Summary
A slow, often plodding episode that tries desperately to thrill but instead looks cheap.
We recap the Netflix horror reality series 28 Days Haunted season 1, episode 2, “Get Out,” which contains spoilers.
So, we are back with our teams of paranormal investigators, and as is the norm with these types of reality shows, we are going to pick up where we left off, with the “cliffhanger” ending from 28 Days Haunted episode 1. If you are familiar with this type of show, then you will probably agree that there has been very little in the way of activity so far, with the highlight being Brandy having to lie down in a coffin while her paranormal partner pretends to conduct her funeral. On reflection, this seems like a stunt arranged by the producers to provide some kind of end-of-episode tension, so let’s recap what happened after Brandy in the coffin starts to feel a ghostly presence touch her forehead.
28 Days Haunted season 1, episode 2 recap
Brandy is upset in the coffin, and Jereme turns the light on. Brandy says she gained clarity about the tragedy that has happened in the house. The voice-over then tells us that visitors to the place have also stated they had been touched by ghostly apparitions too. Meanwhile, back at Ghostbusters HQ, Ed and Lorraine Warren‘s son-in-law Tony Sperra continues to monitor the teams hoping to prove the 28-day cycle. Days 2 through 7 are the next phase in the cycle.
The Warrens explained that these next few days are the ideal time for spirits to attack investigators. On Night 2, Shane, Amy, and Ray are headed to the basement, where it is of course creepy. In the basement, they find a secret tunnel and head on down. There is more bad energy, and the team is worried they get locked in there. I am pretty sure the production team would notice though.
Amy puts a blindfold on, and the spirit box starts rhyming off static-infused noises. Again, they hear “get out”. I didn’t. Shane says he sees a shadow, but we don’t. Then they hear more noises from the room, and the team panic and leave. Amy now has names for her two spirits, Cara and Marianne, but feels she is being blocked. The voiceover then reveals that the names of the two murdered women were Cara and Marianne; we see an old newspaper article to prove this. An old newspaper article that is obviously readily available for anyone to find — just saying.
In the studio, we are once again given confirmation that the team has picked up the names of the two murdered girls, without knowing a thing about the property. But for my money, they could have found that out easily, so no, still not convinced.
Over at Preston, we are in Captain Grant’s Inn, and the boys have been chillin’ ’cause it’s now day 4 over there, and not much has occurred. Psychic Sean though reflects on the names they might have sort of heard from the spirit box on night one. Voiceover gives us some history of the building just to explain its historic significance.
Apparently, there’s a graveyard that has been there for three centuries. You would think that might have come up before, but the lads in the Inn haven’t mentioned it yet. Oh well. Nick then explains they have had no previous historic knowledge of the building. The 300-year-old cemetery should have kicked something up though. Instead, they focus on the name Adelaide that they picked up before. The spirit box is back in play now and Sean asks for Adelaide to get in touch. They convince themselves that the box says “captain” as in Captain Grant, However, if I am honest, it didn’t sound like that at all. Further questioning leads to the box saying “wife”. Sean then surmises that they reckon Adelaide is The Captain’s wife, and she is stuck in the Inn.
So, let’s move back to The Lumber Baron Inn in Preston, Denver, where the team is having strange dreams, including one from Shane where he hears Fleetwood Mac playing in Amy’s room. When he opens her door, he sees a ghostly vision under the bed and gets quite a fright. Yes, that’s the dream, and to make sure the viewers are still on board, the producers give us a filmed sequence of the ghostly demon that would make Blumhouse blush. They decide to do the sensory deprivation experiment, so the two boys get blindfolded and stick the headphones on to try to work together to get a breakthrough.
Once again, everything is hinging on the random static radio waves producing sounds that they interpret into words to form some kind of dialogue. The experiment is interrupted when Shane feels that something grabbed his leg from under the bed, just like in his dream. See what they did there? Back in the studio, Aaron Sagers confirms that attacks and possession could become imminent. I can actually hear the producers cross their fingers.
