One of the longest running paranormal based series, In Search Of . . . explores both the unexplained and the mysterious. Unlike the previous television show from the previous post, this one researches history, science, and much more. It started out as hour long specials narrated by Rod Sterling. When it switched to a series format, Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame took over after Sterling's death. The show was cut back to a half hour time slot. Despite the shortening of the time, it lasted six long seasons from 1976 to 1982. There was a very short revival in 2002 with Mitch Pileggi of The X-Files fame that covered some of the same territory. All later paranormal investigation shows owe a debt to the original In Search Of . . . because a lot of the same format continued in other investigative broadcasts.
The beginning credits were the same on each episode, warning, "This series presents information based in part on theory and conjecture.
The producer's purpose is to suggest some possible explanations, but
not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries we will examine." In this way the presentation wouldn't be seen as absolute and scientific fact. Viewers could make up their own minds how truthful and accurate each mystery might be to reality.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Best of Paranormal TV: One Step Beyond
I will be doing a short history on a sort of reality television, if you can call it that, featuring the best paranormal shows. Narratives are included, but not exclusively fiction. They claim based on true accounts and exploring the unknown or strange.
Unless pointed out differently, the first major television show that explored the paranormal was "One Step Beyond," featuring a half hour docudrama. Each of them had an introduction by John Newland who told the back story similar to "The Twilight Zone" fictional series. A few eventually famous actors such as Elizabeth Montgomery, Charles Bronson, Robert Blake, Christopher Lee, and Warren Beatty appeared as people involved in the mysterious events.
Most of the topics are based off psychic events or ghost stories. The first episode, "The Bride Possessed," is about what the title hints at. The newlywed bride begins to recognize features of a place she has never been and then has a personality change, denying ever knowing the man she married. Another well known episode is the rather cool name of "The Dead Part of the House," where a young woman becomes friends with ghosts, possibly in connection with some dolls. These represent the bulk of the story lines, where someone isn't who they appear to be or have premonition of things they never before had contact with. There isn't really any investigations. The show mostly tells stories in a dramatic recreation.
Unless pointed out differently, the first major television show that explored the paranormal was "One Step Beyond," featuring a half hour docudrama. Each of them had an introduction by John Newland who told the back story similar to "The Twilight Zone" fictional series. A few eventually famous actors such as Elizabeth Montgomery, Charles Bronson, Robert Blake, Christopher Lee, and Warren Beatty appeared as people involved in the mysterious events.
Most of the topics are based off psychic events or ghost stories. The first episode, "The Bride Possessed," is about what the title hints at. The newlywed bride begins to recognize features of a place she has never been and then has a personality change, denying ever knowing the man she married. Another well known episode is the rather cool name of "The Dead Part of the House," where a young woman becomes friends with ghosts, possibly in connection with some dolls. These represent the bulk of the story lines, where someone isn't who they appear to be or have premonition of things they never before had contact with. There isn't really any investigations. The show mostly tells stories in a dramatic recreation.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
More Things in Heaven and Earth
Before taking a trip down roads of the unexplained, I wanted to write about my beliefs when talking about the paranormal. Sure, religion can be put in this category, but I don't see them in the same light. One is more private and of a serious contemplation. The other that this blog deals with is fun flights of imagining the possible. If true they wouldn't completely change my world view, although make this world far more interesting.
It began at a very young age, although how early is hard to say. Science fiction from Star Trek to Star Wars is part of my family heritage. How that can tie into the more fantastical shouldn't be hard to connect the dots. Assuming that aliens, time warps, and parallel universes can exist, then certainly visitors from space, Bigfoot, and secret government conspiracies aren't out of the question. It is in the questions that the mundane takes on the mystical. Religion may answer the spiritual why, but why not holds its own fascination. As Hamlet said, "And therefore as a stranger give it welcome./ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Come with me to the very edge of reality.
It began at a very young age, although how early is hard to say. Science fiction from Star Trek to Star Wars is part of my family heritage. How that can tie into the more fantastical shouldn't be hard to connect the dots. Assuming that aliens, time warps, and parallel universes can exist, then certainly visitors from space, Bigfoot, and secret government conspiracies aren't out of the question. It is in the questions that the mundane takes on the mystical. Religion may answer the spiritual why, but why not holds its own fascination. As Hamlet said, "And therefore as a stranger give it welcome./ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Come with me to the very edge of reality.
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