Surprise, surprise, Aros is talking about the paranormal. Well, I was thinking recently that I can't be the only paranormalnerd out there in NET Land. I love watching the better paranormal/ghost shows on TV (some are just cheesy, campy foolishness) so I thought I would list a few shows I enjoy and was wondering if anyone else watches these shows and if so, if you had comments or shows you like as well.



My Ghost Story: Caught On Camera (Bio)

A show that features real photo and video footage with the stories from the people involved. Some segments are mundane and nothing worthwhile, but a surprising majority of segments offers compelling visual and audio evidence of what can only be described as paranormal. Some people may find it hard to believe but I am a vicious skeptic (but believer as well) always looking to debunk obvious hoaxes first. Once I move beyond hoax theory, I look to see what would be a plausible explanation. This show has a silly amount of footage that defies logical explanation. Love it.

Aros Rating: 4-out-of 5 stars




Paranormal State (A&E)

On first glance, this looks like a campy offering of a young group of paranormal investigators looking for evidence of ghost activity. I've watched a few seasons because I was taken in by the seriousness of their leader and the stories are compelling. What gets me the most is the seriousness of the witnesses. Watching them as they tell their story, it's obvious these people not only believe in what they are saying but are changed by the experiences. A surprisingly good show. Unfortunately, the main leader and focus of the show, Ryan Buell, has been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. The show has been placed on hiatus indefinitely.

Aros Rating: 4-out-of 5 stars




Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal (A&E)

Probably my favorite paranormal show of them all. The show is all about young kids who have the ability to see spirits but have become outcasts and/or are suffering badly because of their ability. The heartache and sadness these kids feel is palpable. This isn't fake. The show centers around psychic medium Chip Coffey who is hyper-focused on helping these kids adjust to their abilities. It's a heartfelt show with yet more compelling back stories that point to the true paranormal. Chip works with a licensed therapist to help the children deal with their emotions and abilities. They bring kids from around the country with the same abilities to help them realize they are not alone and true bonds and friendships occur. It's surprisingly good televison with the heart in the right place.

Aros Rating: 5-out-of 5 stars




Dead Files (Travel Channel)

This is a creepy-ass show. Love it. The psychic medium Amy Allan is this gothic, trippy chick that appears to be highly sensitive to spirits. She is empathic...She seems to hear, see and feel what the spirits are showing her. Half the fun is watching her twitches and eccentric displays as she describes what she is seeing, hearing and feeling. Her partner is a former NYPD detective (no joke) who researches the story/house/haunting in question, completely separate from Amy. At the end of the show they get together and compare their findings with the people who are centered around the haunting. She even provides sketches of the main spirit she claims is haunting them which always ends up as a confirmation of the people's experiences and the detective's findings. One of the more creepy shows that is addicting.

Aros Rating: 4-out-of 5 stars


These are my top 4. There's a lot of sensationalistic, campy crap out there you have to sift through to find these jewels. So what say ye? Anyone have other shows they like or comments in general?

Cool stuff, I'll have to check some of them out.

Celebrity Ghost Stories is pretty cool too...

Aros wrote:Celebrity Ghost Stories is pretty cool too...

My wife watches that show pretty regularly. I've caught a couple episodes, it's not too shabby.

What actual evidence exists?

It seems to me if any actual evidence existed, it would be published in a science journal and make world news. I think people mistake orbs for dust/bugs and other similar explainable occurrences.

Like so:

http://www.skepdic.com/evp.html

MLOhawks wrote:What actual evidence exists?

It seems to me if any actual evidence existed, it would be published in a science journal and make world news. I think people mistake orbs for dust/bugs and other similar explainable occurrences.

Like so:

http://www.skepdic.com/evp.html

There are way too many unexplained phenomena out there involving the potential for the supernatural. If you don't think so, ok, but a lot of people have experienced strange things. Also, who the hell doesn't like a good ghost story now and then?

I'm not saying there aren't things we can't explain yet, but if you go looking for something then your mind is going to shape the evidence to fit your imagination. This is for example what happens sometimes when archaeologists, especially 19th century ones, made the evidence fit their goals, instead of letting the evidence stand on it's own and tell the story.

I consider myself agnostic, I don't believe in spirits but I believe in the possibility of life forms existing as energy, on other planes or dimensions, but we have no proof of this. Is it possible? Absolutely. Do we have proof of it? Hell no.

I would LOVE actual proof of ghosts, that would rock, but I have yet to ever see any. And I have seen some of the Ghost Hunter episodes and they are always disappointing with ridiculous conclusions.

If you want to find something, you will find it. That's the problem. These people go into buildings thinking there are ghosts there so they "see shapes in the clouds" if you will.

MLOhawks wrote:I'm not saying there aren't things we can't explain yet, but if you go looking for something then your mind is going to shape the evidence to fit your imagination. This is for example what happens sometimes when archaeologists, especially 19th century ones, made the evidence fit their goals, instead of letting the evidence stand on it's own and tell the story.

I consider myself agnostic, I don't believe in spirits but I believe in the possibility of life forms existing as energy, on other planes or dimensions, but we have no proof of this. Is it possible? Absolutely. Do we have proof of it? Hell no.

I would LOVE actual proof of ghosts, that would rock, but I have yet to ever see any. And I have seen some of the Ghost Hunter episodes and they are always disappointing with ridiculous conclusions.

If you want to find something, you will find it. That's the problem. These people go into buildings thinking there are ghosts there so they "see shapes in the clouds" if you will.

