Melissa Chan: When SciFi announced that they were presenting a “paranormal investigative” series, I was so hoping that they were making amends to all those fans of the paranormal whom they have alienated with “Ghost Hunters”. However, just when all of us who are hardcore true fans of “paranormal phenomena and investigations thereof” thought that the SciFi Channel couldn't do worse with their flippant joke-of-a-paranormal series, “Ghost Hunters”, SciFi yet again takes the world of the paranormal through the commercial-ringer by presenting their new reality series, “SciFi Investigates”. During the 1990's, the reality-documentary world introduced the next-generation of “paranormal programming” with the highly-acclaimed TV series, “Sightings” and the occasional “Unsolved Mysteries” episode focusing on the paranormal. These shows spawned such series, as “Encounters”, “Strange Universe” and the talk-show “The Other Side”, all of which explored the world of the paranormal with an open-minded professionalism, staying true to the known facts surrounding each phenomena and “most importantly” utilizing the world's most credible and respectable “paranormal investigators and researchers”. The inevitable tide of change resulted in the shifting of TV time-slots and the demise of each show. For years a paranormal void existed in TV as executives were hesitant to resurrect the “old” and true templates of paranormal-reality programming and instead, attempted to make the genre their own, by trying to fix what wasn't broken.Enter the newest generation of paranormal-reality programming attempts, disappointedly filled with frivolous and incredulous content. At first, TV series such as MTV's “Fear”, SciFi's, “Proof Positive” and Fox Family's “Scariest Places on Earth” hit the airwaves to disastrous results. More recently, The Learning Channel's “X-Testers”, Court TV's “Haunting Evidence” and the newest atrocious reality-series, “Celebrity Paranormal Project”, strangely enough a product of VH-1. Then there's the ludicrous SciFi series, “Ghost Hunters” that has inundated us with programming that is not only contrived and unprofessional, but for being a “reality series”, is anything but real. A SciFi Channel staff-member recently shared with me that the majority of SciFi executives were flabbergasted at how good “Ghost Hunters” originally did and continues to do in the ratings. However, it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out that hamburger will seem like sirloin steak to a group of starved-hungry people.

With the lack of any paranormal programming on the air, the debatable success of “Ghost Hunters” gives the illusion that it is “the next great thing” in paranormal-reality shows. But nothing can be father from the truth. According to hundreds I've interacted with via Internet Chatrooms, fans of the paranormal are “up-in-arms” from the complete lack of professionalism on the series and how it gives real paranormal investigators a bad name. Furthermore, over a hundred paranormal organizations and groups that I contacted also found the series to be “laughable”. The ongoing joke amidst fans of the paranormal about “Ghost Hunters” is that perhaps its TV audience is actually the product of Comedy Central viewers straying for a good laugh ever since “Dave Chappelle” cancelled his show. However, if the redeeming value in “Ghost Hunters” is its campy-comical relief, “SciFi Investigates” will surely cause those same viewers to completely tune out, offering no entertainment value whatsoever. Either because the SciFi executives are completely disconnected from their target audience, ignorant of the facts or their egos are blurring their sense of reality, the executives continue to completely alienate the true hardcore fans of the paranormal by allowing such content on the air.“SciFi Investigates” is but the latest twisted attempt at trying to present “investigations of the paranormal”, in the typical SciFi unprofessional sensationalistic manner. SciFi Channel claims that “SciFi Investigates” is a cross-between “In Search Of” and “C.S.I.”, which is an insult to both those great TV series. The so-called “experts” on SciFi's latest reality-romp consists of four individuals who are as much experts of the paranormal, as they are Nobel Prize Winners. The dialogue and comments by the investigative team is superficial, ignorant and shallow. The team appears unfocused, and at times expresses a know-it-all attitude that not only brings light to their lack of knowledge and inexperience as paranormal investigators, but expresses an egotistical borderline-narcissistic attitude. SciFi claims that their new series uses “forensic science” and “scientific methodology” to conduct their investigations, but speaking from a professional position of authority (I am a court-certified Forensic Scientist and Criminologist), I can safely say that they are using forensic science like a third grader using astrophysics to burn ants with a magnifying glass. They appear to be grasping at straws in an attempt to appear legitimate in their, for lack of a better word, “investigations”.Like “Ghost Hunters”, “SciFi Investigates” relies on a team of “unknown characters” that they are promoting as “investigators of the paranormal”.

