The Assassin: Tonight at 9pm Ch4

101 Comments

1. Thank you, Derren for another great show last night which had me on the edge of my seat
   Keep up the fab work, and i’ll try and get to see you in Svengali next year, if it is coming
   to Birmingham again.

   John W.
2. I do question why Sirhan Sirhan is still locked up after all thus time. Also why he has had his 14th parole attempt rejected.

   then however if you think about it “MK-ULTRA” was supposed to be a “top secret” mind programming technique and I suppose, that if they let him out of jail, then it would be like the American authorities admitting that he had been programmed to kill Bobby Kennedy.

   Derren, Perhaps your demonstration, or parts of it might be used at his Sirhan Sirhan’s 15th prole attempt. If what you did was totally genuine with little or no trickery involved then why would the authorities NOT take any notice of your work, i getting Sirhan Sirhan released.
3. Gripping stuff Derren and co. – what a performance! Is Chris really the kind of guy who, when allegedly not under someone’s control, would willingly take hold of a case with a loaded gun in it and carry it into a room full of people?
4. I really hope this whole thing was a setup as I still feel very uncomfortable about the long term effects on the young man who was used as a guinea pig. I am sure the results of such an experiment are fascinating and easy to justify for the academic world and for anyone seeking their piers approval and so long as there are no long term lasting effects for the young man involved you all got away with it…..if not??????

   To Quote Geoff Goldblum “Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”
5. Riveting TV and some very serious conclusions to be drawn. Although most of the MK Ultra files were deliberately destroyed in the 1970s, enough documentation and victims’ testimony remains to be sure that the CIA did carry out these kinds of mind control experiments and very probably used hypnotised victims to carry out real operations. It’s clear from the programme that Derren’s team has done extensive research on the methods used by the CIA, although his feat is far more impressive because he wasn’t able to use some of the more unethical techniques, like sleep deprivation and so on.

   The film, ‘Evidence of Revision’, referred to just above (by bobby J) is definitely required viewing, comprised entirely of rare archive material.
6. Wow, last night’s Assassin episode was freaking awesome! Kind of scary too though… 😀
7. Loved it. Hope it’s okay to post a favourable review 🙂

   http://tvpixie.com/tv-news/2011/10/22/derren-brown-experiments-assassin-moulding-murderer
8. I enjoyed the show, although not entirely convinced. DB has mentioned previously that people under the influence of hypnosis could not perform something that was against their moral code, and I assume murder is one of them. Surely when faced with the proposition, either suggested or not, the individuals innate sense of right and wrong would prevent the action, unless of course they already had an inclination to murder – I dunno. I enjoyed the process but was wondering why the audience, having no prior knowledge, didn’t react to the shooting, bizarre, maybe they did have prior knowledge, but it left it a little flat. Top marks for Stephens dramatic death scene, very convincing 🙂 All in all a good nights viewing, but was hoping the end would have been more random, peeps screaming etc 🙂
9. Doug – I was at the Stephen Fry talk where it all happened and we were asked by Derren not to say anything whatsoever – Not to anyone!! It would have obviously spoilt the programme if it got out so out of respect for the much respected Derren Brown we all kept stuum. And Bubbles – yes there was a ringtone. You could hear it loud and clear. There were no stooges. I am a genuine member of the public as was everbody else in the audience.
   Fantastic show as always Derren. Am always amazed at what you can come up with
10. Derren that was the most fun I’ve had watching TV in as long as I can remember. It’s everything I love about science, skepticism and magic. You worked very hard and your crew must have been very proud. The conspiratorial aspect was completely unexpected and really will have ’em talking for a long time! Showed them boffins up too haha… Not possible eh? XD

    Over at Randi’s forum we’re discussing the new series and I think it will be a heated and interesting discussion as these killer shows keep coming. I invite everyone to join us http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=222052
11. @Kelly S – One of my friends was there and he went to help Stephen, it was cut out for the TV edit. (I don’t know if someone’s already said this so sorry if someone did 🙂 )
12. @Liz: Thanks for your post and well done for keeping a secret! I meant there was no ringtone when Derren and Stephen were showing Chris what he did earlier.
13. (As someone asked why didn’t he react to polka dot dress in that scene).
14. Loved loved loved the show last night Derren. I am one of many unable to attend the Stephen Fry talk at such short notice but it was lovely to be invited nonetheless. Well done to all involved. It has created more questions than answers of course! 🙂 Hope to see you soon x
15. Watched the show last night and it was brilliant as always. You never stop amazing me. I’ve watched all your show and everyone is as good as the last. Keep it up Derren.
16. Great show but there seemed to be some inconsistencies with the hand gun. in some camera shots at the range the “assassin” uses ear protectors when firing but in others he did not. I don’t believe firing this kind of weapon without ear protection would be allowed. Also when the “assassination” takes place, the handgun is discharged right next to the woman in the spotty dresses ear. Even blanks would be a problem in this scenario.
17. This show is really interesting. I love getting into the minds of people and watching human behaviour. Very well done.
18. Well he had me there for a few minutes. As a hypnotist myself, I have often told people that they will not break their own ethical code under hypnosis. Not even a little bit, let alone assassinations.

