GHOST HUNTERS Live Review: Halloween With Friends

They don’t know me from any of the “spirits” they try to coax out of hiding, but there is always something inviting about spending time with the men and women of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), even if it is via my 46 inch LED for an hour once a week.

They don€™t know me from any of the €œspirits€ they try to coax out of hiding, but there is always something inviting about spending time with the men and women of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), even if it is via my 46 inch LED for an hour once a week.

Since my days of trick-or-treating have long passed and my daughter has reached an age where it simply isn€™t appropriate to be out begging for Snicker bars and Bit o€™ Honeys, we find ourselves with the dilemma of needing something to occupy our time in between doorbell rings on All Hallows Eve. Enter the Ghost Hunters 6 hour live broadcast on the SyFy channel. For the 2nd straight year, the kid and I plopped down to immerse ourselves in this annual televised spectacle, hoping to catch a glimpse of a lurking shadow or hear the wail of a disembodied spirit. Yeah, I knew that was unlikely to happen, but I know opportunities for being able to sit down with my soon to be sixteen year old daughter to share a few hours with her enjoying a common interest are running low. The paranormal shows certainly have their detractors. There is no shortage of internet trolls chomping at the bit to flame these €œreality€ shows as nonsensical gimmicks, and to brand the fan base as inane losers that have no regard for quality television. Of course these are probably the same trolls who log off in time to religiously catch the latest MTV debacle. I€™d certainly rather sit down for a beer with TAPS co-founders Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson to discuss the merits of full body apparitions than with someone from Jersey Shore to talk about what tanning booth setting is appropriate for my skin tone. That€™s just me. I like the realness of the Ghost Hunters. Not the supposed €œreality€ of what they are doing per se (who knows what is real and what is edited for television?), but rather the down to earth nature of the show€™s main cast. I don€™t believe these folks are faking it. They come off as genuine and likeable and they fully believe in their paranormal calling. While what we see each week is often rife with edited drama and schlocky clichés (I€™ve even got the kid fist bumping at the end of each episode, which fans of the show will understand), I honestly believe these folks are the same people when the cameras are turned off as they are when the director calls €œaction€. Jason and Grant are the faces of the franchise. Paranormal investigating is clearly their passion, and I€™m constantly jealous of those who get to play in their sandbox of choice on a daily basis. Regular investigators Dave Tango and Steve Gonsalves are like frat brothers, often adding a touch of levity to the program. I think of them as the Merry and Pippen to the Sam and Frodo of Jason and Grant. The other mainstay is the lovely Amy Bruni, who is the cool chick that hangs with the boys. Every set of guys needs a €œgirl friend€ like this. There is nothing more awesome than a girl who can let her hair down and jump into the fray with the boys with the same level of passion and commitment as her Y chromosomed counterparts. Lately we€™ve seen more of Jason€™s 17 year old daughter, Haley, on the show. Listed as an investigator-in-training, I simply love that Jason gets to live these moments side by side with his daughter. Who doesn€™t want their kids to ultimately share in the same geeky passions that drive us? I love that my kid can€™t wait for the Avengers and Hunger Games movies. These are shared connections that will litter my memories forever, and I cherish every one of them. Regardless whether you find these shows to be enjoyable or annoying piles of crap doesn€™t ultimately matter. To each their own. I choose to see the Ghost Hunters in a different light, as cool people living out their dreams and sharing the experience with likeminded people. I fail to see the problem with that. The trolls can hate all they want. I€™ll enjoy every minute I have with these people. Besides, isn€™t that what friends are for?
Contributor
Contributor

A pop culture junkie with an affinity for bad horror movies and guacamole. Hopefully my musings will entertain you, as they are little more than a desperate attempt at remaining relevant.