New Paranormal Show SYFY: Fact or Faked

[PPI Debra]

It starts tonight  at 7:00 pm Pacific time on Syfy. (It's preceded by another new show: Mary Knows Best, a reality show about a psychic.)
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/features/article_1570852.php/Syfy-s-Fact-or-Faked-Paranormal-Files-interview-do-you-believe

[PPI Karl]

It starts tonight  at 7:00 pm Pacific time on Syfy. (It's preceded by another new show: Mary Knows Best, a reality show about a psychic.)
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/features/article_1570852.php/Syfy-s-Fact-or-Faked-Paranormal-Files-interview-do-you-believe

Forgive me, Debra.  I would certainly watch a reality show about you, but I'm not sure I can tolerate the insufferably self-important person I've seen depicted in the ads for Mary Knows Best.  (What?  Is she a friend of Hulk Hogan or somethin'?)  Hers is exactly the kind of personality that makes me bristle--in any field, but especially the ones where people invest themselves emotionally and psychologically in the advice such people give to them; pompous psychologists, know-it-all psychics and bullying clergy--they're all in the same group.  (I'll say it again:  Why can't they be more like you?)

The other show, Fact or Faked, I've got programmed into my DVR.  Thanks for reminding us of this.  I'm actually looking forward to this show.  As of late, I've lost my taste for SyFy reality shows, especially the paranormal ones, and maybe this one will kick-start my interest again.  (Best to keep expectations low and then be pleasantly surprised.  )

[PPI Debra]

[/quote]

Forgive me, Debra.  I would certainly watch a reality show about you, but I'm not sure I can tolerate the insufferably self-important person I've seen depicted in the ads for Mary Knows Best.  (What?  Is she a friend of Hulk Hogan or somethin'?)  Hers is exactly the kind of personality that makes me bristle--in any field, but especially the ones where people invest themselves emotionally and psychologically in the advice such people give to them; pompous psychologists, know-it-all psychics and bullying clergy--they're all in the same group.  (I'll say it again:  Why can't they be more like you?)

The other show, Fact or Faked, I've got programmed into my DVR.  Thanks for reminding us of this.  I'm actually looking forward to this show.  As of late, I've lost my taste for SyFy reality shows, especially the paranormal ones, and maybe this one will kick-start my interest again.  (Best to keep expectations low and then be pleasantly surprised.  )
[/quote]

There is nothing to forgive! 
I feel the same way about psychics on shows that you do. I actually flinched when I saw the blurb about the "psychic Mary". I haven't actually met another psychic who wants to figure out what makes us perceive the things we do. Nor have I met another "psychic" who admits that it's an unstable "ability" that can't be controlled. It's very mercurial. How dare they be so confident! There is so much to learn about the nature of the human mind. Heck, I don't even like the label "psychic".


I've also stopped watching most paranormal shows. (One too many refrigerator knocks declared as "unexplained" for me. Among other things of course.)
I would LOVE to be pleasantly surprised!

[PPI Karl]

See!  Responses like that one, Debra, are why I consider you more objective and trustworthy!

I relented and did watch Mary Knows Best.  I figured, I couldn't whine about it unless I actually watched it.  It lived up to every one of my expectations.  Maybe two seasons of The Real Housewives of New Jersey have jaded me into thinking every family in that state is a potential mafia, but I'm confident I could not spend any time around these people if they really acted this way. 

Meanwhile, there's psychic-a-doo-jibbery to address yet.  I tell ya, the fluffy clouds of reasoning and fact that people consent to, so as not to appear contradict a psychic and be labeled a killjoy later, makes me wish once again that James Randi, not Pilgrim, were producing these shows.  (In fact, I'd settle for Noam Chomsky--especially if psychic Mary or her vituperative motivational lecturer son were trying to "manufacture consent" from me.  )  Oy veh!  I could spend this thread discussing the shiftiness in just tonight's episode!!!!  Instead, I'll just keep taking the blue pill for now and couch myself back into the matrix.

Fact or Faked looks like it might be pretty good.  As an armchair investigator, it's always tempting to want to criticize others' investigative techniques and demand more objectivity and more thorough attempts to disprove, but overall I was generally pleased with how they handled the two cases.  I always thought the "ghost car" video was a crock.  I'm happy to see that they demonstrated it was completely possible for the tweaked up driver to drive the car under the chain link fence without it seeming like the fence moved.  (My explanation before I watched tonight's episode was that it was probably a different car speeding away from the other side of the fence, and that the original car being chased made another U-turn, turned off his lights, and drove away in the opposite direction of the police vehicle.)

