Television series
Paranormal State
- Supernatural mystery
- Fantasy
- Dip in and out
Paranormal State follows a college paranormal investigation club as they respond to reports of hauntings across America. It's a procedural ghost-hunt with genuine creepiness, messy interpersonal drama, and moments of real emotion. Perfect if you want spooky investigations without cynicism or heavy skepticism—these people genuinely believe, and the show believes them too.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like your ghost stories staged as earnest student fieldwork, with a cheerfully credulous host and the odd jolt of genuine unease in cramped basements.
Skip it if you find the formula of night-vision walkthroughs and dramatic narration repeated across a long run that rarely settles whether anything was actually there.
What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes that loop the same beats, so it asks for patience with repetition rather than sustained attention; dip in and out freely.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Haunting of Hill House2018
Elevated supernatural drama with meticulous scares and deep psychological weight. Explores grief and family trauma through a haunted house mystery. Visually stunning and narratively complex in ways that respect your intelligence.
But Slower paced than jump-scare programming, demanding patience. Heavy on character work at the expense of constant paranormal activity.
The X-Files1993
The DNA of all paranormal investigation TV. Two agents investigate unexplained phenomena with chemistry, humor, and genuine scares. Foundational viewing that still holds up remarkably well across nine seasons.
But Episodic structure means some investigations resolve unsatisfyingly. Monster-of-the-week episodes vary wildly in quality.
Insidious2011
James Wan crafts an airtight haunted-house thriller with genuine terror and a solid mythology. Josh and Renai's desperation feels real; the scares are inventive rather than cheap. One of the best modern ghost stories.
But Relies on loud sound design and sudden shocks; if you're tired of jump-scares, this will exhaust you. The third act ventures into less effective territory.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Paranormal State
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Blair Witch Project1999
Both are investigation-focused horror where the process and relationships matter more than jump-scares. The mystery stays mysterious; answers are partial at best. Both trust the audience to sit with dread.
Found-footage horror that birthed an entire subgenre. Three people investigating a legend in the woods, cameras rolling as things go wrong. Terrifying precisely because you see almost nothing; your imagination does the work.
But Eighteen minutes of shaky handheld footage with minimal dialogue will bore or frustrate viewers who need visual storytelling. The scares are entirely psychological.
More like this (8)
Poltergeist1982
Spielberg and Tobe Hooper made a haunted-house film that's both entertaining and genuinely unsettling. The Freeling family feels real, and the escalating supernatural events have weight and invention.
But 1980s pacing and effects will feel slow to modern audiences. Some plot developments strain credibility, even for a ghost story.
The Sixth Sense1999
M. Night Shyamalan's masterpiece about a boy who sees dead people trying to move on. Perfectly constructed thriller with genuine emotional stakes and a twist that earns itself through careful storytelling.
But The twist is famous enough that you may already know it, which removes some impact. Subsequent viewings become a different experience than the first.
Ghostwatch1992
A mockumentary broadcast as live TV about a paranormal investigation gone wrong. Claustrophobic, genuinely unnerving, and formally inventive in ways that influenced found-footage horror for decades after.
But Shot on video from 1992, so the image quality is deliberately dingy. Some viewers find the slow-burn dread tedious rather than effective.
Sinister2012
Ethan Hawke finds disturbing footage connected to unsolved disappearances. Scott Derrickson builds dread meticulously, with genuinely creepy imagery and a mythology that's actually coherent. One of the most effective modern horror films.
But Contains graphic imagery of violence toward children, though off-screen. Some sequences may feel exploitative rather than meaningful, depending on your tolerance.
Dark2017
German sci-fi mystery about a small town where children vanish and reality becomes unstable. Intricately plotted with genuine stakes, atmospheric dread, and characters you come to care about. Netflix's best original series.
But Requires close attention and note-taking; the mythology is deliberately complex. Three seasons is a significant time commitment, and the ending divides viewers.
The Ring2002
Gore Verbinski's remake of a Japanese classic about a cursed videotape. Stylish, scary, and structurally sound. Samara is one of horror's great creations, and the mystery unfolds with genuine momentum.
But Now feels of its moment in ways that haven't aged gracefully. The logic of the curse requires willful suspension of disbelief.
Archive 812022
Like Paranormal State, it's about people trying to solve something they don't understand through investigation and research. Both blend documentary impulse with genuine supernatural weirdness. Both value the investigators' emotional stakes alongside the mystery.
An archivist reconstructing a documentary discovers it's connected to a unsolved disappearance and a cult. Puzzle-box thriller that's genuinely smart, gorgeously shot, and builds something stranger and more interesting than a typical haunting.
But The mythology gets increasingly baroque; some viewers find it overwrought. The resolution may feel less satisfying than the mystery itself.
Yellowjackets2021
Both follow groups investigating or living through unexplained phenomena that defy rational explanation. Both commit to ambiguity—the mystery IS the point. Both understand that how we talk about trauma matters as much as what happened.
Survivors of a plane crash form a cult in the wilderness. Part supernatural thriller, part psychological drama, entirely gripping. Formally inventive, with non-linear storytelling that makes the mystery deepening rather than solving. Some of the best television made recently.
But The supernatural element remains genuinely ambiguous; if you need clear answers about what's happening, this will frustrate you. Violence and trauma are unflinching.
People
Cast
Katrina WeidmanSelf- Eilfie MusicSelf