THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES #28 - Skintight

MAG028 - Case #0161704 - Melanie King
Statement regarding what they saw at the abandoned Cambridge Military Hospital whilst filming in 2015.
The Magnus Archives tells the tale of a paranormal investigator and KZbinr whose new sound engineer appears to have a bizarre encounter during their stay there.
Starring: The Archivist - Jonathan Sims; Melanie King - Lydia Nicholas
Writer: Jonathan Sims
Director: Alexander J Newall
Editors: Alexander J Newall, Mike LeBeau, Murray Porter
MERCH:
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The Magnus Archives is distributed by RustyQuill.com and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

[@sheolcodemonkey4027]

Melanie: "The Magnus Institute isn't respectable, they just take anyone's story without evidence" Jon: "Are you sure you weren't dreaming? You have no evidence" Melanie: *shocked Pikachu face*

[@melissaharris3389]

Melanie learns pretty thoroughly the real supernatural stuff isn't fun or something you can put on a KZbin ghost hunter channel.

[@epiphanierosenstern5635]

Her: Your doing nothing respectful, you don't care about évident Jonathan who had two of his employees almost dying for it recently: *BITCH you are here*

[@screamingcactus1753]

"You don't care about evidence" "Why won't you believe my completely uncorroborated story!?"

[@celestesimulator6539]

I think it's interesting to contrast Melodie, the one who uses the aesthetics of science, with Jonathan, who uses the rigor of science

[@TheNaldiin]

​@ynlizard5297 so is this being done via bot or are you bored enough to copy paste manually trying to spoil later developments?

[@emika4583]

Sarah Baldwind was one of the missing people from episode one. She wanished in 2006. What th f is going on...

[@DrMDHyde]

Don’t always believe what you here, think slowly.

[@ishner]

@Emily Barclay Or perhaps she has been changed.

[@remuslupin2795]

Maybe it was one of those ‘others’ like Not-Matthew from Across The Street

[@missingkid1801]

what if it just took Sarah's skin and put it on to look like her, and that black and shiney thing beneath is what the monster actually looks like...idk I just can't get that image out of my head

[@AB-fz9rz]

@@remuslupin2795 not Graham

[@jayschertzberg6680]

Why is everyone dissing on my mans recording device? Smh

[@eabhaishere4558]

My personal head canon is that the only one he could afford was a second hand Hello Kitty branded mic, and he just never bothered replacing it

[@plxnetastro]

Eabha Is Here HELLO KITTY MIC OH MY GOD. NEW HC

[@nikonikoknees4488]

@@plxnetastro With pink polkadots too?

[@aricatrall]

@@eabhaishere4558 I LOVE YOU IS THAT OKAY

[@jadynnkotch1833]

he takes *NOBODY'S* crap and it's hilarious

[@victornolan1583]

Ikr! Especially when they bitch about his recording device, have some damn respect people

[@AnotheraccountonYTlovesyouall]

​@@ynlizard5297dude!

[@kapitan_igloo3821]

​@@ynlizard5297thanks for the spoilers dumbass

[@themakuta]

Jon: "Please state your name and the subject of your experience." Melanie: "Into THAT? You're joking." Jon: "You're right. My apologies." *Places TalkBoy into desk, pulls out TalkGirl*

[@googleyoflolz9930]

XD

[@delionmoon]

idk why but knowing that different supernatural beings have beef with each other is absolutely hilarious

[@Strobeliite]

Man I'm sooo bad at remembering little details like names, everyone's like "Hmm yes Sarah Baldwin from episode whatever mentioned in the something minute mark" and I'm just sitting here along for the ride like "Sarah? We don't know her.. Oh we do? Yes, I guess we know her 👁️👄👁️"

[@f_mva]

that's why ive been hanging out in the comments every episode

[@averagejoe1468]

Saaaame

[@emika4583]

I am to, I just take notes every episode and check afterwards . It's interessting seeing the little conections. But you are right. The comment sction is quite helpfull.

[@lolaadamczyk6675]

I rely on the comments to fill me in, I don't remember anything either. Starting to wonder if people take notes

[@WhereIsMySock03]

same lmao

[@CrystalSkyDrops175]

Jon pushing her off that high horse was the best thing.

[@KISando]

That was great. He turned off her snark faster than a burnt out lightbulb! 🔥

[@melissaharris3389]

Unfortunately she got back on and road it all the way to the finally.

[@hefestus2012]

20:25 the whole reason Jon records these on the tape recorder is because, in the 1st episode, when he tried to create digital recordings there were “significant audio distortions”.

[@kaitlynmorgan4613]

ya but she doesnt know that, he didnt tell her 😭😭

[@melissaharris3389]

Melanie (and Naomi Hearne) didn't need to be so rude about the tape recorders.

