When Travel Channel announced Destination Fear season 4, I figured it’d be a pretty standard affair containing what it always does. That is to say, start dates, episode names and locations, and something to the effect of how it’ll be the scariest season yet.
Season 4’s announcement did contain all of that, including the promise that, yes, the Destination Fear team would level up their fear experiment in their darkest, most terrifying road trip yet. Emphasis on the “darkest” since Dakota takes away everybody’s flashlights.
Say what? For the whole season or just while investigating one location?
Since I knew others were wondering the same thing, the no flashlights question was the first one I asked when I spoke with Dakota Laden, Tanner Wiseman, and Alex Schroder about Destination Fear season 4. But we also talked about what inspired his decision to take flashlights away, the location that felt like a horror movie come to life, how Trail to Terror influenced at least one of this season’s location picks, and season 4’s G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) haunted location.
After talking with them, I was convinced this truly might be their most terrifying road trip yet. Not just for fans to watch but also that they’ve personally undertaken. It’s also a season it seems Alex had a lot of influence on in his own way. (Don’t let his nice face fool ya’. He’s got an ornery streak! Or a “dark side,” as he put it.)
Here’s a summary of our conversation. If you want to listen to the full interview, it’s also embedded below.
1. The Goal of Taking Away the Flashlights
Kudos to Dakota, Chelsea, Tanner, and Alex for finding a way to ramp up the tour de terror this season. No flashlights will do that, but where did that idea come from? And will it only extend to one location this season or to all of them?
Dakota explained it was all thanks to Alex. In season 3, he took away everybody’s flashlights. (Episode 6, “Oddfellows Home.”) Afterward (when they all survived the night), they all agreed that definitely ramped up the scary factor.
Or, as Dakota summed it up, “Going into the season, I wanted to do something to amplify the fear more than ever before. So taking away our flashlights from the very start of the season was the goal.”
2. No flashlights all season long?
Yep.
As Dakota put it, “It brought about some near-tragic accidents, but it was awesome.”
3. Did Tanner find the G.O.A.T of all haunted locations this season?
The episode description for the season’s fourth episode, “Old Historic Harriman Hospital,” declares that Tanner may have found the G.O.A.T. of all haunted locations when he picks out a deserted Tennessee hospital for the next stop.
That’s why I asked if he found the winner, winner chicken dinner of haunted locations this season in that one.
Maybe.
Tanner explained it was one of those special places because it’s never been seen on TV before. It was also massive and scary —and perhaps massively scary. He said it made them scream a little bit.
Which caused Dakota to interrupt him and question, “A little bit? A lot of bit!”
4. Speaking of the scream factor…
Was there any place that won the prize for inducing the most screams?
They all agreed that was a tough question, and each location prompted screams for different reasons. However, Dakota explained that the first location had a bunch of terrifying moments they weren’t ready for.
5. Cresson
Another first this season involved the location featured in the first and second episodes, “Cresson Sanatorium and Prison.” Part one airs as the season premiere on November 25. Part two airs on December 2. It’s the first time they’ve split a location up this way.
Part two especially piqued my interest because of the episode description:
Dakota Laden’s diabolical dive into darkness continues when he blindsides the team with a double dose of terror at an abandoned Pennsylvania sanatorium. Can they handle a night in the cell block where one of America’s most horrific serial killers was housed?
The serial killer, Joseph Kallinger, was not actually a serial killer —but he may well have been on his way when he was caught. He did kill three people and tortured others, though, and, in general, was not a nice guy. Dakota explained Kallinger died in his cell in Cresson, and it was among the places they investigated.
Was Cresson’s cell also one of their picks for a place to sleep at night? Of course! However, Dakota said it wasn’t the scariest location. The person who got the tunnels had it the worst.
I didn’t press him to find out who that unlucky soul was. I knew what he was doing. Teasing so we’d tune in to find out who it was. Well played, Mr. Laden.
Dakota also said on night one they focused on the sanatorium, then on the prison in part two. Ans that the sanatorium investigation was so creepy and terrifying enough, but the second night was straight out of a horror movie.
6. Return to Ashmore Estates: Why Alex Picked It
Again I will refer to an intriguing season 4 episode description, “Ashmore Estates” (episode 6).
Alex Schroeder has a big surprise in store for Dakota Laden, Chelsea Laden, and Tanner Wiseman when he takes them back to a decrepit Illinois poorhouse so scary that they swore never to return. But will tragic new information about this location force the team to re-evaluate the haunting?
I knew better than to ask what tragic new information they learned. That’s what you call a hook to make people want to watch the episode. But I could ask why did Alex make them go back there.
His answer made a ton of sense: because he hadn’t been with them on the Trail to Terror route. After hearing them all talk about it, and even seeing some of the raw footage, he wanted to experience it for himself.
