Get ready to SCREAM! (Scream Team)

Member Name: Sarah_Louise

Product:	Scream Team
Date:	22/07/03 (857 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They investigated a wide range of paranormal cases

Disadvantages: When I say 'investigated' I don't mean thoroughly, They all got too scared on some shows, They didn't actually come to very conclusive conclusions on most shows... not all though I must say.

This programme is only being repeated at the moment on Living TV. They have yet to make a new series. We've got a petition going on the Scream Team forum for a new series though so fingers crossed!

It used to be shown once a week, each episode lasting an hour.

For more information check out:

http://www.livingtv.co.uk/screamteam/index.htm
(You need to register to make use of the site though).

For any regular viewers of Living TV you'll remember that Living TV launched auditions about 2 years ago for a team of people to spend the summer investigating paranormal occurrences throughout the UK. I nearly applied myself and now really wish I had done! The auditions looked like great fun, well apart from the bucket test....

The bucket test?

You may well ask!

They asked the final 10 to come into a room on their own where they were given a bucket. They had the bucket on their knee and a towel placed over the top of it. They were then told to put their hands into the bucket without looking. All sorts of yucky things pass through your mind don't they? Namely the things featured on 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!'. I wouldn't mind doing that just so long as I knew it wasn't a spider lurking in the bottom of the bucket! It was nothing of the sort (it was just a bit of jelly or a sponge) but this test was great for testing those who risk it and give it a go despite being terrified and those who chicken out.

Anyway, the final 5 were picked to travel around in 'the silver bullet' (a silver bus in other words!). The great thing about this programme is that they look at ALL aspects of the paranormal, not just hauntings involving the usual ghosts and poltergeists. They are given a two day task in an envelope and left to get on with it. They meet up with locals of the area and people involved in the case (e.g. eye witnesses).

The five consisted of Phi
l Whyman, Shey Shehovich, Becky, Amy and Dan (whose surnames evade my memory).

Like I said, they investigated a wide range of topics, not just the 'normal' ghost cases. Some of their cases involved:


= = = Alien abduction = = =

This involved a man named Alan Godfrey from Todmorden, Lancashire. He's quite well known in the UFO circles so you might well have heard of him. Incidentally he used to live next door to my mum! He was a police man and was driving back one night over the Ilkley moors where he saw a strange light. Again, those of you even slightly interested in UFOs will no doubt have heard of the Ilkley Moors. They're infamous in UFO circles. They're the site of numerous UFO sightings, numerous stone circles, barrows and other similar prehistoric monuments and are said to be dotted with numerous ley lines.

Anyway, back to Alan Godfrey and the alien abduction case....

He doesn't really remember being abducted as such. He remembers seeing the strange lights but doesn't actually remember the abduction itself. He was hypnotically regressed at the time (about 25 years ago or so) and he'd not been regressed since. That was until this programme came about....

It showed him being regressed and he came out with all sorts of tales about being in a round room surrounded by bright white light while being prodded and poked by beings about 1 metre tall with strange eyes and hands. The hypnotist said that it was very, very unlikely that he was faking it because it really is difficult to fake being in a truly hypnotic state (which he was in). The things he came out with while hypnotised are the same as what he came out with all those years ago.

Incidentally, I now take part in paranormal workshops on Thursday evenings with a world renound paranormal investigator who was the man brought in to investigate this very case all those years ago. Since attending the workshops (
we were talking about this case a few weeks back as it happens) I've learnt quite a bit more about the case. Some info is confidential though so I'm sworn to secrecy I'm afraid!

My dad knows a man who's related to Alan Godfrey though so he's going to arrange for me to meet the man himself sometime so I can question him about it myself. When I learn anything new thats not confidential I'll let you know!


= = = Big cat - or was it? = = =

This involved a case of a wallaby at a rescue centre being found with its head and one of its forelegs ripped off. There was barely any blood found at the scene and the body itself had been drained of blood. Many other wallaby's seem to have been victims of this sort of case across the UK too. The team investigated whether or not the wallaby had been attacked by a big cat (or similar) or had fallen victim to Satanists (or just general weirdo's who like to do this to animals). Other animals have been found with organs missing and all their blood drained even when there is no sign of entry. The team witnessed a post-mortem on the wallaby (it's a good job we don't have smell-o-vision!) and the vet came to the conclusion that it was people who had done this to the poor creature. It had lost its leg when it attempted to hide its head away from the thugs doing it to it. The cuts were too clean-cut for a big cat (or similar) to have done it to it.