[@xfrobie9773]

Blind listener here, but I'm thinking that the "distortions" are also present in these recordings we're hearing. Like, every time they mention a character hearing music, you can hear it faintly in the background, and I don't think that the ominous droning sound effects that build and build and build and then suddenly cease when Jon or the statement giver get distracted are just background music.

[@crimson7]

@@xfrobie9773 headcannoning martin in the corner making all the sfx that jon wants since we also hear squelching sounds and other sfx when appropriate

[@xfrobie9773]

@@crimson7 Jon: "The cold fear sank its claws into my chest, holding me in place as though I were caught in a vice, and I-- M-Martin, what the hell are you doing?" Martin, sat in the corner, up to his forearm fisting a watermelon: 👁 👄 👁

[@connorm4817]

I like how the angler fish is an avid smoker in all cases

[@broganofriverseese650]

Old habits die hard? Lol

[@epsyblue7714]

Wait that was the angler fish?

[@lilaboxx]

@@epsyblue7714 in the first episode (one of the people who disappeared was called Sarah baldwin by the way)

[@lupinveil4939]

I'm pretty sure it's to cover the smell.

[@Nizati]

@@epsyblue7714 YUP. Listen back to Ep 1 - Sarah Baldwin is the name of one of the listed probable victims.

[@sadnesscentral5105]

I like how the angler fish are so goddamn unlikeable that even other paranormal things like ghosts hate them.

[@kohtea]

goddamn what does everyone have against speaking into a tape recorder

[@PrincessX-ke8tj]

Fuck man if something weird happened to me and I was making a statement, I'm not gonna ask any questions about how the statement is taken.

[@kohtea]

@@PrincessX-ke8tj they can use a scroll and quill and i wouldn't bat an eye, just record my odd findings of floating limbs in the middle of my living room please 💀

[@voidjockey82]

If I had to guess, an innate fesr because on an instinctual level they know...

[@kohtea]

@@voidjockey82 looking back at this now w/ the knowledge i have gained (albeit some against my will), you make a very good point

[@voidjockey82]

@@kohtea Ah bugger, I know the feeling. Still there are many mysteries left to be upturned and many more things lurking in the dark. Some surprises are surely left for you and even if not, the journey will still be fun.

[@maydayduckie1264]

“A little bit unsocial” The girl went MISSING in 2006 dude ;-;

[@stephenderry9488]

To go missing presumes there are people that know you exist in the first place.

[@beardlessdragon]

Melanie: "My colleagues don't believe me" Jon: "I'm probably not going to believe you either." Jon: *doesn't believe her* Melanie: *surprised Pikachu face*

[@syns8726]

I remember that the Angler Fish also seemed to be dangling off the ground so I'm guessing whatever it is it's probably the same creature Sarah was talking with. I also noticed that at the beginning of the statement Melanie says "We'd been ANGLING to film there..." which I'm pretty sure doesn't mean anything but I thought it was pretty funny.

[@isabelchmontuenga]

Also, Sarah was one of the missing persons during that episode apparently.

[@hithedragon7842]

And the cigarettes....

[@user-sb4ej1yo5h]

@@hithedragon7842 I honestly thought that asking for a cigarette was just "baiting" people to come closer. Like, that thing understand humans well enough to know that they usually share their cigarettes. I'm pretty sure the cigarettes here are to hid the smell

[@hufflepuffbadger2931]

@@user-sb4ej1yo5h well yeah, but the victims listed, they were trying to connect them through Marlboro Red cigarettes

[@joybarker7906]

Excellent catch! 😉

[@klltsun_2576]

"And yet YOU've come to make a statement." Oooh, burn. Jon just sounds so done with everything XD I wonder if they contacted Melanie and told her about the two figures

[@albuseisenhorn3385]

The tone of a man in academia dealing with some sketchy person sorta like a astronomer dealing with a flat earther lol

[@Homesicktraveler]

​@@albuseisenhorn3385 frfr

[@Miniature-Solutions]

Love his sneery voice❤

[@kelzkal5429]

​@@ynlizard5297Hey, no need to be trying to spoil people on a whole bunch of comments

[@kaitlynmorgan4613]

@@ynlizard5297 i disagree and theres no need to add spoilers without a warning and putting it down below like this

[@babieofchat8667]

I love how at the start of this she was dissing the entire Magnus institute and saying they take on stories from delusional ppl, drug addicts and dreamers and then when she had hardly any evidence and was seeing everything through a blurry view finder she got offended when he asked if she could’ve been sleeping or imagining it like bruh, you just said they take on cases from drug addicts and dreamers of course he has to ask those questions 😑

[@NerveUnderscore]

BruuuUUuUuUuh

[@Demoxal]

aaand that's the fifteenth reason why I don't like Melanie, thank you for the contribution to my list

[@melissaharris3389]

​@@DemoxalThat she's a hypocrite that blames Jon for all her own bad choices? Yeah. I don't like Melanie either.

