Paranormal Cops S01E01
I need to watch more shows on the paranormal like I need another hole in the head. And considering the stupidity that reigns on Ghost Lab and the vomitous mass that is Ghost Hunters Academy I don’t have high hopes for some new "angle". But after reading a few recommendations I gave Paranormal Cops a try. And I was pleasantly surprised.
So here’s the case. The client works at a car sales/customization shop and has been experiencing odd things. He’s uncomfortable there, feels threatened, hears noises and is ready to quit his job. He wants to know if he’s just being paranoid or if something is really going on.
Enter Rob Fabiani and the Chicago Paranormal Detectives to find out what’s going on. They’re cops by day and paranormal investigators by night. By the way, you have to be amused by Rob and his ever present cigar. It’s a Chicago thing I’m sure.
Perhaps it’s just their new gimmick but treating a case on the paranormal like a regular police case was surprisingly interesting. They seal the doors, bag and tag the evidence and make sure no one but them has access to the building. And while checking the place out they didn’t just ask for "the hot spots" and listen with glazed over eyes, they asked questions and looked like they were already trying to debunk what was happening. Seeing them actually taking notes was a nice change of pace too.
So what about the investigation? It turns out the location used to be a hangout for the mob, possibly going back as far as Al Capone. They find reports of murders as well as a floor layout showing secret passageways. While doing their investigation they get an email from someone who saw their van outside and has had their own experiences there. In typical police fashion they find a few witnesses and talk to them. They learn of some of the murders and other happenings on the site.
The investigation itself is pretty interesting in regards to the responses they get with their meter. At times it seems spot on with answering the questions Ron has. However, other times it seems to act completely random. Are they getting a response or is it on the fritz?
I can’t say that their medium added or detracted from the show. Normally the mediums I see are nothing more than comic relief. She had just a few things to add, but didn’t get all melodramatic about it which was also a nice change.
In the end they got some interesting activity with their EMF meter as well as a couple EVPs. Their EVPs are a little more discernable than other shows, but aside from that, what the supposed mobsters have to say is pretty amusing. I guess some spirits are still fouled mouthed even in the afterlife.
When all is said and done I have to say I liked the show and their approach. It certainly has an organized feel to it and no one seems to yell "Oh My God" or "Dude" or "Bro" while they’re investigation. Plus, I don’t think we’ll get a "Dude Run!" scream out of these guys. So far I like how this is shaping up, so I’ll be tuning in for the second episode this week. If you’re as tired of the Ghost Hunters as I am you probably should give this a try.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Paranormal Cops – Stirring Up The Dead – S01E03
- Paranormal Challenge – Western Virginia Penitentiary – S01E05
- Forever – Interesting stories and an interesting look at life
- Paranormal Challenge Ohio State Reformatory S01E03
- Ghost Hunters Season 4
- Paranormal Challenge – Old South Pittsburgh Hospital – S01E08
- Ghost Hunters International – Hitler’s Ghost
- Ghost Adventures – Lizzie Borden House – S05E05
- Paranormal Cops- Messages from Beyond – S01E06
- Ghost Hunters – Live From The Stanley Hotel
Ghost Adventures Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – The Cutdown
Paranormal is a general term that describes unusual experiences that lack a scientific explanation, or phenomena alleged to be outside of science’s current ability to explain or measure.
I watched the Ghost Adventures recap episode of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and I am convinced now more than ever that both Chris Fleming and Robert Bess are complete charlatans. It’s pretty obvious they are using parlor tricks and the power of suggestion to make people think there is paranormal activity going on around them.
First of all the Spirit Box that Chris Fleming uses is a complete sham. As I mentioned previously this thing is nothing more than a receiver tuning into a radio station. (It could just as easily be used to tune into a radio station as someone sitting outside the building talking into a microphone and it picks up every tenth word). Additionally, his reactions are completely over the top for what’s going on and come across as highly practiced. You would think someone who’s been doing this for years wouldn’t be so easily amazed. He’s been working on his truly stunned look where his jaw is gaped open in disbelief. Further, through his constant talking he is planting the seed that the place is overwhelmingly paranormal and that it’s filled with spirit energy. He’s doing his best to plant that thought in your head so you’ll believe it.
