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I admit up front — it could be just me. I could be going through a seasonal down-swing in my devotion to the whole paranormal reality tv show phenomena. The shine of Jay and Grant may have dimmed. The Klinge brothers antics may be inadequate to overcome my malaise. Zaks’ hair jell and muscle shirts might have lost their edge. Or it could simply be post Thanksgiving turkey tryptophan narcosis. Whatever the reason, I have to ask — have the producers of Ghost Hunters jumped the shark with their new series Ghost Hunters Academy?
Am I jaded or is there something about the show’s attempts at being edgy that ring a desperation alarm bell? Being the gruff guy helped make Jay popular, so are they’re trying it on Steve for size? Steve has always been a bit of a scamp-in-training– in that ‘let’s see if I can trick Tango into eating this’ sort of way — so I can understand their decision to ramp him up into a full-blown hand-slapper. But still…
Ghost Hunters debuted October 4, 2004, so they are in their 5th season. Happy Days was also in it’s 5th season when Fonzie took to his water skis. But heeeeyyyyy Happy Days also lasted another 7 years afterward. With the rabid fan devotion of GH — within who’s ranks I proudly remain — I don’t think we need worry about losing our lads J&G to the gentility of running their haunted New Hampshire country inn too soon.
What do you think?
Happy Haunts,
Susan Scot Fry
Caper Company Tours LLC
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I’m with you! I admit that season 4 I wouldn’t purchase and I don’t even rewatch the episodes when they come on–what a miserable season! GH just did something anyone who understands reality TV should realize–after a few seasons, we know the routine, the bloom is off the rose, and you can’t keep doing the same damn thing over and over again and expect us to be excited. I admit that research and reality should not go hand-in-hand. I was thankful that GH had 2 seasons to get people to experience what it’s like to have the unexplainable happen to you. Many people have never experienced these things. That was a great boon for making us people who have experienced it feel a bit less crazy for going “I believe in ghosts!” The problem is, there’s sponsors and this become an entertainment venue instead of research. Now, we’re in this awful 5th season grind of same people, same routine, same instruments, same things said. This is not entertainment, but it’s not furthering research either. If I ever hear again “give me a sign of your presence” or “EVP is the recording of a disembodied voice that we don’t hear with our ears” I’m going to burst! J&G investigate together always–which makes me actually suspicious. Steve and Tango with Steven pontificating while Tango acts interested. The girls thinking they hear things but never finding anything… Same old, same old. So, it doesn’t constitute entertainment. It doesn’t grow in research with outside experts/scientists helping/new instruments and techniques. It’s like the combustion engine in a world of hydrogen cars. It’s completely obsolete. I wish they’d add a scientist to the team or someone with legitmacy including a skeptic. I’d also like them to use new technology and quit going to the same old places. Try something new–try bringing a ghost to them instead of going to the ghosts, try going to new parts of the country…anything! Just don’t make go through the mind-numbing flashlight turning on routine again!
I have to agree with you and Autumnforest. I am still on the fence about the new show Ghost Hunting Academy. I watch it and find some of the information interesting, but it just hasn’t grabbed me yet. Perhaps I am getting tired of all the ghost hunting shows and want something different like Destination Truth, my new favorite.
I’m with both Julie and Autumnforest. GH is old…they need to shake it up. To those who aren’t as interested in seeing the field progress, GH is still okay. But to the rest of us who’d like them to go back to actually trying to bring some value to the arena…boooooring!
I have some posts planned about actually how GH (and all their spin offs) is now hurting the industry rather than helping it.
Ah, well. At least it makes for blog fodder if nothing else. But I am REALLY excited about DT’s new episodes. (I don’t know when they’re coming back. I just know I’m looking forward to them!)
Great blog, Susan!
It only took two episodes for me to despise Ghost Hunters Academy. The recruits aren’t just clueless, they’re hapless. It’s not that they have minor blunders as they set up a full investigation, they don’t even have the most basic understanding of what they should do. And Heathyr covering her ears while the rest of the team talks about a location was just too much. It was like a 5 year old saying, “I’m not listening to you”.
Steve has been a pillar and a mainstay for Ghost Hunters for several years. He’s the main man when it comes to analysis, so he basically decides what is and isn’t paranormal. It makes perfect sense to give him his own show since his popularity is probably on par with Jason and Grant. But this was a terrible vehicle for that. Whoever’s running the show is trying to bring in that “Survivor” or “American Idol” feel of voting people off that just doesn’t work for me. Instead of it being a group of competent investigators who can offer some new ideas and techniques to the show, they brought on 5 goofs who don’t even know which way to point the camera. It’s like watching a bad Scooby-Doo episode.
This show is completely frivolous. It doesn’t even rank as entertainment. If this makes it a full season I will be amazed. I recorded additional episodes, I just can’t bring myself to watch them.