When will the paranormal bubble burst?
The television networks and the interwebertubes are ablaze with everything paranormal. For the last five years, due in large part to those blue collar guys Jason and Grant of the Ghost Hunters, there has been an explosion of shows about the paranormal. We have plumbers, cops, students, film makers, wanna be scientists, and even Hollywood has jumped on board. But now that we literally have everyone and their grandmother hunting ghosts on some cable network show, when is this bubble going to burst? The airwaves are saturated so how long can it sustain the pressure?
Personally, ?I think we are on the cusp of the decline of the paranormal show. I think a lot of these stalwarts will start dropping off and the latest startups won’t be able to take root.
Ghost Hunters has had a good run, but Jason and Grant aren’t doing business like they used to. They spend most episodes sitting on the couch waiting for something to happen and with all the controversy surrounding them now days they’re not even game to do a live investigation any more. With two other spinoff shows well under way, I think Jason and Grant will be heading off to the Spalding Inn once this new season is done.
Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunters Academy probably have another season or two left in them for those who still cling to the Ghost Hunters name. Ghost Hunters Academy never should have been made, and while I was a huge fan of GHI for Season One, this second Season has been frustrating, not to mention boring and annoying. The flip-flop nature of labeling locations paranormal is frustrating, while investigators like Joe and Paul just annoy me. They act like such buffoons most of the time I can’t stand to watch them. The "character" of the show has become grating. They’ll be able to cash in for a little while longer, but I don’t think these shows can bring in the numbers over the long haul.
Ghost Lab is so bad I’ll be shocked it if makes it back for another season.
Paranormal Cops is interesting but it doesn’t have enough flair to stick around. Plus, they aren’t travelling the countryside or hitting the Hot Spots like Eastern State or Waverly Hills. It would be interesting to see how they would handle an investigation at a place like that. But with only six shows to their credit I don’t think they personally have the time or the audience to give us too much more.
Paranormal State is a train wreck. Ryan has gone off the rails and each investigation is more hysterical and frantic than the last. I doubt many people would even consider him a paranormal investigator anymore. His main want is to seek out the demonic and perform exorcisms. Debunking and explaining are clearly not in his repertoire. I think his antics are costing him fans not gaining him credibility. Maybe he does have ties with the church and that’s what’s driving him, but if you look at his first episode and what we have now and they are nothing alike. This show has gone downhill dramatically. Plus, you can clearly see that Ryan thinks a lot of himself these days.
Ghost Adventures still has plenty of excitement left to carry them for another season or two. But in that timeframe, after they’ve visited the big paranormal Hot Spots what are they going to do? They could follow in the footsteps of Ghost Hunters International and visit castles and forts abroad. Poveglia was a great location and there’s plenty more like that out there. We’ll have to see if Zak and team can hold the interest of the audience in the upcoming years.
Destination Truth also has plenty of excitement and destinations left. I don’t know if there’s a shortage of urban legends that Josh can track down and never find. And his show is just as much about his wild adventures in getting to his location as it is in hunting unusual creatures. His lost luggage, broken down vehicles, strange food, and death defying climbs could easily keep us entertained for some time to come. Josh manages to incorporate adventure travel into his show so his appeal isn’t just to a ghost hunting crowd.
And there’s so many more shows out there that I haven’t even looked at.
These shows are still fun, to a certain extent, and we all like a good scare, but with so many coming at us, something has to give. More paranormal related shows will crop up from time to time, run their 6 episodes and then disappear. The paranormal is big business right now, but I think it’s going to start running out of steam shortly. There’s just too many coming at us all at once. Once the fervor dies down there will be a slew of books documenting the paranormal and all the ghost stories from these former TV celebs, so we have that to look forward to.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Ghost Hunters Halloween Special 2009
- Ghost Hunters – Season 1 – Rating – Too Damn Funny!
- What’s with all the secrecy?
- Ghost Hunters Halloween Special 2009 – It’s On!
- What a difference a year makes … It’s time to say goodbye
- Ghost Hunters at Alcatraz 100th Episode
- Are the Ghost Hunters coming apart at the seams?
- Ghost Hunters – Live From The Stanley Hotel
- Ghost Hunters 100th Episode from Alcatraz. But not live.
