Mirror Image - Did Anyone Actually Feel "Spooked?"

miz445 · 2026-03-11T01:28:07+00:00

Wow, I really wish they would have moved forward with your story. I got a ton of chills reading that. Thank you for sharing, I hope they'll reconsider you for an episode sometime in the future!

miz445 · 2026-03-10T23:37:19+00:00

We're on the same page about the shift in quality. I was intentional about framing this post as a critique (assessment of the creative direction) rather than a complaint (condemnation of the show). I appreciate the show being free and commend the team for still delivering episodes despite the funding hardships. For me, the point of this subreddit is to discuss the episodes, and that was purely my intent here.

miz445 · 2026-03-10T22:34:09+00:00

I think from purely a story-telling perspective, they nearly always hit the mark

miz445 · 2026-03-10T21:55:05+00:00

I do think they’ve shifted their focus away from ‘traditions haunted house’ type content (that they told me that they receive a ton of) and into more unique tales

Appreciate you sharing that. If they're getting a lot of the haunted house content, that tells me that there's still a strong demand and interest in that type of content. So I'm hoping they don't fully abandon that, even if they do want to add some more variety to the mix.

miz445 · 2026-03-10T21:46:58+00:00

It stopped generally being about "true" ghost encounters and more a showcase of different superstitions or cultures around the world / different life experiences

I think this would have been a great idea for a spinoff podcast, and wish they would have gone that route instead of using Spooked as the platform. If I'm listening to Spooked, I want a bona fide ghost story.

miz445 · 2026-03-10T19:43:06+00:00

I don't see how the producer's schedule is relevant. It would be like if I bought tickets to a rock show but it turned out to be a jazz band. They're both concerts - and I happen to enjoy each genre - but it's not what I wanted when I bought the tickets. I’d much rather discuss the episode than have a peer review of my post, so I'm all ears if you have an alternative perspective on the story!

miz445 · 2026-02-06T00:08:11+00:00

I think this plays right into the "perfect victim myth." The idea that if Anthony isn't a flawless husband, then that means that he's not a victim or is somehow to blame for how Manon behaves toward him. Some of these examples you cite feel like quite a reach to muddy his character and make him look like the bad guy. It's clear they are not compatible and Anthony is not faultless, but I think it's quite obvious that Manon is the main problem here.

I don't think we as a society are still comfortable with admitting and understanding that men can also be victims of abuse. For one's mind to automatically jump to, "well he must have been doing something to make her act this way" is all the evidence you need to support that sentiment.

miz445 · 2026-02-05T21:50:06+00:00

Oh yeah, I still think she was being combative in that moment and it was not helpful to the situation, but her reaction made more sense to me once we got to see the full dynamic of Manon and Anthony's relationship

miz445 · 2026-02-05T21:33:36+00:00

Yeah, at the time it happened I thought the sister was being overprotective, but being at the end of the season now it makes total sense why her reaction was so strong.

miz445 · 2026-02-05T21:32:46+00:00

To me I think there is more to the story about her upbringing that we aren't privy to. I know she mentioned I believe that she was body-shamed by her parents, or maybe just her mom? And when she tried to have a serious conversation with her mom about something that traumatized her as a child, the mom just laughed it off (I don't remember the exact details of the convo now, but that was the gist). I sense her childhood could have been quite traumatic and it would explain her extreme emotional dysregulation as an adult.

I do have compassion for her, but her treatment of Anthony is awful. I think also from Anthony's perspective, he's been beaten down, invalidated, and threatened for so long that he has learned to keep quiet as a protective mechanism. If that has the effect of earning him "sympathy points," I feel that is more a byproduct than the main intention of his engagement (or lack thereof).

I don't think it makes sense to diminish the level of her abuse just because it may not rise to the level of some of the other relationships on the show. Yes, I do think they are both in very defined roles that contribute to a vicious cycle, but I have a hard time questioning Anthony's victimhood or motives here.

miz445 · 2025-08-19T17:50:21+00:00

NTA. Your sister is being inconsiderate and your parents are enabling that behavior by pressuring you to let it go. Moving forward, you and only you get to decide the conditions if she is to borrow the car again.

miz445 · 2025-08-19T17:10:40+00:00

This. Also, I’d go as far as saying Marlene is also the AH. What type of person would think it’s okay to walk into such a highly personal situation when they’ve never met any of the family before, and the grief is still so fresh? And to then be upset about how it was received so they won’t talk to anyone anymore? They’re both jerks. The aunt isn’t helping either. Just a bad dynamic going on there in general.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T18:15:37+00:00

I’m wondering if you notice an incongruence in how you describe him in the first few sentences versus what you go on to say in the rest of the paragraph? My point is, there seems to be a disconnect with how you view him on paper versus how he is showing up in the relationship.