7. Will there be a live stream before the premiere of Destination Fear season 4?
I Twitter-stalked #DestinationFear to see if fans had any questions I might not think to ask. A few did. Namely, would the team be doing a live stream prior to the season 4 premiere like they apparently have in the past.
Dakota didn’t have all the details, but he said they likely would do a live stream somewhere. He wasn’t sure if it’d be on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or a combo of some or all of them.
But they’re all active on their socials and really good about keeping everyone informed of what special things they do. That’s the best way to find out more about how to catch any live stream they might do.
Follow the team on Twitter: @DakotaLaden, @ChelseaLaden, @Tanner_Wiseman, and @Alex_Schroeder4.
Follow @TravelChannel and #DestinationFear on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for additional content and updates.
And check out @discoveryplus on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The Full Interview
For More Info
Destination Fear season 4 premieres with “Cresson Sanatorium and Prison, Part One” on Friday, November 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel. It also streams the same day on discovery+.
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Do you think you could sleep alone in a paranormal hot spot zone in a haunted place without a flashlight?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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It’s all fun ‘n’ games till someone trips and really hurts themselves OR there IS someone else at one of those sites and it gets truly dangerous. This sounds so dangerous on so many levels and is foolhardy. I wonder what their insurance company thinks of this.
Without flashlights? Nope, not me. Those guys are brave!
That’s actually a really great question, Maria! I have a feeling they do a thorough search of the premises before they film but don’t show it on TV. Because you’re right. It’s pretty dangerous. And I wonder if it’ll lead to others trying to copy cat and getting really hurt. As a Virgo, I’m disappointed in myself I didn’t think of it from that light to start with! lol
Big nope from me too. Maybe I would sit for a little while in the dark but that would be me turning off my own flashlight, not having someone take it away from me and sending me off to my place to sleep for the night.
I’m a klutz and those buildings are old. Having a means to illuminate your surroundings and your path of transit are kind of crucial – because I KNOW I would trip and end up with an injury. (I tripped in broad daylight twice and wound up fracturing the same ankle both times, so you see….) And wasn’t there one of those old buildings they were camping out in last season that they had to bug out early because someone else (at least one, maybe two) was there? I remember that clearly because they were more freaked out by another living person being there – than by any supernatural presence. Wildlife tends to get into those buildings as well it looks like. Rabid animals anyone? It’s so risky, even without taking away the flashlights.
Oh Maria…YIKES!!!! Yes. Now I see why you would for sure want light!
And YES! I was thinking about that episode too from last season where, you’re right. Someone else was in there and they left. But also what a great point about the wild animals…or what if there were snakes! EEEEKKKK!!!!
So yeah. Dramatically it’s scarier but there are definitely some issues with it from a practical standpoint that just don’t make it smart.
This stupid “no flashlight” thing has nothing to do with dorky Dakota and his, just as goofy, sidekicks. They (The Travel Channel) were getting a lot of slack from the fan base, actually asking Travel Channel to shut them down, because of the nonsense tied in with the show. I was reading it all over the Internet. The problems being that, primarily, the first half hour was piddling around in the RV and then going to some quaint diner on the side of the road to eat and quibble about the place they will have to visit later on that evening … and then doing something totally irrelevant like zip-lining or whatever, take your pick. By the time they get to the location, it’s still dusk, but there are only fifteen minutes left of the show. They walk around together, “investigating,” for five of it, and the other ten is spent with five minutes of drawing from hat and crying and moaning and being upset about what locations they have “sleep” in alone, and then going to said location for a couple minutes and screaming for someone to come and get them because they’re too scared. Unbelievable! Really bad show. The first season was marginally good, and it’s all been completely downhill since then! Can’t really blame them, though. I believe this was the fault of the Travel Channel production team, who has made mistake after mistake after mistake over the last six years; the worst was to EVER get rid of The Tennessee Wraith Chasers. What an absolute travesty! They were the best, and now they’re gone! That was the worst thing that happened to that channel, and I have never looked at it the same way again! Now they think they can regather their lost audience with Kesha, Jack Osbourne, and some jokers called Ghost Brothers who don’t know thing one about Paranormal Investigating. Another big mistake is Nick’s fairly new show which has been showing in the UK only, “Death Walker,” is exceptional; one of the best I have ever seen. (Had to get access through torrents). The whole premise is different, and the dude has serious balls! I mean SERIOUS! Not bashing the following guys, but there is no overacting like you’ll see a lot with Zak or Aaron or Billy. Nick, man, he’s tough, on the ball, highly attuned to what he is doing, and extremely skilled and knowledgeable within his craft. The kicker is that Discovery+ will simply NOT show it in the US, which was what they did to him and Katrina with the last two season of “Paranormal Lockdown,” another excellent show that should have never been cancelled. He has tried and tried to get his show to play here. He even started his own video service to help his U.S. fans get access, but that really hasn’t panned out very well. I think it is or was called Vidiplay, or something like that.
