Ghost Hunters Academy

11/18/2009

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina The Ghost Hunters Academy team lands in Wilmington, North Carolina for their next investigation: A stem-to-stern scouring of the USS North Carolina, a famous vessel from World War II. The ship has been the site of numerous reported paranormal phenomena, including objects moving, shadows, noises, strange lights and even apparitions. With two full nights to spend on the ship, the recruits are ready and enthusiastic to get things underway. Unfortunately, the beginning of the investigation is decidedly inauspicious. Equipment setup is delayed because the recruits didn't take notes on Steve and Tango's initial tour, and they quickly manage to get lost in the maze-like bowels of the ship. In addition, they have to show Heathyr, who once again refused the initial tour in an effort not to influence her work as a medium, the various hot spots. At 10:44, Steve and Tango find the equipment still not set up, and cut off the recruits' wanderings with a message that they have to get started on setup immediately. While the investigation gets underway, we hear from some of the recruits. Chris feels he's a natural-born leader, and that he will automatically segue into that role. Karl sees some butting heads among the team, but doesn't think it's a problem yet...but Susan feels corners are being cut, and that the team will pay for it later. During the first night, there are a few minor incidents. Chris, Ben and Susan hear some noises in the kitchen, and later get a very high EMF reading. Heathyr and Karl get a lesson from Steve and Tango on double-checking their equipment. Ultimately, the first night is relatively fruitless thanks to the problems and delays in setup. On night two, Steve and Tango decide to take matters into their own hands and lead the setup so as to allow more time for the recruits to investigate. In addition, they give some instruction on the use of the thermal cam to Chris and Susan, who use it to investigate, but quickly realize that its utility is limited in an environment covered with metal and glass that reflects a lot of infrared imagery. Meanwhile, Heathyr is having a medium moment. She says she's feeling something from a sailor named Thomas Greenwell. The other recruits aren't quite sure what to make of her claims or status as a medium, but she's convinced she's contacted a spirit. Steve and Tango wrap up the investigation and throw a special curveball at the recruits for the analysis phase: This time, it'll be each recruit for his- or herself, analyzing data alone, and the team leaders will see who does best. Chris finds a lot of noises on the EVP, and makes sure Ben and Karl know about it, but in the end, none of it would matter. Steve and Tango only need to listen to a couple of noted incidents to realize that the recruits did not take their advice about tagging their recordings, meaning any ambient noise could be mistaken for paranormal phenomena. In their opinion, this makes the entire investigation suspect. The mood is decidedly darker this time around as a disappointed Steve and Tango prepare to drive the recruits to their next destination, where the fate of one or more of the current team members may hang in the balance. Today's Lessons: - Always take notes when the team leaders are talking. - Double-check your camera angles. - Tag audio in your EVP sessions...or else.

11/25/2009

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania *** WARNING - MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** Eastern State Penitentiary was one of TAPS' most frightening investigations, and now the recruits are being brought to this historic prison for their latest test. As a special treat, they will be given access to Cell Block 14, a newly-opened part of Eastern State that was built and designed by inmates. But Steve and Tango aren't content to let the scope of the venue provide the entirety of the challenge; they've brought in new recruit Jane Riley, an experienced paranormal investigator from New Jersey. The established team is a little hesitant, and the tension builds as the team leaders confirm that someone will be going home at the end of this investigation. Perhaps the pressure gets to the recruits, as Ben's attempts to take charge of tech backfire, and the setup process again runs long, frustrating Steve. At 1:25 AM, he calls off the night, saying that things have gone too far off the rails. The team is devastated, and Chris comments that he could have made things run smoother if he'd been in charge. On night two, Steve and Tango once again take charge of setup, and the team is able to pull it off in 45 minutes. The lights go out, and the investigation begins. We first see Chris and Susan in the newly opened Cell Block 14. They hear a few sounds and then suddenly come upon a great deal of fog. Undaunted, they investigate...only to find Steve and Tango, who were testing them by creating an artificial apparition. Steve is pleased with the way Chris and Susan handled it, and high-fives are exchanged. Jane and Ben are investigating the guard tower, and as Steve and Tango observe, they see Ben basically mimicking everything Jane does. They call him on it and tell him to be more proactive. The official reprimands continue as Chris and Heathyr spend an inordinate amount of time on one tier of Cell Block 12 thanks to Heathyr's insistence on trusting her medium abilities. Eventually, Steve wraps the investigation and says the team really pulled it together on night two, but criticizes Jane for some of her poor tech work, which causes her to cry and leave the room. Steve is taken aback at how quickly she broke down, but impressed when she regroups and apologizes. The team moves on to the analysis phase, and everyone is nervous about the impending cut. Nothing is found on DVR, and while EVP turns up a couple of hits, Steve and Tango aren't convinced, and take the recruits back into the prison for a lesson on the way sound can travel and cause false positives on an EVP. At the end of the lesson, Steve dismisses everyone but Heathyr and Jane. One of these two will be going home. Steve says he and Tango questioned Jane's abilities and honesty, but admired her resilience. Meanwhile, he calls Heathyr one of the smartest people he's talked to, but questions her dependence on her mediumship. Ultimately, Heathyr is told it's time for her to go, as Tango explains that, while they attempted to open the door to a psychic, it wasn't helping them get the hard proof they needed. Everyone is dismayed to see Heathyr go, and tearful farewells are exchanged. More ominous, however, is the implication that none of the recruits are safe, and that, as they drive off to their next destination, they will have to step up their game if they want to stay on the team. Today's Lessons: - Watch out for pranks from the Team Leaders. - Be proactive. - Psychic abilities are no substitute for good science.