[@crov.0375]

That aura of sass is so strong, I can feel it.

[@lokimemes4694]

careless crows From both sides. It’s fantastic

[@erinbathie-moore8478]

That amount of civil sass is goal worthy

[@gowonfan12]

THE SUPERNATURAL NERDS ARE FIGHTING!!!!

[@Erynwithawhy13]

Melanie: We've been angling to film there for months OH YOU SLY BASTARDS

[@wingdingdoes6687]

Damn she's just trying to get dressed :/ so nosy

[@apollotronica]

funniest fucking comment ever

[@amaliant9488]

Ι used to listen on podcast apps but I come here, because the comments keep me company and you guys keep figuring out the connections. Really helps.

[@fayrouza7415]

Omg me too, it's much better. Also doesn't make me scared that much.

[@saurabhsharma6939]

I come here just for the comments connecting thw dots but i listen to it on spotify while running outside and rember the names

[@seamuswagner3458]

I listen to it while playing games then look on KZbin for any connections I’ve missed, like I completely missed the angler fish connection so I’m glad I check comments every episode

[@elvergalarga6016]

Yeah, but now I'm going back to re listen to episodes instead of keep listening to the next one. Should I start taking notes?

[@midnights2631]

Same, also. I'm bad with names

[@emilyneff3168]

he's so sassy, i love him

[@dragonmandestructinator2847]

Of course I get to "peeling off her skin" right when I take a big bite of noodles.

[@ieatnormalmeat]

yum!

[@fiddlesticksmeow6269]

I forget that people get put off food - I've just enjoyed some sweet and sour chicken throughout this!

[@diray3474]

@@fiddlesticksmeow6269 The only thing that really bothered me until now were the writhing/squelching sounds in the background of the worm videos... that really didn't go well with my food.

[@fiddlesticksmeow6269]

@@diray3474 I think I got lucky there, then. Listened to the Jane Prentiss statement with instant noodles.

[@KateCantDraw]

Mmmmmm, skin ribbons (◔‿◔)

[@chroamathebrute]

*has no reliable evidence and no other witnesses to the event* how could you not believe me???

[@GiubileiFernando]

I mean, the guy flip flops between accepting he lives in a world with supernatural events and being a flat earth atheist. He even remembers he heard the name Sarah Baldwin in a previous case, so it's not like there's nothing to this case.

[@hehehe88]

@@GiubileiFernando He's a skeptic researcher; just because one thing exists, doesn't mean the next thing exists. Jane Prentiss is an actual (by which i mean tangible), living person whose's made their presence known to himself and his coworkers, so much so that we are introduced to her first by her own notoriety. Does this mean that alien abductions are her doing? Of course, it doesn't. It's not just about the story sounding feasible, I could tell you the most grounded thing in the world and it doesn't make it true. Anyone can throw out a familiar sounding name, or even the same name from a previous case, people have the same names as others. It's also about who it comes from, and the amount of proof present, combined with exactly how unbelievable it is. A woman flew across the room hard enough to leave a bloody impact, survived, then proceeded to shout in a different language and remove skin from her arm like a glove. The entire thing was filmed and conveniently corrupted, from a broadcaster that admits to juicing their programs for entertainment. When dealing in the dangerous and the unknown, it's important to keep a fine line between skepticism and belief, lest you miss good information, or get bad information. Like i get it, he's infuriatingly dismissive, I was screaming about his remarks on Arachnophobia, but it's also his job to be the way he is.

[@megasauruss]

@@GiubileiFernando flat-earth atheist? the only flat-earthers are religious

[@chukyuniqul]

@@megasauruss it's the name of a trope where a haracter denies supernatural stuff that others accept as normal in the world.

[@ethanstine426]

Everyone points out the angler fish connection but "silk will not stitch the butchers meat" seems like a pretty leaning reference.

[@alessiapalma8823]

But the thing from the man upstairs was made of animal flesh and if u remember yes it was putrescent but it was yellow not black. But it would make some sense... what if that many-eyed thing is covering himself with sara’s skin and smokes and puts on floral perfume just to cover the awful smell? But the thing that doesn’t add up is that (I think) the anglerfish episode (where sara disappears) happened before the man upstairs episode, so the meat thing should’ve already been covered with sara’s skin. Nevertheless I agree that quote is really important, I think we’ll find out more as the story goes on

[@Arya-el9ps]

@@alessiapalma8823 we have to look at dates here even though anglerfish may be the first recording the date might be after the man upstaires

[@eusouabia2986]

well, a year late, but I'm hearing first time here and when I heard this phrase I just imagine that there may be some conflicts between the spider monster things(silk) and the weird cult of the meat (that may be conected to the priest/the guy upstairs/the serial killer father), and maaaybe this painting was a type of mark saying that the hospital was the meat cult territory?