    And I was gobsmacked by this.

    Then I sussed how I could achieve the same effect. And I am certainly not going to spoil the fun by explaining. I’m not even going to give a clue because Derren already has. To the best of my understanding, everything that was shown was completely genuine.

    Delightful, elegant work!
19. Brilliant show! I think that most of us generally behave like sheep so shouldn’t be surprised that Derren was able to do this. In fact the history of the world is full of examples of people killing and torturing because someone else suggested that they do it. But you are truly gifted Derren-and I just bought 2 tickets to your show in Dublin-hope I made this decision independently.
20. @Honor Louise I did wonder why no one did anything, it restores my faith in humanity that your friend did try to help.
21. I’m sure the ;atest episode of the current series has conspiracy theorists going crazy. I personally enjoyed the scenarios and situation faced and the effects they do have. It does show that human behaviour can be manipulated and prove those wrong who believe that such things cannot exist.

    Can’t wait for more. 🙂
22. After seeing The Heist I had since wondered about suggesting if a programme could be made testing the same theory with suicide bombers and assassinations but thought it would seem a bit strange to show that sort of interest. Glad someone else is as intrigued by these type of questions.

    Have you thought about another speicies other than the human kind to test your psychological skills on, make great tv.
23. Not that big a stretch for this to be authentic. Cant get my head round handing him a gun before like it wasn’t weird. Most amazing thing is how it could be kept a secret by the audience.
24. Why wasn’t there a second polygraph after the shooting? Or was there except the results weren’t good enough to show on the program?
25. I have no doubt that what Derren did for TV could be done for real. After all, its not far removed from normal military training really… Check out this clip of some British Army bayonet training and tell me its not at all ‘hypnotic based’… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJBJrhUv-zA
26. Adored the show, as always. As a Clinical Hypnotherapist you’ve just made my job that little bit harder, but I’m going to assume there was some shennanigans involved and will stick to my “you can’t be hypnotised to do anything you wouldn’t otherwise do” line. Well, until I read all the details of the experiment in a peer-reviewed journal, that is :-). Looking forward to the next one!
27. Brilliant programme!

    I’d love to watch it again but can’t find it repeated on sky 🙁

    Is it repeated? If so where and when.

    Thank you
    Alan

    Msg from Abeo: Details of Repeat showings are listed here: http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/nhvyd/the-experiments-derren-brown-the-assassin
28. Where did that pesky bald patch go… I know you say your not an actual wizard, but thats magic! 🙂
29. woah… just watched the experiment, while ironically, my brother watches QI xD. amazing show, i was compleately captivated.

    thanks for the show, cant wait for the next one. 🙂
30. Naturally, and as always just brilliantly and simply amazing presentation of the phenomena and the power of suggestion, thank´s a bunch Derren.
31. I thought it was great to certify in reality what is actually possible. It does raise the concern about how people could use this kind of stuff for negative purposes without our systems and structures being able to tell who the culprit was. Hope this helps to draw these concerns into the main stream.
32. “I enjoyed the show, although not entirely convinced. DB has mentioned previously that people under the influence of hypnosis could not perform something that was against their moral code, and I assume murder is one of them. ”
    I doubt it is hard to get someone to to do something against their moral code. All you need to do when they are very suggestible is suggest the action they are doing in something within their moral code. In the famous example a hypnotist left some students with a hypnotized woman and when they asked her to undress she woke up. These students were not very subtle. If thy had suggested for example that it was night, and she was getting ready for bed and was going to take a shower, they may have had better luck.
33. @sailor. Thanks for the insight, I’m sure there is a huge difference between taking your clothes off and cold bloodied murder, a ‘National Treasure’ especially. I should imagine that type of ‘programming’ if it exists, takes more than a week of tea, biscuits and the odd suggestion slipped in there, this guy knew he was on a DB show, so the outcome would have been affected. I wonder what they would have done if he had decided to go against his ‘moral code’, a few more sessions in the ice box till he complied? Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed watching the process, it’s just that the end result was predictably unconvincing. As far as separating the actors from those genuinely suggestible, the ‘acid’ test would have been more convincing with a line up of more people, mixed reactions etc 🙂
34. Mr Wonka, I do not know the answer but do I not deserve a go of your hat for knowing there is a question?
35. Jaqueline, I am not in range of the show so I unfortunately cannot see it. But it you suggest to a person they are going to commit cold-blooded murder, you would probably get some resistance. Tell them it is imperative for them to shoot that person because he is just about to destroy the world and the reaction might be different. An alternative would be to tell them the thing that hare handling that feels like a gun is really some kind of camera…
36. please, answer me truthfully. are you a wizard? deadly serious, because this means that ghosts, vampires and werewolfs are real to!
    only joking, hahahaha, but seriously.
    Loved the show, i cant stop telling my parents about it and all your ither shows, truely amazing and captivating. Keep up the amazing, wonderful, magical work and I can not wait for the next one 🙂
37. I have to ask… was this a trick??? I am sure i have heard you once say that you could not make someone do something they thought or know is wrong, even under hypnosis. I think that was for “the heist’. So how did you now suggest that this guy shoot stephen fry?? Do you think that the guy that is locked up for murder is in fact an innocent man IF in fact what you have achieved here is NOT a trick???

