The Critical Eye is a Discovery Science Channel documentary series examining pseudoscientific and paranormal phenomena. The eight-part documentary series aired from October 2002 through February 2003 and was hosted by actor and scientific skeptic William B. Davis.

The Critical Eye
GenreParanormal
Directed byBrendan Goekel
StarringWilliam B. Davis
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producerJoshua C. Berkley
ProducerAmy Mack
Production company62 Blue Productions LLC
Original release
NetworkDiscovery Science Channel
ReleaseOctober 29, 2002 (2002-10-29) –
February 24, 2003 (2003-02-24)

Series description

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The Critical Eye, alternately labeled as just Critical Eye, was produced by the Discovery Science Channel, and was produced in association with Skeptical Inquirer Magazine.[1] The show was described by cosmolearning.org as "William B. Davis hosts this programme bringing to the viewers the science behind the paranormal and the unexplained."[2]

Historical event references

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The series discusses several notable events:[3][4]

Episodes

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Each episode of the series consists of four or five segments focused specifically on one pseudoscientific or paranormal phenomenon. Each segment begins by explaining the phenomenon in question, discusses it with both scientists/skeptics and proponents/believers, and concludes with street interviews regarding the legitimacy of the phenomenon in question.[3][4]

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Mind Games"October 29, 2002 (2002-10-29)

Explores hypnosis, subliminal messages & repressed memory.

Guests: Judith Cassis, hypnotherapist; Joe Nickell; Phillip Appel, American Rehabilitation Hospital; David Willey; Justin Tranz; Robert Bornstein; James Alcock; Eldon Taylor, self-help author; Tim Moore, professor of psychology at York University; Neil Brick, abuse survivor and founder of the SMART newsletter; Elizabeth Loftus; Linda Walker, Child Protection Project/ritual abuse investigator; Richard Ofshe; Prudence Calabrese, transdimensional remote viewing consultant; Ray Hyman; Russell Targ.[3][5]
2"The Dark Side"October 29, 2002 (2002-10-29)
Vampirism, witchcraft, voodoo rituals, and exorcism.[3][6]
3"Alternative Medicine"January 13, 2003 (2003-01-13)

Acupuncture, homeopathy, reiki, therapeutic touch, gemstone therapy, and magnet therapy.

Guests: Robert Park; David Molony, executive director of the American Association of Oriental Medicine; Wallace Sampson; James Gordon; James Reaves, acupuncture patient; Ronald Lawrence, author of Magnet Therapy; Gary Null; Pauline Crouch, naturopathic physician; Keith DeOrio, homeopathic practitioner; Gary P. Posner of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine; Holland Taylor; Bela Scheiber, founder of the Rocky Mountain Skeptics; Marianne Borelli, therapeutic touch practitioner; Irene Morelli, therapeutic touch practitioner; Kit Haggard, nurse & reiki master; Faith Sisk, reiki master.[3][7]
4"Legendary Myths"January 27, 2003 (2003-01-27)

Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Atlantis, and Noah's Ark.

Guests: Loren Coleman; Michael Dennett, writer; Benjamin Radford; Peter Byrne, Bigfoot hunter; John Morris; Gerald Larue; Ken Feder; John McIntosh, president of the SEARCH foundation; Justice Rines, Academy of Applied Science; David Childress; Kevin Christopher of the Center for Inquiry.[3][8]
5"Aliens"February 3, 2003 (2003-02-03)

Analyzes the likelihood that extraterrestrial intelligence exists.

Guests: Stan Gordon, UFO researcher; Joe Nickell; James McGaha, astronomer & scientific skeptic; George Reynolds, UFO researcher; Ken Frazier, Skeptical Inquirer magazine; Bill Bean, UFO witness; Budd Hopkins; James Alcock; David Jacobs; Clifford Stone, aerial phenomenon researcher; John Greenwald of The Black Vault; Kevin Kennedy of the Unarius Academy of Science; Jill Tarter; Seth Shostak.[3][9]
6"The Death Zone"February 10, 2003 (2003-02-10)

Near-death experiences, ghosts, reincarnation, and spirit channeling.

Guests: Loyd Auerbach; Joe Nickell; Paul Kurtz; Aann Golemac, clairvoyant medium; Thomas Smith, paranormal investigator; PMH Atwater, author; James Alcock; Raymond Moody; Michael Roehm of the Washington Buddhist Vihara; Tom Shroder; Sylvia Browne; Suzane Northrop; Chip Denman, professor of statistics at the University of Maryland.[3][10]
7"Foretelling the Future"February 17, 2003 (2003-02-17)
Psychic behavior, palmistry, tarot cards, astrology, and the predictions of Nostradamus.[3][11]
8"Mystical Wonders"February 24, 2003 (2003-02-24)
Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Giza, the Nazca Lines in Peru, and crop circles.[3][12]

References

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  1. ^ "The Critical Eye - The Death Zone". Vimeo. Discovery. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. ^ "The Critical Eye: The Death Zone (2002)". cosmolearning.org/. Cosmo Learning. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Critical Eye". tvguide.com. TV Guide. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Critical Eye". Discovery UK. Discovery. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Mind Games". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 1. 29 October 2002. Discovery Science Channel.
  6. ^ "The Dark Side". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 2. 29 October 2002. Discovery Science Channel.
  7. ^ "Alternative Medicine". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 3. 13 January 2003. Discovery Science Channel.
  8. ^ "Legendary Myths". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 4. 27 January 2003. Discovery Science Channel.
  9. ^ "Aliens". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 5. 3 February 2003. Discovery Science Channel.
  10. ^ "The Death Zone". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 6. 10 February 2003. Discovery Science Channel.
  11. ^ "Foretelling the Future". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 7. 17 February 2003. Discovery Science Channel.
  12. ^ "Mystical Wonders". The Critical Eye. Season 1. Episode 8. 24 February 2003. Discovery Science Channel.