12/2/2009

Location: Buffalo, New York *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** The team is unsettled heading to their latest investigation at Buffalo's Central Terminal, both because of the loss of dismissed recruit Heathyr and because the enormous terminal presents a daunting investigative challenge. When they arrive, Steve and Tango detail some of the paranormal phenomena that have been sighted, including full-bodied apparitions in the concourse, spirits around an alcove on the third floor where a water fountain once stood, and female voices coming from an elevator shaft in the baggage claim area. There's also an abandoned apartment where the owner of the building used to reside, and some claim that his presence still lingers. After the tour, it's time for setup...and for the first time, the team really pulls it together. Equipment is placed and the place is wired in record time, but not without incident. Some tension brews between Jane and Karl when she claims that Karl wouldn't let her put cameras where she wanted to put them. Steve and Dave take note of Jane's attitude, but it's time to get the investigation underway. Lights out! We return to Karl and Jane in the abandoned apartment. Jane presses the issue, claiming Karl isn't listening to her ideas. Karl claims he's just trying to make sure her bases are covered, and Steve and Dave watch with trepidation as Jane continues to get defensive. Eventually, Karl manages to defuse the situation and the team is able to continue investigating. Team dynamics continue to play a big role in the proceedings, as Ben, Chris and Susan learn an important lesson about sticking together when Susan splits off for an hour to do her own EVP work. Meanwhile, Jane and Karl smooth things over and share a personal experience when they think they see something in the station's trolley lobby. The recruits are also showing definite improvement in their investigative skills. Chris hears a noise but is able to quickly deduce that it was caused by falling debris. Susan hears the sound of trickling water near the old water fountain, and repeated attempts to recreate the noise by Ben and Chris aren't successful; Susan feels they did a good job sorting that out. Karl and Jane even outwit a trick from Steve and Tango, cleverly deducing that mysterious lights they see are coming from an outside source (although they miss out on catching our merry pranksters). When the investigation wraps, the recruits feel better about themselves than they have after any previous effort. Steve and Tango are equally pleased, but call out Jane for some of her defensiveness. Still, things went fairly well, and the team is optimistic heading into the analysis phase. Unfortunately, little of value is found, and personal experiences from Karl, Jane, and Susan remain unconfirmed. At the least, however, everyone feels like they did a thorough job, and Steve and Tango are happy enough that no one is sent home. Everyone's feeling good as the Ghost Hunters Academy RV rolls out to its next destination. Today's Lessons: - Don't throw your teammates under the bus. - Don't go off on your own. - Don't trust Steve and Tango.