- More on Ghost Hunters Live Halloween Special
Ghost Hunters International – San Lucas Island – S02E12
Robb and the rest of the GHI team head to Costa Rica to investigate an island prison that is supposed to be as notorious as Alcatraz. There is the typical murder of inmates, the warden handing out brutal punishment, but there is also the reported death of both a priest and a nurse. Conditions were bad as people were crammed into small cells and in one instance a prisoner died, but no one said anything so they could keep getting his rations.
Right off the bat I have several problems with this investigation. First, the number of animals roaming around is staggering. We know for certain the place is full of bats, but I’m sure there are plenty of birds and other small animals that call this place home. Any noises and sounds they hear could easily be them. "I hear scratching at the door!" "That’s just an ill tempered boar trying to eat us."
Second is the rain and the lightning. You can hear the rain hitting the roof and sides of the buildings. Plus there is the low rumble of the thunder. This will contaminate any audio findings they come up. "Did you hear that growl?!" "Think that was thunder. Or maybe the chicken salad I had for lunch."
Right off the bat I’m already prejudiced against anything they find because of these environmental factors.
But moving past that, we have Robb and Barry investigating near the Torture Circle where Barry says he sees a pig like figure go running in front of him. However, it doesn’t show up on the thermal. They also hear the sound of a woman. Again, not picked up on audio.
Paul and Brandy go to the Slaughterhouse where several inmate murders took place. (Who thought inmates and knives was a good idea?) They claim to hear all sorts of noises. Again I ask, how is this not the rain, the animals and the wind? They didn’t capture anything.
Robb and Joe go to the dispensary where the murdered nurse used to work. Again, more claims of female voices but this time Robb says he sees someone walk across the room. The person walking was not captured on video. Paul and Brandy go to the dispensary, but they don’t see the figure either.
There is the story of a priest being murder so Joe and Robb go to the chapel to see if they can make contact. They hear a loud noise, but can’t find the source. Feral cat? That would be silly.
Robb and Joe head to the Slaughterhouse and tell the spirits they can’t get in. Low and behold the door starts shaking. A rickety door, on a worn out shack, in the middle of the jungle, on a rainy night. Wow, who would have thought something like that could happen? Don’t look now, it could be the wind!
They don’t really capture anything during the investigation, but at the reveal they have a few shoddy EVPs up their sleeves. What I find funny is that even the client can’t make out what’s being said, but after being prompted by Robb he agrees completely that’s what he hears. Robb is clearly not influencing the outcome.
With these couple of EVPs in hand Robb says the island is definitely haunted. Once again, they don’t have any truly solid evidence at hand. They didn’t capture any of the apparitions, no shadows, no clear cut voices. The entire basis for the prison being haunted rests of a few EVP recordings, which, just like every other EVP, could be interpreted as just about anything.
The place is certainly ripe for paranormal activity with harsh treatment, terrible living conditions and plenty of death, but the elements play too large a factor in contaminating any evidence they come up with. Whenever there’s bats, it makes me suspicious of any noises the team hears. And those things they see out of the corner of their eye? Yeah, that’s a bat.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Ghost Hunters International – Port Arthur Penitentiary – S02E10
- Ghost Hunters International – Quarantine Station
- GHI – Tasmania/Malaysia – Tasmanian Death Sentence
- Ghost Hunters International – Duran Sanatorium/Rose Hall – S02E13
- Ghost Adventures – The Pioneer Saloon – S08E01
- Independent investigation of the Spalding Inn
- Destination Truth – Live from Ireland – S04E09
- Ghost Adventures – Yost Theater and Ritz Hotel – S08E05
- Ghost Adventures – S08E09 – Mustang Ranch
- Ghost Adventures – Rolling Hills Asylum – s04e02
GHI – Tasmania/Malaysia – Tasmanian Death Sentence
When faced with the total lack of evidence even Robb has to admit there is no paranormal activity. The team strikes out twice with their final stop in Tasmania at the Supreme Courthouse and again at the castle in Malaysia.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying though. Robb was trying to make something happen by trying to build up some tension when photographing the noose in the courthouse. As is so often the case when working with a flash, he was just seeing a reflection he created. And back in courtroom 1 they were trying to turn those couple of bangs into something. I’m surprised Robb didn’t say they were footsteps.
Dustin and Barry holding court really made me laugh! That was some funny role playing.
And not much happened in the Malaysian castle. Dustin and Barry got a strong smell of incense but little else. Plus, that scent could have just drifted in from somewhere so it really wasn’t that big a deal.
