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Uncanny (BBC Programme / Podcast)

I was listening to 'Uncle Jack' again yesterday, for me it is right up there with the best episodes of Uncanny. But there is one glaring omission in the narrative in that when Jack opens the upstairs window and jumps down onto the road, is the window actually left open? The witness seems to imply this as he nails it down after the wind caught it post Jack jumping out. So if this is the case, why didn't they ever run upstairs when the feet starting pacing around on the floorboards in order to see Jack open the window? In fact, why didn't they run upstairs before they knew about Jack rather than sit downstairs whilst someone - presumably an intruder - paced around upstairs?
 
Paul_Exeter said:
...why didn't they ever run upstairs when the feet starting pacing around on the floorboards in order to see Jack open the window? In fact, why didn't they run upstairs before they knew about Jack rather than sit downstairs whilst someone - presumably an intruder - paced around upstairs?
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I think... fear, basically. Sometimes when the paranormal is happening, the fear is huge.
 
SimonBurchell said:
I think... fear, basically. Sometimes when the paranormal is happening, the fear is huge.
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True, especially after they knew about Uncle Jack. But at the beginning it just seemed that someone or some creature was upstairs so surely you would have gone up to investigate? Or why not wait outside as the footsteps started above them so that they can see whoever or whatever it was exiting their window and jumping down onto the road?

Also, to be blunt, if someone is getting into your house and exiting through a certain window then the very first thing you do is to secure that window so it can't happen again, because if they are getting out that way because there is a good chance they are getting in that way, too (perhaps with a stepladder).

Them you have the known fact that the guy worked with computers so if they didn't want to go upstairs then why not set up a camera trap or leave a video camera running? Or at the very least sprinkle some flour on the floor to get the footprints of whoever or whatever it was?

But then I have always thought it a bit odd that his partner Jay was the a direct descendant of Jack and the cottage was still owned by the family and yet she didn't know about his ghost? I'm inclined to believe that they knew it was haunted from the outset but it makes for better drama if they find out from the friendly local. Otherwise it just seems a bit 'off' to me that you believe a person, rodent or trapped cat or whatever is upstairs in your own house and you don't even go up to investigate or at least go outside to catch 'it' in the act of exiting via the window.

Should add that I am speaking from experience here as I have previously posted on here here about the Devon village detached house my parents bought in 1985 did have strange bumps and footsteps that came from an empty upstairs bedroom and which we could never explain. On occasions I heard these when alone alone in the house and would muster the courage to go up and investigate but I'll admit I didn't linger...
 
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Paul_Exeter said:
True, especially after they knew about Uncle Jack. But at the beginning it just seemed that someone or some creature was upstairs so surely you would have gone up to investigate? Or why not wait outside as the footsteps started above them so that they can see whoever or whatever it was exiting their window and jumping down onto the road?

Also, to be blunt, if someone is getting into your house and exiting through a certain window then the very first thing you do is to secure that window so it can't happen again, because if they are getting out that way because there is a good chance they are getting in that way, too (perhaps with a stepladder).

Them you have the known fact that the guy worked with computers so if they didn't want to go upstairs then why not set up a camera trap or leave a video camera running? Or at the very least sprinkle some flour on the floor to get the footprints of whoever or whatever it was?

But then I have always thought it a bit odd that his partner Jay was the a direct descendant of Jack and the cottage was still owned by the family and yet she didn't know about his ghost? I'm inclined to believe that they knew it was haunted from the outset but it makes for better drama if they find out from the friendly local. Otherwise it just seems a bit 'off' to me that you believe a person, rodent or trapped cat or whatever is upstairs in your own house and you don't even go up to investigate or at least go outside to catch 'it' in the act of exiting via the window.

Should add that I am speaking from experience here as I have previously posted on here here about the Devon village detached house my parents bought in 1985 did have strange bumps and footsteps that came from an empty upstairs bedroom and which we could never explain. On occasions I heard these when alone alone in the house and would muster the courage to go up and investigate but I'll admit I didn't linger...
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I think I should make the distinction between hearing footsteps and dust falling through the floorboards and the actaual window being opened so that someone can climb out. The former is spooky and something to tell your friends down the pub whereas the latter is essentially an intruder in your own home or a poltergeist that can open windows and whichever it was surely required further investigation?
 
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Stormkhan said:
I have been in situations where I was.
If you are a 'true' investigator then you don't run away from that which you are investigating.
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Judging by a lot of the ghost hunting videos I've seen, it is par for the course to run away at the first sign of anything spooky.

Personally, I'm content to just wait for the ghosts to come looking for me.
 
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CharmerKamelion said:
Judging by a lot of the ghost hunting videos I've seen, it is par for the course to run away at the first sign of anything spooky.
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Which is why I'm somewhat scornful of said shows.
If you're going out to look for phenomena then you must be expecting something to happen. If nothing does then you can chalk it up as a fail. If, however, you experience something ... then you were expecting it.
 
