BELIEVERS - Review of Travel Channel's new paranormal series.

There as so few truly factual paranormal television shows out there that I as a researcher and investigator of the paranormal watch without stating I can smell bull.

Season One, Episode One is called The Slip Knot. This review will be about the first case as well as the show as a whole. As you can probably tell from my previous reviews (Ghost Loop and Expedition Bigfoot) I try to be as fair and balanced with my reviews, so with that in mind I will begin.

The show starts with the screen below. Now I have to admit I found these a little confusing as I was unsure if "archival film and documentation" it referred to meant it was actual film and documentation or if it was edited. I also found it odd that it stated the identities and locations were changed to protect the anonymity when some of the names were actually kept the same.

We learn that this first story of a Believer is about the haunting of "Mary Gonzales". A young lady who both Kenny and Jeff had been sent to interview for a study on fear and anxiety.

They arrived to find a very jumpy lady and a strange story of bumps, bangs, and sightings of an old man sitting in her rocking chair.

The men take photos and record the interview and as the episode progress we follow them on each visit to her home. On one visit the camera is yanked from Jeff's grasp. On another Jeff senses a presence. The build up peaks when Jeff is attacked in the attic.

Now I have read this case before a few years back and the episode and story telling, as entertaining as it was, missed quite a few things. Important things that would have made this more believable to the viewers.

There were two stories in the first episode but I have to admit that I only watched one and that was down to the fact that I knew from this case that the show was not factual. It was just anthor filler show. A show put out there to fill the paranormal gap but one that held little fact and a whole dollop of acting and dramatisation.

The show has a bevvy of actors who I assume went to the same acting school as Joey Tribbiani. The only thing I can say I enjoyed was the B-roll played between scenes. If only they had stuck to the actual story instead of tweaking it to suit a narrative.

I won't be following on with this television show, it's just not my cup of tea. But if you want something for a little light entertainment that dusts lightly round the factual story of hauntings then this might suit you.

If you want to read about the actual haunting watch this space for a link. The write up is on its way.