Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files

When this show first aired I think on SyFy Channel, I loved it.

Upon recently watching reruns on Destination America, I've come to realize that these people were trying way too hard to be the paranormal MythBusters.

It's OK, but not as amazing as I once thought.

I love all flavors of paranormal shows even yours providing insight if something might be fake!! You definately show how it could be fake but you can't prove it really is fake and your team doesn't say that! You can create what was seen and recorded but that only means that it is possible someone faked the whole thing! The thing I'm saying is it still could be paranormal/Alien!? Thank you for listening, Linda

"Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files" is nothing more than an ultra-cheap ripoff of "UFO Hunters." The salient difference is that the ultra-youthful cast of "Fact or Faked" has zero scientific background whatsoever. They collect the cheesiest videos from here or there; set out to "prove" or "debunk" things based upon the most ill-conceived notion of the scientific method, indeed, of science in general; pepper the audience with nonsensical, high-falutin'-sounding nonsense such as, "Come on, guys, let's examinate this rocketological conburblification," and cannot-do-without exhortatives, such as, "Let's go green, guys!" (I think the kindergartners behave basically the same way on "Sid the Science Kid.") The kids are ignorant, annoying, unscientific, and a slap in the face to any viewer whose education extends beyond junior high school.

After viewing the first episode, I was sorely disappointed. Despite all the hype, there was precious little science, limited expertise, and no common sense in the evaluations. While one investigation was well done (Ghost Car), the rest were simply not worth the effort to have filmed.

The final "lights in the Arizona sky" segment killed any suggestion that the show intends to seriously address strange phenomena caught on videos. Anyone with any experience with military aviation could tell that the "unknown" lights were flares (sorry UFO fanatics – there may be something in the Arizona sky, but that wasn't it). This obvious explanation was never addressed by the "investigators", having apparently been dismissed because the person who took the video claimed that he had checked with the local Air Force base, and no aircraft were in the air when the video was made. Where was the confirmation? Why wasn't an effort made to recreate this important possibility? My guess is cost and an unwillingness to confirm the obvious. The (apparently) one night of investigation filming the area did record an interesting effect, but did nothing to prove or disprove the original video; all it did was create another video which needs further investigation. Saying that something odd is happening in the sky over Arizona doesn't answer the question, although the cast clearly thought they had done so.

Like too many of the paranormal related shows, this one also seems to want to find the paranormal more than it wants to provide accurate results. Granted, disproof doesn't get good ratings, but don't bill the show for what it is not. I for one won't waste time watching this in the future.

I'm at a loss. I really am. I've read the other reviews on this show and I have to remind myself that we are talking about the same program. I had just looked up the Josh Gates show 'Destination Truth' which, correctly, received applause and I had expected the same here. Fact or Faked is a hugely entertaining, well researched, comprehensive look at the paranormal, cryptozoology, Ufology and the general unexplained. The program looks at these phenomenon without bias and I love the fact that they never ridicule anything, everything is possible. For those of you who enjoy Bigfoot, Ghosts, Lake monsters, Aliens, Conspiracy theories or if you simply enjoy the very lovely Jael De Pardo, then Fact or Faked is an absolute must.