Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files
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| Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Genre | Documentary Reality Paranormal Mystery |
| Format | Live-action |
| Starring | Ben Hansen Jael de Pardo |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 (3 announced) |
| No. of episodes | 24 (as of Nov. 30, 2011) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | John Brenkus Mickey Stern |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Base Productions |
| Distributor | Syfy |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syfy |
| Original run | July 15, 2010 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files is a paranormal investigation series produced by Base Productions that began airing July 15, 2010, on SyFy. The show follows a team of investigators, led by former FBI agent Ben Hansen, who review various photographs and viral videos (mainly from the internet) of alleged paranormal activity.[1] If a particular piece of evidence is deemed intriguing enough to warrant further investigation, they set out to recreate and explain the sighting.[2]
Beginning in the second-half of season two, the show features a "You Decide" segment in the middle of the program where a video is shown of something strange and then asks the viewing audience if they think the footage is fact or faked. After a commercial break the truth behind the video is revealed.
SyFy released a video promoting upcoming episodes for a third season in 2012.[3]
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[edit] Cast
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[edit] Reviews
The show has been described as Mythbusters meets Destination Truth.[5] A Variety magazine review says – "Now we know what Fox Mulder would have done after leaving "The X-Files" unit: Get his own reality-TV show!"[6]
[edit] Criticism
Skeptical researchers such as Karen Stollznow of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) have criticized the investigating competence of the Fact or Faked team, such as the Civil War cemetery ghost case from episode 6 in particular. The examined footage involves an alleged orb and mist captured on a few frames of video, and when the FoF team unsuccessfully recreate it, they conclude it to be paranormal. By slowing the video down frame-by-frame, something that the FoF team did not take into consideration, the orb and mist are revealed to be a spider on a web.[7][8]
In 2010, the JREF also published a story stating that the producers of FoF attempted to get a group to alter a "paranormal video" they shot in order for it to be considered for the show. The group, the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society, are ghost hunters who filmed a planchette of an ouija board moving around on its own. The video was deliberately faked using a hidden string and released to the internet as a demonstration of how such tricks can be done. FoF producers who saw the video contacted the group and asked they re-shoot the video and make the pointer move more dramatically before they would make an offer to feature the video on the show.[9]
[edit] Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Season Premiere | Season Finale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | July 15, 2010 | December 9, 2010 | |
| 2 | 12 | March 23, 2011 | November 30, 2011 | |
| 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
[edit] Season one (2010)
| Ep # | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 101 (1) | "Burning Rubber/Hyperjump" | July 15, 2010 |
| Ben and his investigative team go to Savannah, Georgia, to debunk a police chase video of a "ghost car" which seemingly evades pursuit by passing through a chain-link fence. Meanwhile, Bill leads the second team to Phoenix, Arizona, where they attempt to recreate a video of a series of unexplained lights that seem to jump across the sky. | ||
| 102 (2) | "Unwanted Visitors/Strange Sightings" | July 22, 2010 |
| Bill leads a team to Fresno, California, to investigate a surveillance video of strange unidentified figures that walk across a man's yard. Meanwhile, Ben and his team go to Arizona to investigate video footage of a flying saucer over Lake Havasu. | ||
| 103 (3) | "Off the Deep End/Houseguest" | July 29, 2010 |
| Ben's team goes to Raystown Lake in Pennsylvania to investigate an alleged lake monster called the "Raystown Ray" which was captured in a photograph. Meanwhile, Bill's team investigates a home in Los Angeles, California, where a supposed entity writes ghostly words only on Polaroid photos. | ||
| 104 (4) | "Predator/Red Sky At Night" | August 5, 2010 |
| Ben's team investigates a video from Dartmoor in the United Kingdom of a large, unidentified black animal filmed running across a field. Meanwhile, Bill leads his team to El Cajon, California, to debunk a video of a red triangular light formation in the night sky. | ||