[@lorenam2430]

'And yet you're still here, huh' 3 mins in and my boi Jon is slaying. All hail the king of sass and taking no sh*t what-so-ever.

[@voidjockey82]

Haha, what a chouce of words. Tell me, what did you think of his coronation?

[@tearez13]

I'm getting real tempted to get get a notebook and start writing down names.

[@abunchofjackalsinatrenchco6407]

Same I’m confused about some of the connections in these

[@NerveUnderscore]

Did it

[@Void_Deserts_Tower]

Write them down, one by one. Hide your fears tell them to none. For the one who waits and the one who is alone, it will come your nightmares will be gone.

[@mariadias8254]

Me too, but I listen to these while I'm driving or cleaning so its hard sometimes so 😅

[@cactusc9519]

Myst 🤝 The Magnus Archives Having a notebook!

[@NerveUnderscore]

Anyone: Why you have so crappy equipment Jon: You want the bloody statement recorded or not?

[@lupinveil4939]

"Silk will not stitch the butcher's meat." Silk comes from insects (spider or silkworms) and there is asbestos, which is like a disease for the building itself (possibly), meat is something else, and clearly war and butchery are their own thing too, maybe connected to the meat, maybe something else entirely. So, Sarah didn't want to be there, and she has no connection to wars or insects or anything else present in this place. Maybe these things don't like crossing into each other's domain. Sidenote: in Arachnophobia, spiders and worms showed up together and the spiders ate the worms. It sounds like these things don't like being in each other's presence.

[@voidjockey82]

Sharp little thing, aren't you.

[@stephenderry9488]

Who needs silk when you've got a stapler?

[@simp-ly-jecha449]

And the butcher might be a reference from that One Priest episode when he was actually murdering the students

[@Elizabeth-Coleman]

Well weren't you a little archivist

[@judedante4067]

This is probably a stupid question, but why does everyone dismiss the Magnus institute as a bunch of quacks when they pretty much operate on a strict evidence-based skepticism?

[@rilla5058]

Well likely from what she said - they take all statements from everyone (even if they don't believe them all). Also, they seem quite private they don't give out information concerning their investigations, and from an outsiders point of view they could appear to be a bunch of paranoid paranormal investigators. Obviously they're not, but that's the impression I get that people seem to see them that way.

[@xxgirl101xx]

In a later episode they also mention a bunch of statements got leaked somehow which a lot of people read (which considering they should’ve been all paper at the time, idk how but they were). Since the majority are bullshit chances are people took the universal acceptance and preservation of statements by the Magnus Institute as belief when in reality it was just data collection and storage. Who knows if any true statements at all were one of the statements that got leaked? They also seem less focused on hard science than the ghost hunters, less EMS signals and more detective work which might produce this idea of them not caring for evidence, which they do just more focused on verifying eye witness accounts of weird shit than trying to prove ghosts objectively exists.

[@stephenderry9488]

I'm sure before Jon arrived they operated much more haphazardly, a lot of his comments in the first episode are just as dismissive as outside critics'. His journey matches the classic X-Files arc. 1) "This can all be explained scientifically." 2) "Most of this can be explained scientifically but this aspect is weird." 3) "Aliens definitely did it."

[@melissaharris3389]

Canonically, much of the archives were leaked to the press in 1999, causing the Institute to be academically discarded. Melanie's issue is actually the opposite. The Institute's requirements to give a statement are more rigorous then most paranormal 'investigators' are willing to bother with. Just listen to how she describes sensationalizing and embellishing her show for views. The Institute tries to maintain an air of academic integrity; a bit of the ivory tower Jon mentions the the reset of the Institute prefers. Melanie resents the classiest air of the place; and Jon with his posh accent.

[@scuzmunkie]

“And yet you’ve come to make a statement” I do believe that Jon has dropped the preverbal mic.

[@itsiz9738]

I'm so glad there's so much of this podcast left. Four season, they're in the middle of a 5th, and I'm only a little more than halfway through the 1st. School was just cancelled for the rest of the year, so I know what I'm doing!

[@GiubileiFernando]

Apparently, the 5th is the last one. I hope they do other projects afterward and don't quit. The podcast seems to have gotten some attention lately going by the dates of the comments. The episodes are 3 years old, but most comments are from at most 2 months.

