When we begin there’s no fanfare, no amazing moment that rivets you to the television set, nothing to make you want to devote the next half-hour of your life to the images dancing in front of you…nothing but a teenager walking down a busy street, a sweet smile on her face, a happy bounce in her step. Her name is
Twinkle, and “for the most part she is a normal Indian teenager.” But everybody has a story, right?
For those who have been introduced to the mystery of stigmata, Twinkle’s story will seem hauntingly familiar. According to National Geographic, stigmata are a “phenomenon where the victim receives wounds which mimic the injuries Christ endured during his crucifixion.” For believers the appearance of the wounds (most often on the hands, feet, forehead, and waist) is a sign of God’s presence. For others stigmata are a mystery waiting to be solved, and for some, it is simply wishful thinking on the part of believers.
However, Twinkle’s situation is a bit different. The young girl has been dubbed “the girl who cries blood” for a recurring affliction that causes Twinkle to bleed spontaneously and from no visible source. Most striking are the streams of blood which seem to flow like tears from her eyes, but the teen has reported spontaneous bleeding from her hands, feet, scalp, ears…and the list goes on…and on. Family, friends, doctors, mystics—everyone who has seen Twinkle has been baffled by this mysterious affliction. Doctors in India refuse to treat her. Mystics claim she is not ill but possessed, and a leech-like spirit is sucking her blood. Others think it may be psychological, and some claim it is merely a hoax. Even American doctors are puzzled. But Dr. George Buchanan, director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at
the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, wants to solve the riddle of “the girl who cries blood.”
And so the show goes on…following Dr. Buchanan as he attempts give Twinkle and her family a diagnosis and some piece of mind. The feel of The Girl Who Cries Blood is fast-paced and emotional. It takes a concept similar to Discovery Health’s popular series, Mystery Diagnosis, and gives it the traditional National Geographic touch—there’s no reenactments (sometimes home video is used), and no catchy gimmicks. The Girl Who Cries Blood is a show that’s all about the story, and the story is both its saving grace and its downfall. The traditional story arc is followed here to the letter; it begins with the setup, your basic introduction (characters, setting, etc.), followed by rising action, the main events
that escalate until we reach…the climax (or peak of the story, where all the action was heading), and fall back down with a resolution, what happens now that the story is over. But it is in these last two, climax and resolution, where The Girl Who Cries Blood will potentially anger viewers. The problem? Well, the show seems to be missing these most important storytelling elements. Before your even ready for it, the credits begin to roll. And since there currently seems to be no publicly known plans for a sequel, The Girl Who Cries Blood only leaves you with questions and provides you no answers.
I have to be honest; I waited all summer to watch this show. After every promo that ran on National Geographic (and there were a lot of promos), my excitement grew. I loved the potential of the story and the mystery behind it. But after the show concluded I wondered, where’s the rest of the story, what happens now? Of course, I am not telling you to avoid watching this show. You should watch it. Make your own decisions. (And let me know what you think!) This is just one person’s opinion.
*Images from channel.nationalgeographic.com
My rating:
* Currently, The Girl Who Cries Blood is not available on DVD, but you can check your local listings (http://www.tvguide.com/) for the next showing!
Want to Learn More?
-The Girl Who Cries Blood official web page: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-girl-who-cries-blood-4450/Overview
-Catholic Encyclopedia; Stigmata: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14294b.htm
-Associated Content; What is Haemolacria?: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2139349/what_is_haemolacria.html?cat=5
Al Roker talks with Dr. George Buchanan:
Twinkle, and “for the most part she is a normal Indian teenager.” But everybody has a story, right?For those who have been introduced to the mystery of stigmata, Twinkle’s story will seem hauntingly familiar. According to National Geographic, stigmata are a “phenomenon where the victim receives wounds which mimic the injuries Christ endured during his crucifixion.” For believers the appearance of the wounds (most often on the hands, feet, forehead, and waist) is a sign of God’s presence. For others stigmata are a mystery waiting to be solved, and for some, it is simply wishful thinking on the part of believers.
However, Twinkle’s situation is a bit different. The young girl has been dubbed “the girl who cries blood” for a recurring affliction that causes Twinkle to bleed spontaneously and from no visible source. Most striking are the streams of blood which seem to flow like tears from her eyes, but the teen has reported spontaneous bleeding from her hands, feet, scalp, ears…and the list goes on…and on. Family, friends, doctors, mystics—everyone who has seen Twinkle has been baffled by this mysterious affliction. Doctors in India refuse to treat her. Mystics claim she is not ill but possessed, and a leech-like spirit is sucking her blood. Others think it may be psychological, and some claim it is merely a hoax. Even American doctors are puzzled. But Dr. George Buchanan, director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at
the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, wants to solve the riddle of “the girl who cries blood.”And so the show goes on…following Dr. Buchanan as he attempts give Twinkle and her family a diagnosis and some piece of mind. The feel of The Girl Who Cries Blood is fast-paced and emotional. It takes a concept similar to Discovery Health’s popular series, Mystery Diagnosis, and gives it the traditional National Geographic touch—there’s no reenactments (sometimes home video is used), and no catchy gimmicks. The Girl Who Cries Blood is a show that’s all about the story, and the story is both its saving grace and its downfall. The traditional story arc is followed here to the letter; it begins with the setup, your basic introduction (characters, setting, etc.), followed by rising action, the main events
that escalate until we reach…the climax (or peak of the story, where all the action was heading), and fall back down with a resolution, what happens now that the story is over. But it is in these last two, climax and resolution, where The Girl Who Cries Blood will potentially anger viewers. The problem? Well, the show seems to be missing these most important storytelling elements. Before your even ready for it, the credits begin to roll. And since there currently seems to be no publicly known plans for a sequel, The Girl Who Cries Blood only leaves you with questions and provides you no answers.I have to be honest; I waited all summer to watch this show. After every promo that ran on National Geographic (and there were a lot of promos), my excitement grew. I loved the potential of the story and the mystery behind it. But after the show concluded I wondered, where’s the rest of the story, what happens now? Of course, I am not telling you to avoid watching this show. You should watch it. Make your own decisions. (And let me know what you think!) This is just one person’s opinion.
*Images from channel.nationalgeographic.com
My rating:
* Currently, The Girl Who Cries Blood is not available on DVD, but you can check your local listings (http://www.tvguide.com/) for the next showing!
Want to Learn More?
-The Girl Who Cries Blood official web page: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-girl-who-cries-blood-4450/Overview
-Catholic Encyclopedia; Stigmata: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14294b.htm
-Associated Content; What is Haemolacria?: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2139349/what_is_haemolacria.html?cat=5
Al Roker talks with Dr. George Buchanan:
Watch a clip from The Girl Who Cries Blood:
that's so weird and interesting. wish i had more time and could actually watch the videos. thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link to my article. I discovered it today.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all your studies!