I am truly dumbfounded why executives at SciFi prefer investigative amateurs and unknowns “in the world of the paranormal” over the “real” veteran experts known to all those who are fans of paranormal research. While two of the four team-members have some cursory experience with UFO-related phenomena, their extremely limited experience by no means qualifies them as “TRUE” paranormal investigators unlike the reputable veteran investigators/researchers that are familiar to us all. Some of the veteran experts purposely overlooked by SciFi include, Loren Coleman, a preeminent authority on cryptozoology and field investigations of unknown creatures/new species, including reports of Bigfoot, Lochness Monster and chupacabras. Another is Christopher Chacon, a long-time field investigator and researcher trained by the elite O.S.I.R., is without any doubt one of the most experienced and accomplished paranormal investigators alive, with access to thousands of cases worldwide of the most amazing and credible paranormal phenomena of every type. Still two more are Stanton Friedman and Timothy Good, arguably the best-known UFO/Extraterrestrial-visitation experts in the world, each having conducted countless investigations and research surrounding all types of Close Encounters. And finally Loyd Auerbach and William Roll, the only two academically certified Parapsychologists in the world, both who have authored critically acclaimed books and conducted countless field investigations and research surrounding poltergeists and psychic phenomena. Although these six experts are recognized amidst the paranormal/parapsychological community as being the most-credible, well-respected veteran experts in the world, SciFi executives have chosen to feature virtual unknowns and amateur paranormal investigators. None of the “SciFi Investigates” team-members were chosen because of their incomparable paranormal expertise and they certainly weren't chosen for their looks, with the exception perhaps of the female investigator. Reasons why they prefer NON-experts range from SciFi's need to manipulate the “reality-content” within each episode, to ensuring lower budgets with expendable characters. God forbid that SciFi would actually have to pay full-price for a legitimate veteran paranormal expert only to have them come to conclusions that are not inline with SciFi's episodic agenda.

SciFi boasts that the new series, follows in the footpath of their “successful paranormal specials”, but again the marketing wizards of SciFi and it's conglomerates (NBC/Universal & General Electric) are interpreting their own polls and data and placing their own promotional/marketing spin on their creatively-fledgling reality programming in hopes of better ratings (If they believe it enough, maybe it will manifest). Lets consider the source for both “SciFi Investigates” and “Ghost Hunters”; the “SciFi Channel” (i.e. Science Fiction Channel). The very idea of the SciFi Channel producing and presenting “reality-based content” is an oxymoron. The “Fi” in SciFi standing for “Fiction”, yet they wish to present content supposedly that gives a realistic view-point of investigating the paranormal. Not only is it obvious that any content produced and broadcast by a network that includes “Fiction” in it's name, is going to value sensationalism, orchestrated drama and “controlled” reality over “true-factual reality” and “scientific methodology”, but a broadcaster like SciFi Channel who must answer to it's parent-companies, “NBC/Universal” and “General Electric”, must ensure a high-rated show by “inserting drama” and fabricating the “reality” in any way necessary. To prove this fact, “SciFi Investigates” has been promoting itself by stating it is a NBC Media Production with access to the unlimited news/media resources of NBC to support its collection and investigation of paranormal events. This is an obvious and gratuitous attempt by SciFi at further creating the illusion that the content and more specifically, the investigations are legitimate and genuine. But even a fifth-grade level student can see that both the investigations and investigators in “SciFi Investigates” is the product of SciFi and NBC/Universal “imagineering” (a term used by Disney special effects wizards) pseudo-reality content to capitalize on the growing popularity of the paranormal and the lack of content to feed the demand. If I sound angry and frustrated, “I AM”! I am one of the very few once-bona fide skeptics who after viewing the first generation of TV documentaries that deal with the paranormal and reading the follow-up professional research on their investigations, finally came around and began considering the incredible possibility that “paranormal phenomena” exists.

