What is wrong with the ghost shows!?

I used to watch a lot of the ghost shows on TV like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. Now, I'm just disgusted with them.

Whenever you watch the shows, they often find some trapped spirit in a house or building. They basically then bully it and ask question. The main "tough" guy on Ghost Adventures then taunts it, and then when he sees something he screams and runs. What really bothers me is that they do nothing to help the spirits. They know they are lost souls, and some have even asked for help. Yet they do nothing! They simply harass it, and then leave while the spirit desperately wants to move towards the light.

One cruel scenario was at the Whaley House in San Diego. The police were dispatched because they saw a women on the back of the house crying. In the end, it was a troubled spirit that is trapped in the house. Now if there a spirit troubled enough to have the police come, they can at least try to help it move on. No, instead they make money off of selling admission tickets to tourists trying to see the spirits in distress, yet they know the spirit is trapped. Imagine if you were a trapped spirit. First, it would be very difficult to communicate that they need some help. Then, you get a person who knows that you are a grounded spirit, and does nothing. I understand we all need to make a living, but these people need to have a heart.

Anyone agree?

reply to post by yayap3


Yes, I absolutely agree, 100%! Ghost Hunters used to be my most fave show and I NEVER missed an episode, but now I don't even watch it. I am a ghost hunter/paranormal investigator myself and I'm very passionate about it. The turning point for me was when I was watching Ghost Hunters and they were doing the show in California in the house that was reported to be haunted by two of the victims of Charles Manson. They got an EVP of a woman saying "Take, take... take me to the light!" This was a very clear EVP and it was absolutely heart breaking. Grant seemed to be sympathetic, but you know how Jason is... he didn't seem to care. I mean, it was obviously an intelligent haunting... not just residual, and it needed help and I truly believe that. It wanted to move on and didn't seem to know how. Maybe they did try to help, but just didn't do it on air, but I doubt it. That's when I started slacking off of Ghost Hunters. The last time I watched, some of them still seemed passionate, but I think Jay is just getting bored.

People that don't believe in ghosts will probably think I'm nuts and they can laugh all they want to, but I really feel for trapped spirits. I mean, they used to be people too and it has to just flat out suck being stuck in between worlds... or whatever it is they are. I would love to be someone who could help spirits cross over, but I don't know how. Maybe I'll look into that.

what makes you think ghosts are lost souls? personally I dont think they exist, but they could easily be demons or evil souls who want to stick around and cause harm. I think they need to step it up and try and capture a ghost in a magic circle and make it do things. now that'd be some good watchin' y'all!

I used to love watching Ghost Hunters but the Halloween special did it for me.

www.youtube.com...


And another thing I saw is one episode where they used the K2 meter I think that’s what it is called. But when they show a close up shot of it, it looks like there is a penny stuck in the top near the lights. So Grant asked some questions to see if any one was in the room blah, blah, blah; wave your hand in front of the K2 meter to flash to lights for yes. So after all the questions they determined that it was a little girl. And then it goes to commercial and when it comes back on they are in a different area. It was like Ok we made contact and end scene.

[edit on 9-8-2009 by bigvanhorn]

I've actually worked with the ghosthunters crew, I can tell you, it's entertainment only. Don't take it to be serious real stuff. They put on a show and lot of things get rigged to happen.

They're some great shows though, lot of fun and though provoking. But just don't take them as real. Just as the whole John Edwards show was for entertainment only, they both had the same preshow or postshow flash on the screen explaining it pretty much, just they only left those flash warnings up for couple seconds, so most don't ever read them.

reply to post by Cito


Thank you, Cito! Care to elaborate on how they rig stuff to happen? Where did you investigate with them? Don't worry, I believe you! I'm just curious as to what they do and how they do it. I think you are the only person I've ever gotten a chance to speak to that has investigated with them.

IMO, Ghost Hunters started out as the real deal, but as soon as they got some fame, things started seeming a little too good to be true. The reason I say this is that they used to have shows all the time where they would find absolutely NOTHING and would say so. Now, it's been a few months since I've watched even a single show, but before I stopped watching, it seemed that they were finding "evidence" in every single place they investigated. That is why I'm interested in what you have to say.

reply to post by yayap3


I can't say anything about Ghost Adventures because I've never seen it but on Ghost Hunters the main purpose of TAPS is to put the minds of the living at ease by proving or disproving the haunting.. They have repeated it ad nasuem on the show, they are there to help the property owner and do not believe that there's a way to 100% communicate with the spirit. Jason and Grant seem skeptical of psychic new age mumbo-jumbo and rightfully so because they are working in a field that deserves SCIENTIFIC study and not a whole lot of silliness.

Helping the spirit assumes that we even know the first thing about what a ghost is and where they come from when honestly we are just guessing at this point that they are spirits or energy of the deceased.

As for the investigation method of provoking a spirit I've got no problem with it, it may seem a bit rude to upset the "dead" but how else will we find proof for a phenomenon most people scoff at?

reply to post by Totalstranger


Honestly, TotalStranger, I'll admit that I really don't know for sure that they are lost souls... that is just what I believe them to be. The reason I think this is that I have been on some good investigations and found good evidence and nothing tried to do us harm. We did have one experience that I call a bad experience, but it wasn't that anything was really trying to hurt us. It just decided to tag along when we left, lol. I think it was really desperate to communicate though. I do believe that demons exist and can communicate the same as ghosts, but thankfully, I've never been in touch with one, that I know of. Everything I've ever experienced seemed kind. We've never even gotten the "GET OUT!" EVP that so many investigators get.