12/9/2009

Location: Saint Augustine, Florida *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** This week, the recruits get their cardiovascular capacity ready for the many stairs of the St. Augustine lighthouse, location of numerous full-bodied apparitions, disembodied voices, and other catalogued phenomena. The curveball this time around is the addition of Chris Smith, a new recruit...and an indication that Steve and Tango are going to be sending someone home at the end of the investigation. The rest of the recruits are nervous, but do their best to welcome their new team member and get him up to speed. It seems like everyone has the hang of setup, now, as it goes without a hitch and makes Steve happy. The lights go out, and the investigation gets underway. Almost immediately, Steve and Tango are a little disappointed in Jane's work, as she seems to lack attention to detail and basic common sense such as using her walkie talkie to communicate with other team members. Meanwhile, Karl gets high marks for his work in attempting to open a dialogue with spirits, while Susan impresses the team leaders by making use of "trigger objects" - in this case, a cigar and whiskey placed in a room in which witnesses had claimed to smell cigar smoke. Chris S. has a lot to learn about investigating, but his friendly demeanor and ability to soak up knowledge impress his new teammates. Jane and Chris M., however, have worse luck, as Steve and Tango are forced to stop them from wandering the grounds aimlessly. Steve drives home the point that research into and knowledge of the stories about sightings on the grounds would have allowed them to focus their investigation. With that, Steve and Dave wrap up the investigation, and Tango states that he was impressed with the way things went, overall. The recruits are feeling pressure going into the analysis phase, but none more so than Jane, who feels like she could be the one to go and gets quite emotional about it. Still, there's a job to do, and everyone settles down to go over evidence. Unfortunately, they only really find one piece of evidence, a personal experience recorded by Ben in which he heard knocking noises in the lighthouse tower. Steve says not to let the fact that they only found one thing get them down...but that he still has to send someone home. After some constructive criticism of Ben, we immediately see Jane aggressively start to throw blame around, including ratting out Chris M. for a statement he made saying he didn't want to be there. Steve and Tango aren't impressed with Jane's attitude, but more importantly, they think no one who doesn't want to be investigating should be. And thus it is that Chris M. is the recruit let go, while Jane gets to stay despite the fact that the team, as a whole, doesn't have great feelings about her. Jane, for her part, is happy to stay, but feels bad because she knows the only reason she's still around is because Chris stated his distaste. Steve emerges from the RV and informs the recruits that, with one investigation left, he and Tango are really going to be looking for the potential in the team, and they need to show him something. And with that, the recruits pack up and roll on to their final exam. Today's Lessons: - There's no substitute for desire and passion. - Sometimes, even the most promising investigations don't turn up hard evidence. - Leave your baggage at the door.

12/16/2009

Location: Cedar Grove, NJ *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** For the recruits' final investigation, Steve and Tango take them to the site of one of TAPS' most harrowing escapades: Essex County Hospital. The recruits are obviously fired up to have the chance to explore such an impressive location. Hanging over everything, of course, is the fact that this will be the moment when the team leaders make their decision as to which recruits, if any, will be invited to take the next step and join the Ghost Hunters family. Setup is conducted quickly, and the investigation gets underway. This time, Steve and Tango are going one-on-one with individual recruits to get a firsthand assessment of their skills. Steve starts out with Karl, and is impressed when the young investigator pursues what sounds like footsteps to discover that it's only water hitting a mattress. Steve has another good experience with Jane, who he says demonstrates skill and leadership. Tango, on the other hand, isn't having as much luck. He first comes up empty with a nervous Jane, and then hooks up with Ben, who spends a lot more time talking about proper investigative procedure than actually doing it. Steve finishes up with Chris, who he says shows a great deal of passion, perhaps more than demonstrated by the other recruits. Meanwhile, Essex County Hospital is delivering the goods. Karl, Jane and Ben hear strange knocking sounds in Building 5, while Chris and Susan experience temperature drops and more noises in Building 3. The recruits hold their own, however, pursuing every lead and debunking experiences like a banging noise that turns out to be a free-swinging door. The biggest hitch comes when it turns out that Jane neglected to press record on one of the DV cams. Steve says that's not a great sign. Eventually, Steve calls the class to meet at center command and wraps up the investigation. As analysis gets underway, everyone's psyched and feels like they're still in the running. The recruits definitely demonstrate the knowledge they've accrued over the course of the semester during this phase of the game, quickly dismissing some evidence that turns out to be sketchy and zeroing in on the one or two pieces of data that can't be definitively explained. Now, however, it's time for the moment of truth. First, the team leaders single out Ben, who they say is incredibly technically savvy, but doesn't fare as well away from the equipment. Still, they see potential in him and invite him to return for another round of training in the next season of Ghost Hunters Academy. The same fate awaits Chris, who came on strong despite his late start. Unfortunately, Steve and Tango don't have good news for Jane, who they find to lack composure and professionalism. Jane, obviously, is incredibly disappointed by this news. At this point, it's down to the final two recruits, Karl and Susan. Steve says Karl has been the most consistent of the team, but that he still needs some polish...and that's why they're inviting him to continue his development as part of Ghost Hunters International. Karl is incredibly psyched by this outcome...but Susan feels that it can't mean anything good for her. Tango seems to confirm this by saying there were a lot of up-and-down results with her, but then it's time for good news, as Susan is also invited to join Ghost Hunters International. A lover of travel and learning about other cultures, Susan is stoked. With the final grades handed out, Steve and Tango put the wraps on what they feel was a successful first foray into training a new generation of ghost hunters. Everyone piles into the Ghost Hunters Academy vehicle and rides off toward a future filled with more paranormal adventure. Today's Lessons: - In paranormal investigation, actions speak louder than words. - Professionalism is key. - Hard work and good investigative skills pay off.

