History YMMV / Ghostwatch

* AccidentalInnuendo: The phrase 'glory hole', which carried an entirely different connotation in the UK at the time (it referred to a cupboard under the stairs. Make all the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' jokes you like), is repeated throughout. Please accept this fact and move on. Director Leslie Manning gives a similarly-worded disclaimer at live screenings. Regardless, chortling invariably ensues every time the phrase is spoken.
* CultClassic: Despite gaining a reputation for scaring viewers to the point kids were diagnosed with PTSD, those that did watch the special never forgot it, especially when fans got together online to reminisce. Today the special is seen as something ahead of its time, and people continue to scour the special looking for more Pipes sightings.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Dr Emilio Sylvestri. In the original DVD commentary, the creators note that at film school screenings he always gets an immediate positive response.
* HarsherInHindsight:
** Two interesting examples: In the fictional setting, the phone switchboard jams with calls from terrified viewers. This happened in real life ''as'' the programme was airing. Secondly, at one point Parkinson chides a distraught mother for allowing her children to watch a TV show after the [[{{Watershed}} nine o' clock watershed]]. The show creators would end up using that very point as part of their defense against subsequent criticism.
** Pretty much ''any time'' the programme would mention the nature audiences had to their airing is this considering how much ''Ghostwatch'' lead to people thinking it was legitimate.
* NightmareFuel:
** Pretty much the whole thing, but particularly Pipes' few onscreen appearances [[spoiler: either subliminally, or stalking the cast everywhere they go.]]
** The explanation of [[spoiler:Pipes's appearance. He's the ghost of a child molester from the 1970s or 80s named Raymond Tunstall, who killed himself in the Earlys' house. He had locked himself in a room with his cats...cats are carnivores...''they '''ate his face'''''.]]
** Arguably what made ''Ghostwatch'' so terrifying was because ''[[RealismInducedHorror it came off as realistic]]''. With having actual celebrities that were known within big BBC shows and programs and a "family" that came off as an actual family gave people a sense of awe and terror. It's arguably why people compare it to the infamous ''Radio/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' radio broadcast that terrified US towns.
** The ending. ''Holy crap''. [[spoiler: Sarah disappears looking for Suzy, the broadcast has spread Pipes ala TheVirus to ''every television in the United Kingdom'' and by the end, seems to have possessed Parkinson.]]
* ParanoiaFuel: An especially dark version of this, [[spoiler:as viewers who thought it was real would have been led to think they might be letting a malevolent ghost into their home via their TV set]].
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It has a distinct Nineties feel, aping then-emerging docudramas and making use of technology that was in vogue at the time, such as the light pen and the infrared vision (the latter commonly used on UsefulNotes/GulfWar reports).
** HarsherInHindsight: ...which actually is why, on first broadcast, it was accepted as realistic. Unlike ''Film/SpecialBulletin'' and other films of a similar kind, it didn't use any noticeable accelerated time, only having the haunting events happen seemingly unrealistically fast. Also, if you stripped out the real credits, the presentation is spot on for the real shows it was copying at the time. Anyone looking at a mid-90's episode of ''Series/CrimewatchUK'' then a clip from the middle of ''Ghostwatch'' would think they were both genuine shows.
** Anyone who missed the first minute would be easily fooled into thinking it was a extra-long pilot commissioned for Halloween, having missed the extra long continuity announcement.
* VindicatedByHistory: When it first aired, it sparked a national panic which resulted in viewers being diagnosed with PTSD and at least one suicide. After the younger audience grew up and recollected the special online, it was reappraised for predating the similarly viral hit ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'' by seven years. It later found a new audience after ''Series/InsideNo9'' did a similar concept for their live Halloween special.
* TheWoobie: The Earlys and Sarah Green.
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** HarsherInHindsight: ...which actually is why, on first broadcast, it was accepted as realistic. Unlike SpecialReport and other films of a similar kind, it didn't use any noticeable accelerated time, only having the haunting events happen seemingly unrealistically fast. Also, if you stripped out the real credits, the presentation is spot on for the real shows it was copying at the time. Anyone looking at a mid-90's episode of ''Series/CrimewatchUK'' then a clip from the middle of ''Ghostwatch'' would think they were both genuine shows.

** Arguably what made ''Ghostwatch'' so terrifying was because ''[[ThisIsReality it came off as realistic]]''. With having actual celebrities that were known within big BBC shows and programs and a "family" that came off as an actual family gave people a sense of awe and terror. It's arguably why people compare it to the infamous ''Radio/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' radio broadcast that terrified US towns.

