Scariest Places on Earth coming to the Sci Fi Channel!

Scariest Places on Earth coming to the Sci Fi Channel!

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SCARIEST PLACES ON EARTH MOVING TO THE SCI-FI Network!

DO NOT ASK ME HOW TO GET ON THE SHOW_ read the posts after this entry for info on the series- it is NO LONGER TAPING EPISODES. DIRECT any inquiries about the show to the SCI-FI NETWORK!

Before there was Ghost Hunters on the SCIFI network- there was another reality paranormal show in the U.S. that tried to use evidence and proof to capture ghosts on film- this program was initially called “World’s Scariest Places” and ran on the FOX Family channel.

Hosted by horror queen Linda Blair and narrarated by Zelda Rubenstein ( the vertically challenged medium in Poltergeist) this show had a weekly format.

An American family would agree to go anywhere on earth with the purpose of finding out whether or not paranormal activity and hauntings were real. Once they arrived they were given a tour by daylight of their investigation site, some background on the supposed hauntings and activities and then they were given some tools to measure paranormal activity. Anyone who has seen Ghost Hunters is familiar with the tools. Generally the tool kit included a EMF meter that measures electromagnetic frequency changes, a thermometer to gauge temperature variations and cold spots and IR infrared video cameras to see in the dark. Other tools that would be brought out included diving rods and sometimes some recorders to try to capture some EVPs. On the whole the families would spend a lot of time walking around asking questions and scaring themselves more than anything. Sometimes they would catch some activity and sounds that had no explanations.

The show was accused of staging some events but this was mainly later on when ABC took them over and changed the name to”Scariest Places on Earth”. I really felt that when they abandoned the format of having a family try to discover proof of the paranormal and switched over to having teenagers and college students screaming in the dark they lost the power of the show and the heart of it which was a sincere look at the dark side of hauntings and the search for proof of life beyond life. When ABC Family took over the show it was after the movie The Blair Witch had aired and as ABCF is all about getting teens and pre-teens to watch their shows, they moved away from the more compelling family dynamic of the show.

The Sci-Fi channel has been advertising that “Scariest Places on Earth” is coming and it is appearing on their schedule with two episodes airing on Tuesday Feburary 12, 2008. Check your local times for exact showings!

I have to think that SciFi picking this up is directly related to the tremendous success of Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International. Many of the haunted places being visited by the GHI team were first introduced to American audiences with Scariest Places. Two of the best investigations from that show have already been covered in this season of GHI- Chillingham Castle in northern England and the Italian Monastery which was in the second epiosde of GHI.

If you love Ghost Hunters- these showings are a must if for no other reason than to appreciate the fully professional approach of the TAPS team and to get some additional background on the places they are visiting. I love Linda Blair an Zelda Rubenstein as hosts- their way over the top dramatic introductions and summaries remind me of Vincent Price and his horror movie fest hosting in the 1970s.

Get ready to have a good and scary time!