Tag Archives: Syfy

The Ghost Shows! Part 2: Ghost Adventures

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeGAh5ZJ9Tg[/youtube]

Part two in our series on the ghost shows that Jim kills time watching (scaring himself half to death or half to sleep, depending on the episode and program) is Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures.

The hosts/ghostbusters are three guys from Vegas, Zak Bagans (the star), Nick Groff (second in command) and Aaron Goodwin (who they sometimes use as comic relief). All three are young, hip and cool, and quite attractive.

The deal here is they, like the Ghost Hunters from SyFy, investigate hauntings – but with a twist – which is, they get “locked in” said haunted premises from dusk till dawn “without any camera crew following us around.” So they all double as camera and sound guys.

Interestingly, some of the sites visited are the same as the SyFy group, such as that Florida Lighthouse and the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama. I guess if featured on two separate Ghost shows, they must be freakin’ haunted, right?

Authenticity is similar to Ghost Hunters. In fact, there are some sequences in which Nick in particular is so freaked out by something he sees that I couldn’t possibly see how it could be premeditated acting (that sequence is actually from a haunted hospital in East L.A., Linda Vista).

What I like:

of all the Ghost shows, without a doubt the cutest bunch, from Zak who is a bodybuilder, to Nick who is gorgeous, to Aaron who’s a hot bear
For the most part, they don’t try to bring religion into their ghost hunting, which I appreciate as a viewer
there’s a nice sense of boyish fun, as if “let’s go on a ghost hunt, guys!” that permeates the show. There are many many “whoa, dudes!” and bleeped out eff words – again a nice sense of authenticity to make me think it’s not scripted.
They actually went somewhere I have been (the Bird Cage Theater in Tombstone, Arizona – I didn’t have a paranormal experience but then again I wasn’t looking for one…)

What I don’t like:

Bizarre contraptions, not one but two:
- Ghost translator: they have something that looks like a little modem which they point in the general direction of a ghost, and the ghost can interact with this device and say stuff, which comes out in a robot sounding voice. Uh huh.
- They have another device which monitors a white noise frequency within which ghosts talk and then we can hear them. Often, we hear threats directly targeting our three hosts. Hmmm.

Right. Well, maybe so, maybe it’s all true, really, but I think Oprah would have done a show had science devised a real way to communicate with ghosts, but then again, maybe that’s just me.

The Ghost Shows! Part One: Ghost Hunters trilogy

TAPS site

Awesome location for Ghost Hunting

Recently, my cousin said to me: “for a smart guy, you have really odd taste in television programs,” or something like that.

I guess I do.

Lately I’ve let the actual DVDs Netflix has sent me languish on the TeeVee (it’s the last couple of disks from the last season of Nip/Tuck… another post entirely) in favor of watching three reality ghost-hunting shows: Ghost Hunters trilogy (Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Ghost Hunters Academy), Paranormal State and Ghost Adventures.

Today’s post is about the Ghost Hunters trilogy of shows. Do I believe in ghosts? Well, maybe, kinda sorta, you know, never saw one but then I don’t think I’m one to have much ESP or other kinds of psychic abilities.

Still, like anybody, I have that part of me that likes being scared to death. So I watch these shows hoping to get that kind of rise. Ghost Hunters is based out of Warwick, Rhode Island. Jason and Grant, who are plumbers some of the time, also head up the The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) which investigates ghostly happenings in the USA and around the world (Ghost Hunters International).

There’s also one season of Ghost Hunters Academy, which is a reality show competition for best student ghost hunter, who then gets to be part of the show.

I’ve enjoyed Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International. One of the reasons is that it seems more authentic, i.e., the team doesn’t always find evidence of paranormal activity. Of course, it’s better when they do.

What I like:
- Of the 3 ghost series, these guys are the most skeptical
- Authentic blue collar, regular guy appeal
- Of the 3 series, the only one with substantial female ghost hunters
- Dave Tango – EZ on the eyes. Also Steve Gonsalves‘ sleeve tattoos.
What I don’t like:
- EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) most often are things like “get out” and “help” – If I were a ghost I’d have more interesting things to say. Also, how come all the international ghosts speak English?
- Shots of the team evaluating their ghost hunter data. Usually they are set up in a hotel conference room and we get establishing shots of them poring over video and audio evidence. This is like watching paint dry.
- Epic Fail: team investigation in Atlanta with the Real Housewives. To me, that just screamed FAKE! However, mildly entertaining, though it’s 42 minutes I will never get back.

For those who have to see, here’s a clip:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHf4WXKY4E[/youtube]

GWS: Ghost Hunters Withdrawal Syndrome!

Syfy’s Ghost Hunters

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5_RpNgxptQ]

Gosh, I was just really disappointed last night that the most recent Syfy Ghost Hunter episode with my favorite Plumbers turned ghost sleuths Jason and Grant was not yet up on Hulu! Scary chills withdrawal, major! So I found this creep-out video on YouTube, which I’ve seen before, but never fails to send a tremor up my backside… Um, watch it, if you dare.

Do you believe in ghosts? As fun as these shows are, the ghosts usually speak English no matter what country they happen to be in, and almost always say stuff like “get out,” “who are you,” and “help me” when they’re recorded on the tapes. But maybe that’s just the international language of the dead and is truly what they all say. What do you think?