| 105 (5) | "Blazing Horizon/Rollover" | August 12, 2010 |
| Bill and team go to Michigan to investigate the "Paulding Light" – a ghostly glow that shines regularly over a valley that was once used for a railway. In the next segment, Ben and his team go to San Antonio, Texas, to solve a mystery where unseen forces seemingly push vehicles up a gravity hill and over a set of dangerous train tracks. | ||
| 106 (6) | "The Caretaker/Cutter" | August 19, 2010 |
| Ben's team goes to Fishers, Indiana, to investigate a video of a ghostly apparition in a civil war cemetery. Meanwhile, Bill's team tries to solve the mystery behind an unexplained cattle mutilation in San Luis, Colorado. | ||
| 107 (7) | "Haunted Mansion Mist/Starlight Intruder" | October 28, 2010 |
| Ben's team investigates McPike Mansion in Alton, Illinois, to recreate a video that was taken of a ghostly mist that seems to move about from room to room in the wine cellar. Meanwhile, Bill's team tries to recreate a video of triangular-shaped UFO in the night sky over Fremont, California, using LEDs mounted to a kite, a model jet plane and a hang glider. | ||
| 108 (8) | "Symphonic Spirits/Hovering Humanoid" | November 4, 2010 |
| Bill leads a team to the Valentown Museum in Victor, New York, to recreate a video of a ghostly figure captured by a security camera. The investigation leads to a ghost hunt after unexplained music is heard. In the next part, Ben's team tries to debunk a video taken in Mexico of what appears to be a levitating humanoid flying over a desert ridge. | ||
| 109 (9) | "Sasquatch Sprint/Alien Attacker" | November 11, 2010 |
| Bill's team goes to Chopaka Lake in the northwestern state of Washington to recreate a video of an alleged sasquatch running across a hillside. Meanwhile, Ben and his team interview Dr. Jonathan Reed, a man who claims to have videotaped an autopsy of an alleged alien creature that attacked his dog near Snoqualmie Pass also in the state of Washington. | ||
| 110 (10) | "Mystery Mermaid/Ghostly Guardian" | November 18, 2010 |
| Bill's team goes to Cairns, Queensland, Australia, to recreate an underwater video of an alleged mermaid, believing the creature to be a Dugong, or a woman in a costume. Meanwhile Ben's team goes to Honolulu, Hawaii, to investigate photographs of what a woman believes to be her granddaughter's guardian spirit. | ||
| 111 (11) | "Lunar Landing Hoax/Tropical Intruder" | December 2, 2010 |
| Ben's team uses a sound stage to recreate suspicious video footage from the Apollo Moon Missions that some conspiracy theorists believe were faked by NASA. In the next part, Bill's team heads to Gulf Breeze, Florida, to investigate a video of an alleged UFO in the night sky. | ||
| 112 (12) | "Bayou Beast/River Ghost" | December 9, 2010 |
| Ben's team goes to Slidell, Louisiana, to recreate a video of an alleged sasquatch-like creature known as the Honey Island Swamp Monster. In the next segment, Bill's team goes to Portland, Oregon, to investigate a video of a glowing orb that flies about the Hawthorne Bridge. | ||
[edit] Season two (2011)
| Ep # | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 201 (13) | "The Real Battle of LA/Queen Mary Menace" | March 23, 2011 |
| Ben's team tries to recreate a photograph taken of an unknown object in the sky, surrounded by searchlights and anti-aircraft fire, over Los Angeles, California, on the night of February 25, 1942 — an incident that became known as the "Battle of Los Angeles." Meanwhile, Bill's team goes aboard the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, to investigate a video of an alleged ghost walking down a corridor. | ||
| 202 (14) | "Fire in the Sky/Thermal Theater Ghost" | March 30, 2011 |
| Bill's team goes to Jacksonville, Florida, to investigate a video of a ghostly figure captured by a ghost hunting team at the Florida Theater. Meanwhile, Ben's team tries to recreate a video of a fiery light that splits into three and then hovers in the night sky over El Paso, Texas. | ||
| 203 (15) | "Raining UFOs/Ectoplasmic Pic" | April 6, 2011 |
| Ben's team examines night vision video of a fiery UFO taken by a police helicopter over Long Beach, California, on Christmas of 2004. In the next segment, Bill's team tries to recreate photographs of supposed ghostly ectoplasm taken in the 1920s by a Winnipeg, Canada, doctor named T.G. Hamilton. | ||
| 204 (16) | "Playground Poltergeist/Alien Intruder" | April 13, 2011 |
| Bill's team goes to Firmat, Argentina, to investigate video taken of a playground swing that seemingly moves on its own while the other swings around it remain still. Meanwhile, Ben's team goes to Milton, Florida, to investigate an amateur video of alleged alien visitation in the middle of the night. | ||
| 205 (17) | "Dashcam Chupacabra/Nightly News Alien" | April 20, 2011 |
