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TV Review: Paranormal State

By Kelly West: 2007-12-02 18:24:43
TV Review: Paranormal State


Paranormal State
Produced By: Four Seasons Productions International and Go Go Luckey Productions
Featuring:: Ryan Buell and his organization, The Paranormal Research Society
Premieres: Monday, December 10, 2007 at 10:00 p.m. on A&E

Do you believe in ghosts? I’m not sure where I stand on the whole spirits-walking-among-us concept but I’m open minded enough to consider it a possibility. This is pretty much a requirement if you’re planning on watching A&E’s new reality series, Paranormal State. Similar to Sci Fi’s Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State explores the spooky world of ghosts.

The series follows Ryan Buell, a college student at Penn State University, who founded the Paranormal Research Society with some of his fellow students. They spend a lot of their time investigating paranormal activity. The group speaks with people who claim to be haunted by ghosts. They use video equipment and Electronic Voice Phenomenon recordings in an attempt to capture the spirits on audio or video.

In the first episode of the series, Buell and his group meet with the family of a young boy named Matthew, who claims he’s being haunted by ghosts. Buell, who says that he’s had his own interactions with ghosts when he was a child, can relate to this kid and wants to help the family out. One of the spirits haunting Matthew is a man named Timmy. As there was a man named Tim who committed suicide on the property where Matthew now lives, the PRS believes he might be the ghost that Matthew is seeing so frequently.

The team takes some time to speak with the family, interview the neighbors and get a general idea of what they’re dealing with here. They also camp out to try and get a recording of the ghost. But finding the ghost doesn’t seem to be their primary focus. The group seems to be equally, if not more concerned about the welfare of Matthew and his family than they are in ghost hunting. Matthew, who is kind of like Haley Joel Osment’s character in The Sixth Sense, is obviously seriously affected by his experiences. The PRS brings in a therapist to talk to him and ask him some questions while they speak with Matthew’s parents. It’s evident that what is going on with their son has really affected their lives.

There are some creepy moments in the episode but it doesn’t look like the goal of the series is to scare the crap out of people. The main focus of the series, based on the first episode, seems to be on the people who have encountered the ghosts and how their lives have been affected by the encounters. While I was watching the episode, I found myself feeling skeptical about the whole ghost thing but at the same time, feeling sympathy for the family that is featured. Whether or not Matthew is really seeing ghosts (and the kid is seriously convincing), this family is going through a really hard time dealing with it. The fact that the PRS was willing to take their problem seriously seemed to have a positive affect on them as a family.

So as I said, you kind of need to have an open mind about the whole ghost thing in order to enjoy this show but even if you’re not 100% on board with what these people believe and are trying to prove, there is more to the series than just catching ghosts. Just be prepared to be a little bit creeped out at times and willing to consider the possibility that ghosts might really exist.


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  • hellow i would like to now if you can put paranormal chanel in usa in spanish en espanol like scifi in spanish espanol thankyou for all.
  • I can't get enough of this show. For some reason, I am drawn to it. Even the episodes I have seen numerous of times over, I find myself watching them again. It may sound odd, but I applaud and am proud of the PRS team for having the balls to actually form this group and face many people's fears dead on.
    Kudos to Ryan and the team. I'll be watching!
  • i like paranormal state i like all of the creepy stuff thats going to happen and i also like that they ave to go all over the world to peoples houses and i like that they can see peoples houses and they got to go to pittsburgh and i like the differnet creepy stuff thats happening and then i am happy that i get to watch it. its my favorite scary and creepy show. i think ryan is really good at his job acctually everyone are good at there job even chip coffee i like the show because at the end of the show they have worlds to see what happens after they leave and the creepest thing about the show is that one of the episodes they were at there own school they didnt leave but something happened there like some girl did a japanese game and she saw a ghost next to her at her roomates bed the next morning i love the show i am a number one fan and i am happy that they have another season and episodes coming in july i am happy and i love the show.
  • Seriously, this show a whole load of rubbish. When will it be taken off the air? The fishing channel is far more interesting.
  • Good Lord could anything be more FAKE? I am a REAL paranormal investigator and so far, what I have seen is canned television, bad acting, and even worse special effects.
    I used to have very high respect for Lorainne Warren, until she appeared on this show...totally shot that all to heck.
    I'd rather watch a root canal than be made to sit through another episode.
  • i just started to watch this show and i dont know about it. the only show i watch and beleave is ghost hunters on the sci fi channel. unlike the penn state where they enter the home and then all hell brakes out after being there one day and them fighting off one of the devils strongest demons, it takes taps maybe 3 episodes to actually see a full figured person or 10 episodes to see things move around the room. this show is just a kids show like what they had on the family channel back in 98 during halloween
  • I've watched all 4 episodes and I really don't know what to think, I mean the one episode where the family has like a mobile home and the house is really messy, the husband of the house hold claimed to be (while awake) attacked by something, rippping his shirt. Another instance when he awoke with scratch marks all over his body. Watching this show, you really don't know what to believe, you can either believe that there might be a possibility that their are ghosts and hauntings or you can totally discredit the whole idea. One thing you have to admit.... it is kinda spooky! Are there ghosts and demonic forces? It has yet to be seen on a tv show.
  • id like to see more hot college girls and less scary stuff. since we know the hot chicks are real.... too much bias and subjective science to even be remotely believed by a skeptic. i do believe there is something out there, just not on A&E. BTW the unspeakable name so dangerously flashed on screen is Belail, another name for Satan.. Oh no, better contact sam and dean, the yellow eyed demon is upon them. i enjoy supernatural!... as ive said before, quit cryin about the scary men in the basement and go die for science. One death by a ghost is all im asking.. anyone know of one?... i really dont think helping people includes making them crazier, just slap 'em around and the ghosts will disapper. if theyre still there, then the house is haunted. gimme the address and ill check it out..

    Adam
  • I have watched 4 episodes and it is a total joke! They go into every home accepting that there is already a haunting or demonic possesion. They go off of feelings and nothing scientific. The should watch Ghost Hunters and see how it's done correctly.
  • this show is so phony. it makes me realize just how gullible most americans are..
  • It's nice to have a show that is more interested in helping people and telling their stories than in simply trying to get ghosts on film. No show is going to get a real ghost on film. This show takes a faith-based approach instead of purely scientific. A&E needs to make the show an hour long so they don't edit out all the investigative aspects the group performs.
  • Do you know if they provide a link to the real life situations that spawn these hauntings ie. the suicide of the Timmy character? If so where? This would provide some credibility for sure
  • I cant wait to see this little boy. He is convienceing just on the comericial. I think they should have a reality series about him.

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