Sumith Prasad
In the first three episodes of the second season of Paramount+’s supernatural teen drama series ‘School Spirits,’ the friends of Maddie Nears search for her without knowing that her body is possessed by Janet Hamilton. In addition, Xavier Baxter, the protagonist’s former boyfriend, is even temporarily transported to the world of the dead. To make sense of what he sees during this short period, he goes through an online discussion portal named “Weird Wisconsin,” on which many talk about their experiences with anything or anyone paranormal. Meanwhile, Claire tries to find Maddie using a social media app named Snapati. They all also use a common internet browser named InQuest!
Weird Wisconsin Does Not Exist in Reality
Weird Wisconsin is a fictional discussion portal based in the Badger State that is dedicated to supernatural entities and paranormal occurrences. In ‘School Spirits,’ the web address to the portal is “http://weird-wisconsin.com/.” However, the same won’t lead you to any forum or active website. It is solely created as a part of Xavier’s second-season storyline. However, the name “Weird Wisconsin” reminds us of Linda Godfrey and Richard D. Hendricks’ travel guide with the same title. Originally published in 2005, the book explores some of the myths, legends, and alleged paranormal happenings or figures that shook the state, including Highway 13’s Reptile Man and Madison’s Loony Lawyer.
Interestingly, “Weird Wisconsin” is also the name informally given to a collection of movies made by Bill Rebane, the filmmaker behind ‘Monster a Go-Go’ and ‘The Giant Spider Invasion.’ He is also reportedly credited as the creator of the Wisconsin Film Office. As far as the teen drama is concerned, the discussion portal must have been conceived to establish two major developments: Xavier’s introduction to the world of the dead and his communication with Nicole. After his supernatural experience, he becomes more receptive towards Maddie’s predicament, which happens when he reads the discussions in the portal.
Furthermore, the portal also sets the stage for Xavier and Nicole’s chats without them knowing the real identity of their respective chatmate. The bond they build as two anonymous users of Weird Wisconsin may turn out to be integral in the upcoming episodes of the second season.
InQuest and Snapati Do Not Have Real-Life Counterparts
Similarly, InQuest and Snapati are applications that exist only in the fictional universe of ‘School Spirits.’ The former can be seen as a carbon copy of Google without even a complete web address. On the other hand, Snapati is, more or less, a clone of Instagram with a similar menu. Its icon, however, reminds us of Shazam rather than a social media application. The production department might have created these fictional apps because of several reasons, including trademark or licensing concerns.
In reality, an “InQuest” does exist, but it is a cyber security firm that is based in Austin, Texas, and releases products such as FileTAC, MailTAC, and InSights. Needless to say, neither the firm nor its products have any connection with the internet browser in the show. In the case of “Snapati,” the social media app does not even have a namesake connection with real life beyond its inspiration, Instagram. These fictional applications and the discussion portal contribute to the world-building within the narrative of the teen drama series. Even though they cannot be used by viewers, they succeed in leaving an impression among the audiences.
Read More: Why Can Simon See Maddie in School Spirits, Explained
You must be logged in to post a comment.