Anyway, it’s back to Madison Dry Goods, and Brandy has recovered from her fake funeral. It’s night 5 and Brandy feels the family in the picture is the key to the house. She says that she saw the oldest daughter from the picture looking at her in the coffin. Brandy is standing in front of a whiteboard in this shot. On the board they have written what I must assume are their feelings on what is going on in the house. If I am honest, it is a pretty pathetic whiteboard and has the words “family picture”, “possible secret”, “hotel 1900’s”, and “possible murder” on it.
This is night 5, folks. It’s been a slow start. Jereme has said very little, and it seems Brandy is now wanting to take control. They set up for another go at making contact, but at least she is not in a coffin tonight. Brandy seems to be making contact and mentions a baby. It seems that the daughter was pregnant, and the father figure seems suspicious. The voiceover then explains that Brandy was picking up the Lawson Family, that had been murdered in their house on Christmas Day, 1929.
The bodies had all been embalmed and held at Madison Dry Goods, and the murders were never explained. However, I can’t help but feel that paranormal investigators would have some knowledge of these terrible and famous crimes, already investigated by the Warrens. Brandy feels something hot at her back, and at the studio, Aaron explains that the ghosts will do everything they can to stop their secrets from being released.
Back in Preston at Captain Grant’s Inn, Psychic Sean explains he gets messages in his sleep, and he has seen Adelaide walking through the house in his dream. We get more Blumhouse-esque footage of Adelaide pointing to the gardens, and upon investigation, they finally find a graveyard and assume Adelaide is buried in it. So, they go looking for a grave.
They find a grave that fits the narrative, with Adelaide being confirmed as Captain Grant’s wife. Psychic Sean feels that Adelaide is somehow trapped in the house and can’t crossover to be with her husband. Aaron in the studio then offers up more narrative for the viewers in an attempt to make things more interesting. It doesn’t work.
So, we are back off to the Lumber Baron Inn, and Shane decides the attic is where they should go next. The attic is stunning visually, looking like a great venue for a party. Amy’s ears start ringing; she is partially deaf in one ear and explains that the deafness helps her sensitivity. They then notice a hanging candle fixture moving on its own, swinging gently.
Then Amy says she hears a voice, then we all get to hear a noise outside. To us, it sounds like a whistle, but I am not sure if that was added in afterward, it is very unclear, and misleading, as Amy at one point says it sounds like a car. When they move on back to the main area, they notice a door has opened and the cabinet doors have all opened. In the studio, we are treated to actual video footage of the doors opening, and a somber message from Aaron that this might be a warning to the investigators.
Back in Madison Dry Goods, Brandy follows the energy upstairs. The pair go to the attic. Brandy explores while Jereme waits on the stairwell, for some reason. She sits down with the photo of the family and suddenly hears a noise. She feels the oldest daughter has sat down with her as the rest of the family assemble except the father. She receives an image of herself being shot and thrown against the wall. Brandy feels ill, understandably, and Brandy sees blood everywhere. Then the ghost shows her the shotgun in her father’s hand as if the father has murdered the family. Meanwhile, Jereme feels something is coming up the stairs, and Brandy is startled by an unknown force.
The ending
Again, we are left with Brandy for the episode cliffhanger, and from a narrative point of view, it seems this story is the most involving. Brandy the psychic is basically just delivering exposition though at this point, as we the audience are only learning what is happening through what she is telling us. There is still no proof or evidence that what we are watching is in any way paranormal, instead, it all seems like a slow reveal of tragic historic events relayed to us under the guise of psychic phenomena. I am afraid that by the end of episode two, the most chilling thing we have seen is some kitchen cabinets opening by themselves, and all the musical stings and cheaply filmed inserts do not make this episode any more entertaining.
What did you think of 28 Days Haunted season 1, episode 2? Comment below.