    Other than the millions of questions now running through my mind.. very good show.. Bit strange how people reacted to stephen fry being shot…as in.. not much going on. Is that shock??
38. I also remember Derren saying that on the Heist and as a Mentalist and Hypnotist myself i have always heard the same thing said that you cannot Hypnotize somebody to kill another person. I thought the assassin was brilliant TV and my theory ( I could be completely wrong) on how Derren achieved the end result is through the clever use of language in the suggestion. The suggestion was that when he heard the ring one he would believe he was at the shooting range shooting at a target and the final suggestion was that Stephen Fry was the target. So at the end of the day he never thought he was shooting Stephen fry he believed he was shooting at a target in the shooting range so he never thought he was shooting a person. like i said thats just my thery that could be completely wrong lol.
39. If you remember, the technique used implied that he was indeed shooting a target at a range, this would not imply to the candidate he is doing anything wrong, Stephen fry just became the visualised target of “the firing range”. If you catch my drift?…
40. Fascinating. Really impressive. Well done Derren, one of your best and most nail biting shows yet.

    It makes you wonder though that, if this is really possible, without any tv-style tricks, then where do we go from here?

    If this is possible, then it’s very probable that the CIA did do what they’ve been accused of doing. So, if they did do it, that means the US government have been prepared to use their own citizens to do their dirty work for them, have been lying about their actions all this time (no great surprise there though) and perhaps should never be trusted again.

    So where do we go from there and who was really behind the killing of Robert Kennedy?

    But then, if there was an element of TV trickery all bets (and conspiracies) are off, I guess.

    Gazzelle
41. I’d just come back from the pub, so I can’t remember all of it. I think it was good, wasn’t it?
42. of course we hypnotize people to kill it’s how armies are trained it’s not hypnosis in the spooky trance like way we think hypnosis is. What do you think Drill training in the army is about it used to get people into a state of mind where they follow orders immediately and with out question and being in a state of mind where you will follow another persons orders with out question is hypnosis whether you are in a trance or not .
43. Hi Derren, Firstly really cool to have discovered you have a blog! Second, I watched this show the other day and was very impressed.
    I am most fascinated by the snap hypnosis you performed on un-prepared candidates, this is really bizzarre. I keep wanting to try this on people to test if it really works, but I don’t like the idea of dealing with the outcome whether it works or not, – I’d love if you could write more about this in a blog (though maybe you’ll want to write it in a book I should go and buy, I’d understand)
    Glad to see your new series is on TV and looking forward to Svengali 2012,

    Sean
44. Sean, have you read Tricks of the Mind by Derren? He explains a little about hypnosis and quick inductions in that book (like how he found out he could do quick inductions when, as a student, he mistakingly thought he’d hypnotised a certain subject before).
    But really, he’s not the only hypnotist doing this, and I’ve seen demonstrations at show hypnosis lectures before. The expectations of the subject can play a role — if he or she expects to go into a ‘trance’ at a certain cue (due to his or her preconceived notions about hypnosis), it can happen that fast. Also, the ‘pattern breaking’ (handshake and grab) puts a subject in a receptive, suggestable state, as I’ve experienced from the subject end myself — you do totally soak up what you’re told and it seems to make absolute sense.
45. sorry if this has already been mentioned – am in library and don’t have time to check the last few comments. But Chris didn’t really act immorally to himself as he believed he was firing at the target. Will read and post more later.
46. Darn it sorry, people had already said what I said! Must admit it did seem odd that Chris didn’t mind taking a live gun to Derren but I suppose he might have thought it was for more shooting practice or something!
47. oh yeah, was thinking that someone like Sirhan Sirhan would not have willingly been hypnotised(?), so that could make a difference to the credibility of claims that he was in a trance. Hope that makes sense!
48. If you can’t stop yourself being hypnotised like this then what regulations are there in place to safeguard the public from unscrupulous people using this technique in hard sales to make you sign over money/property???
49. Love the live shows and have been to many but if truth be told I just wasn’t impressed by the assassination show.
    Granted the show will have been made slick and polished in the edit but the authenticity was summed up with one of the final comments “… the audience has absolutely no idea of what could happen”
    If an audlence saw the “national treasure” that is Stephen Fry assassinated surely there would be concern, perhaps a few rushing the leave, maybe even a concerned few shielding their loved ones or a few cowards shielding themselves?
    Instead what did happen was that two thirds of the audience were smirking in the frame immediate after the shooting they all didn’t know was coming and it didn’t look like a nervous smile or smirk either!
    Showmanship and misdirection or misrepresentation? Sorry Derren, huge respect for you but not on that one
50. The Assassin may very well be my favorite of everything that Derren has done. It is so thought provoking