6/2/2010

We meet the eager cadets, who are surprised by a visit from Jason Hawes, founder of TAPS. He, Steve, and Tango welcome the new class, then give them their paranormal equipment kits. They go to Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a paranormal hot spot, for the first investigation. Steve and Tango have the students set up the cameras and central command - then it's lights out.

6/9/2010

Now that one cadet has been eliminated, the rest of the Academy is ready to ratchet up their performance. The gang heads to Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum, where Steve and Tango have seen a ton of activity. Steve asks Adam and Rosalyn, as team leaders, to keep a lookout for a good center command spot, and the cadets learn about the facility's paranormal past. Before you know it, it's lights-out.

6/16/2010

As the cadets head to the Mark Twain House, they learn that they will be flying solo on this investigation. Their contact at the House reveals a treasure trove of paranormal activity, including apparitions, unexplained lights and noises, phantom smells and a figure resembling Mark Twain's butler. Adam and Michelle set up central command, but Steve and Tango immediately note that it has one flaw: It is right next to a room with audio claims. Michelle and Adam are chastised, but still determined to prove themselves.

6/23/2010

Location: Pea Patch Island, Delaware *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** The five remaining cadets take a boat to Fort Delaware, a Civil War fort-turned-prison. Eric is psyched to be group leader, but the other cadets, especially Adam, are ready to meet his challenge. The academy meets Laura Lee, the park historian, but before she can dig in, Eric gets off to a rough start by interrupting her presentation. Everyone is taken aback, but soon Laura is back on track, telling the team about apparitions, intimidating noises and moving objects. Then the cadets rush to get center command set up, because out here, it's lights out when the sun goes down. Vera takes a more active role in setting up, and Steve and Tango are pleased with the camera angles Eric has chosen. Eric then leads Vera and Michelle away as one team to the powder magazine, with Adam and Rosalyn a team unto themselves. Vera hears steps in one of the powder tunnels, but the team is unable to explain the sound. Adam, investigating the officer's quarters with Rosalyn, comes up with some really creative dialogue with the spirits. They also hear a mysterious noise, and upon closer inspection, they discover a rattling window. When Eric and team move to the kitchen, Vera busts the form right open by getting the group to sing a song to the ghost, and she pulls out a chair for someone to sit. Steve and Tango, from afar, are duly impressed. Michelle thinks she sees a strange heat signature coming off of the stove, but upon closer inspection, it's a trick of the angle of the thermometer. Adam and Rosalyn move to the mess hall, and Adam is hit with inspiration: He calls the ghost of a man named Lee who used to work with Laura at Fort Delaware - Steve and Tango are blown away at his inventiveness. Rosalyn feels a static electricity build on her shoulder, and they hear some strange noises, but the source remains unexplained. Eric then explores the powder magazine with Rosalyn and Adam, but takes a brash tack by testing them on their technical knowledge and claims of the facility, which not only rubs Rosalyn and Adam the wrong way, but also displeases Steve and Tango. Eric has no idea that he made any missteps, however. In analysis, Michelle finds an out-of-place voice, but her skepticism keeps her from making the call that it's paranormal. Then Rosalyn presents some evidence, but stumbles over which file it was, and when she finally finds the clip, no one else can hear what she tries to point out. In presenting evidence, Michelle has two catches, both of which impress Jason, but Rosalyn doesn't do as well - she missed evidence in this and past analyses. The TAPS team critiques her on this, and then moves to Eric's team leader style, and although he defends himself, they show him that his style was too commandeering. Vera earns high praise for her creativity, as does Adam, and Vera is nominated team leader. Then the guys discuss who to send home. Though Eric's style rankled, Rosalyn's weak technical knowledge is a greater liability, and she is dismissed.

