Television series

BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural

Name: BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural
Genre: Documentary, Supernatural
Released: 2016
Cast: Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej

Two friends with opposite beliefs investigate paranormal folklore with infectious chemistry. Ryan chases ghosts and curses with wide-eyed hope; Shane deflates every theory with dry skepticism. The dynamic matters more than the scares. Genuinely funny, occasionally eerie, perfect for people who love banter over jump-scares.

TVMaze rating

4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy a bickering double act where the hosts' friendly sparring keeps pace with the hunt, and you like your ghost stories served with playful mischief.

Skip it if you want rigorous, sober investigation or hushed, spooky atmosphere, since the banter and detours will feel like wasted time.

What it asks of you: Fifty-five episodes of about twenty-five minutes across seven seasons, a long but easy run you can dip into one case at a time.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The X-Files1993

Believer and skeptic pairing mirrors Ryan and Shane's dynamic perfectly. Mulder's faith versus Scully's rationalism creates the same productive tension and witty back-and-forth that makes Unsolved work.

But At nine seasons, it's a commitment. Early episodes feel dated, and some monster-of-the-week stories drag.

BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime2016

Same hosts, same chemistry, different mysteries. If you loved Ryan and Shane's rapport investigating ghosts, watching them tackle real murders adds genuine stakes while keeping the humor sharp.

But Solving crime requires following threads across episodes. It's less self-contained than the supernatural season, and some cases frustrate because answers stay elusive.

Scream1996

Winking at horror tropes with genuine scares underneath. Like Unsolved, it treats the supernatural with affection rather than reverence, mixing humor with real tension.

But It's a slasher, so sustained violence and gore. The irony can feel dated if you've absorbed all the horror references it was skewering.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

In Search of Monsters2019

Both dissect folklore by contrasting belief with skepticism, but this one favors the lens of history and culture studies rather than comedy and doubt.

Academic folklorist investigates the real history behind monster myths. Same two-part structure as Unsolved—legend versus evidence—but grounds paranoia in actual scholarship. Makes you rethink what 'real' means.

But It's educational and cerebral rather than funny or scary. If you came for laughs and bumps in the night, the lecture-hall vibe may bore you.

Ghostbusters1984

Four funny people treating the impossible matter-of-factly. The comedy comes from personality clashing under pressure, which is exactly what makes Unsolved's investigations so engaging.

But It's 40 years old and the special effects look it. If you need contemporary production values, this will feel quaint.

The Night Stalker1972

A paranormal investigator arguing with bureaucratic skeptics every week. The template for everything that came after. Genuinely spooky despite the 70s production, and the cynical humor holds up.

But Only 20 episodes before cancellation. The pacing feels slow by modern standards, and the effects are primitive even for the era.

What We Do in the Shadows2019

Mockumentary format following supernatural beings treated as comedy. The dry humor and absurdist logic mirror Unsolved's ability to find the funny in the unexplainable.

But It's a vampire sitcom. If the premise doesn't grab you immediately, the show won't convert you.

The Midnight Gospel2020

Two characters in surreal situations having real conversations. The animation is wild and the stakes philosophical rather than plot-driven—all personality and chemistry, like Unsolved distilled.

But Only eight episodes, and they lean heavy on existential dread. Colorful animation masks some genuinely dark material.

A Serious Man2009

Job-like protagonist confused by inexplicable cosmic indifference. Treats the paranormal as background noise to existential anxiety. Darkly funny in a way that rewards rewatching.

But It's deliberately frustrating and offers no catharsis. If you need closure and answers, this Coen Brothers film will infuriate you.

The Twilight Zone1959

Gold standard for treating the impossible with seriousness and humor. Each episode is its own investigation. Suspenseful rather than scary, with twists that still land.

But Black and white, fifty-minute episodes feel glacially paced. Some concepts read as dated allegory rather than timeless.

The Haunting of Hill House2018

Same paranormal investigation framework, but where Unsolved treats it as intellectual sport, this treats it as trauma. It's what happens when the skepticism ends and something is real.

Supernatural horror where the real mystery isn't whether ghosts exist but why we believe. Character drama wrapped in genuine dread. Beautifully shot, deeply emotional, the opposite of Unsolved's banter.

But It's tragic and relentless. Eleven hours of grief and paranoia leave you drained rather than entertained. Not a fun ride.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari1920

Both ask: how do you investigate something when perception itself might be the monster? But where Unsolved treats it as a game to untangle, Caligari suggests there might be no bottom to untangle.

Silent German Expressionist masterpiece about a somnambulist and a serial killer. Warped reality presented as objective truth. Paranoia and unreliable perception made visual. Ancestor to every supernatural investigation that follows.

But It's ninety-five minutes of avant-garde cinema from the 1920s. No dialogue, distorted sets, actors in heavy makeup. If it seems like work rather than entertainment, you won't finish it.