:rollingw:
Stacey Dooley is somewhat surprising.
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Paul_Exeter said:
I think I should make the distinction between hearing footsteps and dust falling through the floorboards and the actaual window being opened so that someone can climb out. The former is spooky and something to tell your friends down the pub whereas the latter is essentially an intruder in your own home or a poltergeist that can open windows and whichever it was surely required further investigation?
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Dust falling through the floorboards implies actual weight and a physical presence.

I am often surprised by thumps and treads from my spare room, which I can hear from downstairs. What has usually happened is that I have left the window slightly ajar, a neighbour's cat has poked it open and come inside for a quiet sleep on the spare bed. Because the cats come and go via the roof, you never see them jump up or down, but they leave the window wide open when they go.

It's definitely cats because you can see where they've been sleeping on the bed, which is why I don't turn a hair now when I hear the thumps or find the window swinging open.
 
catseye said:
Dust falling through the floorboards implies actual weight and a physical presence.

I am often surprised by thumps and treads from my spare room, which I can hear from downstairs. What has usually happened is that I have left the window slightly ajar, a neighbour's cat has poked it open and come inside for a quiet sleep on the spare bed. Because the cats come and go via the roof, you never see them jump up or down, but they leave the window wide open when they go.

It's definitely cats because you can see where they've been sleeping on the bed, which is why I don't turn a hair now when I hear the thumps or find the window swinging open.
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So a good example of how a cat can get in through a window left slightly ajar and then bump around upstairs. In the 'Uncle Jack' case we have have bumps and thuds from upstairs (attributed to Jack's footsteps) and a window that is perhaps pushed open from being not shut properly. So did they have a stray cat/neighbouring cat that had taken up residence whilst the house was empty and was getting in through a gap or window left ajar (remember the major renovations were taking place). So why didn't they check?

I really like this case but it does seem to me that in the early stages they failed to rule out rational explanations or the possibility of an intruder (human or animal) and that just feels off to me. Given the fact Jay was a descendent of Jack then my feeling is that they knew about the ghosts from day one and were were waiting for him to make himself known to them. Otherwise why would you not act the first time you heard someone or something open your upstairs window? I would have been straight down to B&Q for a window lock or six inch nails. So not saying this didn't happen but I do feel that the eventual reveal by the neighbour made for a better tale.
 
Paul_Exeter said:
So a good example of how a cat can get in through a window left slightly ajar and then bump around upstairs. In the 'Uncle Jack' case we have have bumps and thuds from upstairs (attributed to Jack's footsteps) and a window that is perhaps pushed open from being not shut properly. So did they have a stray cat/neighbouring cat that had taken up residence whilst the house was empty and was getting in through a gap or window left ajar (remember the major renovations were taking place). So why didn't they check?

I really like this case but it does seem to me that in the early stages they failed to rule out rational explanations or the possibility of an intruder (human or animal) and that just feels off to me. Given the fact Jay was a descendent of Jack then my feeling is that they knew about the ghosts from day one and were were waiting for him to make himself known to them. Otherwise why would you not act the first time you heard someone or something open your upstairs window? I would have been straight down to B&Q for a window lock or six inch nails. So not saying this didn't happen but I do feel that the eventual reveal by the neighbour made for a better tale.
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Cats are also buggers for getting in and hiding. I found one hidden up in my loft space once (my loft has a velux window, cats get up on the roof ridge and come in that way) under the truckle bed. The cat had clearly got in and heard me coming up the stairs so hidden itself away. I then closed the window - cat was trapped and I only realised when the dog went hunting around upstairs. Cue cat ferociously streaking down the stairs and out of the (thankfully open) back door, with dog hot on its heels.

But it does mean that I often attribute 'mysterious bumps and thumps' in almost any house, to random cat ingress. You often wouldn't even know they were there - and they can get in through spaces that you would think inaccessible.
 
When I was a boy our cat used to flick the front door knocker to be let in - quite loud sometimes and persistent! We had a half windowed door so you could see it wasn't a person knocking and we got used to it, as did the cat once she realised it prompted a response!. My aunt used to live opposite and was a nervous type. She was my mum's sister and one day they were in our house talking about their mother who had recently passed away. My aunt was convinced she had received signs from their mum since her passing, and, during this conversation it had started to rain, prompting our cat to hammer on the door to be let in. It didn't help my aunt's nerves at all when she looked at the door and couldn't see anyone!
 
catseye said:
Cats are also buggers for getting in and hiding. I found one hidden up in my loft space once (my loft has a velux window, cats get up on the roof ridge and come in that way) under the truckle bed. The cat had clearly got in and heard me coming up the stairs so hidden itself away. I then closed the window - cat was trapped and I only realised when the dog went hunting around upstairs. Cue cat ferociously streaking down the stairs and out of the (thankfully open) back door, with dog hot on its heels.

