November 22, 2008
GA: North Jersey Psychiatric Facility
by Oubliette
North Jersey Psychiatric Facility provided the GA team with an environment sure to test their skills, nerves and investigative abilities to the fullest. Three guys with minimum equipment but a lot of enthusiasm tackle one of the more daunting tasks-investigating a crumbling facility where specters of staff and patients might still wander down its empty halls.
We begin with Zak giving us a synopsis of this eerie abandoned asylum. Even in daylight the institution looks dark and forbidding. The local historian, Bob Williams, relates the harrowing history of the facility since its beginnings in 1872, with an emphasis on the huge amount of deaths (10,000+) that occurred within its walls. In addition to what is now viewed as barbaric treatment of the mentally ill complete with shock therapy, hydrotherapy etc., there is the horror brought on by a broken boiler that resulted in not only people killed by the explosion itself but also the patients who froze to death in their beds.
The witnesses seem credible enough, reporting experiences of chills, a sense of being stared at, a foreboding feeling in some of the areas of the facility and the specter of a nurse who still can be seen making her rounds. Former Assistant Director Tom Hamilton photographed a strange looking “orb” that mystified Zak, who made it a point to tell him (and us) that he holds very little traffic in orbs in general, but thought what they caught on film was worth considering.
A filmaker, Chris Notarile, also presented what seemed to be a disembodied voice saying “Hello” that was caught during filming when no one but cast and crew were in the area. Wisely, both he and Zak left this incident up to the viewers to decide what to make of it.
The tunnel tour provided by retired Fire Chief Jim Chaffey showed frightening graffiti and a painting of skeletons that was quite well rendered. Someone obligingly painted the word DEATH a number of times, which when followed led to the morgue and its body trays. Dark, spooky and maze like, the tunnels would prove to be a real challenge to our team. Zak dubs the floor the “Black Brick Road” in a humorous comparison to the Yellow Brick Road but thankfully he did not choose to start skipping along the corridor. Or look for Munchkins.
The guys donned protective masks due to a severe asbestos hazard. This brought an inadvertent “Three Stooges Moment”, where Zak pushes his hand ala Moe Howard into Nick’s face, causing him to reel away in surprise. This indicates just how dark the conditions are, making the sojourn both eerie and even more dangerous.
Here’s where the fun begins. Zak tries to goad the nurse’s spirit into doing something, employing their usual techniques-provoking (in this case, Zak cries out for help, claiming he “needs a lot of mental help”), dark light using electro-magnetic resonance, questions designed to elicit a response and an outpouring of emotional energy they believe will attract spirits. Muffled conversation is heard; a female voice saying “hello“ excites Zak, who quickly confirms that Aaron picked up on it as well.
Very dramatically, and in what is properly a first in paranormal investigation, Zak dons a strait jacket and sits alone in a room, hoping to draw a response by creating an emphatic bond with whatever patient might still be trapped there. Some EVP work is attempted, but what results is an enigmatic sounding “Help me”. The strait jacket is abandoned when the sound of a squeaking door leads the trio still deeper into the asylum and on to a controversial piece of evidence that should have people shaking their heads for some time to come..
It happens when Zak is startled by a hand (or rather a shadow of one) on the wall that seems to emerge from his body, while an object glides towards him and touches his arm. The video showing what appears to be a hand is, IMO, one of those questionable pieces of evidence that joins the walking apparition and the flying brick from previous episodes. It just looks too much like a guy sticking his arm out to make it seem that a ghostly shadow appears.
Sorry, but I find this one piece of evidence a bit hard to swallow. In all honesty it looks like Zak somehow thrusting his left arm forward while his right is holding the camera. He quickly goes to the side and briefly out of sight after his loud reaction to this event. Why Aaron’s camera didn’t pick it up was because he was simply too far back and the action happened in almost complete darkness.
A quick look at it can be found here.