[@shainenbautista-oreilly7974]

So school's cancelled, huh

[@breadstick8623]

@@shainenbautista-oreilly7974 huh interesting wonder how that’s going

[@synthomite405]

This... Is a relic

[@junoismad]

@@synthomite405 that comment should be framed and displayed in a museum, its so weird reading it now

[@cezar3169]

Sarah Baldwin. SARAH BALDWIN. SARAH FRICKING BALDWIN! The one who went missing in August of 2006 and was one of the two characters who were smokers!

[@SmokeyMountainSuccubus]

SPOILERS I love the way Melanie tells this story. Most people shift into the unnatural perfect horror delivery as soon as they start their statement but Melanie kept a defensive and skeptical tone until around the time she mentioned Sarah Baldwin. As if John hadn't been compelling her until he heard that name, at which point he unconsciously used his power as the Archivist

[@melissaharris3389]

That because that's the point where the supernatural actually begins and it becomes a real statement. The Ceaseless Watcher cares even less about Melanie's gripping then Jon.

[@Noahhhhhhh10]

I love that he calls Georgie "one Georgina Barker" like she's not his literal ex the poor man is wound so tightly he might just snap

[@eMe_peridot_hare]

Oh shiet they've written a female version of garbage channels like ImJayStation into the Magnus Archives canon... This podcast is too powerful

[@GiubileiFernando]

"You didn't tell me about this place" I don't think that was directed at Melanie.

[@trucetruce335]

When was that?

[@alessiapalma8823]

@@trucetruce335 sara says that sentence when she realises they r at the hospital

[@alessiapalma8823]

Actually I think it was bc she did not want to make the entity angry, so she wouldn’t have accepted the job if she knew where they were heading to

[@butasimpleidiotwizard]

@@alessiapalma8823 but she was told in detail where they were heading to, which is explained in the episode, that's why the outburst was notable

[@marylii04]

​@@butasimpleidiotwizardI think she just didn't know the thing was at the hospital. And when coming near it, she sensed its presence

[@joelhankins2202]

Melanie: I decided not to take a torch. Me: bitch what?? Melanie: instead I took or. If the cameras we weren’t using, and turned on the night vision setting. Me: Bitch Whaaat?!?! She literally put life on hard mode for no reason, chose the straight up scariest option

[@melissaharris3389]

I've watched way too many found foota movies to ever do that.

[@io_online]

The sass at the start of the ep. John was about to throw some hands As it turns out he was ready to throw hands at the end too. He's now pissed off two in-person statements by doing the exact same thing each time, got to give the man points for consistency

[@stephenderry9488]

I think in a genuine hand-throwing contest, Sarah's got him beat.

[@chimedemon]

Wait, does anyone remember Sara Baldwin?! I remember hearing that name from somewhere I just... can’t remember... also the sass battle of the two was fucking BEAUTIFUL.

[@mirea-kf5ml]

Angler fish episode

[@ElForrest-Okey]

Less than 5 minutes in and I'm at sass overload already.

[@tabpanter5750]

"We'd been *angling* to go into the CMH for months"

[@namaschu9418]

Even tho I hated both of the women that personally recorded their statements (not Sasha) so far, I live for the bitch fights between them and John.

[@mycharredrose]

Of course my takeout gets here when we start ripping arm skin off

[@thatonepersonyouwontremember]

Guess who's binge watching this for the first time and not gonna get any sleep and also has a HUGE window next to where they sleep that could show a whole person's body looking through it!?

[@saskiamckenna2925]

I just KNOW if this episode was released now, it would be a buzzfeed unsolved cameo

[@KatanaDen]

Smoking may kill but at least she was willing to share some.

[@akalimist]

"georgina barker" he says, as if she's not literally his ex-gf

[@123Todayy]

Even though this wasnt a lighthearted episode, it really set up the characters for perhaps the funniest arc in the series

[@biancamlf288]

I've listened to the podcast countless times, but I love how at 7:27 you can hear Lydia almost break character and laugh. Magnus blanket fort recordings>>>

[@racoon_in_ankhmorpork]

Isn’t it funny how Melanie King first makes fun of the Institute for accepting statements on just about anything, no matter how dubious a story or person telling it, then proceeds to feel insulted when she isn’t immediately believed by Jon? She should pick which quality she’d rather have-realism or openness to anything. (Jon was quite mean during this episode, but I already love him, so I’m biased and just thought it funny xD).

[@melissaharris3389]

Melanie got what she dished out.

[@ErrorNotFound-nl1sh]

If Sarah became an anglerfish then... Hmmm. Who was she talking to btw? Did anyone else notice how in the first episode the anglerfish wasn't visible on the camera and in the one whatever this thing was, was only visible in it? And Sarah was the one who sent that pic to her sister wasn't she? In the first episode

[@fish3977]

Also the anglerfishs "lamp" didn't move their mouth and hovered Sarah is something else either literally wearing the skin of anglerfish's victim or just having stolen their identity

[@caniusdirus]

Who else tried looking up the youtube channel 'Ghost Hunt UK' during this episode? No one? Just me then? Never mind... I'll just continue to binge more Magnus Archives....