But it does mean that I often attribute 'mysterious bumps and thumps' in almost any house, to random cat ingress. You often wouldn't even know they were there - and they can get in through spaces that you would think inaccessible.
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Giant R said:
When I was a boy our cat used to flick the front door knocker to be let in - quite loud sometimes and persistent! We had a half windowed door so you could see it wasn't a person knocking and we got used to it, as did the cat once she realised it prompted a response!. My aunt used to live opposite and was a nervous type. She was my mum's sister and one day they were in our house talking about their mother who had recently passed away. My aunt was convinced she had received signs from their mum since her passing, and, during this conversation it had started to rain, prompting our cat to hammer on the door to be let in. It didn't help my aunt's nerves at all when she looked at the door and couldn't see anyone!
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Ours used to somehow fling himself at the door to let us know he wanted to come in.

On one occasion the neighbour was mowing his lawn and something caught his eye- our cat was sat inside on his bedroom window sill looking down at him.
 
Found this article that give's Tim's surname and has answered many of my questions as to their reactions to the footsteps and provides some additional info, too:

  • they were living in the lower and smaller of the two adjoining cottages so just the one upstairs window facing the road
  • he did go up and check upstairs after it happened
  • Tim states Jack had to run past the house and up the hill to get up to the crossroads and implies they did try to catch him in the act
  • They would find the window shut after jack had departed
https://breaktimenews.co.uk/paranormal-a-terrifying-true-ghost-story/

Just need to establish the provenance of this website:

Breaktime News Ltd,
1 Luxus House, Forge Lane,
Saltash, Cornwall.
PL12 6LX.
United Kingdom.

It is local which is promising.

Tim Murrow checked out on Linkedin as a Network Engineer living in Looe so it looks like this is legit and that perhaps the editor was a friend of a friend or whatever. Highly recommend reading this article if you like this case as it is in Tim's own voice and is therefore more convincing.
 
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DrPaulLee said:
I read on one of the uncanny Facebook pages that the first US story has already been covered in a podcast. I can't find it now but it would be interesting to see if the story has mutated between then and now.
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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162178474508755&set=p.10162178474508755&type=3



This is it and it was all over Twitter (as was):

https://www.distractify.com/trending/2018/10/19/2sSbx4/what-happens-when-you-play-the-ouija-board

This is a lot of apprehension on that Uncanny Fans Facebook page about the show being in the US and I'm not sure this is going to be a great start
 
Paul_Exeter said:
View attachment 76096

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162178474508755&set=p.10162178474508755&type=3



This is it and it was all over Twitter (as was):

https://www.distractify.com/trending/2018/10/19/2sSbx4/what-happens-when-you-play-the-ouija-board

This is a lot of apprehension on that Uncanny Fans Facebook page about the show being in the US and I'm not sure this is going to be a great start
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Yes this isn’t convincing me to listen. It sounds like the plot of a story.
 
brownmane said:
Woohoo. I see the new one is now also available on Spotify.

I have some hopes for it. Georgia is southern US. They (southerners) do tend to have an interest in ghostly stories. Fingers crossed.
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I enjoyed it.:D As soon as I saw New Orleans, witch shop and ouija boards I was interested. Marcus was a very measured and calm witness. I have put my thoughts below, I won't put them in spoiler tags but don't read them yet if you don't want any!

It sounds as if the series is going to cover other things other than ghosts so I can't wait to hear what. :bthumbup:


The sceptic is either getting insufficient information or isn't really listening - he was saying the initial banging on the window was a neighbour checking of they were okay but we are told the house is "in the middle of nowhere" and the neighbour doesn't arrive until a bit later and in a car.

He also says that Marcus wouldn't have fired the rifle unless he had known deep down that the figure wasn't a ghost (because what is the point of shooting at a ghost). But, as Danny said, how could he have thought that clearly? Plus, he is a teenage boy, not an expert in dealing with ghosts.

Evelyn mentions that if special sigils had been on the board, it might have been of a kind that was used to summon spirits I don't know how to spell - not your relatives. Marcus describes it as having "African language" on it so it really does sound like one of those boards.

Was the water still there when the Firemen took the boys back to the house the next day? This wasn't mentioned!

Finally, Aunt Jean's horrifying death has obviously affected Marcus greatly (who wouldn't be affected by that?) The incident could have been triggered by the power cut and a few shadows and odd sounds. He does say later on that when the power went out, he thought of how Aunt Jean must have felt when the power went out in New Orleans. I don't know about the water though. That is harder to explain.:thought:

Intriguing case IMHO.
 
Paul_Exeter said:
The 4 minute trailer for Uncanny USA is now on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010x7c/episodes/player

... and the new series kicks off on the 30th.

I try to be an optimist and love Danny's work but I can't say I felt enthused.
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Is it just me or did the snippets of interviews sound heavily scripted? It didn't appear to flow like someone telling their story, it sounded like they were coached to sound melodramatic....rather like Danny....?

Edit: What I mean is, go watch the first season of Ghost Hunters - the TAPS one - and watch the way their interviews are done...it's obvious they're coached. That's what's aggravating me: it seems like the longer Uncanny goes on, the more it devolves. I'm sorry to bag on poor Danny, he's got great creativity and imagination but I'm not interested in hearing melodramatic fiction, I want real paranormal hullabloo. I DEMAND TRUE BLUE HULLABLOO DANNY
 
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