Are there any legitimate paranormal shows out there?

Zak Bagans From Ghost Adventures (Photo credit: **SHADY GIRL**)

Forget for a moment whether you believe there are ghosts, demons, Bigfoot, Mothman, or UFO's. Let's ask ourselves do we believe in the Paranormal shows out there that supposedly investigate these things. Afterall, many of us may have personal experiences to draw on but do we always know  whether those on television are presenting us with just the "facts?" Should we question the paranormal, or would it be more prudent to question man, and perhaps his motives?

One such hotly debated area of fakery is the now infamous SyFy original 'Ghost Hunters Live Halloween Show' of 2008. In this episode of 'Ghost Hunters' Grant Wilson appeared to have his coat tugged by unseen hands. Many have now studied the tapes and there does appear to be some suspicious things going on in the show footage. Former fans have gone so far as to not only video tape the incidents, of which there are three, but to point by point breakdown the suspicious movements of Grant Wilson's right hand at the time the tugging took place.

Ghost Hunters (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The allegation is simply that Wilson's coat was rigged and that his right hand was actually pulling a string each time. While many will differ in their opinions after watching the tape, one thing that  is a little confusing and that is for three random pulls on a coat, it is odd that all pulls happen on only one side of the coat, opposite of the camera's view. They all seem to pull only that one portion of the collar as well. Making the “tugs” seem, well not so random after all.

Paranormal State (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ghost Hunters is not the only show to come under fire through the years. A&E's 'Paranormal State' has had former clients that were on the show launch an all out campaign asserting that the show, the investigators all manipulated information, their story, their home and their haunting. Chip Coffey has also been called out as an actor playing as a “psychic.” It is true that the show's resident psychic go to, is in fact listed on IMDb as an actor. In fact, Coffey has a long long resume of performing in the theater. Now this doesn't mean Coffey is a fraudulent psychic, but it does give one pause when we compile the list of research that states there may be some tomfoolery afoot.

Also topping the list of suspect episodes is Travel Channel's 'Paranormal Adventurers' touted by many as an over dramatized show fraught with assumptions, and wild theatrics by the show host Zak Bagans. Bagans, who on more than one occasion challenges entities in an attempt to draw out some activity from beyond often comes across as rude, and well, too overtly alpha male if you will. Most investigators that do investigate demonic attacks, etc will say this is the most dangerous risk one can do to provoke the unseen. Not all spirits are of the human variety and as such can cause problems for those provoking them long after the filming stops.

English: An apparition of a woman is captured during an investigation. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The real question is, with so many television networks seizing societies insatiable curiosity with the spirit realm, are we setting back legitimate research in the process? Will those that have real problems in their homes with spirit activity be able to find legitimate help? Man will have always have to struggle in each hand his desire to know, with his desire to be entertained and cash in on a popular preoccupation. Will legitimate work and investigation be able to overcome the entertainment industry to produce a good “scare” at any cost?