| Ben's team goes to DeWitt County, Texas, to investigate a 2008 police dash cam video of a strange dog-like creature that some believe to be a chupacabra. Meanwhile, Bill's team go to the Patagonia region of Argentina where a local news video was shot depicting a humanoid creature walking behind a reporter. | ||
| 206 (18) | "Whaley Ghost House/Muck Monster" | April 27, 2011 |
| Bill and his team try to recreate photos of purported ghostly apparitions taken at the historic Whaley House in San Diego, California. Meanwhile, Ben's team travels to Jupiter, Florida, to investigate a video of an unknown river creature referred by locals as the "muck monster". | ||
| 207 (19) | "UFO Crash Landing/Graveyard Ghost" | October 19, 2011 |
| Ben's team goes to White Sands, New Mexico, to recreate a 1996 video, supposedly leaked out of the White Sands Missile Range, of an alleged flying saucer crash. Meanwhile, Bill's team goes to Tonopah, Nevada, to investigate a ghost hunting video of an alleged apparition appearing in a cemetery. | ||
| 208 (20) | "Area 51/Cajun Apparition" | October 26, 2011 |
| Bill's team goes to St. Francisville, Louisiana, to recreate a 2001 video taken at the historic Myrtles Plantation of an alleged ghost apparition. In the next part, Ben's team goes to Rachel, Nevada, to recreate a UFO video allegedly sneaked out of Area 51 and follow up their investigation with a nighttime sky watch of the base. | ||
| 209 (21) | "Sinister Spirals/Flying Saucers" | November 2, 2011 |
| Ben's team goes to Santa Ana, California, to recreate a series of photos taken in 1965 by Rex Heflin of an alleged flying saucer, a case with supposed connections to the mysterious Men in Black. In the next part, Bill's team heads to Joplin, Missouri, to investigate a video of rods – elongated insect-like creatures created by video artifacts. | ||
| 210 (22) | "Asylum Apparition/Mystery Over Mexico" | November 9, 2011 |
| Ben's team investigates two videos from Waverly Hills Sanatorium near Louisville, Kentucky, of two alleged apparitions moving in a hallway and of a ball that appears to move around on its own. Meanwhile, Bill's team investigates a video of an alleged fleet of UFOs flying over Guadalajara, Mexico. | ||
| 211 (23) | "Old West Hauntings/Freeway Flyer" | November 16, 2011 |
| Ben's team goes to the Bird Cage Theatre in Tombstone, Arizona, to recreate a 2008 video that allegedly captured a figure of a man in a coffin appearing in a mirror. Meanwhile, Bill's team tries to recreate a strange light flying over a freeway in Los Angeles, California. | ||
| 212 (24) | "Bar Fright/Mexico City Cave Witch" | November 30, 2011 |
| Bill's team travels to Colburn's Bar in Humble, Texas, near Houston, to investigate video of an exploding ashtray allegedly caused by poltergeist activity. Meanwhile, Ben's team travels to Calacoaya, Mexico to investigate a video of an alleged flying witch. | ||
[edit] Season three (2012)
| Ep # | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 301 (25) | "TBA" | April 17th 2012 |
| TBA | ||
[edit] References
- ^ ""Syfy's 'Fact or Faked' takes a skeptical, fact-based approach to paranormal phenomena" NYDailyNews.com article". Nydailynews.com. 2010-07-15. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/07/15/2010-07-15_syfy_seeks_fact_behind_phenomena.html. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ^ "Fact or Faked entry at FutonCritic.com". Thefutoncritic.com. 2010-06-02. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/06/02/syfy-celebrates-summer-2010-with-first-ever-thursday-night-reality-block-featuring-mary-knows-best-and-fact-or-faked/20100602syfy01/. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ^ ""Syfy announces third season of Fact or Faked in 2012"". syfy.com. 2011-12-01. http://video.syfy.com/shows/factorfaked/v1372030. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
- ^ Welcome the newest Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files Team Member, Photographer, Lanisha Cole (8-2-11)
- ^ "Daemon's TV review". Daemonstv.com. 2010-07-13. http://www.daemonstv.com/2010/07/13/fact-or-faked-paranormal-files-syfy-early-review/. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ^ Lowry, Brian (2010-07-13). "Variety Review of Fact or Faked: The Paranormal Files". Variety.com. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117943158.html?categoryid=32&cs=1. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ^ ""Fact or Faked: Faked!" James Randi Educational Foundation". Randi.org. 2010-10-07. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/1103-fact-or-faked.html. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ^ FOF review at csicop.org
- ^ Fact or Faked: Faked! Written by Karen Stollznow, Thursday, 07 October 2010
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files at the Internet Movie Database
- Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files at TV.com