However, now that SciFi and other recent networks have fore-the-most-part, raped the field of paranormal research for sensationalistic ratings, I have unfortunately lost all respect and credibility for today's reality-investigative TV programming. Why today's TV executives are unable to do what veteran TV executives were able to do in the '90's, is beyond me, but it is clear that they have lost all-connection with their target audience and the millions of hardcore fans of the “paranormal” and have systematically alienated their true long-term audience by producing and presenting such rubbish as “Ghost Hunters” and now “SciFi Investigates”. My biggest question regarding SciFi's low-standard TV content, is why can't their “Reality Programming Department” produce the same high quality content as their “Dramatic Scripted Department”? SciFi has and continues to create phenomenal scripted dramatic-programming that give the major networks a run for their money, yet their “Reality Department” is a sad excuse for filling airtime. Hundreds of those whom I have spoken with online agree with all my thoughts and consider SciFi's reality line-up as a joke, with the entertainment value of QVC or the Home Shopping Channel, (no disrespect to those two channels), but the only thing you get out of the SciFi reality shows, is certainly not a sense reality, but more like a sense of wasted time.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of Unexplained-Mysteries.com

The reason Ghost Hunters is a success and the new show is a bust is that the appeal of ghost hunters is that everyday people are given role models to follow to do their own investigating and the other show does not provide this.

Ghost Hunters has provided more believability to the phenomena of spirits to the general public than the last fifty years of experts. The problem with experts is that the public is fully aware that from the beginning their field was directly tied to skewing results, either for or against.

The opening of Ghost Hunters where it shows that their incomes were mostly from their plumbing day jobs does away with the stigma of experts in being for profit believers or skeptics from the start.

I have been brought up in the paranormal community all of my life yet if I had a choice between spending a night with the Ghost Hunters or spending a night with a group of psychics gazing into the eyes of crystal skulls or reading me Tarot cards, I will chose the plumbers.

The author of this article sure has a bias against Ghost Hunters. Calling it "ludicrous", having "debatable success", "illusion" of being great. Good grief.

As a former member of TAPS and someone who has worked with Jason and Grant, I can confidently say that they are not only professional, but sincere in their desire to understand and present the paranormal to the general public. Sure, the show has it's flaws, but that has more to do with the Sci Fi channel's attempt to spice things up (create interpersonal drama where there is none). Jason and Grant have to tolerate some interferenece by the Sci Fi channel in order to get/keep their show on the air. That's just life.

I think the Author of this article has a real ax to grind and needs to lighten up. Some of the shows mentioned such as Fear, Scariest Places, etc... were created as entertainment, not as serious platforms to present paranormal phenomenon. Even though shows like these can be annoying to serious paranormal investigators (including the guys at TAPS), they're ultimately just shows meant to give kids and teens a scare and a laugh. Get over it.

My favorite paranormal show of all time was sightings. I absolutely LOVED that show, even though it became bloody annoying trying to find out when and where it would be on next, after a time. I loved alot of fictional paranormal shows as well. It's hard to choose a favorite but I must say that PSI Factor was really kewl to watch until they changed the format into a continuing saga/soap opera thing. I've never seen Ghost Hunters as I haven't had cable for, I think, 7 years now. So that's relatively new for me but I have seen The Scariest Places on Earth and that was always a good watch even if we couldn't figure out whether it was real or not.

