Hi gang. 2019 has some major developments with ghost hunting and TV shows. Here are the 5 stories that captured your interest.
Paranormal Lockdown Cancelled & Ghosts of Shepherdstown Recast
Back in February, Nick Groff gave a cryptid message that set off the paranormal TV community. Paranormal Lockdown, a favorite of mine, got whacked and his other show, Ghosts of Shepherdstown, would have a new location and cast. Many of us clamored to find out why that happen.
We never got a clear answer from the network executives or the former cast, but it may have something to do with Nick’s new streaming network, Vidi.Space.
Portals To Hell Foot Tap
Some think it was intentional: Others say it was a simple mistake. Jack Osbourne was seen knocking a wall and claiming to hear some ghostly evidence. Katrina took off to check it out.
The Rebirth of Ghost Hunters
We got 2 revivals out of Ghost Hunters. Grant Wilson and his new team debuted in August with a show on A&E. Jason, Steve and Tango hit the airwaves in October on Travel Channel. It was good to see the leaders from the first ghost hunting TV wave again, but most people wanted to see everybody back together.
It was interesting to see how the generation that grew up on Ghost Adventures say both shows were boring. Fans of the original totally dug the new versions. Guess we have a generational split, eh?
The Most Ambitious Ghostober Ever
We got an onslaught of paranormal programming from Travel Channel in October. If you throw in A&E, there were a good 12 ghosty type shows and special that hit in time for Halloween. The most ambitious had to be Haunted Salem, a 4-hour live event from Salem, MA. It had all our favorite ghost hunters involved like Amy Bruni and Adam Berry. It ended with Ghost Adventures at The Conjuring house on Halloween night. I needed a break after that and watched some cryptid shows!
Paranormal TV Shows Hit A Rut
Well, it’s difficult to say, but many of the shows are interchangeable now. It’s moved (mostly) to dark entities, possession and immediate activity. Let’s put someone in a dark room and let an evil spirit suck on their lifeforce and all that. It’s not really about investigating anymore: It’s the scare that matters.
But now I don’t get a jolt because I’ve seen the same setup too often. I think this made the Ghost Hunters/Nation revivals more appealing. It’s just a straight investigation, like a police procedural. I’ve also found myself watching more recreation shows like Paranormal 911 or Haunted Case Files. The producers just take the ghostly encounter and remake it (with some embellishing).
I’m still excited to see what happens in 2020. Hopefully, we get more ghostly goodness that gets played straight. In a few days, Kindred Spirits returns. I’ve missed this show!
Happy New Year!