Malvern Manor originally started out as a hotel and boarding house back in the late 1800s. It eventually became the site of a large group home for the mentally ill from the mid-50s until 2005. (Jon's Note: Unlike Edinburgh Manor, I never visited any clients at Malvern Manor when it was in operation.) The property is currently co-owned by paranormal investigator named John Heard. He rents the property out at a rate of $10 per hour or $300 per night. (Jon's Note: Not judging, but thinking about secondary income sources!!)
I missed the show when it aired on TLC Friday night, but that didn't stop me from splurging on iTunes and downloading the episode onto my computer!
First things first: I like "Paranormal Lockdown" much better than "Ghost Adventures," which investigated Edinburgh Manor back in 2015. But the reactions from the "Paranormal Lockdown" crew appeared more genuine and they seemed more respectful/less antagonistic towards the building's spiritual residents than the other bunch was.
Here is how the show works. Groff and Weidman travel the country and investigate haunted locations. They receive an initial walk-through and then shut themselves in for 72 hours and see what happens. There's also this cameraman with them, but I didn't catch his name. They use all sorts of cameras. Some are conventional and others record different types of energy readings. They also have different sound recordings, as well as voice boxes.
There were three main ghosts that the pair sought out. First, there was the Captain. He was the first owner of the hotel. He apparently speaks to guests and creates a lot of excitement for those who visit. Then there is Inez, a 12-year-old girl who hung herself or was hung in one of the closets back in 1901. And then there was Gracie, a troubled woman with schizophrenia who lived in the house when it was a group home. All three interacted with the investigators -- including a part-time investigator named Johnny Hausser, who informed the show about the house and who reports that he was once attacked there by a hostile shadow-person.
One thing troubled me. The condition of the rooms in the house is horrible. I've noticed this with Edinburgh Manor and other popular ghost hunting locations. I could understand if this was a house that had very little foot traffic and it was falling apart from neglect. But people come and go from this house all of the time. I can only assume that they roughed it up for the TV show or else they keep it looking like it does to make an impression with people who want to see an haunted house and who assume that it can only be haunted if it's in a state of disrepair.
Overall, I enjoyed the program and look forward to learning more about Malvern Manor and TLC's "Paranormal Lockdown."