The UFO footage was interesting.  What they allegedly captured didn't look anything like what the original video depicted, so in all honesty I don't think they can pronounce the video factual or faked.  They merely captured their own phenomenon on video.  However, I'm curious to see more, so I guess I'll be watching this one weekly.  It's very much a telegenic crew, and I'm sure that if it goes into subsequent seasons, we'll see even better looking team members sign on and promote paranormal investigating as a subculture worthy of the Twilight sage. ::|

[Gary]

I'm going to have to look for this show online.  It sounds very cool. I remember seeing that police chase video quite sometime ago.  I was a little sketchy on that one too.  Well, hopefully Sony will assist me in getting cable in the near future!!!  DID YOU HEAR THAT SONY???  HIRE ME ALREADY!!!  LoL, sorry!!!!        

[PPI Karl]

DID YOU HEAR THAT SONY???  HIRE ME ALREADY!!!  LoL, sorry!!!!        

Are you kidding me?! They haven't told you yet?!  So sorry, Gary.  I think we've all played the waiting game with jobs, so I don't have to try hard to imagine what you're going through.  I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed.  Keep hanging in there.  Bring us good news soon(er).

[ljiljanac]

I'm surprised they haven't told you yet either, Gary.  Do you think a "hey remember me" phone call to them to just check their status and remind them of how much you want the job would help?  I've done that before and was told that made the difference.   

I missed the Psychic Mary show, as I tend to conveniently miss all shows involving psychics.  However, I did watch Fact or Faked....I like the approach very much and the first investigation.  I saw that video a few years ago in the Academy and thought the answer was clear even back then.  I don't know how many times I've crawled under chain link fences and noticed that, with a few more retaining wires missing, more of the chain link fence could be raised.  I was still entertained and satisfied with their approach.  The lights in the sky investigation was truly boring to me for a variety of reasons.  I'll watch more of the show, though, definitely.  I also like the experience that's on that team.   

[Gary]

As for Sony, they are just like that.  Since I am there working everyday anyways right now, I was told a follow up call wouldn't be such a great idea, this coming from a co worker who knows the ropes.  I do know that the other 20 to 30 candidates are also waiting just like me.  I am not the only one.  All I can say is, they better make a decision before mid August!

Fact or Faked..... I am looking forward to seeing it, it sounds very cool!

[ljiljanac]

Good luck, Gary.  I'm rooting for ya!! 

[PPI Karl]

It starts tonight  at 7:00 pm Pacific time on Syfy. (It's preceded by another new show: Mary Knows Best, a reality show about a psychic.)
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/features/article_1570852.php/Syfy-s-Fact-or-Faked-Paranormal-Files-interview-do-you-believe

Forgive me, Debra.  I would certainly watch a reality show about you, but I'm not sure I can tolerate the insufferably self-important person I've seen depicted in the ads for Mary Knows Best.  (What?  Is she a friend of Hulk Hogan or somethin'?)  Hers is exactly the kind of personality that makes me bristle--in any field, but especially the ones where people invest themselves emotionally and psychologically in the advice such people give to them; pompous psychologists, know-it-all psychics and bullying clergy--they're all in the same group.  (I'll say it again:  Why can't they be more like you?)

The other show, Fact or Faked, I've got programmed into my DVR.  Thanks for reminding us of this.  I'm actually looking forward to this show.  As of late, I've lost my taste for SyFy reality shows, especially the paranormal ones, and maybe this one will kick-start my interest again.  (Best to keep expectations low and then be pleasantly surprised.  )

So . . . wha' happened to Mary?  Something like, what, four episodes?  The SyFy Channel should have learned from Char when her show was on several years ago.  Frankly, I think the viewers "know best."

[PPI Debra]

[/quote]

So . . . wha' happened to Mary?  Something like, what, four episodes?  The SyFy Channel should have learned from Char when her show was on several years ago.  Frankly, I think the viewers "know best."
[/quote]

I didn't... COULDN'T...watch her! So I didn't even know she "went missing".

[PPI Brian]

You mean Mary from "Mary Knows Best"?

[PPI Debra]

You mean Mary from "Mary Knows Best"?

Yes.

[PPI Brian]

LOL! I only watched one episode and didn't realize she isn't around any more. 

[PPI Karl]

I've been watching this season of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files and, except for the overdone Japanese drums every thirty seconds, I'm actually enjoying it so far.  Last night, team members took on the infamous 1920s T.G. Hamilton photographs allegedly capturing proof of the existence of ectoplasm.  I think we all knew the claims were a load of hooey just by looking at photos, but the F/F team (or, whoever is writing this for them) did a good job of showing how these effects could be recreated, and staging them in the original photographer's house in Winnipeg gave a nice air of credibility and historical research to the whole thing.

One of the cases they dismissed out of hand at the start of the show last night was that Australian man's viral videos of poltergeist activity.  We've discussed them here in the forum, actually.  [Click HERE]  It's nice to know we're not the only ones on to him and the "stagey-ness" of his videos.

[PPI Tracy]

I do like that show.  I met the cast about 6 months ago, along with Amy Bruni.  The cast of FOF were all very down to earth people.  Pretty normal, logical, good sense of humor and not show-boating.  Not "selling their wares" so to speak.  No egos.  Made them a lot more credible in my book.