Nick must have taken a stupid pill that evening when he agreed to be placed on a body tray in the morgue, slid into a compartment and locked in from the outside. Besides the obvious claustrophobic atmosphere, he was subjecting himself to an area with a limited supply of air–not a bright idea.
Meanwhile, Zak and Aaron take a chance and enter the tunnel. Their risk is rewarded, as they pick up another disembodied voice, this time what they interpret to be a girl singing. To be skeptical, this could have been some sort of animal, but the rhythmic sound leaves open the fact that it may be authentic.
Poor Nick is having his problems locked away in the morgue. He feels like he is dead, and a creeping coldness causes him to get the “trembles” from head to toe. These sensations can probably be chalked up to the awkward and frightening situation he has found himself in rather then anything paranormal going on inside the compartment. An EVP saying “die” seems clear enough, but it could be just random noise. When something knocks on the metal of the compartment, Nick has had enough. Complete panic sets in, and he kicks repeatedly on the door while yelling for Zak and Aaron to come and release him from his deadly prison.
One of the most curious events is noticed: Nick’s right cheek appears red and swollen with a “handprint” that seems clearly visible, although to my eyes the shape was not that definitive. Again playing the skeptic, Nick had been locked in an area without much air. He panicked both from fear and perhaps a decreasing supply of oxygen, and may have unknowingly injured or banged his face during his struggles without realizing it.
Zak, Nick and Aaron are relieved when the door is unlocked and they can step back out into the fresh air. Regardless of whether what went on was the real deal or not, it was apparent that finally being released from what must have been a depressing and intimidating environment was more then welcomed by all three.
A paranormal expert back in Phoenix is mystified by the orb like shape traveling around Zak’s upper body as he feels the odd sensation on his cheek. Not all possibilities have been ruled out, and analysis by a video expert not involved with this particular field of research would hold more weight. However, this evidence, as well as the mysterious hand appearing out of Zak’s shadow, is declared to be of paranormal origin. .
This was, in my estimation, the best episode yet of Ghost Adventures for a number of reasons. While questioning the validity of some events, the team were very proactive. They literally attacked the building, challenging it to respond, unlike some investigators who, for the most part, passively sit around waiting for something to happen. They were not afraid to put themselves into dangerous situations (sometimes perhaps a bit foolishly) for the sake of the investigation.
Although this episode leaves open many questions and possibilities, the GA team just may have picked up some viable evidence on this show. It is within the realm of possibility that the heartache, pain and horror that this psychiatric facility has witnessed has left behind traces of its terrible past. Whether or not GA truly captured paranormal activity is still up in the air. Viewers are becoming aware that fabricating of evidence seems part and parcel of any paranormal investigation show. It would be nice to have the EVPs, disembodied voices and video anomalies analyzed by industry experts, but that is a luxury that we have come to learn not to expect. In the end, it is left up to us whether or not to believe.
Filed under Ghost Adventures, Posts by Oubliette
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Comments on GA: North Jersey Psychiatric Facility »
blinddog50 @ 10:11 pm
Just another typical 'paranormal' show.
Allllmost there, but not quite.
I do have to give kudos to Zak though.
He is a much better actor than someone else we know.
My favorite is Aaron, God bless him, he must go though a case of Depends on every investigation.
Good review Oubliette.
And the same to you Harry doing the review on the flip side.
Huzzahs to you both!
worldharmony @ 12:21 am
Nice review! I was more entertained than unnerved by this show. I didn't think Nick appeared truly scared in the morgue- he was too calm about being locked in, which meant he must have known there was plenty of air, for one thing. For all we know there is no ceiling on that thing any longer (did they show one?) He just didn't look credibly panicked to me.
As for the handprint, like you I saw no such thing. He said it "felt" like a handprint. I would think that if someone is slapped hard enough the pain would radiate in a way that would make a distinctive shape extremely difficult to detect. If this were a true incident I would probably assume it was a hand slapping me just because that is a familiar event to mentally refer to, but I saw no hand print.
