By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
Maha Films
Coming soon to
Amazon Prime & Tubi
Horror icon Linnea Quigley doesn’t always get to the Paranormal Truth in this new pseudo-documentary series. When considering these types of programs don’t always include a disclaimer the ideas presented are for entertainment purposes only, viewers should be reminded the ideas presented are just theories. A few episodes do offer valid reasons on why these horrors are relevant in pop culture, but not all of them are conclusive. I particularly found the revelation of why some people have adopted a vampiric lifestyle and why we love zombies in film more engaging. The episode about the history of witchcraft is honest than construed (to note: the best look into the origins of this practise is the first episode of Mystic Britain).
It’s tough to be current even when recent research doesn’t have the answers. Not even Paul Beban‘s Paranormal Declassified (2020) have revelations–their best episodes include Cattle Mutilations and the Skinwalkers. On the opposite side of this world is the search for Bigfoot. This show suggests “most recent” sightings occur in Ohio. Paranormal Truth alleges that there are some investigators who would rather hunt down and kill one–which can curse them for life–instead of studying them proper like Jane Goodall.
Sadly, thirty minutes is not enough time to give these topics the proper lead up and digging into the facts they deserve. The producers can make this program better as an hour long presentation, commercials included. The best series under the twenty-five minute constraint include Beyond, a Canadian made production, and In Search of hosted by Leonard Nimoy when it first aired. Zachary Quinto hosts the reboot of this show, and he’s in the field rather than play host.
Quigley’s role is like Cryptkeeper and she doesn’t always offer a quip. Patrick Allyn, slicked back hair and all, spends more time explaining to viewers the intricacies each episode offers. Although he has no huge online social media channel yet, just why he’s the co-host is a mystery I’d love to solve myself! He’s like a used car sales agent and has a panache similar to Rod Serling.
The episodes to watch are those of notable Californian haunts, like the RMS Queen Mary, and a few not as well known–namely the Verdugo Hills Cemetery, Curse of St Francis and The Clown Motel. The Cecil is thankfully not missed; its dark history is just that. A handful of past residents died on site by suicide!
I was hoping the two hosts would be in the action instead of local investigators. A Los Angeles team is featured, and they aren’t as well known as The Atlantic Paranormal Society. To see them attempt to connect with long dead celebrities is disrespectful. To suggest Kurt Cobain and Michael Jackson are not at rest is a disservice to the memory of these incredible talents. The funny part of these segments is in the fact they’re as jumpy as Yvette Fielding’s Most Haunted group when chasing after ghosts.
I wasn’t particularly fond of lumping the extraterrestrial into this paranormal package. The UFO episode has very little substance; it considers the topic as it was known in the late 40s when the first sightings occurred across The Cascades. The segment with a British reporter asking folks about their opinion of whether life exists outside of our planet doesn’t have any answers. There’s no Nick Pope, who once worked at the now defunct British Ministry of Defence. He investigated regional sightings and now that he’s a free agent, can speak of “the secret” goings on which agencies are denying. He’s very respected amongst the ufology community and to not see him in this series suggests this series can’t get to all the “truths.”
Also, one broadcast is not enough to explain the Bigfoot legend. This series at least says each region has its unique sub-specie. In Arkansas, it’s called the Fouke and this series focuses on this variant. Had Paranormal Truth dealt with one aspect of this world instead of being all over, this program can be taken seriously. Instead, it’s a primer. The world of UFOology and Cryptozoology deserve to be examined across many episodes instead of just one. It could still happen with season two, but that’ll depend on this program’s success when it’s available on streaming platforms to see, instead of tuning in because of Quigley.
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