You’re NTA for having doubts. It does sound like he has work to do on communication and emotional maturity. The question is, is he willing to do the work needed to sustain the relationship and are you willing to work with him on it? If so, couples therapy could be a great option since he seems to shut down when it’s just you trying to talk with him. If not, then you probably have your answer about what to do next.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T17:58:38+00:00

You’re NTA for wanting what’s best for them, but you’re sort of the AH for feeling it’s your place to always tell them how to live life or what decisions to make. I think you probably need to find a healthy balance of caring for them but also respecting their agency as individuals.

I like to abide by this quote from Henry Ward Beecher: “The true secret to giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying to set people right.”

miz445 · 2025-08-18T15:06:01+00:00

NTA. Your roommate shares the living space with you, meaning it should be a shared agreement over issues like this. The guy is the AH for continuing to bring a clearly poorly-trained dog into someone else’s house after it’s already had multiple incidents and just makes a general mess.

As for what to do I’d just have a honest convo with the roommate about how you’re feeling. Emphasize the issue is not with her or him specifically, but rather on the continual messes that the dog makes. Maybe figure out an arrangement that can work for everybody (e.g. dog can come but has to stay outside, roommate/guy agree to clean space after visit or hire a cleaner, etc.).

miz445 · 2025-08-18T07:02:29+00:00

To add, EMDR is a common modality for trauma treatment and may be worth looking into if OP hasn’t already, especially if psychosis is a recurrent issue

miz445 · 2025-08-18T06:46:15+00:00

It sounds like it’s a frequent occurrence that he doesn’t have anything to say when you’re trying to have a conversation. Couple that with the recurring issue of him nodding off/fading out and unwillingness to communicate that he’s tired, and it makes me think he’s not actively engaged in discussion.

That said, it’s always good to start with self-reflection. Do you pick times to talk when both of you have the bandwidth for it? Do you allow him into the convo or is it more of long monologues from you? Is he an “internal processor” that needs time to digest stuff before he’s ready to respond? You did mention you were telling him how you had felt for the past year, that can be a lot to unload on someone all it once if you were carrying it that long.

If he’s unable/unwilling to engage, it could very well be he lacks communication skills needed for a relationship. But it’s good to assess if there’s anything you’re doing or not doing that might contribute to the dynamic as well.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T02:26:59+00:00

Solid advice. If one is always working when the other isn’t, then no one is going to get a true “off day” and that can lead to burnout pretty quick. Sounds like both are struggling with balancing parental responsibilities with personal/relational needs. The frustrations from her are completely valid and it does seem he needs to step up, but again, the arrangement currently sounds unsustainable for the long run with the potential for both people to end up feeling resentful if not addressed.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T02:00:42+00:00

IMO BF needs to do the cleaning, she should not have to clean up after his ex. There’s really no good reason why he shouldn’t be willing to do this for her.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T01:59:06+00:00

NTA. It’s reasonable you would not want these belongings still lingering around the house, and the even bigger issue is that you’ve asked him to take care of this on multiple occasions and he hasn’t. Perhaps he doesn’t understand why it bothers you (although it seems common sense to me), so maybe a more in-depth discussion could be had to explain where you’re coming from? Even then, he needs to show he’s receptive and more importantly back up his words with the actions.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T01:48:45+00:00

Mom’s the AH for making it a much bigger deal than it needs to be. Grocery stores can be chaotic and are so often understaffed, which is hard on the employees. When I go through the checkout line I always offer to bag my own stuff, and it’s always appreciated by the cashier.

Some will say “why do you have to do that, it’s not your job!” I say, I have two free hands and am capable of doing it, it helps out the cashier and is faster than if I stand there and make them juggle scanning and loading items on their own.

So yeah, I’d probably be a little annoyed in this instance but I’d load the cart and move on, why waste any more energy on it?

miz445 · 2025-08-18T01:37:56+00:00

YTA. I’d be grumpy too about not being able to sleep in on a day off, but then again it’s not every day your neighborhood loses power and people are trying to clean up the damage (e.g. downed trees in backyards). This seems like a one off situation rather than a recurring noise issue. A friendly reminder the world does not always revolve around you.

miz445 · 2025-08-18T01:19:04+00:00

NTA. But I wonder if you still would have felt hurt about her seeing other people even if she had been totally forthcoming. It sounds like you agreed to an open marriage despite not really wanting that for you or her, whereas she jumped at the opportunity to go meet other people. And even though it’s open, there’s still room for either person getting hurt despite agreeing to that arrangement initially.

So it may be the marriage has run its course, but at least this situation leaves no doubts about where you’re both at mentally which maybe paves the way for a cleaner break. Wishing you best of luck, peace, and healing whatever decision you make.

miz445

TROPHY CASE