Anyway, get this, I contacted Discovery in a chat box and asked them why all this with Nick is going on. The guy said something like, “Oh, we try to keep shows that are more from a certain area showing in that area.”
What?
I told him that I’m not an idiot, and he’s not fooling me. I proceeded to inform him that Nick is from the U.S. and “Death Walker” is showing only in the UK, while Gail Porter is from Scotland, and her show, “Spooked Scotland,” is only showing on Discover in the U.S.. So how does he justify that? Having been beat, he quickly closed the chat! It’s a big mystery, and behind said mystery are a bunch of executives who know absolutely nothing about business. I carry an MBA, and I watch this new generation screwing up companies every single day. The thing is, I am on the outside, and I can SEE, just by business acumen and sheer discernment, the turmoil roiling in the inside because they are lost but will not accept the help of those who truly see the way for them to help themselves. It’s a damned shame! The only thing I can think is that there is a rift between Zak and Nick that is so deep that Zak has somehow managed to get the Discovery Channel to keep Nick off any of the US Discover Channels, even Destination America. But that’s just a guess, so please don’t quote me on that.
If we could only have Nick and the Wraith Chasers back on TV in the US! What a blessing that would be!
I wish there was an edit button. I made a couple mistakes typing that up. I was on a roll of passion, and didn’t go back to edit my post. Sorry about that.
No apologies necessary, Troy. I appreciate being possessed by passion! lol
I think Zak must have some sort of contract to keep Nick’s show off. I’m shocked it still isn’t playing in the U.S. Or maybe Nick did it when he started his own streaming service, which, you’re right. Never really took off because streaming wasn’t really a thing then. I mean, it was. There was Hulu and Netflix and what not, but not like now. And sadly he may offer some quality shows but not like what you can find elsewhere so…I think that hurts him. Because people can’t pay for every streamer and have to pick and choose and if they have non-para people in their household, it’s harder to justify that expense.
Anyway…I would love to get to talk with him about it but I probably never will. And maybe he wouldn’t be able to say but I’m sure there are some politics involved.
And I’m not sure what happened to the Wraith Chasers. They’re still going strong doing ghost hunt events, but I can’t find anything out about any new show. Which is surprising because people did seem to love them. Although, there were also a bunch who cried foul on some faking evidence shenanigans one of them got busted for. (I can’t remember which one. Chase maybe? I’ll have to look that up.)
So not sure if that’s what happened there.
But if I find out, I’ll write about it. lol But I have a feeling since you’re pretty in-tune with everything you’ll know before I do and maybe you’ll be the one to tell me and then I’ll write about it! lol
I think what’s keeping Destination Fear on is Zak’s “Producer” connection, so they had to try something “new and different,” because, like I said, they were losing viewership hand over fist. Concerning the Wraith Chasers, the only two I see anymore on their website are Doogie and Scott. Scott does regular Live Talks with their fans, and Doogie typically does live Events. I don’t see Chris, his brother, or Mike, the guy who took Chasie Ray’s place. Also, you may be right. Chasie Ray left after the first season, I believe of, “Ghost Asylum,” which may mean he was the guy who got busted faking evidence. I did hear that that occurred, but they (TWC and Destination America) did a great job covering it up. Really, though, they were expected to come back and do another season of “Haunted Live,” and it never happened, nor did they ever talk about it on their Facebook page. Then the two brothers just slowly stopped showing up on their Facebook; just hear and there and then gone. Strange, really. Makes me wonder what they do for income now. A guy can’t live off of reruns forever.
Hey Troy. I’m sure it helps Zak is one of the producers, but it wouldn’t keep the show on if people weren’t watching. Which where are you getting your numbers from? DT has a pretty stable viewership. (And amazingly Wikipedia details viewers numbers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destination_Fear_(2019_TV_series).)
And you’re right that really only 2 of the Wraith Chasers are out and about, but it looks like it’s Mike and Chris. They did a Wraith Tour in 2022 that looks like it’s continuing again in 2023 because they’ve got loads of appearances and events lined up. They do a lot with Tennessee-based Ghost Hunt Weekends. Here’s a list of all the places they’ll be next year: https://thewraithchasers.com/events
Doesn’t answer why they’re not on TV anymore, but they definitely are still cashing in on the fame they did have. And all this reminds me I really need to write about a post about them because if you’re wondering, other fans must be too. And maybe one of them has more info about why they don’t have a show anymore.