Anyhow, we're getting sattelite in two weeks so if there isn't any good investigative paranormal shows on by now, I'll be highly disappointed. Maybe not as disappointed as I would normally be since I will be watching some other real TV programs and movies, most of which I haven't enjoyed for 7 years now. WOOHOO

I'm actually quite surprised by this, most of the comments that i've read echo the complete opposite. The series seems to be particularly well regarded by those who have watched 'Most Haunted', and find Ghost Hunters to be infinitely more believable and credible.

I would have thought paranormal investigator groups would welcome Ghost Hunters as a representation of realistic investigations by ordinary people with a genuine interest in the subject, as oppose to shows featuring famous mediums revealing all about haunted locations without a shred of evidence to back them up.

I have said before that I would like to see an investigation in a known haunted site to last more than one night. I think investigating over a course of days, during the day and evening hours, would be really interesting and could come up with some possible explanations as to what is being experienced, or actually documenting real paranormal activity.

Maybe something like this has been done before, but I haven't seen it if there is. I'm always scouring for shows and information along this vien.

I like Ghost Hunters because the plumbers seem really genuine in their quest and genuiness is hard to fake. As for Most Haunted, I watch it to see if I can detect someone moving a table or taking cues from the camera man. I actually saw this in one of their shows, but that doesn't mean that some of the sites they investigate aren't really haunted. It's a shame that a real paranormal investigation can't be done on their show. Channeling spirits and watching a bunch of people moving a glass in circles isn't what I call investigation.

The problem of watching a sight long term is expense verses results. It is true that Ghosts don't wear watches. They show up when THEY feel like it. Months can go by with nothing to show for it.

i kinda liked the new show, not as much as ghost hunters but it enjoy watching it.

Yeah, that's what I always thought, too. But the bottom line is that for some people, it doesn't matter what you put in front of them, they'll find something wrong with it

Shame she didn't bother comming to this site. Hang out in the chatroom. She'd have found a differnt tune. However, people like her tent to... over exagerate(sp) things.. make up numbers just to prove themselves right.

I bet she thinks Most Haunted is real X)

I enjoy both shows, but for completely different reasons.

As someone who lives near where TAPS operates and having been involved in many local paranormal investigations for a very long time, I find Grant and Jason very professional and also very thorough. I wish I had the level of technical support and eye for practical causes for "supernatural phenomena" that they do. As many people before have also mentioned there is a sense of genuineness that they exude as they conduct their investigations. I enjoy Ghost Hunters as a real paranormal investigational show and a benefit to the cause.

However, Investigates I enjoy because, being from Boston, I love watching Rob travel around spreading his wit and thick accent across America. With your cute forensic investigator and crazy alien buff, the show is entertaining. I dont watch this show to settle for me whether Bigfoot or Mothman are roaming the Earth. I watch it for the sheer entertainment factor.

Whoever wrote this I respect your opinion, but as someone who has been a part of many invesitgations, not nearly as scientific as TAPS , but that I still consider to have value, what exactly about the show, besides Brian being a complete tool , dont you like? There methodology, philosophy, equipment, personnel?

Has this woman ever WATCHED Ghost Hunters? I have a suspicion she is confusing this intelligent, fresh show with the dismally partial Most Haunted, because her description is completely off the mark. This tells me that she is completely unqualified to write about this subject matter. The Plumbers RULE!

However, I have to admit that the new series, Psi Fi Investigates, is lacking in many things--especially interesting stories! I find it boring; the experts are not impartial, and the resident skeptic is, at the very least, obnoxious!

I know we can't go home again--but I sure do miss the days of Sightings and Unsolved Mysteries. At least we have Grant and Jason to rely on for some solid, paranormal investigating in a relatable format.

And the award for Best Dramatic Actress goes too................Melissa Chan!

Helpful Hint: Try not to look less intelligent than the people you're slamming. When you post an actual article on a widely read website you might want to try using both spell and grammar check. That way when you try to sound really well read and educated.....you actually appear to be.

Melissa Chan was critiquing; she was not slamming. There is a difference.

