The ‘live’ broadcast Ghostwatch scared many people witless nearly 15 years ago.
I was staying over at a friends house and his mum had no problem letting us stay up late.
Never mind that it was billed quite clearly as a fictionalized drama.
By using much-loved, trusted and family-friendly celebs like this, they gained the audiences trust without even trying.
Not to mention a record number of viewer complaints.
Reports of the program causing everything from suicide to PTSD to demonic possession filled the newspapers for days afterwards.
There are screens within screens everywhere.
I remember literally jumping up and down on the sofa, screaming to my friend ITS REAL!
You cant do that with a camera!
You cant fake that!
while his mum casually did the ironing, rolled her eyes and told me quite calmly that you could.
I was shocked the next day to find not everyone had been so delighted.
But this was a different time.
Almost like severing our link with reality altogether and leaving us in literal darkness.
For some, this helped build its legend.
Ive watched it several times since and it never fails to impress.
Since then, its celebrated quite the resurgence.
Wherever you putGhostwatchon the timeline of TV history, its a menacing, marvelous anomaly.
