Ghost Hunters of the South

TELEVISION SHOWS

TELEVISION SHOWS SERIES Fear (MTV) Teams of young contestants, armed with video cameras and walkie-talkies, investigate a series of locations to determine if they are actually haunted. Each contestant is required to perform a dare at the site. The haunted places include a West Virginia state penitentiary, the Duggan Brothers cement factory, and the Hopkins Military Academy. Similar in concept to Scariest Places, Fear appears to be much more realistic. Ghosthunters (The Sci-Fi Channel) Full-time plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson lead a small group of researchers on investigations of historically haunted buildings and private residences at night. This controversial reality show has both enthralled and frustrated serious ghost hunters. While the show does a fine job showcasing standard ghosthunting techniques and state-of-the-art equipment, it also focuses on the sometimes contentious interaction between the investigators themselves. Because of time and budget restrictions , the group only spends a few hours at each site, often resulting in investigations that are incomplete. Still, the show does reveal haunted sites that other groups might be interested in visiting. 373 Haunted History (The History Channel) Using dramatic re-creations on the actual historic sites, each episode of this series presented a sampling of four or five ghost stories from some of the nation’s most haunted cities, such as Baltimore, Charleston, Chicago, Gettysburg, Hollywood, Key West, New Orleans, San Antonio, and New York. The episodes also include interviews with local historians and eyewitnesses. This intriguing series would be especially appealing to those ghost enthusiasts who prefer a heavy dose of historical background with their ghost stories. Selected episodes from the series are also available on DVD. Most Haunted (Travel Channel) Host Yvette Fielding and a ghost-hunting team use night-vision cameras, thermal-imaging cameras, psychics, and séances to determine if a number of European locations are actually haunted. Team members include medium Derek Acorah as well as prominent experts from the paranormal field. The combination of scientific and metaphysical techniques often produces very convincing conclusions. One Step Beyond (ABC) This early television series from 1959 to 1961 is one of the first anthologies of “true” ghost stories. Narrated by John Newland, the series includes such historically verifiable tales as George Washington at Valley Forge, Abraham Lincoln’s dreams, and the sinking of the Hood. The music, photography, and acting combine to create a truly scary series. Selected episodes are available on VHS. Television Shows 374 Real Ghost Stories (The SciFi Channel) Host Patrick MacNee took viewers to some of the world’s most documented haunted places (e.g., the Black Hope Horror, the tower of London). Not only does the show provide historical background, but it also features interviews with eyewitnesses and paranormal investigators. Viewers with a serious interest in paranormal research might enjoy this series. Selected episodes are available on DVD. Scariest Places on Earth (The Family Channel) Hosted by Linda Blair, each episode of this reality series takes a family or group of friends to a historically haunted site to “solve the mystery.” All of the participants are given paranor -mal investigative gear to assist in their investigations. The extensive use of night-vision cameras heightens the atmosphere. Although the sites themselves are fascinating (e.g., Leap Castle, Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitarium, the University Campus of Ohio, Bunnyman Bridge), the show has been criticized for staging special effects. Selected episodes are available on VHS. Unsolved Mysteries: Ghosts (NBC) Narrated by Robert Stack, the ghost-themed episodes from the 1980s series used re-creations to dramatize “true” ghost stories, which range from the familiar (e.g., Black Hope Curse, the Mary Celeste, Myrtles Plantation, Resurrection Mary) to the obscure (e.g., the Lake Wells Hunting, Moss Beach Ghost, Matchmaker Ghosts, Voice from the Grave). On-site filming and interviews with eyewitnesses are definite assets. Selected episodes are available on DVD. Television Shows 375 DOCUMENTARIES America’s Haunted Houses (2001) (A & E; 1 hour) This documentary employs interviews with tour guides and eyewitnesses as it relates the hauntings of some of the nation’s most famous haunted sites (e.g., Alacatraz, the John Bell farm, the Octagon House, the Winchester House, the White House) and lesser-known sites as well (e.g., the Brookdale Lodge, Maxwell’s Jazz Club and Southern Nights Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans, the Ghost Cat at the Capitol). A segment on psychic experiments conducted by the Rhine...