** Arguably what made ''Ghostwatch'' so terrifying was because ''[[ThisIsReality it came off as realistic]]''. With having actual celebrities that were known within big BBC shows and programs and a "family" that came off as an actual family gave people a sense of awe and terror. It's arguably why people compare it to the infamous ''The War of the Worlds'' radio broadcast that terrified US towns.

** The explanation of [[spoiler:Pipes's appearance. He's the ghost of paedophile from the 1970s or 80s named Raymond Tunstall, who killed himself in the Earlys' house. He had locked himself in a room with his cats...cats are carnivores...''they '''ate his face'''''.]]

* AccidentalInnuendo: The phrase 'glory hole', which carried an entirely different connotation in the UK at the time (it referred to a cupboard under the stairs. Make all the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' jokes you like), is repeated throughout. Please accept this fact and move on.
** Director Leslie Manning gives a similarly-worded disclaimer at live screenings. Regardless, chortling invariably ensues every time the phrase is spoken.

* HarsherInHindsight: Two interesting examples: In the fictional setting, the phone switchboard jams with calls from terrified viewers. This happened in real life ''as'' the programme was airing. Secondly, at one point Parkinson chides a distraught mother for allowing her children to watch a TV show after the [[{{Watershed}} nine o' clock watershed]]. The show creators would end up using that very point as part of their defense against subsequent criticism.

* NightmareRetardant: Subverted. In the fictional setting, Craig Charles' role is to provide light relief to all the creepiness. It doesn't quite work out.

** The ending. ''Holy crap''. [[spoiler: Sarah disappears looking for Suzy, the broadcast has spread Pipes ala TheVirus to ''every television in the United Kingdom'' and by the end, seems to have possessed Parkison.]]

** Director Leslie Manning gives a similarly-worded disclaimer at live screenings. Regardless, chortling invariably ensues everytime the phrase is spoken.

** The explanation of [[spoiler:Pipes's appearance. He's the ghost of a child murderer and paedophile from the Victorian era named Raymond Tunstall, who killed himself in the Earlys' house. He had locked himself in a room with his cats...cats are carnivores...''they '''ate his face'''''.]]

* NightmareFuel: Pretty much the whole thing, but particularly Pipes' few onscreen appearances [[spoiler: either subliminally, or stalking the cast everywhere they go.]]

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Dr Emilio Sylvestri. In the commentary, the creators note that at film school screenings he always gets an immediate positive response.

* GoneHorriblyRight: In some respects, as Kimmy illustrates, Pipes gave everyone watching exactly what they wanted.

* NightmareFuel - Pretty much the whole thing, but particularly Pipes' few onscreen appearances [[spoiler: either subliminally, or stalking the cast everywhere they go.]]

* RealisticDictionIsUnrealistic: Alan Demescu "ums" and "ehrs" his way through an explanation of the ghost hunting tech.
** The occasionally wooden delivery by the Early family can be defended in that, intentionally or otherwise, it resembles the diction of many participants in real-life docudramas who have been briefed on what to say and how to say it by an offscreen producer.

* AccidentalInnuendo: The phrase 'glory hole', which carried an entirely different connotation in the UK at the time (it referred to a cupboard under the stairs. Make all the HarryPotter jokes you like), is repeated throughout. Please accept this fact and move on.

* HarsherInHindsight: Two interesting examples: In the fictional setting, the phone switchboard jams with calls from terrified viewers. This happened in real life ''as'' the programme was airing. Secondly, at one point Parkinson chides a distraught mother for allowing her children to watch a TV show after the [[{{Watershed}} nine o' clock watershed]]. The show creators would end up using that very point as part of their defence against subsequent criticism.

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel - Pretty much the whole thing, but particularly Pipes' few onscreen appearances [[spoiler: either subliminally, or stalking the cast everywhere they go.]]

* NightmareRetardant: Subverted - in the fictional setting, Craig Charles' role is to provide light relief to all the creepiness. It doesn't quite work out.

* AccidentalInnuendo: The phrase 'glory hole', which carried an entirely different connotation in the UK at the time, is repeated throughout. Please accept this fact and move on.

* {{Narm}}: A bit here and there, but it [[TakeOurWordForIt doesn't make it any less scary]].

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel - Pretty much the whole thing, but particularly Pipes' few onscreen appearances [[spoiler: either subliminally, or stalking the cast everywhere they go.