![]() He went into her basement without a worry, explaining, “The only thing that scares me is my father and my dentist.” When this guy bolts from the scene, you know something wicked this way comes. As a friend of the widow’s late husband, he felt he owed her aid, and he knew she was scared. But my favorite parts of these talking head segments are when someone says something so distinctive you get the sense you know their whole story, like the firefighter called in to check out the creepy basement. Fathers blush with shame recounting their smug skepticism before things turned dangerous. Mothers cry as they recall fearing for their children’s safety. And their need is riveting, their remembered terror nerve-racking as they recount the moment when they knew it wasn’t a prank or their imagination. These people know you think they’re crazy or lying. ![]() It was really weird down there,” you can practically hear the producer leaning in and entreating, “Weird how? Give us details!” But there’s a sly flip side to these interviews that makes them uniquely chilling. ![]() When a stoic witness say things like “I just knew something was different. The re-enactors are too eager as they screech out lines like, “What do you mean your imaginary friend broke my vase?” Interviews with those who lived it often feel undercooked. Sure, on one level, these shows are laughable with their low production values and schmacty acting. It’s the one that gets me every damn time. ![]() It hits after the third commercial break. It’s the scare SYFY will tease relentlessly in the trailer. And then something happens, some vicious turning point. Of course, the parents think their kid is just creative, or adjusting, definitely not speaking to the dead or the demonic. Often the young child senses the spirit first, chatting with “imaginary friends” who lure them out of bed at night or warn them to avoid the evil that lurks in the attic/basement/crawl space. The Paranormal Witness directors know the beats, and they play them perfectly. Then comes the first sign of trouble: Strange symbols on the walls. ![]() But always this new home was meant to be a great new start. Sometimes, they are happy, just thrilled to find a home they could afford to make their own! Sometimes they are already aching from tragedy, like the widow of a firefighter lost in the line of duty. The biggest recurring plot line of Paranormal Witness is that of a family moving into a new house. Recounting tales of paranormal activity from the witnesses who lived them, this doc series delivers ghost stories tweaked for taut tension and yelp-snatching jump scares. So what does this horror fanatic do when theatrical terror is letting her down? I turn to SYFY’s seriously spooky series Paranormal Witness, and buckle in an episode sure to leave me shivering. Despite the overwhelming accolades, I was bored by The Witch, underwhelmed by It Follows and annoyed at Don’t Breathe. I’m the one unimpressed by a spade of recent horror hits. ![]()
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