| “ | I wanted to create a show that teaches children that our world is a magical place, that there are little adventures waiting around every corner in their very own neighborhood. The show is a celebration of kids' imaginations. But really, it's all Rebecca. | ” |
| — Sam Colton on Coffee Break | ||
Amanda the Adventurer is an American children's animated series created by Sam Colton. It revolves around the young titular protagonist Amanda going on adventures with her anthropomorphic sheep companion Wooly while asking the viewer to help point them in the right direction.
The show started in 1999 as a live-action public-access series in Kensdale, Ohio. After the town admired it, the rights to Amanda the Adventurer were purchased by Hameln Entertainment in late 2000, aiming to animate it and promote it nationally. In late 2001, the show underwent controversy following Sam's sudden disappearance and recent episode plots that concerned parents, and eventually, would have a paranormal nature around it that caused children watching to disappear.
History[]
Live action[]
After Sam adopted a girl named Rebecca, her joyous view of the world would inspire Sam to create a live-action public-access show titled Amanda the Adventurer, with Rebecca starring as the titular protagonist, Amanda. Amanda the Adventurer first aired in early or mid-1999. The show lacked a high budget, and Sam viewed it as "scrappy" but was still passionate about it. Despite its low production value, the show became a hit by summer 1999 in Sam's hometown of Kensdale, Ohio.[1] Promotion was helped by the local librarian, Kate Park, who talked about it during story times at the Kensdale Public Library, which Sam sometimes joined.[2][3]
In early 2000, Sam went on a talk show titled Coffee Break, where he was interviewed by its host, Sadie Koppen. Sam discussed the surprising popularity of Amanda the Adventurer and revealed that "some people" approached him about turning it into a cartoon and promoting it nationally, which excited him.[2] Toy-making company and television studio Hameln Entertainment would purchase the rights to the show later that year, having it be 3D animated.
Post-acquisition[]
Sometime in 2001, when Sam brought Rebecca to record lines with the Hameln Director at their headquarters, the script Rebecca read contained odd, repeated phrases, with the Director reassuring Sam that it helped "train the technology's dynamic voice reaction." Then, Rebecca heard a "man in the headphones", causing Sam to believe she was upset, expressing concern to the Director.[4]
One year after the acquisition, Sam would be abducted by Hameln and imprisoned at their headquarters.[5] Three weeks after Sam was declared missing, Hameln released a written statement, claiming that he abandoned Amanda the Adventurer and Rebecca and that they "cannot speculate on his reasons for leaving." Following his disappearance, newer episodes of the show contained subjects that started leaving parents uncomfortable, with one episode having Amanda say, "mommies and daddies aren't always right."[6]
Investigation and aftermath[]
Later, cases began occurring that had children watching Amanda the Adventurer suddenly disappear. Two known victims are Jordan Cook and Lauren, who were both seen in a trance-like state watching the show before vanishing without leaving evidence. This, along with her sightings of sigils in the episodes, prompted Kate to start a secret investigation with Caroline, David, and Peter that focused on Amanda the Adventurer and Hameln. Kate cataloged at least 40 references to demonic figures in the show, and she later concluded Hameln was a recent iteration of a cult from the Middle Ages.[7]
Rebecca was implied to have undergone a surgery by Hameln sometime in the 2000s that trapped her consciousness inside Amanda the Adventurer as Amanda. Hameln also succeeded in summoning two entities that resembled Amanda and Wooly. The creatures became attracted to the tape recordings of the show and killed anyone attempting to destroy them.
In February 2023, after at least 14 years of investigation,[8][7] Kate wrote a letter for her nibling Riley Park about passing the Amanda the Adventurer tapes onto them to continue her investigation. The older sister of Jordan and friend of Kate, Joanne Cook, went to her house to smash the tapes she collected after being told it would free Jordan. This prompted the Amanda Entity to attack, and subsequently, Kate was killed in a car crash after she fled. In her final recording, Kate claimed that everyone involved with the investigation was dead.
Trivia[]
References[]
- ↑
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Public Access Interview"
- ↑ "Sam's Library Visit"
- ↑ "Recording Booth"
- ↑ "Sam's Message to Rebecca"
- ↑ "News Report"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Occult Research Meetings"
- ↑ In the library's office, there is a 2023 calendar. The radio that plays during "Let's Practice Patience!" says it is President's Day, which fell on February 20 of that year.
- ↑ JUNE 14 NEW AMANDA GAME