[@naeka9752]

Definitely did. Thought they might have pulled a marble hornets lol

[@user-gz2hy2wu5g]

I did lol

[@nigerianprince647]

I did

[@Somajsibere]

It exists, and has 6 subscribers!

[@yeetusdeletus84]

I forget that none of this is real lol

[@sevendeadlysins5303]

I completely forgot about the angler fish until reading the comments. It makes sense. Also I love coming here and reading them to see the connections happening

[@kaydavidson5535]

He’s so SHADY I love it

[@halfchiangel88]

I don't know why but when he said there were actually two figures in the video I got the chills, wonder how she and the other paranormal investigators she probably showed missed that

[@jefcostellokinnie3933]

I got so excited at hearing the name Melanie King and as I was trying to recall where I'd heard it I realised that she's the one who reads out the adverts at the beginning 🤦‍♀️

[@fluffsnake]

the title of this episode is already unsettling

[@Rin-qj7zt]

Sarah Baldwin familiar to me too... But Wich episode? I'm bad at remembering names

[@Rin-qj7zt]

Oh wait! She was mentioned as missing in angler fish! So she survived.. apparently not unscathed..

[@Kate-uj9rx]

@@Rin-qj7zt thanks for telling me!

[@foolsenigma]

@@Rin-qj7zt cant help but remember jon mentioning sarah didnt smoke Edit: ya, you guys are right, she was listed as one of the smokers. I got the names mixed around.

[@TH-is8cf]

@@foolsenigma no she was one of the confirmed smokers

[@Kaimli]

@@foolsenigma she was a smoker! the guy in the story even found her Marlboro cigarette on the floor where the creepy guy was that tried to get cigarettes out of him

[@Makujah_]

This is the second time. I just can't picture a person who had a weird experience, and despite some possible skepticism actually decided to come to this "ghostbusters inc." bureau - all that just to bitch about their recording equipment. Like what does that have to do with anything, does your religion prohibit you from talking into a sony walkman?

[@merlinm.4387]

I like to think its more like they expected something else. Like a booth with microphones or a camera, something modernly professional. Yet they come to this place albiet with some skepticism as you said and they see a tape recorder like this is a horror movie with a lacking budget. Id be stunned a little and considering both these people mentioned they told others their story and no one has believed them (witch must be so frustrating) that it might feel insulting. Insulting to yourself for thinking of even coming to the Magnus institue and insulting that this place has the only people that MIGHT believe you.

[@Makujah_]

@@merlinm.4387 sounds fine, but still aint working for me

[@pugjuice8462]

could also be that Melanie is trying to rid her anxieties about her experience by pretending she's her normal pissy self, she doesn't wanna be seen as the same as the others who came to the institute whom she once believed were lesser or crazy

[@mimkyodar]

Magnus institute isn't a ghost busters deal, though. It's an academic research institution.

[@Makujah_]

@@mimkyodar your correction to a joke is noted. It also doesn't contradict my point :)

[@empress-s]

Spoilers for later episodes! I'm surprised that Jon showed no recognition at Georgie's name! He didn't react at all when Melanie brought her up, and was very detached when talking about following up with her at the end. I would think that he might say SOMETHING smh

[@theprideling]

He clearly knows Melanie by reputation at the very least, so it stands to reason that he knows she and Georgie know each other, he might have even heard of her FROM Georgie so I'm not super surprised he decided it was none of Melanie's business that he knows Georgie too

[@mimkyodar]

Remember this is so Jon, deep in his "I am srs skeptic" phase. He would have mentioned her by name because getting personal would have been unprofessional.

[@melissaharris3389]

I always thought the reason Melanie goes to the institute is because Gorgeie told her Jon (her ex) works there. They seem to know each other by mutual reputation if not personally. Melanie might have heard some less then flattering things about Jon from Georgie that would explain her immediate antagonisim to him.

[@lentlemenproductions770]

“We’ve been angling to film there for months.” Lmao, poetry.

[@geeegaewlwlwll9328]

"though i heard words 'trespass' and 'unintended' several times, as well as whispered apologies" was sarah asking the stranger to not harm melanie and her crew?? why did she even agree to this gig... like "i may be just some skin stapled to a mannequin but those bills won't pay themselves!"

