The lowdown on Ghost shows

I’ve completed the research on ghost shows, so you don’t have to.

Ghost Hunters

I used to be a huge Ghost Hunters fan. I collected and bought every season they had, and then life got busy and judging by my bookshelf, I stopped at Season 5. I watched the show the other day, and I still have fun with it, but I’m a little bored. I’m not sure if I overdosed on Ghost Hunters all those years, or it was negative experiences I had actual ghost hunting with a team for a television show (kinda disillusioning). I was pissed when they lost Grant, as the Jason and Grant combo really worked — they would have the most ghost-hunting experiences to report on the show. Some things did grow to be annoying — when a ghost hunter would cry out, Did you see that? Since of course, we did not, we could only guess what they saw or heard vs. real evidence. Overall, though, I enjoy the personalities of the show. They have become old friends from watching back in the day when the show began.

Paranormal State

A team of college students investigate hauntings in this show. The show is now over, as I imagine, most the students have long graduated. I liked the research end of the show but there was such a darkness that pervaded each episode that gave me a headache. Everything was devil this and devil that and then they would bring in Lorraine Warren and it was ALWAYS some demonic entity doing the haunting. A big yuck for me as I prefer to focus on the more light-hearted side. The plus side on this show is I loved when Chip Coffey would come in as medium. That’s when my juices really flowed and I related to his findings or at least to his technique.

Ghost Adventures

A bunch of strapping, good-looking investigators are locked into a haunted location for the night. Being claustrophobic, even the idea of this doesn’t appeal to me. There’s very little intuition going on in the show, so it doesn’t hold my interest as much. They also seem to have many experiences where they are touched or scratched, and I find that just plain nasty. Would you want to be around living people who scratch you for no reason and are abusinve? Much less get stuck in the room with them for hours. It’s like a bad party, or most of 2009 for me.

Psychic Kids

I’ve mentioned this before on this blog that I loved that show. Talking to and validating the experiences of intuitive kids? How fabulous a premise is that! They even EDUCATE the kids on how to handle their psychic ability, which is even better. I think I learned a thing a two for myself. Why don’t they make more of these shows?

Haunted Collector

I watched this show last night about a father/daughter team who investigate haunted objects. It runs like most ghost shows, the same format, but the hauntings originate from some antique or object, rather then a spirit haunting, which leaves the show feeling a little emotionless and detached for my taste. I like a good story regarding a person. The last episode I watched involved a boxer spirit who was attached to a medicine bottle. I found that to be a vague connection. A bottle? That didn’t sit right. I think he was more attached to the boxing ring that was still there on the premises. It’s still an entertaining show, but I can’t connect to things like that.

Girly Ghost Hunters

Sorry, Ladies. I really didn’t like the episode I watched. There was one episode where the ladies are discussing the next case while riding their ghost hunter bus, and they giggle and comment, and it’s just plain awkward. It reads like a bad home movie. I was uncomfortable watching it. At least with some of the other shows, I feel the detectives have experience and vast knowledge on the subject. This feels like a bunch of girls grabbed some cameras one night on a drunken dare. It’s a “no” for me.

I’m guessing most of the shows are scripted in some way, and when they go through the editing process, they aim for the more sensationalized effect over authenticity.  If you can overlook that and just have fun watching, these shows are entertaining and enjoyable. My recommendation would be stick to the more light-hearted ones with the good stories. The darker ones will only leave you with a headache.