The Demon Files

I do enjoy reality based shows exploring the paranormal. Unfortunately The Demon Files is more fiction and wishful thinking than anything else. The team is led by a wannabe demonologist who sees the demonic in even the most mundane occurrences - ie. lets look at a digital thermometer and the moment the rising temperature reads 66.6 he takes it as evidence of demonic influence. Had the camera stayed on the thermometer just a little longer we would most likely have seen the temperature change to a rather less demonic looking temperature. The old adage about a broken clock being right twice a day comes to mind here!

As far as I am aware Ralph Sarchie has no formal qualifications in demonology, nor does he have the qualifications required, or the church sanctioned authority to conduct exorcisms. Nevertheless we see him conducting rituals of dubious efficacy on the gullible individuals that he investigates. Whether the presence of Sarchie's team helps the families that are seeking help is very much in doubt.

The Demon Files falls short in almost every respect. It has little to hold the interest of viewers. There is no demonic activity evident in any of the episodes. Only the most gullible viewer would believe the mundane occurrences and wild imaginings that are passed off as evidence by Sarchie's team. I am a believer in demonic activity, but there is no evidence of it in this show. Sarchie's posturings hold little credibility. It is a wonder that any network would give this man a show.

I agree with the reviewer who commented that the scariest thing about this show is the fact that Ralph Saarchi carried a loaded gun at one time.

I had high hopes for this show which were clearly unwarranted. Basically, former NYPD detective Saarchi (whose story is the basis for the movie "Deliver Us From Evil") now dedicates his time to fighting evil, also known as "The Work." He does this by going into homes and treating demons like the perps he encountered walking the beat in the Bronx. Taunting demons in his New York accent, he says things like "You want a piece of me? Why don't you scratch me?" (No, I'm not kidding. Further examples of his buffoonery include his citing Halloween decorations and the anarchy symbol as indication of occult practices taking place (newsflash, dude, the anarchy symbol is a reference to the 70's punk movement in England). Anything and everything is cited as the cause of demonic activity (tarot cards, celebrating Halloween, etc.), and the families are invariably almost blamed.

While I don't doubt that paranormal encounters can and do occur, I don't think this guy is in any way "qualified" to deal with them.

It is good to see Ralph Sarchie and his crew investigating and going after true evil. The TV is inundated with ghost hunters but now, there is someone who has a recorded past of really dealing with demons and oppression/possession. Ralph is a NO BS Former NYC Police Sergeant and his passion for what he does is just as intense and just as real and no BS as you can get... Tough and tough love... for what he does with his team to help those in real spiritual need. This goes beyond ghosts, beyond bumps in the night... this is a fight for sanity and soul and Ralph Sarchie and his team are there to help.

This is not only good entertainment... This is real...

It's cherry-picked bits and pieces spliced for sensational effect, just like the rest of the genre.

While I am disinclined dismiss Sarchie as unknowledgeable or ineffective, I do have to sincerely question the veracity of anyone of his alleged caliber that would have any tolerance for the sensationalism and promotion of intrigue for this type of work. The show becomes an enticement for precisely what he claims to warn against, by way of ineffective fear tactics.

Having watched the first three episodes and heard about how they "feel" a cold spot when they have been running up and down stairs to the point of perspiration; is not evidence, it's hearsay... measure it! Claims that a light anomaly on a recording must be spirit because dust doesn't move that way and cant change size... seriously? Is there any realization of the fluid dynamics of air, or the physics of light in refraction here? After all, your not watching a particle change or roll, but an anomaly of light. Sarchie may be able to learn a great deal here by taking up smoking a pipe in the early morning or late afternoon and just observing.

The ubiquitous granting of power to objects to be doorways to "evil" and all the episodes going straight to provoking situations are disturbing at very least. These people should be all too aware that when you call something enough, sooner or later something is likely to answer (whether it was originally there or not)... not to mention the more you practice, the better your get. Any time you open up a conversation in this type of circumstance; it IS an INVITATION!

While the program is somewhat interesting, it could only be found captivating by the most superstitious of personalities. The best rating I could possibly give at present would be a 6, and trying preserve some modicum of respect for the team.

I have to say, when I first saw this show, with my mother in fact, after the first 15 minutes we thought it was laughable. We did continue to watch because we were sure that there had to be more to it. Nope, there wasn't. Just some former cop, loud mouth stereotypical New Yorker that makes all Northeasterns hang our heads in embarrassment hoping that no on else watched it and believes we are all the same.

Ralph Sarchie is a freak-a-zoid from everyone's worst zombie nightmare from some messed up parallel universe. He is very loud, boastful and I guess someone told him he was some kind of expert in mythology, theology and would make a good "ghost hunter." I did see Deliver us From Evil and though I found it interesting, there is so much of "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" that someone can take before it starts to sound really fake and phony and you wonder just where the hell they get these people from.

It was not scary, it was STUPID and showed just how little RS knows about, well, everything. Do some research Sarchie, it will do you some good.