[@a_jae_doe]

When Melanie ranted about why everyone called the magnus institute a joke I finally got why Jon was so skeptical. Bc he clearly believes in the supernatural what with leitner and prentice but always dismissed any other accounts. It also explained sashas skepticism of everything until her episode

[@planet_dawsey595]

I always look in the comments because people more observant than me tell me the Easter eggs in the episode that I don’t spot

[@f_mva]

the scent is probably very important but i can't remember it appearing before. also the cigarette thing = anglerfish?

[@alessiapalma8823]

I think the cigarettes and the perfume are just to hide the awful smell of her black flesh underneath the skin. Btw sara was one of the ppl missing from episode one, though we can’t be sure she disappeared BECAUSE of the anglerfish. But it is likely. Maybe her skin was ripped off from the entity controlling the anglerfish and then he wears it and takes sara’s habits, such as smoking

[@angelaphsiao]

Not Jon talking about Georgie like he’s never met her in his life 😂 I’m guessing he had someone else contact her for followup

[@mechengr1731]

Have we met her before?

[@angelaphsiao]

@@mechengr1731 i guess it’s kind of minor spoilers but jon used to know georgie

[@ririririri9352]

First time listener here! I have notes to help me remember names, but you really have to keep track of every name huh 😅 I was looking through my notes like "where did I hear that name?!" and realized I didn't bother to write names from ep. 1...

[@Silverwind87]

It's like Mulder and Scully, but it's hard to tell who is Mulder and who is Scully.

[@jesssam7384]

Lmao frrr. I was just thinking how this podcast is somehow similar to the x files

[@dilophosaurussk4333]

Seems to me like at least some of those taken by the anglerfish are used as "Bait"

[@cassidyho939]

Never have I hated any of those who came to make a statement- until Melanie King. This is one of the few times someone actually DESERVES Jon's scorn.

[@SmokeyMountainSuccubus]

Step 1 of everyone being incredibly mean to John specifically for no really justifiable reason

[@jacintaayivor5694]

I think 'Sarah" encountered another entity in it's territory

[@subernabur8648]

considering that cambridge military hospital is apparently "very well documented" and in general harmless to ghost hunters, this makes me wonder if some supernatural beings just pick a place and are like "time to prank some loser ghost hunters now, lol" without actually hurting anyone.

[@levchenkodarya]

Well, it looks like some of these groups of "Paranormal Pokemons" are not opposed to a group project, as we saw with Priest, but also some of them really don't like each other, like it was with Eye-Guy and Fire-Guy or with "Sarah" and whoever territory she trespassed. And, according to the writing, Spider Thing and Butcher (which may be the Meat Neighbour, but I also can't stop thinking about Priest's "demon", since he was "butching" students in butcher apron). Whose this territory was... I have two opinions, both connected with the asbestos' characteristics. First, asbestos crawls into your lungs and makes you feel VERY unwell, the same way as worms were crawling inside someone and making them "unwell". So, maybe, it's the same thing as the Worm Lady, if we decide that this thing less about worms and more about something entering your body against your will. Second, asbestos consists of fibers. If we go with the idea that Spider thing is not only about spiders, but also about threads, then we can push it to this category. This also will make writing being here more sensible, because one of the mentioned Groups is located here. "Sarah" is definitely NOT the Butcher, since whatever happened to her is more close to False Human than Meat. So, if we go with the theory, that this is the Spider's territory, False Sarah might be not the first trespasser here, and maybe the relationships between the Spider and False Human not so bad, the Spider just got pissed because of the constant intruders.

[@cactusc9519]

ok, sorry to comment again (if it's too much), but i commented on a comment of yours earlier, and i do know there's some regular or regular-ish commentors, and anyway, the meta part is that in the comments, just kinda similar to in the shows, it's sometimes like "hey it's that name again!". anyway, i saw the phrase "Paranormal Pokemons" and i'm like "aaaayyyy", it's that commentor again! it's also a neat turn of phrase! :)

[@TangledInYarn]

Wait, wasn't Sarah Baldwin one of the disappearances from the first ep Angler Fish?

[@mimkyodar]

Sure was. Glad she's OK now though

[@reneenoriega4524]

The sass in the first three minutes it's ✨ astronomical ✨

[@eaglelord145]

Okay my theorising as a first time listener, I expect to be completely wrong but this is what I’m gathering. Of course these “not-people”, as in, entities that are assuming the identities of humans, have appeared numerous times, but I am yet to decipher if they are all separate “species” or are just varying personalities of not-people. The first instance of this was the entity who replaced Graham, episode 3 I think? Who was very clearly malevolent, and was witnessed taking the identity of Graham, and seemed malicious towards the witness. Then, we have the opposite, with the entity (who I forget the name of) that helped Sasha in her episode, who was very benevolent, if a bit cryptic, and helped show Sasha the key to defeating the silvery worms. Now, we have what I presume is another instance of the “anglerfish” from episode one, as we see the return of Sarah, who disappeared due to the anglerfish, being impersonated. She seems to be an inbetween, not actively malevolent or hostile towards the humans she’s with, but certainly not friendly. These three instances might be entirely different kinds of entity, hence the differences in behaviour, but they all have a general “true” appearance of being lanky and gaunt. I just thought maybe we have a “species” of entity that has varying dispositions and attitudes towards people, even if they all have the same trend of bodysnatching.

