Paranormal Challenge

For a list of prizes offered for successfully completing various paranormal challenges, see List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal.

Paranormal Challenge
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Also known as	'Zak Bagans' Paranormal Challenge'
Genre	Paranormal Documentary
Created by	Zak Bagans
Presented by	Zak Bagans
Starring	Zak Bagans
Opening theme	"Down with the Sickness" by Disturbed
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	12 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Zak Bagans Joe Townley Michael Yudin
Producer(s)	Laura Gheradi
Cinematography	Christian Hoagland
Editor(s)	Jonathan Rinehart
Camera setup	Multiple
Running time	45 minutes
Production company(s)	My Tupelo Entertainment
Release
Original network	Travel Channel
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original release	June 17 (2011-06-17) – September 16, 2011 (2011-09-16)
Chronology
Related shows	Ghost Adventures
External links
Website

Paranormal Challenge is an American competitive paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 17, 2011, on the Travel Channel. A spinoff of Ghost Adventures, the series was created and is hosted by lead investigator Zak Bagans, who challenges ghost hunters from around the United States to go head-to-head in a weekly competition to gather paranormal evidence by spending a night in reportedly haunted locations in the United States. The first season of the show ended on September 16, 2011. Lead judge David Schrader announced on Darkness Radio that the show would not be renewed for a second season.

Plot Summary

"For years people have searched for evidence that ghosts walk among us. The series pits two teams against each other in the world's most haunted locations in a competition to find proof of the paranormal." Then a panel of judges made up of paranormal experts evaluate the two teams after they have collected and analyzed their possible findings to determine a winner.

"Two teams. One night. One haunted location. One winner. For the ultimate in bragging rights. Paranormal Challenge."

Criteria

1. Walkthrough
2. Equipment Orientation:

Infrared Camcorder

Full Spectrum Camcorder

Full Spectrum Still Camera

Thermal Imaging Camera

Mel Meter (measures electromagnetic energy and temperature)

Digital Recorders (captures EVP's)

PX Device (Ovilus)

1. Investigation Rules:

Teams will conduct their investigations simultaneously at different ends of the location with time constraints.

They have 2 hours to complete part one of their investigation.

They will then switch locations and continue for 2 more hours in part two.

Each team will be assigned: one camera operator, one sound technician to chronicle their investigations.

Both areas are equipped with several stationary cameras allowing Zak and the judges to watch the teams every move from a secret nerve center location.

1. Investigation Part 1
2. Investigation Part 2
3. Investigation Debriefing
4. Preparing the Evidence
5. Evidence Presentation
6. Judgement: Teams will be judged on: Overall teamwork, Technological proficiency, Historical knowledge, and Audio & visual evidence.
7. Judge Deliberation
8. Winner Reveal

Cast and crew

Host

• Zak Bagans - Paranormal Challenge chairman, Paranormal lead investigator and co-founder of Ghost Adventures Crew (GAC), conducted hundreds of investigations.

Technical Expert

• Billy Tolley - Visual and audio advisor

Judges

• Dave Schrader (Regular) - Internet talk show host of Darkness Radio, paranormal conference lecturer, published author of The Other Side: A Teen's Guide To Ghost Hunting.
• Gary Galka (Episode 1.1) - Award-winning paranormal investigator, inventor of the "Mel Meter" and (real time) RT EVP detector.
• Patrick Burns (Episode 1.1 & 1.12) - Founder of Ghosthounds, professional photographer, organizer of annual Ghoststock convention.
• Aaron Sagers (Episode 1.2) - Published author, nationally syndicated journalist, editor of paranormalpopculture.com
• Alexandra Holzer (Episode 1.2 & 1.5) - Daughter of famed paranormal investigator Hans Holzer, author of Growing Up Paranormal, syndicated columnist for OM Times.
• Jeff Belanger (Episode 1.3) - Paranormal journalist, author of a dozen books on "The Unexplained", consulting historian for hundreds of paranormal investigations.
• Beth Brown (Episode 1.3 & 1.6) - Over 20 years experience investigating the paranormal, founder of VASPER (Virginia School of Paranormal Education and Research), conducted hundreds of investigations.
• Mark Constantino (Episode 1.4)- Certified parapsychologist, EVP research conference lecturer and trainer, captured over 10,000 EVP's. He committed suicide after murdering his wife Debby Constantino and her roommate James Anderson on September 22, 2015.
• Debby Constantino (Episode 1.4)- International paranormal acknowledge award winner for "Best EVP Researcher", paranormal conference lecturer, captured thousands of EVP's. She was kidnapped and murdered by her estranged husband, Mark Constantino, on September 22, 2015.
• Joshua P. Warren (Episode 1.5 & 1.9)- Published author of many paranormal books (most notably: How To Hunt Ghosts), talk radio show host of Speaking Strange, internationally recognized paranormal expert.
• Dr. Pamela Rae Heath (Episode 1.6 & 1.9)- Noted parapsychologist, co-founder of the Paranormal Research Society, published author of several books on the unexplained including Handbook to the Afterlife.
• Bill Chappell (Episode 1.7)- Paranormal skeptic, electrical engineer, inventor of the Ovilus, EM pump, and PX device.
• Chris Fleming (Episode 1.7 & 1.12)- Award-winning psychic medium, paranormal television celebrity (appearing on numerous television shows), acclaimed paranormal conference lecturer.
• Dr. Andrew Nichols (Episode 1.8 & 1.11) - Founder and director of the American Institute of Parapsycology, studied hundreds of paranormal cases.
• Ron Fabiani (Episode 1.8)- Chicago Police officer since 1987, founder of Chicago paranormal detectives, star of popular television show Paranormal Cops.
• Dr. Michael Shermer (Episode 1.10) Founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, Executive Director of The Skeptics Society.
• Danielle Harris (episode 1.11) Member of The Hollywood Ghost Hunters Society, Hollywood horror actress.

Location Experts

• Patrick Smith - Pennhurst State School historian (Episode 1.3)
• Mike Middleton - Ohio State/Mansfield Reformatory expert/guide (Episode 1.4)
• Mike Flicker - Waverly Hills Sanatorium historian (Episode 1.6)
• Cindy Lydick - Old South Pittsburgh Hospital historian (Episode 1.8)
• Richard Senate - La Purisima expert/guide (Episode 1.9)
• Sid Schultz - Linda Vista Expert/Guide (Episode 1.10)
• Heidi Schave - USS Hornet Educational Director
• Chris Alterr - Jerome Grand Hotel Owner and expert

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired		DVD and Blu-ray release date
			Season premiere	Season finale	Region 1	Region 2
	1	12	June 17, 2011 (2011-06-17)	September 16, 2011 (2011-09-16)	October 2, 2012 (2012-10-02)	N/A

Episodes

Main article: List of Paranormal Challenge Episodes

Reruns

"Reruns of the show currently air on the Travel Channel. After the show's end, reruns ran for a while but were then taken off the air. On June 21, 2013, reruns of the show returned to Travel Channel. The sister show, Ghost Adventures also airs on the same network and continues to make new episodes."

See also

• Ghost hunting
• List of ghost films
• List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal
• List of reportedly haunted locations in the world
  • United States
• Paranormal television

External links

• Paranormal Challenge at IMDb
• Official website of Ghost Adventures
• Official website of the Ghost Adventures Crew (GAC)
• The Paranormal Society