The Big Picture
- Ghost hunting shows are popular because they provide a sense of purpose and meaning, offering solace by suggesting that our loved ones will be safe in the afterlife.
- These shows also bring people together, particularly during times of grief or uncertainty, as they explore profound existential questions and the possibility of something greater than ourselves.
- Watching paranormal shows can be enjoyable because it allows us to experience fear in a safe and controlled manner, triggering the release of endorphins and providing a sense of excitement and happiness.
It's after the Fourth of July so that automatically means it's fall time and Halloween season. With every day being Halloween between now and the actual holiday, it's the perfect time to start watching spooky movies and tv shows. And there are plenty of options to choose from. Head to something like the Travel Channel to check out the continuous line-up of ghost-hunting shows. From haunted asylums to houses to towns, there's a paranormal reality television show for whatever spooky fix you're looking to sink your teeth into.
Ghost hunting shows are incredibly popular. When the Travel Channel switched to focusing primarily on paranormal programming, Discovery issued a statement that their ratings went up 15 percent compared to the previous year. People are tuning in while they grab their popcorn, turn the lights down low, and get ready to laugh at the absurdity or wonder how the film crew managed to make a ghost look real. Why is it that these types of shows are so popular? What draws us into spooky ghost television even though we all know that the shows tend to be dramatized?
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Paranormal TV Reminds Us Our Loved Ones Will Be Safe
One reason viewers tend to love paranormal TV is it can give them a sense of purpose and meaning as to why we are here. Regardless of religious affiliation, many will question where they will go once it's their time to leave this Earth. More and more people are believing in the paranormal and with how big and vast the universe is, accepting these obviously embellished shows means we have a purpose that extends beyond our current lifeline. Having a family that you are close with or a partner or kids can make anyone feel weary about leaving them behind. Shows like Kindred Spirits aim to get in contact with the spirits that are haunting a specific area, and sometimes the reason for the haunting isn't so sinister. Watching these types of shows can provide a little bit of solace to those watching. They feel they will be able to look over and protect their loved ones in the afterlife. These shows almost act like a catharsis of being able to keep someone safe and knowing they won't be alone. It also works in reverse, reminding those grieving a loss that we are still being cared for from very, very far away. So don't worry! If you think only the voices in your head have your back, the spirits in the corners of your room do, too!
Ghost Hunters Make Us All Feel Seen and Gives Us Endorphins
In another cathartic release, paranormal programming can also strangely unite a devastated and grieving group of people. Jessica O'Hara articulates that point in her study, "Making Their Presence Known: TV's Ghost-Hunter Phenomenon in a 'Post-' World." She speaks on the singular moment of 9/11 happening and how paranormal culture has skyrocketed since that fateful day. An incredibly traumatic event experienced by millions who are all grieving and questioning a lot of life's deepest and most unanswered questions. Ghost hunters are taking their skills and tools to answer questions that many have asked themselves; are ghosts real? Combining the illogical notion of "capturing" ghosts and making them go away with the logic of using tested methods to support the former lets those watching the show feel like they're discovering a deep secret of life. Whether we believe any of it to be true on television, there's still a release of dread when we think that there is something larger than ourselves looming just ahead.
On the opposite end, our desire to watch paranormal shows doesn't always have to be rooted so deeply in something philosophical. Jerry Hogle is an international authority on Gothic literature and is a Professor of English and he says that being scared can be fun. Sure, tell that to the people who couldn't sleep for days after they watched the found-footage film, The Blair Witch Project. Hogle goes on to tell us that when we are scared but not actually in imminent danger, endorphin levels can rise. Endorphins are the little feel-good guys that stimulate our brains into feeling positive. This can bring a little bit of happiness among mundane day-to-day activities or to the chaos that life can sometimes present. So since many viewers typically are aware that ghost-hunting reality shows are fake and staged, we can be sort of scared without the direct threat that it's going to happen to us. Basically, we're scared while watching the shows, but we are happy about it…?
True Crime and Paranormal Investigations Might Be Related
We all laugh at the over-the-top reactions of the ghost hunters on the shows, but we are intrigued enough to continue watching. With true-crime shows and movies being so popular, it's really no surprise that paranormal investigative shows have a substantial audience. Instead of investigating the "how" of foul play, paranormal television investigates the "who" and the "why". If anything, ghost shows bring the viewer down from their invincible cloud and serve as a reminder that we are all infallible to life's perils. Celebrities have even taken to paranormal television, Kesha being the most notable who has developed her own show. Conjuring Kesha follows the pop star around as she investigates paranormal activity. It's chaotic but wildly entertaining. There's even a show about animals and their owners as they experience unsettling and unexplainable moments at the paws of their pets. That one is called The Haunted if you were interested in questioning every weird move your pet ever makes. There are, of course, the most popular shows like Ghost Adventures featuring Zak Bagans and the one that started it all, Ghost Hunters, to really keep audiences entertained.
Whatever your reason for getting invested in a VHS-style show that mostly consists of people asking "What was that?" and jumping at every noise, there's no denying that paranormal investigation is wildly popular. These types of shows may be a guilty pleasure that they're not confident in sharing, but liking them is completely justified in the name of endorphins. Normal is boring, paranormal is phenomenal!