She's correct; quite a few investigative groups don't like TAPS and think they've had a negative effect on the paranormal community. Of course, there are others that adore them. These tend to be newer groups that are emulating TAPS not the seasoned paranormal investigators that have been hard at work ghost hunting for years.

As for them being scientific...what is so scientific about the way they investigate? They use thermometers to measure ambiant air temperature that are actually intended for measuring surface temperature, they use EMF meters near energy sources, they mistakenly captured a thermal image of Grant because they didn't know how to properly use a thermal imaging camera. I'd also like for someone to tell me why a geiger counter would be used to hunt ghosts?

Several times they've presented what viewers think is amazing evidence only for it to come to light that they've neglected to let us in on some of the factors that should have led to a debunking or, at the very least, made the evidence questionable. (If you doubt this I'd be more than happy to provide examples).

I like the show and find it entertaining. The guys and gals are very likable. I even think they have encountered a few paranormal happenings . I just don't buy every fish story they tell.

This is where I smell jealousy. Out of all the paranormal investigators out there.. that are *real* investigators and not trumped up entertainment whores like those in Most Haunted... TAPS was chosen for tv. And it was noted by someone who worked with them in this thread even that all that drama tomduckery(Iiieeee can't swear here!) is only for the sake of TV and even they think it's idiotic.

And people have to remember. This show is only an *HOUR* long. And they tend to scrunch two hauntings in one episode... So we see *ALOT* of edited crap. Don't blame TAPS for that... blame SciFi.

Personaly I think they do a brilliant job, when SciFi actually shows what they truely do without the craptastic drama babble. I wish they could cut that out and show more of the actual work...

Her language was far from critiquing. It was absolute slandering. X)

Sci Fi Investigates is perhpas one of the worse paranormal shows ever made. You have one guy that believes in anything. Then you have Rob that was a contestant on Survivor. WTF. We need somone to bring "Sightings" back. It was good. At least they tried to use science to test things.

Sci Fi investigates and Ghost Hunters are both a bad joke on an already suffering subject.. SHAME ON THE SCI FI CHANNEL! And shame on its willing participants, the so called "investigators" who make a mockery of the paranormal and the decent people who are witness to strange events:no:

It's not slander to express an opinion on a TV show. Slander is something you can take to court. I didn't read anything in her column that reached that level. It's called free speech. If she said they robbed a bank that might be slander. I said I would provide examples of them being less than honest with the viewers but no one seems interested. Keeping your head in the sand won't change the facts.

The jealousy argument is getting old. Most of the investigators that criticize Ghost Hunters do so because they think the field of paranormal investigation is being done a disservice. Also, if all the drama is only for the show, then they've sold out the ghost hunting for fame and fortune. Grant and Jason are producers on the show. Do you think they have no input on how the group is portrayed?

Sold out or no... they're doing it to show people what real ghost hunting is. You don't have to think it is... I've seen some area ghost hunters here.. and my gods the horrible inaccuracies.. and unorganization... Yeah, tired as you are about hearing it.. it's jealousy. *chuckles*

I'm not talking about inaccuracies and disorganization...I'm talking about deliberately omitting facts to mislead viewers and using electronic gadgets that aren't useful for the purpose of ghost hunting. If you want to think it's jealousy on the part of their critics instead of addressing some of the real issues regarding Ghost Hunters, that's okay. You're entitled to your opinion.

I'd have to agree with most of the reaction here. I was a bit surprised to see Ghost Hunters thrown under the bus alongside Sci-Fi Investigates. The former seems, to me at least, to be an honest attempt to understand a phenomenon, while the latter seems to be a contrived, hack of a show thrown out there with no real attempt to investigate anything in a meaningful way. Just my take on the subject, but I can't see the two being placed side by side in that context.