I know there are lots of theories out there as to what ghosts really could be and I can't say with 100% certainty who is right... if anyone, but I think that if they were out to harm people, they've had plenty of opportunities to get me by now and they haven't.

reply to post by Titen-Sxull



Well said, Titen. It doesn't bother me that much when they try to provoke a spirit that is reported to be mean. I'll admit that I tried provoking once and I felt so bad afterward that I swore to never do it again. But anyway, it's just when they try provoking for the hell of it that it bothers me.

I do like that they go the scientific route and try to debunk first and then find proof. The show just seems different now than it used to be, although I have to admit that the shows did get better when they stopped using half of the episode to show them arguing with each other, lol. That got old real fast. They do some fascinating stuff, but I just can't get into it like I used to. Maybe I'll try to watch an episode this week and see what I think about it. I do appreciate that they don't drag along a "psychic" to each investigation to try to communicate with the ghosts, but I just wish they would have someone along that could help the trapped ones cross over, if need be.

Some of the shows know that the spirit is in distress, and yet do nothing to help them. I think a good investigative team should help the property owner and the spirit. The spirit is a human that lost its body in most of their cases, so they can feel suffering too.

[edit on 9-8-2009 by yayap3]

I think on the shows when they are arguing with each other it means they didn't find anything interesting and needed to fill up the time on the show with something.

I agree that with five seasons under their belt, I've yet to see them once try and help a spirit. Every episode ends with them saying, "Sure, it may be haunted but it's not hurting anyone so lets leave it alone."

Every episode ends like that.

Just once I'd like to see them call in a priest or psychic or Shaman or Santa Clause if that would work, and help out the spirit or soul that needs to be set free.

I guess there's no money in helping the spirits, just in exploiting them.

The problem with these, obviously faked ghost shows is that they are totally reliant on things happening, and since they only last an hour and usually contain one nights investigation, you can be absolutely sure they resort to fakery. I used to investigate hauntings and in some cases you would be at a persons house for months. Sometimes it would take weeks or months just to hear a slight noise or capture something on camera.
I dont know about the USA but here in Blighty there has only been one show which dealt with the subject properly. It was called, Ghosthunters. It showed interviews with witnesses, photographs etc, and then professional opinion from both sceptics, spiritualists and the investigators. It was truly brilliant. Shows like Most Haunted have set the serious investigation of hauntings back by decades due to their fake seances, stone throwing antics and over the top acting.

reply to post by bigvanhorn


Yeah, the Halloween episode ruined things for me as well. Up until then it was one of my all time favorite shows. I now question all "evidence" from all shows.

The ghost shows just make us all look like idiots. If you went up to someone and said I'm a ghost hunter, they're going to associate you with some idiot like on Most Haunted. I suspect that it is one of the purposes of those shoes, to spread disinfo and misconceptions about people who are seriously interested in spirits and the paranormal.

The main guy on Ghost Adventures is just stupid.
"Are you here?!! I'm tough you can't hurt me!!!"
Slight noise
"OMG! It tapped me on my shoulder. We gotta get out of here now!"



[edit on 9-8-2009 by yayap3]

lol! I still watch them though. Can't help myself.

Most Haunted: This is the worst one. They go into the dark property and scare one another to death. Like Mint said, the seances and rock throwing is just silliness.

Ghost Adventures: That guy, is it Zack? He acts so tough, and demanding, like "hit me, come on big bully, hit me". Then yes, he absolutely panics, cries, and runs like the wind when something happens. It's hilarious.

But I like Ghost Hunters.

Hm. I want to add that I don't care for the disrespect. They have no idea what this person was, or who this entity is, what it has been through, or why it remains. If it's intelligent, I would assume it's not really thrilled.

And I'm always thinking ...who are you to speak this way? If they live there, then YOU are the visitor. They have the information YOU want, so why be disrespectful?

I do find that approach very annoying. It's intrusive. imo.

Totally agree. The spirits are people too!

Another thing that bothers me is that after they do an EVP session or K2, etc, they often say, if you answer this we'll leave you alone. Then if the spirit does answer they don't go. They never uphold their agreements. If you say you're gonna leave, then leave.

What I find frustrating is the camera work... they need to aim the camera out into the room instead of whipping it around when someone exclaims that they "saw something move over there"...duh...have the camera already aimed out to the room instead of on the ghosthunters back or face. I know they need to show the individuals, just cut some of their camera time.

reply to post by Mintwithahole.

Shows like Most Haunted have set the serious investigation of hauntings back by decades due to their fake seances, stone throwing antics and over the top acting.

Exactly! That show has to be the fakest one on air. And what absolutely kills me is they hear a noise and start running and screaming. C'mon, if you don't want to run into a ghost, don't go looking for it to begin with! I doubt that the majority of the time, they're running in to ghosts anyway, though. From what I can tell, it's mostly for show... especially the guy that keeps getting possessed, or does channeling or whatever he calls it.