Friday 17 April 2015

Review - True Supernatural s01e01 The Betty Hill Dress

So, new blog, new show. Seems like a good place to start.

True Supernatural claims to put theories of the supernatural through the scientific testing process.
I actually like this angle on the genre. And clearly they think they're on a winner with the formula being able to pick up skeptics and believers alike. However, side note - I have never watched a program like this that isn't biased one way or the other (I'm thinking Nasa's Unexplained files) and it seems, as entertaining as this show is, it leans pretty much towards the believer's view.

But that doesn't take anything away from its entertainment and possibly scientific (why not) benefits.
The show focuses on two stories per 45minute episode. This one covers the famous Betty Hill dress, and the not so famous 'Ringdocus', 'Shunka Warakin', or the Rocky Mountain Demon Wolf.

The Betty Hill Dress

It begins in 1961 with couple Betty and Barney Hill, when they were allegedly abducted by aliens. A light descended from the sky, and hovered in front of the car. Barney got out to look at it (shake his fist at it?) and noticed it was coming closer. They drove off quickly and that is all they remembered until they 'woke up' a couple of hours later on an unfamiliar road much further south. Betty's dress was stained and torn, Barney's shoes were scuffed.
It's all reported to project blue book at the time, who took all the facts and came back with 'you were looking at Jupiter or Venus'. Wow, those planets are thugs.
Through hypnosis, the pair recall that they were taken aboard a craft and 'experimented' on. The story is actually quite intriguing and obviously something strange went on that night. 
But, we are looking to test this story using science, so off to the lab.
The dress at the time was reportedly covered in a pink powder substance, which Betty Hill washed off (she's no Monica Lewinsky) so that doesn't help proceedings. However, the scientist does her best to evaluate fibres and tears in the material. During the show we're told that at the end we could find alien DNA.
In the last five minutes we find out there is no DNA. Although, we are told that aliens probably don't have DNA. I'd like my last 45 minutes back please.

The Rocky Mountain Demon Wolf
In a town called Ennis, Montana, there's a small museum that houses the taxidermy carcass of the 'Ringdoncus' itself. Shot in 1886, this creature looks like a cross between a bear, a wolf and a hyena. It has apparently terrorised Americans for centuries. A woman in glasses tells us it has supernatural qualities, so...I guess its true? we're shown pictures of mangled livestock, so...I guess this creature did it?
For the next 45 minutes, we are told how experts will test the animal and people come on and tell you what it could be. Skip to the lab part... WE don't know what it is! Because the show couldn't even get a sample of the animal. Surely they knew that when they told me for the last 45 minutes.

Synopsis.
I am a sucker. So disregard any negativity you may read in my blogs, because as much as I might snort and deride the production quality / material / stupid sound effects and dodgy conclusions, I'll be back. I'm keen to see what else we may or may not get to test in a fake lab somewhere because i love the stories. Guess i'm in it for the folklore.

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