Speaking personally, the TAPS guys have helped many people and groups get onto the paranormal scene. They are very professional in thier work, but they're not strict completely serious zombies when it comes to it. Is it a crime to have fun.

maybe they wouldn't let her join heh

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I found Ms. Chan's observations to be, at the least, very biased. While she tears apart "Ghost Hunters" and "SciFi Investigates", she lauds the SciFi channel's entire process for fictional stories in this quote,
"SciFi has and continues to create phenomenal scripted dramatic-programming that give the major networks a run for their money, yet their “Reality Department” is a sad excuse for filling airtime."

I do not claim to be an "expert" in the field of movie or tv show production but I have been a viewer of the horror and scifi genre for the past 39 years plus. I've watched everything from silents on forward, to include most of the 'B' movies of the post-WWII years and into the present. So, I feel qualified to say that quite a few of the offerings SciFi has produced out of their dramatic programming division are, to say the least, not even worthy of a 'C' level production. The story lines are vague, the acting is horrid and they all seem to center around a core of 20-something actors whose best feature might be only their looks. That the Scifi channel choses to fill their weekend programming with these shows just causes me to change channels all that more often. However, I do admit that programs such as Stargate 1 and Eureka do keep me coming back.

While I do not totally agree with the methodology of The Ghost Hunters and SciFi Investigates, the staff of the investigative teams show professionalism and a desire to test, in their own ways, whether or not claims of hauntings are, or are not, substantiated by their experiences. When compared to the Travel Channel's ludicrous program "Most Haunted", (who have been rightfully accused of fraudulant claims), and their "Blair Witch Project" style of filming, the other shows are definitely worth tuning into now and again. At least for this believer.

I think that the author of the article is spot on with what she had to say about TAPS/Ghosthunters. And of course the mindless minions (of TAPS fans ) are NOT going to like the article or agree with what Melissa Chan has to say in the least--but that's only natural! However, let's keep in mind, that everyone that voices an unpopular opinion in regards to TAPS does NOT hate them nor are they "just jealous" of them either, because that is simply NOT the case. The rabid fans of the show are a noticeable source of unhealthy obsession.

Especially when you take into account the fact that both of the TAPS message boards has a plethora of insanely devoted fans that attack anyone that dares to question the least thing about TAPS or the show Ghosthunters. It is absolutely insane, the way that alleged adults are behaving over a ghost hunting television show--shameful is really a better word for it actually! It is down right shameful and embarrassing to see grown ups behaving like out of control children.

I find it absolutely ridiculous that so called rational/sane individuals are losing their collective minds over such trivial things as someone expressing their personal opinions about the show Ghosthunters and are exhibiting such radical, cult-like behavior. It is actually very scary to think that one paranormal television show has produced such rampant idiocy. Like it or not, everyone is fully entitled to express their personal opinions, whether they happen to coincide with what you believe or not.

And as far as TAPS alleged "integrity", I have serious doubts about the majority of the evidence that they put forth, and for good reason. I also know people that know some of the TAPS members personally and have volunteered some really unflattering things about them. They are not the goody-two-shoes, squeaky clean, we're here to help, family oriented group that they profess to be. Wake up people and start thinking for yourselves. Just say no to the Kool-Aid.

You should read the TAPS boards sometime. Last month, Benjamin Radford wrote an online article about ghost hunting in which he briefly criticized TAPS, and the responses on the TAPS board were violent and ugly. One fan fantasized about running him over with a tractor-trailer truck. Another expressed a desire to assault him with a length of steel pipe.

Those with dissenting opinions are called "haters" and suspected of being jealous or involved in a conspiracy. The TAPS fans are a cult. They are united in blind faith that TAPS can do no wrong, and they have all the answers. Very, very scary. Let's hope that Melissa Chan and others aren't discouraged by this behavior and continue to speak common sense.

None for me thanks!


I didn't see that but I've seen it get really ugly before and have been the target myself. When they perceive anything is being said unfavorable to TAPS it becomes a pack mentality and they proceed to engage in a feeding frenzy on any poor soul that dares to express an independent thought. Scary indeed!