CrowTRobot @ 10:01 am
Great review Logi…..I mean, Oubliette.
Evidence: I think you nailed it with this line: …"Viewers are becoming aware that fabricating of evidence seems part and parcel of any paranormal investigation show."… It's unfortunate, but that's entertainment.
The female voices, to me, almost sounded like a cat.
The EVPs were interesting, but I'm just not sold on that whole theory.
The hand was neat; but like you said, could have been Zak's – intentional or not.
Don't know what to make of Nick's cheek.
Actually, the knock on the metal door when Nick is on the slab was more interesting to me. THAT would have scared me crapless.
btw I didn't approve (not that anyone cares) of Zak and Aaron leaving Nick locked in the morgue while they wandered off (and even, apparently, got lost). Assuming everything is as presented, that was a dangerous decision. Nick locked in a tight space (good question about the ceiling, worldharmony), unable to get out? And no one nearby? Too many things can go wrong – most of them non-paranormal.
I enjoy this show. I find it entertaining. I really like their enthusiasm. I don't expect them to find proof of the paranormal, but I like the bits they do come across. And yea, some of the stuff they do is a bit on the 'dramatic' side: Always being locked in, the straight-jacket, the slab, aggressively going after the ghosts (provoking?) etc. but it works for me.
Good job, Oubliette
Paul Anthony @ 10:21 am
The review was more enjoyable then the episode. Nicely done. A Mundane investigation, with added drama. The only comment I have is, Zak's bed head hair dooo.
Wes @ 10:30 am
Good reviews, folks (Harry and Oubliette, to be specific).
Two thoughts: claiming "orbs" that are quite clearly dust and bugs as paranormal hurts an already shaky credibility, IMO. (Props to GH for at least standing firm on that issue).
And I smell a "Zak list" on the horizon starting with the flying brick and including the hand shadow.
windwhisperer @ 7:28 pm
I guess I'll ask on this one too…..Why are there two separate posts? I'm getting a little confused.
J. @ 7:33 pm
windwhisperer: Because there are two reviews for this episode. This review is by Oubliette and the other is by Harry.
worldharmony @ 7:42 pm
Maybe Oubliette and Harry (or whomever does separate reviews for future episodes) can put both reviews in the same post next time- I don't know. I kind of like the Point/Counterpoint idea using "opposing" reviews, but I especially like the ensuing discussions from both camps and would hate for those to be separated.
windwhisperer @ 7:53 pm
J. I know there are two reviews. I was under the impression that there would just be one place for these reviews and not under two separate posts.
windwhisperer @ 8:24 pm
Okay I've got it now. I was a bit confused about there being two posts but I found this on Logisti's original "preview" post.
Thank goodness it's a one-time thing.
From Logisti's preview post:
"Double Trouble!
It looks like you guys might have TWO GA write-ups coming at you over the next few days. I'm not sure how best to handle this Abundance of Awesomeness!
Harry is going to be the "main" writer for Ghost Adventures and Oubliette noticed we sorely lack *ANY* Destination Truth write-ups, so that job is hers if she is open to it, but since GA is getting a lot of folks excited — and due to popular demand — I've given Oubliette the go-ahead to write-up this week's GA as well.
I am concerned about keeping the discussion focused though, so we won't be having two posts (three including this one!) for the same episode like this every week. We just got two new Contributing Editors this week though, and I want them both to be able to show their stuff and have a little fun so everybody break out some digital applause for Harry & Oubliette!"
CrowTRobot @ 8:25 pm
I think the two reviews/threads was just a one time thing. More of a ,"Let's see what happens." since each had offered to do a review.
windwhisperer @ 8:43 pm
Right CrowTRobot. That's why I posted the part of Logisti's original Preview Post. It's just this one time. It completely slipped my mind.
windwhisperer @ 10:29 pm
Great review. I wish there was some way they could show a split screen that shows us here each guy is when they're separated. Whenever any investigator hears a sound I can't help but automatically think it's one of the other guys. Whether it be tapping, knocking or voices there's always that possibility that it's somebody pulling our chains.