[@emilybarclay8831]

You’re probably way further along in the series and know this already but you’re absolutely right. Michael, and the Not-Thems (the name for these replacement creatures if anyone didn’t know) /The Anglerfish serve two different entities. Spoilers below: Michael is the avatar of The Spiral, and the anglerfish/Not-Thems are Stranger affiliated

[@PatrickLongblkwhtrbbt]

Wow Georgie Barker got mentioned real early. Why didn't Jon react at all I wonder. She is his friend isn't she

[@robertj7414]

My question is why didn't ask her earlier about Sarah?

[@TIGGYQUE]

From Anglerfish: "there were six disappearances in and around the Old Fishmarket Close: Jessica McEwen in November 2005, *Sarah Baldwin in August 2006*" The event of this statement happened in 2015... Interesting...

[@defunctroses1644]

Me:* reads tittel Me: oh goodie

[@BuzzyBuggyBee]

This is actually one of my favourite episodes, its one of the only episodes to give me nightmares up to the point i had got to. I have yet to finish the series

[@wonderwhatsgonnahappen579]

Jon's personality, character, and spirit are like a wall He can read or hear all these very disturbing stories and brush it off chill af

[@catdn7011]

having a cane family member in this ep can not be a coincidence

[@leomorris7573]

MELANIE I LOVE YOU SM...KING

[@onethiccboi7699]

Huh ?

[@nooneimportant7736]

king...?

[@amelie6424]

@@nooneimportant7736 her name's melanie king, lmao. she becomes a rather important figure in later seasons.

[@Arya-el9ps]

@@amelie6424 ohOhOHOHOHo

[@mrmoonmilk6938]

Anyone else noting that “they said something in a language I didn’t understand” comes up a lot? It’s probably a lot less significant than all of the other things people are connecting, but I noticed nobody was mentioning that, so I thought I would. Note: I’m a first time listener, if anyones gonna reply to this comment please avoid spoilers.

[@galaxydragon1796]

with the context of season three i can just imagine Jon doing the most absurd things or coming up with excuses to have one of the assistants talk to Georgie instead

[@eifet]

Sarah Baldwind. Cigarettes, feet not touching the ground. Do you now remember the episode where something similar was? :)

[@BluewofWolfy]

.......... "turns out that between 2005 and 2010, when Mr. Watts’ encounter supposedly took place, there were six disappearances in and around the Old Fishmarket Close: Jessica McEwen in November 2005, Sarah Baldwin in August 2006"........ect. (ep 1 Anglerfish) That's where the name Sarah Baldwin comes from she's one of the people that disappeared at the time.

[@The-Eye866]

Jon: “The feet do not appear to be touching the ground” Me: *turns into soyjack*

[@pumpthebreaksprinceyyt759]

Jon’s takes no bullcrap lmao

[@birbelle]

What do these people have against tape recorders lmao, I’d think it’s cool to see one in real life

[@pyrosianheir]

Oh, hey, the first moment of these two's at least partly antagonistic interactions. Whoo!

[@chloeg7661]

Love this series! I live in Aldershot in a 7th floor flat and this clocktower and old building is my main view from my bedroom, lounge and kitchen! Wondering if I should listen to the end...!!!

[@oburci9596]

Bro the only reason I still know whats going on pretty decently is because of the people in the comment section making the name connections in comments, like how does one even remeber that she was one of the episode 1 victims? All I am able to remeber from the names in this is just "Jonathan Simms", "Martin" and "Graham", the rest are just vague descriptions like "Cannibal Priest", "Crowbar Tree Guy", "Spider Fear Man", "Death Dream Person"

[@ariel765]

At 15:24 she talks about a smell of copper and amonnia remember that episode where that guy kept smelling that smell when he had a book (if anyone remembers the episode tell me plz) edit: at 18:38 she talks about her peeling of skin in the same episode when he found mary I think the old woman she had an eye or books of skin I believe what if this somehow relates

[@crystaltodd4737]

Mhm! Those are the same episode. The ozone smell? That was from Pageturner where we first meet Mary Keay

[@leomorris7573]

GEORGIE????

[@moonlight_scribe]

Oh Jonathan. The sass is real.

[@jeniferdavis1858]

miss melanie i have feelings 4 u...