The Dead Files – Terror in the Shadows – S01E03

There were a lot of problems with this episode. First off, if Amy has such a hard time dealing with the entities she encounters and feels the urge to run away all the time, why does she keep doing this? She’s constantly going on about how she can’t be in a certain room, can’t go down the stairs, doesn’t like the way she feels and feels pain all the time. If it’s that big a deal maybe you should just stay home? These past three episodes have been about you nearly coming unglued and wanting to hide under the bed. Either face your demons, figuratively and literally, or quit going into people’s houses that might have a problem. If the sight of pizza makes you ill, working at a Pizza Hut might be a bad career choice for you. Just sayin’.

The other problem I have is the claim that shadow figures tried to kill her. When she was four, Amy bit into a power cord and electrocuted herself. She claims that shadow figures encouraged her to do it. Since this sort of thing happens all the time, is she now making the claim that children who bite power cords and stick forks in sockets are at the mercy of shadow figures? I just have a hard time accepting an everyday occurrence and something caused by mystical shadow figures.

What does Amy actually uncover amidst her cowering the corner? She claims there are multiple shadow figures in the house draining the life out of people. She feels they’re evil and could be working to kill someone. Amy is constantly muttering how she’s surrounded by dark energy and they’re all out to get her. She barely manages to stay in one room for more than a few seconds and each place she stops is worse than the last. Finally, she bolts out of the house because she can’t take anymore. When she gathers her wits and can speak again she claims that not only are there shadow people lurking around, but there’s a poltergeist as well. A poltergeist that one of the family members has brought around.

To get away from the house Amy heads over to the garage area where she nearly has another breakdown and claims that two people died in a truck. After only a minute or two, she has to make a hasty retreat from there as well.

Meanwhile Steve interviews the mom, daughter and son to get an idea of what’s going on. They all claim to have had experiences in the house, but mom denies that any of it is real. She believes her kids have seen and experienced things, but she glosses over it and feels she needs to move on with her life. The kids are afraid to sleep upstairs in the house. They didn’t like the place as kids and they don’t like being back as adults. They’re actually afraid for their mom since she lives there alone.

Really the only thing Steve can find is that a death did occur in the garage where a father killed himself and his small son through asphyxia. He hooked up the tailpipe to the interior of a truck and kept it running until they both perished. Horrible to be sure, but how does this explain the shadow figures?

When Amy visits the house to talk to everyone, she’s firmly convinced the mom is causing the poltergeist. She has repressed feelings about the loss of her mother and father as well as the loss of her husband. Because she’s in denial, it’s created this dark energy. Amy doesn’t explain where the shadow figures came from because she doesn’t know. The only thing she can really offer is that mom needs to start dealing with her feelings and maybe some of the energy will dissipate. Not to be rude, but she really doesn’t have much to offer here. Amy basically says she would run away from the house and never come back. Not exactly helpful for the homeowners is it? What do we need to burn the place to the ground to cleanse it?

The kids don’t feel their mother is the cause of the poltergeist either, but that’s to be expected. Not many kids are going to believe their mom is responsible for an evil ball of energy roaming through the house.

When all is said and done, we really don’t settle much. Amy is scared witless by the house and the kids are left in the same situation as before. Is there really something going on in the house or is there some other explanation for the events? Has mom and her repressed feelings about death generated something evil? Is the house really infested with ill-meaning shadow figures?

Is seems to me this is a prime location for a paranormal investigation. Let’s see, who could be get to show up?

Other Articles of Interest:

• Ghost Adventures – George Washington Ghost – S09E03
• Ghost Adventures – Reseda House of Evil – S13E04
• Paranormal State – Paranormal Detour – S05E07
• Ghost Adventures – Mackay Mansion – S13E02
• Ghost Adventures – Yost Theater and Ritz Hotel – S08E05
• Ghost Adventures – Lechtworth Village – S05E06
• Haunted Collector – Cigar Bar and Childs Play – S03E02
• Ghost Adventures – The Black Swan Inn – S08E02
• Ghost Adventures – Prospect Place
• Haunted History – A Deadly Possession – S01E05