Well of course people are going to see what they want, that is true of anything. I think that, and I can only speak for myself, watching shows like that are interesting, and entertaining. Maybe one day they will find something concrete, maybe not. But the only people investigating the paranormal are those that believe in that. Maybe not totally, but enough to get them to ghost hunt in the first place.

Aros wrote:Paranormal State (A&E)

On first glance, this looks like a campy offering of a young group of paranormal investigators looking for evidence of ghost activity. I've watched a few seasons because I was taken in by the seriousness of their leader and the stories are compelling. What gets me the most is the seriousness of the witnesses. Watching them as they tell their story, it's obvious these people not only believe in what they are saying but are changed by the experiences. A surprisingly good show. Unfortunately, the main leader and focus of the show, Ryan Buell, has been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. The show has been placed on hiatus indefinitely.

Aros Rating: 4-out-of 5 stars

This was a good show, the wife and I watched it weekly. Was wondering what happen to it, sad about Ryan.

Anyone watch Ghost Adventures?

twisted_steel2 wrote:This was a good show, the wife and I watched it weekly. Was wondering what happen to it, sad about Ryan.

Anyone watch Ghost Adventures?

I've tried but I can't get past the host...He seems so cheesy to me. Like some shlub you would find in the middle of a meat market. I've watched a couple shows and I just can't get past him.

Ive seen one of those... but I dont know which it was... saw it here so the title was different. The pseudo science of the show I saw really grated on my nerves but as light hearted entertainment it was funny. The episode I saw was about Tombstone (of Wyatt Earp fame), and their "conclusion" was that the silver in the surrounding mountains was amplifying the psychic energy blahblahblah and causes enhanced hauntings. Pretty funny stuff as long as you go in with that perspective.

Aros wrote:

twisted_steel2 wrote:This was a good show, the wife and I watched it weekly. Was wondering what happen to it, sad about Ryan.

Anyone watch Ghost Adventures?

I've tried but I can't get past the host...He seems so cheesy to me. Like some shlub you would find in the middle of a meat market. I've watched a couple shows and I just can't get past him.

Yep, he's a dork. We call him the 'gun show' because he wears the baby Gap t-shirts to show off his arms. The other two guys balance him out though, and make it bearable.

But other than him being cheesy, it's actually a good show, they go to some cool locations around the world.

I'm surprised you rank Paranormal State so highly, Aros. I couldn't get into it, it seemed rather contrived and forced to me; and most of the "witness reactions" seemed like examples of people reacting to the atmosphere around them and the seriousness of the crew, more than anything. Stuff like this about the show just make me think the entire thing is fake, which it likely is. That doesn't mean it can't be entertaining television, but trying to disguise it as legitimate is just a turn-off to me.

I've yet to see any sort of paranormal TV show that I like, honestly. I do love horror movies, and thought the film Paranormal Activity was brilliantly done, though. (The first one.)

RolandDeschain wrote:Stuff like this about the show just make me think the entire thing is fake, which it likely is. That doesn't mean it can't be entertaining television, but trying to disguise it as legitimate is just a turn-off to me.

Problem with that link you sent me is that I could play the same game and provide another viewpoint, like here: http://www.psiro.com/index.php/articles ... inson.html. The fact is, until the paranormal is proven as fact by nothing less than legitimate science and scientists around the world, the debate between the debunkers, skeptics and believers will rage on.

Interesting way he phrased the opening sentence. "Never once have I ever been involved with any deception during my appearances on the show." What about while not ON the show?

*shrug*

Wow Roland, that's some serious straw graspin' there.

Aros wrote:Wow Roland, that's some serious straw graspin' there.

No, it's suspiciously phrased, and if anybody cared enough an attorney could probably have a good time with it in court, at a guess. I'm not trying to sway anybody's opinion here; I honestly don't care, lol. If real proof ever comes, I'll be supremely interested. Without it, it's so much dust in the wind.

The media does this kind of word play all the time, I'm not sure why you think it's grasping at straws. You see it daily.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18458_6- ... -fact.html

To me the intent wasn't to be coy in his statement. He was merely trying to paint a black and white picture for someone who appears to be a debunker. I could just as easily tell you "never once have I been involved with organized crime during my time attending Seahawks games." That is an absolutely true statement. The fact that I have also never once been involved with organized crime, ever, in my life, is also a fact but I may have felt that was an obvious statement in general.

I can't determine intent from it, I have no idea if he's BS'ing or being truthful; I'm just saying, the phrasing could have been more convincing, you might say. He phrased it in a legalese way, while then leaving a big "out". *shrug*

I get it. You're Mulder. You want to believe.

Believe it or not, I do want to believe. The X-Files is also one of the best shows ever. I think it would be awesome if we found proof of intelligent extraterrestrial life. I'm just not going to believe it without proof, or at least very strong evidence.

I miss Mulder. And Scully. Ahhh, especially Scully.

Wow, I thought that last post would really get the thread hoppin'. LOL

I'm with Roland on this one (and yea, that's like the second time I've ever written that ..). Despite my obvious skepticism about life anywhere else in our galaxy I'm anxious to be wrong.

Shocker, Ross. A real Shocker. (Just funnin')

Vetamur wrote:I'm with Roland on this one (and yea, that's like the second time I've ever written that ..). Despite my obvious skepticism about life anywhere else in our galaxy I'm anxious to be wrong.

Geez, you and I have seen eye to eye a lot more than twice.

Must just be in the politics forum it never happens!