The scenario is set within England and Scotland; a team consisting of a “Medium”, hostess and technical crew visit locations that are reportedly haunted, such as castles and hotels. Their goal is to stay 24 hours within the confines, utilizing infrared equipment, cameras and tape recorders to catch any sound or light anomalies missed by their naked eyes. Information the medium “picks up on” is consequently researched and verified for correlation. The purpose is simply to determine if the premises is haunted, and if so, by whom.
There is a definite pattern to the show, and at least one or two moments of actual suspense, where someone from the crew experiences unexplained phenomena, or the Medium lapses into what could only be termed “unaware” states. These particular situations can’t help but seem a slight bit faked, even with jostled camera angles and bleeped out profanity. Still, it makes for good television, especially when the resident cynic does find pertinent information that validates the medium.
One of my favorite shows was when film from a particular room was sped up a few hundred times to reflect a bed moving a noticeable distance throughout the night. That’s the kind of thing I find intriguing, even if it was from vibrations from an underground or train, the possibilities suggested by the always questioning parapyschologist.
Probably many, if not the majority of people, who start watching this show will turn it off, thinking it’s over the top-both in subject matter and style. But I like it. I enjoy how my reality is suspended for those 60 minutes. When Medium Derek Acorah starts relating events that occurred in the building during the 1300’s, I am as fascinated with his over-dramatization as with his courtly and gentlemanly persona. If he is typecast, it couldn’t be more perfect.
In any event, if a person is the least bit interested in séances and reported spiritual presences, it deserves at least one viewing. Even without believing in hauntings, one may never again look at old castles and centuries-old architecture in the same way again!
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