On the hand shadow..If that's Zak in front, the arm coming into the scene doesn't look like it could be his because of it's proximity and angle to his body.
I never hold much stock in ghostly images but this one has me a little dumbfounded. I actually found it spooky.
For me evps are whatever the people want to think they are. The only reason I don't believe in them is because I wasn't there. If I were to catch my own evp that'll be a different story.
Sorry but I couldn't help but laugh at the poke in the eye. It also added to the creepiness of the show because of how dark it is when they do their investigating.
At least we know Nick isn't claustrophobic.
I know Aaron's just the hired camera guy, but he adds a touch of honesty, humor, and authenticity to the show. Poor guy is just always scared but he hangs in there like a real trooper. Kudos to Aaron.
I haven't yet found anything that I can be overly skeptical about yet.
It was another great show and I can't wait till the next one.
Like you say, either believe or not.
CrowTRobot @ 11:54 pm
windwhisperer said, "Right CrowTRobot. That's why I posted the part of Logisti's original Preview Post. It's just this one time. It completely slipped my mind."
Weird. When I responded to your query at 8:25, I didn't see your post at 8:24…
Oh well, you got your answer. That's all that matters.
Oubliette @ 9:59 am
Thanks everybody and congrats to Harry!
One item of interest that I took out of my report so as not to write a book was Zak's hair. It almost deserves a review on its own. At one point (when he hears the first "hello") it looks like it shocked him so much his hair in front stood straight on end. Tango and his hair gel have some serious competition.
I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt under certain circumstances as there really isn't much to support any accusations of "fake", at least so far. The flying brick has been brought into question, but despite some efforts to do so, it still hasn't been proclaimed as real evidence OR a hoax.
At least the disembodied voices don't sound like someone is standing on the sidelines with a megaphone. Real or not, they have an eerie quality about them.
What points to maybe some evidence being manufactured is that non-TV paranormal investigators often wait months for even the smallest bit of evidence to come along. Lately we are being treated to evps, voices, objects moving, strange sounds etc. on every episode. That is why, probably in the beginning, TAPS was so much more believable. Shows would go by without anything being found or normal explanations were given for anomalies clients reported. Now they have joined up with their compatriots (or so it seems) and are garnering evidence left and right. Hence, the final betrayal many feel from the Live Show.
At any rate, I still believe that GA is probably the best out there at present. Their enthusiasm is infectious, although sometimes over the top, but they don't lounge about looking like they rather be sleeping. The GA team really want to dive into a building and demand that it give up its secrets. The minimal crew is a relief compared to the tag along camera and sound men of other shows. It lends to the feeling of the viewer being right on location with them.
Thanks to the poster who mentioned Aaron being a funny sort of guy. I agree that he adds that sometimes comedic element necessary to break the tension of investigations. There's really not much to dislike about the guy and he gives the impression of being honest. Though he does scream and run like a girl sometimes
RedBankGuy @ 9:57 am
Great Review! I too feel that the shadow, was not convincing. I also posted on Harry's thread, I feel the shadow was Zak arm when he was reaching for his bicep when he felt he was being grabbed. The orbs were not convincing to me. The cheek seemed like it was red from when he was in the morgue, or from a dust mask…
Doesn't seem paranormal to me. I will keep watching though, and see what they bring to the table..
mike turner @ 10:44 pm
ghost adventures are the only paranormal researchers on the air. the rest are b.s.i have photographed paranormal sites since the nineties. need new places the has never been on any other show? Hope you keep up the good work. You're biggest fan, [personal information removed --Nosfer, PS, I'm NOT biggest fan. And this site is not associated with any of these groups]
Learjet @ 9:55 am
Must not take bait….. must resist….
Nosfer @ 11:24 am
Step AWAY from the keyboard, Learjet
Axel Olrik @ 2:03 pm
Been waiting to see who breaks first….