"Paranormal Witness’" Mixed Messages: A Television Review (Epis. 1)

*Epis. 1 is titled "Emily the Imaginary Friend" and "The Girl with No Face."

SyFy's latest entry into the paranormal television genre has one original detail going for them, it has a website which follows up on the cases that "Paranormal Witness" explores.

Long time viewers will find that this show shares too many similarities with Discovery Channel's “A Haunting,” a show that aired six years ago. Supposedly real-life incidents are recreated with huge swaths of dramatic effect and tense musical attention. This show is not limiting itself to just ghosts. Epis. 2 features a UFO. The focus with this series is on the encounters more than finding an explanation behind the cause. And most of the time, the silent ghosts win out.

In the premiere episode, two stories are featured: back in 2008, a happy couple, Brian and Laurel Poremski, did not think they would ever have a child together. They very nearly gave up hope but the next thing they knew, they had a miracle child, Isabella. She has been described to be years ahead of her apparent age.

Perhaps that is why the ghosts are after her. How this family came about their encounter is straight out of a cliché ridden haunted house novel. An encounter with a resident selling his house for cheap should have come with warning bells. They should have been suspicious, asking: why it is being sold for less than market value, when they couldn't buy their white picket fence dream home that sits next door.

Even as they are getting their new house ready for occupation, the wall that cannot be painted over should have been another warning sign. When Brian described the look of the original red paint bleeding over the grey primer, maybe the book should be burned instead. This segment is beginning to sound like the movie version of The Amityville Horror.

Sadly, the Poremskis do not sound fearful enough after surviving their encounter. They do not emotionally break down for the camera. Nearly seven years has passed since they left, and they have found some explanation to what was haunting their first home. However, to not have Isabella as an interview subject is a bit questionable. Viewers have to ask: why? To hear her describe who this invisible friend, Emily, was can easily elicit more chills if this tale is to be believed.

The final story accounts for the last 15 minutes of the episode and it is material straight out of urban legends. The Tasker family had a brush with a female spectre along a lonely road, as they were heading home from church. Interestingly, the episode began focusing on the fact that Misty is the consummate rebel, refusing to go to church, so there might be a fable nestled in this tale as well. But when she is nearly panicking because her sixth sense is on overdrive, not even her mother can make sense of what is going on.

What they see, when this ghost turns to face them, sends them running home. The unemotional detachment as the real Misty recounts the tale does not reflect what the actress playing her was going through. The recreation was more interesting to watch than listening to what the real Misty has to say. As for whether or not she found religion that night, it was never revealed.

Maybe SyFy should stick to "Ghost Hunters." At least the people there are more credible than all the actors being used in "Paranormal Witness."

"Paranormal Witness" at SyFy:

Parnormal Witness at SyFy

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