"Paranormal State" (2007) TV series

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Gary Auerbach

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

10 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Reality-TV

Plot:

Story follows members of the famous Penn State Paranormal Research Society as they investigate strange and unusual phenomena across the country. Story also features their hectic lives as college students and faculty.

Plot Keywords:

Penn State Paranormal Research Society | Penn State

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 16	11:00 PM	AETV	The Haunted Piano	#1.13
Mon. Nov. 16	11:30 PM	AETV	Shape Shifter	#1.10

Cast

Ryan Buell

...

Founder / ... (37 episodes, 2007-2009)

(more)

Series Directed by
George Plamondon		(6 episodes, 2008)
Norm Green		(2 episodes, 2008)
Gary Auerbach		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Rick Sasson	....	co-executive producer / executive producer (34 episodes, 2008-2009)
Jake Laufer	....	supervising producer / co-executive producer (31 episodes, 2008-2009)
Alan LaGarde	....	executive producer / co-executive producer (28 episodes, 2007-2009)
Sumithrin David	....	supervising producer / producer / ... (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Chris Chaffin	....	producer / story producer (20 episodes, 2007-2008)
David Miller	....	co-executive producer (19 episodes, 2007-2008)
Libby Niles	....	story producer (15 episodes, 2008-2009)
Stacie Nice	....	field producer / producer (8 episodes, 2009)
Jen Gsell	....	field producer (7 episodes, 2007-2008)
Justin Bogardus	....	producer (7 episodes, 2009)
George Plamondon	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Christopher Bozak	....	field producer (4 episodes, 2007-2008)
Gary Auerbach	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 2008)
Julie Auerbach	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 2008)
Lang Yee	....	line producer (2 episodes, 2009)
Daniel Powless	....	line producer (unknown episodes, 2007)
Autumn Humphreys	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
John Massari		(1 episode, 2008)

Series Cinematography by
Brian Antonson		(23 episodes, 2008-2009)
Matthew Woolf		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Yvette Mangassarian		(46 episodes, 2007-2009)
Jesse Friedman		(23 episodes, 2007-2008)
Jocelyn Rose Tarquini		(18 episodes, 2007-2009)
Jack Farrell		(17 episodes, 2007-2008)
Jonathan 'Shaw' Grandi		(15 episodes, 2009)
Sunny Bresin		(8 episodes, 2008)
Katie Covell		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Lisa Dyer	....	production manager (2 episodes, 2008)
Stephen Curry	....	production manager (2 episodes, 2009)
Leigh Broadbent	....	production manager (unknown episodes)
Tommy Coriale	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Phil Lynch	....	sound editor (8 episodes, 2007-2008)
Gerry Lano	....	second sound mixer (7 episodes, 2009)
Vance Walden	....	sound re-recording mixer (4 episodes, 2008)
Julian 'Champ' Williams	....	assistant sound (2 episodes, 2008)
Sam Londe	....	sound supervisor (unknown episodes)
Matt Vowles	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Trevor Velin	....	camera operator (41 episodes, 2007-2009)
Brian Antonson	....	camera operator (19 episodes, 2007-2008)
David Cavallo	....	first assistant camera / camera operator / camera operator (19 episodes, 2009)
Gerry Lano	....	utility camera (11 episodes, 2009)
Malcolm Serrette	....	first assistant camera / camera operator (5 episodes, 2009)
Julian 'Champ' Williams	....	second assistant camera (4 episodes, 2008)
Jason Auerbach	....	cinematographer: additional footage (unknown episodes)
Joel Craig	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Neil Fernandez	....	assistant editor / lead assistant editor / ... (33 episodes, 2007-2008)
Jason Auerbach	....	lead assistant editor (20 episodes, 2007-2008)
Chris Morey	....	on-line assistant editor (20 episodes, 2007-2008)
Shane Lefler	....	assistant editor / colorist / ... (20 episodes, 2009)
Will Vano	....	post-production assistant (16 episodes, 2009)
Austin Michael Scott	....	assistant editor (13 episodes, 2007-2008)
Jonathan 'Shaw' Grandi	....	lead assistant editor / additional editor (12 episodes, 2008)
Yvette Mangassarian	....	lead editor / Lead Editor (6 episodes, 2008-2009)
Melissa Cochran	....	first assistant editor (6 episodes, 2009)
Amy Poitinger	....	post-production coordinator (6 episodes, 2009)
J.D. Richardson	....	apprentice assistant editor (6 episodes, 2009)
Ali Solaymanieh	....	assistant editor (6 episodes, 2009)
Benjamin Lindemuth-McRobie	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Ryan Waara	....	post-production intern (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Jon Ernst	....	composer: theme music (20 episodes, 2007-2008)
Andrew Payne	....	composer: original music (19 episodes, 2007-2008)

Series Other crew
Melissa Fuller	....	office production assistant (20 episodes, 2007-2008)
Andrew S. Kahn	....	production assistant (16 episodes, 2009)
Shelby Michlin	....	assistant story editor (16 episodes, 2009)
Jesse Mang	....	production coordinator (15 episodes, 2009)
Brett W. Slakoff	....	production coordinator: office (10 episodes, 2008)
Dorit Avganim	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 2008-2009)
Mark Meloccaro	....	rights and clearances (7 episodes, 2008)
Sean Nichols	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2007-2008)
Jennifer Gjulameti	....	story production assistant (2 episodes, 2008)
Aisha Reyes	....	story assistant (2 episodes, 2008)
Will Vano	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2009)
Dominique Biancosino	....	story logger (unknown episodes)
Joel Craig	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Darin J. Patterson	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Dina Saunders	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Grey S. Wears	....	story assistant (unknown episodes)
Dan Zarenkiewicz	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Four Seasons Productions (II)
• Go Go Luckey Productions

Distributors

• A&E Television Networks (2007-) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Gotham Sound  walkies provided by
• Wow & Flutter  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Out There (USA) (working title)
Paranormal U (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Four Seasons Productions (II)

The Worst of the Ghost Hunting Shows

I initially tuned in to Paranormal State because I (more or less) find the paranormal search genre to be interesting TV, if nothing else.

I really enjoy Ghost Hunters because well over half of their investigations result in total debunking, and find Most Haunted to be hilarious with its use of mediums and frumpy British women with Paris Hilton day-glo eyes fainting from fear/demonic presences all shot in lovely night-vision green.

Paranormal State has none of this appeal. It feels like it was cobbled together from "leads" that Ghost Hunters rejected. The episodes ranged from trailer trash families and single mothers with emo adolescents sitting around and scaring themselves, to an "interview" with a 5 year old about the monster who lives in his room (the monster goes RAWRRR, we are told). All of these people calling upon a college club to solve their problems. The whole show is about Ryan and his partner, his enormous ego. He leads his troupe of doe-eyed coeds around, except when a case is deemed "too extreme" and orders them to remain at the hotel HAHAHA. Better leave it to the pros, ie himself.

The unwitting comedy of this show is all in how gullible the participants are. Ryan spins his tales of being hunted, followed, etc by a demon that he first encountered when the Catholic Church recruited him to assist on a case. Sorry, but the Catholic Church has people who can do that, they don't need the day-shift manager at Quiznos to chip in his 2 cents.

This show is awful, shame on A&E for bankrolling this silliness, trying to follow in the footsteps of some much better paranormal-themed shows. It's almost unintentionally funny, except that Ryan is so arrogant and devoid of charisma that watching the show long enough to mock it isn't worth the trouble.