His recordings sound like a completely garbled mess, but yet he is able to instantly recognize what’s being said. He doesn’t need to go back and hear it again or even take an educated guess. He knows!
And let’s not forget this is the guy who brought us the highly questionable, easily manipulated, but now de-facto ghost hunting tool, the K2. While at the home of the Manson family murders he talks non-stop while showing off the device and again his reactions seem well rehearsed so you don’t question the validity of what he’s doing.
He’s in full form on this ghost hunt, but when you take a step back from the excitement he’s trying to generate and think for a moment, his methods and conclusions can easily be explained by everyday things. It’s a radio!
As for ol’ Gun Slingin’ Robert Bess, I think we’ve seen the last of him. Again, his Parabot was nothing more than a huge parlor trick. Think about it, what did it do? I made a ton of noise, had flashing lights, produced a ton of electrical charge so not only would you be scared to death to get near it, but it also charged the hell out of the atmosphere. Your skin would tingle, your hair would stand on end, shadows would be all over the place and the siren would make you think all sorts of things were happening.
But why should we believe for a second that this rig actually does anything? Besides make a bunch of distracting noise that is. It’s obviously got some mechanical problems (clearly the ghosts don’t want to be caught by it so they sabotaged it), the siren is probably run from a remote (Bob certainly has his hand on his hip an awful lot) or it just goes every few seconds for dramatic effect.
Between these two incredibly faulty devices you can easily be sucked into thinking there’s paranormal activity, and that’s exactly what they’re hoping. If you spend even 10 seconds thinking about what they’re doing and what the real effect is, you’ll see they’re both completely full of crap and their devices are total gimmicks. There was absolutely nothing paranormal about what these two were doing.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Some sort of crazy paranormal showdown
- Ghost Adventures Live Halloween Special
- Ghost Encounters: The Queen Mary
- Ghost Lab – Episode 4 – Chicago/Texas
- Zozo, Darren Evans, Robert Murch and Darkness Radio – A Zozo Hoax?
- Ghost Hunters Buffalo Central Terminal
- Ghost Hunters – Waverly Hills Sanatorium
- Ghost Adventures – Hill View Manor S04E06
- Ghost Adventures wants to investigate Idol Mansion
- The Ghost Hunters are NOT scientists
Paranormal State – Shadow Caster – S04E09
To put it bluntly this was an episode that went no where. Things start off interestingly enough when Ryan gets bitten or pinched by something as he’s talking to the client. Perhaps the spirits are as tired of his talking as the rest of us are. There is the photographic evidence of a shadow in the doorway. We top it off with John Oliver the overly dramatic Psychic and Medium who feels the house is just seething with dark energy. Talk about just over exaggerating everything.
But as the team investigates they don’t find a single shred of evidence to support any of the claims the homeowner is making. No shadows, no bumps, no entities, no voices. The only thing they do find is when Kristina hears a voice while in the basement. Turns out it’s just the camera crew talking too close to an air vent. Personally I think most of the voices people hear on these shows could be attributed to noises coming in from the outside.
As with the formula of the show, the client, her family and the PRS team gather together in the living room to speak loudly and tell the spirit to shuffle on down the road.
Not all the episodes have to be teaming with paranormal activity, and for once it was actually refreshing to see Ryan and crew debunk something. However, this was a pretty uneventful episode since nothing happened, plus there was really no cause for any activity since there weren’t the usual stories of deaths, burial grounds, use of ouija boards, Satanic symbols or mental illness that Ryan seems to uncover.
And as for that photo? I have to shrug. When you get some dark outline in a photo and you can clearly see the flash going off, I feel underwhelmed. Plus, faking of photos is so common place these days, it’s hard to get excited over something like that.
