Hello, I wasn't sure where to put this thread, but stuck with TV and Media, since Derren Brown has his TV show etc.

Just wanted to know if anyone on here likes Derren Brown and whether you believe he's for real.

I have to admit that I didn't really go for all this mind reading stuff to begin with, but after watching his shows for a couple of years I've really become interested in what he does. He does some things which can be explained, but others which are just baffling. All the memory stuff I suppose can be done by anybody, but he seems to do it big style, for example, memorizing every street in London, then being able to reel them off under random selection (you'd have to see the show)

Did anyone see one of his recent episodes of trick of the mind, where he created a computer game which lulled the guy playing it into a hypnotic state. Derren Brown then took this guy off to some abandoned building which resembled the building in the game, complete with actors dressed as zombies. The bloke that had been hypnotized was then woken and for a few minutes believed he was actually in the game and fighting for is life. Ok it was a bit corny, but it was kinda intriguing to watch.

He's the real deal,Ive seen him perform a a few times and am constantly blown away by his stuff.IMO the best mentalist/magician in the business,nice guy too.

Lets see if this works,a clip from the zombie episode.(crap with computers )

What do you mean when you say he's the "real deal" ?

Please tell me you don't think that zombie clip is "real". Surely you don't actually believe he did that to that bloke.

I do actually!
As crazy as it looks but this guys methods of suggestion and hypnotism are outstanding.Everything you see him do in his shows is "the real deal" ,I know for a fact he doesnt use stooges or actors.

I think if Derren Brown had actually done that he would be in prison by now, seeing as he effectively put the guy in a coma against his will, kidnapped him and subjected him to extreme mental trauma.

Putting to one side all the junk about putting someone into a catatronic trance with a video game.

How come the guy stayed standing up when he went into the trance ? What would have happened if he'd fallen over and cracked his head ?

What would have happened if the guy had stopped using his paintball gun and started beating a zombies head in with a metal pipe ?

How come he managed to put him back in a trance by slapping him on the head ?

How do you know for a fact he doesn't use stooges or actors ?

I agree,I woulda sued his ass but the guy must of signed a disclaimer,maybe even before the experiment.There may of been some sort of pre hypnosis beforehand to temp the dude to the machine also and put him under quickly"


Its doubtful this would happen as the kid would know this would hurt,although he's in a sleep state he is still aware and his legs would still stand,unless told by the "hypnotist" to sit/roll over etc.(but only if he wanted to)


Great TV! Maybe some sort of pre suggestion to play out the scenario like a video game and not be too violent,I dont really know.But I do think there was some sort of contact with Derren and the kid before we get to see the clip.


Its a hypnotist move,he also whispers the "code word" to get him back into the trance and to forget the whole experiance.Its bizzarre stuff but it is possible.


"Im an underground magician,I know these things! "

Sorry about the mess!
[edit - fixed quotes]

The man's reactions seemed genuine, but the whole concept is a little hard to believe. I believe in hypnotism as a method of memory recovery in therapy, but not as a (physical) manipulative control method.

Yeah, i've watched them all. His stuff is amazing. The zombie one was one of my favourites. He's recent show was amazing. He uses his mind to make someone think of what he wants

I think that sometimes he does his reputation harm, particularly with the seance episode. At first, that programme was really really interesting, but towards the end it lost all credibility.

His powers of suggestion and manipulation are extremely good though. He's obviously a very clever bloke. I don't know what it takes to acquire those skills!

never heard of him.is he kind to charlie brown?

Not sure that the seance programme lost credibility towards the end. Maybe i can see where you're coming from though. Derren did another programme a while back specifically about victorian (?) seances and showed how they were 'set up'. He used the same techniques in the 'seance' in the programme to which you are referring (eg with lights turned off other people, unseen to the protagonists, moved stuff about)

I find Derren very entertaining on the whole. Every now and then i feel a bit uncomfortable about what he puts people through. The zombie incident did draw some viewer complaints.

I DID enjoy the one where he got the student 'pissed'. This is a fairly well known technique in 'the field'. It was a favourite of a friend of mine from my uni days, and does indeed work

I am generally very wary of "hypnotists" and the like. I don't usually subscribe to any of it, as too often I have seen these type of people use their act as a dodge or a hustle.

Scammers, IMO

i thought he admits he's a illusionist

Does this show come on in the states?? On satellite??? If so what station? I have never heard of him b4 either but, I would like to see some of his stuff. Thanks for any info.

His programme is always on Channel 4 in the UK, so I don't know which channel in the US shows their programmes.

He has got a couple of dvds out though, so maybe you could have a look for them.

never seen the show here in Detroit, so I only know what I have gathered from various internet sources like reviews and so on. I dont think he's broken through to the US yet. Our TV is way too lame and sensitive for some of the junk he does.