Veritably, Doogie just pulled off a live sold-out investigation event last summer that I wanted to go to. I have never been to a TWC event, but I have been to those types of events, and they aren’t a whole lot of fun from a “ghost-hunting” standpoint, actually. And that is due to the fact that there are just SO many people in attendance that it tampers down the supernatural activity almost to a point of nonexistence. It’s noisy, crowded, and slightly uncomfortable in some enclosed spaces because most people who are there have no idea what their doing; they are more like tourists or trainees than actual down-to-earth paranormal investigators. You can’t really turn off the lights and use night vision cameras. The over-abundance of people contaminate the investigation terribly. The “fun” comes from just hanging around like-minded people, I guess. So, on the whole, it’s more of a get-together than a ghost hunt.
Okay, I have checked out the link you had provided, and did a bit more research on top of that, and this is what I have deduced. Typically, Mike and Chris have events together. Doogie does events alone or with a guest that was not on the show. Porter does events with his wife, but mostly, he just streams and stays in touch with the fans on a more personal level. Brannon is gone altogether, as is Chasie Ray. All of them, when putting on events, usually have special guests, like Dave Shrader from the Ghost Adventures Paranormal Challenge, then the most excellent, and now sadly, canceled, show, The Holzer Files, and most recently, Ghosts of Devil’s Perch, along with various other people, like comedians and what not. Here is a recent photo (October 20) of Doogie and Porter: https://www.facebook.com/photo/fbid=481964710640403&set=pb.100064806337936.-2207520000.
Concerning TV: In the Facebook comment streams, in almost every single stream, people are constantly, incessantly asking TWC when they are going to be back on TV, and never, not once, do they ever acknowledge or answer those questions. NEVER! They don’t even say maybe, or we’re working on it, or even … never. They just do not address the situation at all. It just seems so strange, because they had a huge following, and their numbers were real good. It had to have been a political or executive issue. Maybe it was because they prayed prior to investigating and someone at Discovery was anti-Christian, who knows?
As far as the numbers I was referring to for Destination Fear Season Three. I got them here at the end of last season, but when I went to retrieve them I found that the article has since been taken down: https://tvseriesfinale.com/?s=destination+fear. Fans were bashing the show like I have never seen a ghost show being bashed. There is a guy on that website who usually guesses whether a show will be continued or canceled, and he even surmised that it would not see another season, because people were so angry about all the nonsense that goes on for the first 30 – 45 minutes prior to the investigation, rather than just getting straight to business like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, and Kindred Spirits do.
Anyway, I just love discussing this topic with you. It is a total and complete delight!
P.S. How do I create permalinks when I post in your threads?
Forget about the permalink question, I figured it out.
Hey, Troy! Glad you figured out the permalink question AND thanks for the info about TWC not addressing the question about a show return even when asked on social media. AND for all the great info about what other TWC members do events.
And I have never done one of the group celebrity ghost hunts for the very reasons you said they’re actually a bummer. Suspicion confirmed! lol
And glad you like our exchanges. Thank you for giving me info and ideas for future posts! lol
They really need to ditch the whole ‘no flashlights’ gimmick. Just watched the Winchester Mystery House episode again and it illustrated the dangerous folly of going without such safety measures. They’re lucky that Dakota’s sister didn’t fracture something in that fall. In fact, they were all lucky someone didn’t get hurt or they didn’t damage something in that place.
Oh no! I’m so glad to hear Chelsea wasn’t hurt. I haven’t watched any episodes. I had a feeling due to some of the episode descriptions and show teasers that they did encounter some issues, but I didn’t know how severely. And I love your word “gimmick.” The more I thought after one of your other comments about how irresponsible it actually is to investigate in such a way, the more I thought it did feel more like a ploy to up watch-time. Which, see? Gimmicks sums that up perfectly! lol
Yep, saw that. I thought she was going to the hospital for sure. “Gimmick” is a perfect word, Maria. Don’t know whose idea it was, whether it was a producer or something, but Dakota seems kind of like an immature guy, and I wouldn’t put it past him to have come up with the idea, while thinking that he was coming up with something nifty. When in reality, it was something rather stupid. There is a reason that no one has done it before, and people have been ghost hunting for decades. The producers need to pull the gimmick before someone gets seriously hurt and they have a lawsuit on their hands.
Hey Troy! Alex introduced the no flashlights in an episode of a previous season. I’m not sure if the producers put the bug in his ear on that or not, though. Interesting you brought that up. But Dakota adapted it to this season. Again, at the suggestion of producers? I don’t know. He seems pretty independent on creating his show, and even edits a lot of it himself. It’ll be interesting to see if they end up scraping the no flashlights thing or not after all this.