= = = The real Blair Witch? = = =

The first ever episode involved the team spending a time in a woods which hosted the work of occultists. They wanted to see if anything happened while they spent the night there camping. (They camped nearly everywhere they went on location, even when investigating somewhere that has a spare few rooms they seemed to camp outside!). Anyway, back to this specific episode. There were lots of ribbons and twigs fastened to tree's (just like in the Blair Witch film). Bra
nches were bent and placed in the soil to form a sort of tunnel associated with the works of occultists. Many of the locals had experienced strange things in the area (including people going missing [a local vicar went missing and was found many years later in the woods], dogs behaved strangely when out on a walk around there, they tend to go missing too when they're let off their leads, horses running off for no apparent reason, people getting strange feelings, etc, etc).
This episode was quite funny because they all got so scared! It was their first location though so I suppose they were new to the paranormal field (or some of them were).

They went to approx. 10-15 locations in the series in total. They did investigations into hauntings as well though.

Other ones I remember off the top of my head include the following cases:


= = = Robin Hood = = =

Robin Hoods grave in Kirklees graveyard, nr. Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
I've been here myself as my sister lives quite close to it. Its quite an interesting place to spend a night, I can tell you! Also, theres a vampire supposedly found in this area.

http://www.mysterymag.com/html/the_haunting_of _robin_hood.html

Evidence for the Kirklees vampire can be found here:

http://www.gothicpress.freeserve.co.uk/The%20K irklees%20Vampire.htm
http://www.gothicpress.freeserve.co.uk/Noticeb oard.htm
http://www.mysterymag.com/html/uk_vampires.htm l

(Yes, I am of sound mind and disposition before you all think I've gone loony!)


= = = Edinburgh Vaults = = =

Typical haunting here - people have heard, sensed, seen and smelt strange things here.
The team went to spend a night in the vaults to investigate. They didn't do a vast deal as regards to investigating there because they didn't have a vast amount of equipment. The main thing that stands out in my memory about this episode is that of Shey&#
39;s experience. She'd been developing her psychic abilities over the course of the programme. It was in the vaults that she felt something (someone?) tug at her trouser leg. It freaked her out at the time!


= = = The Cursed Painting = = =

This involved a painting of a boy. A cafe owner had the painting hanging on a wall in the cafe until the cafe burnt down completely leaving the painting completely untouched by flames. Apparently this has happened quite a few times, the painting couldn't be burnt yet it always caused fires in the properties of wherever it was hung.
To test this theory to the limit the team tried to set the painting on fire. At first the painting wouldn't burn at all, they had to cover it in tonnes of fuel to get the fire started. Once started though the fire did indeed burn the painting. So, was it really cursed? I guess we'll never know for certain now because they ruined any chances of testing it in future by burning it. Somewhat defeats the object, wouldn't you agree?


= = = Woodchester Mansion = = =

If the name of this place rings a bell to your Most Haunted Live viewers its because they spent the Summer Solstice on June 21st in this very location.
The circumstances surrounding this location are quite strange. On building the mansion it is said that the builders all left in somewhat of a hurry and never returned to complete the task. Hence, in some parts, its still a little derelict. It is open to the public these days though.

Its said to be haunted, on spending the night here, they heard some very loud noises which couldn't be explained easily. The clock in the kitchen was interesting too. The pendulum on the clock was said to start swinging on its own accord and then stop again. This did indeed happen on more than one occasion when Scream Team were there. The first time they noticed it had started swinging, seemingly on its own, they stopped
it and left again. When they returned to check, it had started swinging again. This really freaked them out. What REALLY annoyed me about this programme was that they didn't stop and watch it. They got so freaked out none of them wanted to stay and watch it. Ok, fair enough, BUT, surely they could have left a video camera recording it? This aspect of the show really annoyed me.


= = = Do you want to meet Satan? = = =

I can't remember where this episode came from off the top of my head but the team had to walk around a temple backwards 7 times (I think). This is said to bring out the devil. They were told this very fact before leaving the car. They were all taken, individually and blindfolded to the location. Then on arrival the blindfolds were removed. They were then left there on their own, armed only with a torch and told to get on with the task in hand. Some of them chickened out while others dared to take the challenge.