I kind of feel like Dr. Malcolm from Jurassic Park where he asks, "Now eventually you might have dinosaurs on your, on your dinosaur tour, right?"
Other Articles of Interest:
- Paranormal State – Darkness Falls – S04E08
- Paranormal State – Bedroom Eyes – S05E13
- Paranormal State – Paranormal Detour – S05E07
- Paranormal State S04E02 – Invitation to Evil
- Ghost Adventures – Salem Witch House – S04E19
- Ghost Hunters International – Duran Sanatorium/Rose Hall – S02E13
- Paranormal State – Spirits of the Slave Dungeon – S05E03
- Paranormal State – Ghost on the Tracks – S05E04
- Ghost Adventures – Poveglia Island
- Paranormal State – S04E01 – Suicide Possession
Paranormal State – Darkness Falls – S04E08
Could this episode be any more overly dramatic? Could Ryan be any more of an aloof asshole?
Ryan and crew visit the West Virginia State Penitentiary for reasons that aren’t really all that clear. Ryan lays it down thick about how he needed to come back; how he needed to finish what he started. We have no idea what that means since he prefers to be moody and dark. He acts in such a foreboding way as though all their lives are in danger.
It’s the Western State Penitentiary which is believed to be one of the most haunted places in America. There are endless stories of murder, violence and wrongdoings. And Ryan in his dour tone wants his team to face their fears at this place. Again, we have no idea why they need to face their fears and why this is place for such a showdown, but Ryan makes a really big deal that it needs to happen and that he has secrets about the place they need to understand.
On day one the team takes up position and sits in different locations – alone. Not surprisingly they hear noises, bumps and creaks. What abandoned building doesn’t make those sounds at night?
The next night it happens again but this time we add the element that there is an Indian burial mound near the prison. This should fuel the spirit energy.
All the while Ryan is taunting the team that he has a secret about the place that the public doesn’t know about, but he won’t share it because he doesn’t think his team is taking the events seriously. Too much giggling, not enough moodiness.
Of course, no one (including us) has any idea what the hell is going on or why Ryan is being a putz to everyone, but yet everyone needs to take his fears seriously.
Finally, after being pale and tragic Ryan reveals that while he was investigating the Wardens Tower the activity got so intense that he had to leave there. Translation: he got freaked out, soiled himself and ran away. Now he needs to redeem himself in front of his team.
And what’s the big secret of the tower? A pentagram. All this melodrama has been because there is an upside down pentagram on one of the windows in the tower. Clearly, this is the gateway to hell. Really? All of this over a stupid symbol?
Now the conspiracy theory begins that the staff would have been practicing Satanism in the prison and who knows what other dark rituals. This is the Satanic prison, that’s why weird things happen here.
What do we get when all is said and done? Ryan goes back into the tower so he can conquer his fears. With camera strapped to his back and audio recorders at the ready he trudges up the tower stairs, stands in the middle of the room and like a kid talking to monsters in his closet or under his bed, declares he isn’t afraid.
Feeling better about himself for his spectacular display of bravado Ryan calls it a night and asks the team what the penitentiary means to them. WTF? Are you serious? That’s it? Ryan loses his nerve in a tower and there is an hour long episode about him facing his fears?
Call this what it is, how Ryan got his nerve back.
Ryan, you can freak out, it’s ok. Prison can be a scary place at night. But do we really need an episode like this?
Other Articles of Interest:
- Ghost Adventures – Dead Men Walking – S07E08
- Paranormal State, seeing the demonic in a box of Cracker Jacks
- Stranded – West Virginia State Penitentiary – S01E03
- What’s with all the secrecy?
- Ghost Adventures – Missouri State Prison – S08E04
- Paranormal Challenge – Eastern State Penitentiary – S01E02
- Paranormal State – Season 1
- Paranormal State – Paranormal Detour – S05E07
- Paranormal State – The Jersey Devil – Season Finale
- What a difference a year makes … It’s time to say goodbye
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