Review of Discovery Channel's A Haunting

The Discovery Channel website describes A Haunting as "a chills-filled series, chronicling the terrifying true stories of the paranormal told by those who experienced real-life horror tales." Truthfully, this show would be more tolerable if it did not air on the Discovery Channel and it did not parade as a docu-drama. The Discovery Channel's devotion to science is skewed by shows such as this.

A Haunting basically provides "reenactments" - better known as dramatizations - of numerous hauntings. Episodes have covered hauntings such as a family playing victim to violent attacks ("Hell House," Season 1), ghostly figures haunting newlyweds ("The Apartment," Season 4), evil residing in the attic of a single mother ("The Attic," Season 3), a woman being haunted by a soldier killed in the Vietnam War ("Ghost Soldier," Season 2), and an evil presence haunting the home of an Illinois woman ("Dark Wrath," Season 4). Unfortunately, the coverage of these otherwise fascinating tales is limited to an overdone and overacted dramatization. One man by the name of Bill Bean was interviewed for the purposes of the Season 2 episode "House of the Dead." Bean admits, in an interview posted on his website, that his story was distorted for the purposes of A Haunting. Of course, this is common for the purposes of dramatization, but it is still disappointing to some of the Discovery Channel's loyal fans.

A Haunting will not even remotely appeal to skeptics. Unlike other paranormal shows, such as Sci Fi's Ghost Hunters, A Haunting focuses on reenacting the hauntings. Even some skeptics can appreciate shows such as Ghost Hunters for the use of technology and common sense to confirm or debunk certain aspects of a potential hauntings. A Haunting, on the other hand, focuses on firsthand accounts rather than documentation and debunking.

Despite the obvious lack of appeal to skeptics and science devotees, A Haunting does possess definite entertainment value. The dramatizations, provided they are not viewed as factual, are somewhat enjoyable to watch. Also, the show appeals to the occasional need to watch shows with chills, goose bumps and horror. It would be entirely appropriate to grab a bowl of popcorn and a blanket to tuck in to the thrills and chills of a show such as A Haunting.

Overall, the show lacks the scientific nature that once defined the Discovery Channel. Viewers can still get a thrill from the dramatizations, but do not expect to be blinded by profound truth. It is displayed through the distortion of Bill Bean's experiences that this show is about ratings rather than story-telling. Still, A Haunting is an enjoyable show.

For more information, or to view the episode guide, visit A Haunting's website.