(NB. I've spoken to Phil Whyman about this - he was one who did the task. Nothing bad happened to him after doing this challenge!)


They investigated loads of other cases too though, I just can't remember their names off the top of my head!

Since the series some of the team have made it onto other programmes. The one who's done the best out of them is Phil Whyman. He's been a paranormal investigator for about 10 years though prior to applying to be on this show. He's now progressed onto the "Most Haunted" series. He's a great guy and claims to be a 'sit on the fencer' when it comes to whether he believes in the paranormal or not. (Although you'd be forgiven for thinking he was a full on believer if you saw the Tutbury Castle episode of Most Haunted though! For more info go and read my Most Haunted opinion! (No plug intended!))

Other members of the team have 'made it' too but not as well as Phil. For example, S
hey developed psychically whilst doing the programme. Since the end of the series she's taken part in a few paranormal convention type things. She's a 'celebrity guest' at the Ghost Con on October 31st.

This series gets a 9/10 (I like the fact that they covered all different aspects of the paranormal rather than just focusing on ghosts).

Living TV should definitely do a new series. There's no doubt about that. They should have me on the team too! :o)


~ CONCLUSION ~

= = = Good points = = =

}{ I liked the fact they didn't limit themselves to investigating hauntings, ghosts, poltergeists and all the normal paranormal things out there. They investigated all sorts of things, e.g. witchcraft/occultism, UFOs, curses, etc, etc. alongside hauntings/ghosts.

}{ Some shows were quite funny to watch. Especially the first one in the Blair Witch style woods. They all got so freaked out over the smallest of things it made for good viewing! (Although, having since been freaked out in some Blair Witch style woods myself I can now sympathise with them. However, I didn't run around screaming when I was in their situation. I simply walked rather rapidly out of the woods again.....!)


= = = Bad points = = =

}{ As I've said, they did get freaked out on occasion. This is understandable BUT.... this leads me onto my next point....

}{ It was quite clear the majority of them were picked for their photogenic looks. They weren't picked because of their interest in the paranormal particularly I don't think. (With the exception of Phil I think, he'd been investigating the paranormal for 10 years prior to this show anyway). The rest of them (a nice mix of believers and sceptics) simply were vaguely interested in the paranormal but the majority of them had, what most people would consider to be, 'good looks'. This really annoyed me. Especia
lly one person in particular. The one called Amy. God she was annoying! She was a typical blonde (and yes, I know I'm blonde myself, but I'm not a typical blonde so I don't count, lol!) Seriously though, she was so trivial and childish in her approach to it all. She got so freaked out about EVERYTHING despite claiming to be sceptical about it all.

}{ They didn't have enough equipment to investigate things properly but then I guess it was a TV show and not a true reflection on how investigations should be conducted. (And I'll just add that us genuine paranormal investigators DON'T do what they do on this show). Most of us (those in my society anyway) take it seriously and aren't just in it for a 'laugh'.

For these reasons I've given the show 4/5 stars. If they'd done things (or rather, picked some better people) then it'd be worthy of 5/5 stars.



P.S. Once you're registered on the Living TV website, www.livingtv.co.uk, you can participate in the forums. There's forums for Scream Team, Most Haunted, Sixth Sense with Colin Fry amongst loads of other shows (not all paranormal in nature).

What I love about the forums is that the stars of the shows themselves use them. Colin Fry regularly pops onto his forum for a chat and regularly answers your questions. He reassured me that animals have souls a few months back which is always something I've pondered about. I always thought Heaven or wherever we go would be mighty boring with no animals!

Phil Whyman pops onto the Most Haunted and Scream Team forum from time to time. He used to log on regularly but he's not been on for a while as people kept immitating him and registering with a very similar username as him. He's also been getting a bit paranoid about his following of young girls! He pops onto MSN every now and then though. He's reassured me that he does still read the forums, he's ju
st busy filming series 3 of Most Haunted at the mo. Plus he's keeping his distance from the flock of young fans he's attracted!

Yvette Fielding and other members of the Most Haunted crew pop on very occasionally too. Gwen Acorah (Derek Acorahs, the spiritualist mediums wife) pops onto the forums regularly too, she's always dead nice and has a great sense of humour (which you'd need being married to Derek I should think!)

All in all, the whole atmosphere over there is great. Well worth joining in with! So, go and join, participate in the Scream Team forum and, most importantly, sign the petition on the said forums for a new series of this show!

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