There’s something about the paranormal that is exciting!
Hollywood taps into this seemingly instinctive desire to believe in or be scared by the unknown. Films like the "Paranormal Activity" series and television shows like "Ghost Hunters International" captivate audiences as we are shown that which we secretly long for — something hidden, which terrorizes and excites us simultaneously.
The thing about those movies and shows, however, is that they depict these creepy or horrific scenes in places that we don’t live or know well — the average UT Dallas student will probably have never seen the Enfield Home, which is the setting for the recently released film "The Conjuring 2." There is a sort of barrier that is constructed between reality and the fictional world of the paranormal when it’s placed somewhere that is out of reach. It’s almost as if the barrier provides us with the benefits of feeling safe while allowing us to experience the fear and paranoia that these stories often elicit. What happens, then, when a paranormal occurrence is depicted in our own backyard?
In Season One of the popular TV show "Supernatural," we get to experience this. The 17th episode of the season, “Hell House,” takes place in none other than Richardson, Texas. The episode features a spirit creature known as a Tulpa, which is a sentient being created out of thought that comes from early Buddhist teachings. The Tulpa is haunting a house on the edge of town which has been dubbed the “Hell House.” A series of unexplained deaths bring the main characters, Sam and Dean, to Richardson in hopes that they can destroy this creature.
As I watched the episode, I felt a bit uncomfortable. Though the opening scene began with the words “Richardson, Texas” on the screen, what I was seeing was nothing like the city I’ve grown to call home over the past four years. Instead of the suburban paradise that surrounds UT Dallas, the city depicted in "Supernatural" appeared to conform more to the towns that occupy East Texas.
The difference between the above picture and the views that we see from our cars and homes is staggering. According to Telecom Corridor, the city of Richardson is the second largest source of employment in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It’s located snugly in the northern part of Dallas, with the cities of Plano, Addison and Garland as some of the surrounding areas. The University of Texas at Dallas sits in the city, which allows its students the advantage of a wealth of opportunities to network and live in safety.
For those of you who are itching to visit the Hell House, I’m sorry to disappoint — it doesn’t exist in the Richardson, Texas area. Hollywood took a city that we hold close to our hearts and painted the Texas stereotypes with a spooky flair to it. Southern accents, foolish college students and woods like those a person would go hunting in are the images that people who love "Supernatural" will likely think of when they think of Richardson, which is an almost polar opposite from reality.
In spite of this let down, there is still hope for all of you Ghostbusters-in-training! Websites such as Haunted Places map out different haunted sites in the areas surrounding Richardson, and even the Dallas Observer has pinpointed some local scary places. So if you’re looking for a thrill, an adventure or even a history lesson, take some time to delve into the supernatural history that surrounds us.