Once again, some really neat places to visit and I’m amused by both "clients" complete dismissal of GHI not finding any evidence. They firmly stand by the place regardless. I guess they hoping for better results so as to increase their tourism revenue.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Ghost Hunters International – Quarantine Station
- Ghost Hunters International – Port Arthur Penitentiary – S02E10
- Ghost Hunters International – San Lucas Island – S02E12
- Independent investigation of the Spalding Inn
- Ghost Hunters International – Argentina/Australia S02E08
- Ghost Adventures – Double Eagle Restaurant – S14E04
- Destination Truth – Ghosts of Masada/The Leprechaun S03E10
- Ghost Hunters International – Hitler’s Ghost
- Paranormal State – Bedroom Eyes – S05E13
- Paranormal Challenge – Eastern State Penitentiary – S01E02
Ghost Hunters International – Port Arthur Penitentiary – S02E10
GHI continues with more investigations in Australia with a stop at the Port Arthur Penitentiary, a prison for British and Irish inmates. (As an aside you have to laugh at Barry and Paul’s reaction when they hear about the British and Irish ties) Apparently the paranormal activity here extends back to the 1870s. People see apparitions, have been touched, hear footsteps and have encounters on a regular basis.
When Robb, Ashley and Brandy are in the room of Reverend George they hear distinct footsteps above them. Of course there is nothing up there. Good thing it’s a calm night, no wait, it’s windy so that noise could be just about anything.
Paul is doing an investigation and the door keeps opening on him. We know it’s windy so there really isn’t much to that occurrence.
In the cell of John Gould, Brandy asks for John to come and make his presence known. She then feels something touch her and the word "Okay" later shows up on the recorder. Quick grab the thermometer! Oh wait, you left it in your other ghost hunting pants.
Again in the surgeon’s quarters, Barry hears a very loud bang. Again, it’s just the wind, but it does prove that people can hear and feel things that are nothing more than the wind. And when you already have it in your mind that a place is haunted you can really begin to believe anything.
In the same place, Barry is lying on the slab where the doctor perhaps did some unorthodox dissections. Joe says he is recording wild temperature fluctuations, but again, we don’t see the meter to confirm that. Additionally, as Barry is getting ready to leave he feels someone touch him across the shoulder blades.
Another piece of evidence is in the Commandants room where the bed curtains move suddenly. They only move once, but this could easily be a draft caused by someone opening a door in another part of the prison. A slight fabric flutter is nothing to get too excited about.
The big piece of evidence is the figure Barry caught on camera. While doing a 30 second exposure Barry captures a rather clear looking figure standing next to the building. I do agree that under normal circumstances a moving object won’t show up on an exposure that long. If anything the camera would record a blur in that area or something that might look like a haze. I’m not saying they did, but it wouldn’t be hard to artificially create a photo like this. However, it is pretty cool.
The final two pieces are the "Get Out" that is supposedly spoken as they’re talking to the inmates and the words "Payback" as Robb is talking in the surgeons quarters.
A lot of the evidence is pretty easy to debunk. We clearly know it’s windy so things moving, rattling and even the sound of footsteps could easily be attributed to that. Brandy feeling light headed when talking to John Gould can be the power of suggestion since he was convicted of doing some bad things to children. That can easily play on the mind. The temperature fluctuations weren’t actually shown to us and I always discount the EVPs now days. Those just don’t sound like anything and are too easy to recreate artificially. And shouldn’t these EVPs have accents? 
The picture Barry took is really the only impressive thing they got. Personally I feel it would be very easy to recreate a picture like that, but if we go out on a limb and believe in it, it’s pretty interesting.
Robb of course says the place is haunted so I’m sure that’ll help tourism.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Ghost Hunters International – Quarantine Station
- Ghost Hunters International – San Lucas Island – S02E12
- GHI – Tasmania/Malaysia – Tasmanian Death Sentence
- Haunted Collector – Spirits of Gettysburg and Headless Horseman – S03E06
- Ghost Adventures – Upper Fruitland Curse – S14E08
- Ghost Adventures – Poveglia Island
- Ghost Stalkers – Holmesburg Prison – S01E04
- Ghost Adventures – Old Fort Erie – S04E12
- Ghost Stalkers – Springfield State Hospital – S01E02
- Ghost Hunters International – Duran Sanatorium/Rose Hall – S02E13
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