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who you gonna call?
Nov. 1st, 2009 01:05 pmExtreme Paranormal is an A&E show that is Ghost Hunters, Git-Er-Done style (but to be fair to Ghost Hunters, I do think TAPS is a well-meaning and honest organization). They basically spend the episode trying to summon the ghosts of murderers and such, using elementary and bastardized demonology and voodoo (why? because no one's done it before, yarrrhh!) - they've got an "occultist" with them, see. The "occultist" knows how to "close the circle."
The main problem from an entertainment standpoint is there is no sense of analysis at all - they're looking in the forest and hear movement and assume it's a zombie, or they're in a boat and hear splashing and assume it's a dead serial killer, or one guy starts coughing and they assume he's possessed. There's no data analysis, no attempt to debunk and see if it's wind or pipes or anything else. Just spearing porcelain doll heads on toy chests and calling out to ghost children. They say the bed's shaking but we don't see it. They hear whispers but we don't. But can I really complain about that, since what I generally mock about Ghost Hunters is the assumption that ghosts can be "measured"? Extreme Paranormal is experiential and hysterical, like most ghostly encounters - but it's not as authentic and emotional as FEAR, which in true Blair Witch style, never presented any evidence aside from contestants quitting the competition (and indeed, FEAR wasn't about evidence). But, well, though my opinion of Extreme Paranormal got a little better at the end of the second episode I watched, these quotes somewhat speak for themselves - I think my issue with the show is that it goads so much:
"We need to go find a voodoo priestess." Later: "Priestess, can a spirit kill somebody?"
"This whole possession thing freaks me out." "Well, it should freak you out."
"Let's go over there and raise the dead!"
"It's not exactly the smartest idea to keep doing this."
"We need to bury someone alive."
"I think this is gonna work guys, I think this is gonna up the activity."
"Worst case scenario is voodoo spirits see you as being dead, and come and claim you."
"["voodoo" incantation] You're gonna be marked for death... you're as dead as everybody else down there." Later: "I'll start by sprinkling some chicken blood."
"Come on, Julia! If you're here, show yourself!" Later: "Come back here, you son of a bitch!"
Guy in casket: "Something's scratching on the casket!"
Occultist: "Get him out, get him out!"
Alpha Male: "Don't get him out, that's why he's in there!"
The main problem from an entertainment standpoint is there is no sense of analysis at all - they're looking in the forest and hear movement and assume it's a zombie, or they're in a boat and hear splashing and assume it's a dead serial killer, or one guy starts coughing and they assume he's possessed. There's no data analysis, no attempt to debunk and see if it's wind or pipes or anything else. Just spearing porcelain doll heads on toy chests and calling out to ghost children. They say the bed's shaking but we don't see it. They hear whispers but we don't. But can I really complain about that, since what I generally mock about Ghost Hunters is the assumption that ghosts can be "measured"? Extreme Paranormal is experiential and hysterical, like most ghostly encounters - but it's not as authentic and emotional as FEAR, which in true Blair Witch style, never presented any evidence aside from contestants quitting the competition (and indeed, FEAR wasn't about evidence). But, well, though my opinion of Extreme Paranormal got a little better at the end of the second episode I watched, these quotes somewhat speak for themselves - I think my issue with the show is that it goads so much:
"We need to go find a voodoo priestess." Later: "Priestess, can a spirit kill somebody?"
"This whole possession thing freaks me out." "Well, it should freak you out."
"Let's go over there and raise the dead!"
"It's not exactly the smartest idea to keep doing this."
"We need to bury someone alive."
"I think this is gonna work guys, I think this is gonna up the activity."
"Worst case scenario is voodoo spirits see you as being dead, and come and claim you."
"["voodoo" incantation] You're gonna be marked for death... you're as dead as everybody else down there." Later: "I'll start by sprinkling some chicken blood."
"Come on, Julia! If you're here, show yourself!" Later: "Come back here, you son of a bitch!"
Guy in casket: "Something's scratching on the casket!"
Occultist: "Get him out, get him out!"
Alpha Male: "Don't get him out, that's why he's in there!"
