Paranormal TV haunts networks

Halloween may be over, but for the paranormal television industry anytime of the year is good for a scare or two.

Just like any popular trend in TV, be sure that once a hit is apparent, you can expect a saturation of copy-cat shows to cash in on the latest TV niche — TV programs following the efforts of paranormal investigators have become such a niche.

“Ghost Hunters,” which debut on the Syfy channel in 2004, is perhaps the one show that can claim credit for the recent explosion of interest in hunting the paranormal. “Ghost Hunters” follows The Atlantic Paranormal Society or TAPS as they investigate locations that are reported as haunted. They search for evidence by using scientific equipment such as infrared cameras, EMF detectors, voice recorders and other tools thought to assist in hunting Casper and friends. TAPS founders Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson lead a team of paranormal investigators as they try to either verify or debunk claims of other-worldly encounters.

Due to the popularity of the show it remains on the SyFy channel. Now in its sixth season, it has even spawned a number of spin-offs. The show’s first spin-off, which also airs on SyFy, “Ghost Hunters International” debuted in 2008 and has enjoyed moderate success. Unfortunately, the success of the original series didn’t spread to its next spin-off, “UFO Hunters” (not to be confused with the History Channel’s show of the same name), which only lasted one episode.

“Ghost Hunters Academy,” a third spin-off set to premiere on Nov. 11, will feature Steven Gonsalves and Dave Tango of TAPS as they train a group of college students aspiring to be ghost hunters.

Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” slightly tweaks the formula set down by shows like “Ghost Hunters.” This show is centered around host Zak Bagans and fellow investigators, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin, who not only investigate supposed haunted locations, but lock themselves within those locations for hours into the night.

In their first episode, the “Ghost Adventures” crew investigated Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, K.y., a reported hotspot for ghostly activity. Since it’s on the Travel Channel, the show goes in-depth in exploring the local history and background of each location.

If ghosts don’t haunt your interests, History Channel’s “MonsterQuest” may give you that chill your spine is lacking. “Witnesses around the world report seeing monsters. Are they real or imaginary? Science searches for answers ... on MonsterQuest,” as goes the shows introduction. “MonsterQuest” focuses primarily on cryptids and mythical creatures, including the traditional favorites like Sasquatch, the Jersey Devil, werewolves and any other unknown reported creatures.

Another show that parts from the ghostly world and seeks out creatures of cryptozoology and beyond is “Destination Truth,” yet another SyFy channel program, which investigates anything from Bigfoot and extraterrestrials to haunted islands in the Bermuda Triangle.

With these shows and others such as “Ghost Lab” on Discovery, Travel Channel’s “Most Haunted,” and A&E’s “Paranormal State,” there’s certainly no shortage of shows of the paranormal persuasion with more springing up everyday.