6/30/2010

Location: Mansfield, Ohio *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** The cadets are abuzz as they approach the Ohio State Reformatory, the prison where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. Staff member Scott Sukel leads the academy on a tour of locations where apparitions have been sighted and startling noises heard. Vera is thrilled to be group leader, but when Steve and Tango look to her for a plan, she comes up dry. Center command is a hurdle, too, and Adam offers some help on that point, but when Steve and Tango approve of the good choice, Vera claims all the credit for herself, causing a stir among the other cadets. Vera's next responsibility as team leader - the plan for the night - is also suggested by Adam after Vera blanks out. In the East Cell Block, Vera and Eric hear banging noises and footsteps, but can't locate the source. Meanwhile, Adam and Michelle head to the West Cell Block, with Adam on the thermal recorder, and they hear similar sounds. While seeking the source, Adam catches the image of a person walking into one of the cells. The pair search all of the cells, but can't find anyone else. Vera and Eric's plan takes them further until they reach the West Cell Block, at the opposite end to Adam and Michelle. Eric relates to the inmates by asking them if they'd like some cigarettes and beer, and before long, Eric and Vera both smell cigarette smoke. They find a concentrated patch, but then the smell disappears. Soon after, the strange noises resume. Adam and Michelle work their way through solitary confinement when they hear a monstrous noise. They pursue it until they bump into Eric and Vera, who were also attracted by the crashing sound. The four split up and try to surround it, but to no avail, and before long, sunrise signals the end of their investigation. At this stage of the competition, Steve and Tango no longer join the cadets for analysis, making all of the competitors more diligent about vetting their catches. Adam shares his experience of seeing the figure and Eric, having run an audio clip past the others for safety, presents it, but Jason doubts its veracity. Then Vera presents a video clip, but again is shot down. Adam tries his luck with his thermal finding, but Jason suggests that it could have been a reflection, and deems it inconclusive. Jason then scolds Vera - and the team - for missing an audio catch. Jason asks everyone whom they think should go home, starting with Adam, who cites Vera for her lack of leadership and failure to credit him for his idea for center command, and Michelle and Eric agree. Jason, Steve and Tango depart to discuss everyone's abilities, and settle on the fact that Vera's lack of planning and failure to name Adam for his good ideas make her the weakest cadet, and she is sent home.

7/7/2010

Location: Estes Park, Colorado *** WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *** In the final investigation, the three remaining cadets head to the Stanley Hotel, the location that inspired Stephen King's novel, The Shining. Eric, Michelle and Adam learn about the many apparitions, noises and phenomena of the hotel, then work quickly and efficiently to set up center command. With the lights out, they begin their investigation in one of the most active rooms, Room 412, where Michelle takes the lead by trying the flashlight technique: She loosens her flashlight and asks if anyone can illuminate it. The team immediately gets results, and so try different variations in an attempt to confirm or refute a paranormal presence. By narrowing it down to a small boy, they increase the consistency of their results. They then try the technique in a room said to be haunted by Lord Dunraven, and are equally successful. They even go so far as to move it to a table, where the flashlight lights up and rolls across the surface. In Room 1302, the bachelor's quarters, they provoke the spirits and hear some frightening noises. Soon, Tango and Steve spend some one-on-one time with each of the cadets. Tango and Adam head to the concert hall, where Adam tries a new technique: He plays a recording of piano music near the piano, and takes still photographs every fifteen seconds. Tango is impressed, and soon they hear strange noises from nearby. They investigate, and although no one is nearby, they can't confirm the source of the bumps and thumps. Adam rejoins Eric and they enjoy further success with the flashlight and Lord Dunraven, while Michelle has her one-on-one with Steve. Although she has the keen idea to confirm Steve's claim from last time he was in that room at the Stanley - he experienced sudden cold spots - Steve's presence makes her so nervous that she makes the critical error of forgetting her EMF detector. Then, it's time for Eric's one-on-one with Tango, and although they hear some strange noises, the pair have little success making contact with a paranormal presence. Before you know it, it's time to wrap up. The cadets have a ton of data to analyze, but there's only one audio clip they're really excited about. They meet with Jason, and are thrilled to recount their chilling personal experiences. Eric presents their sole catch - an audio clip of someone saying "Good morning" - but Jason overrules it, saying it could be an echo from down the hall. Steve mentions that Adam missed a catch, and Adam apologizes and chalks it up to overloaded senses. With analysis behind them, Jason asks the cadets what they think they could contribute to the TAPS family, then he, Tango and Steve head to the van to make the final and most difficult decision. All the cadets are strong, but the guys decide that Michelle, while extremely promising, hasn't reached her potential yet, and Eric, while solid, is maybe too much of a leader to really learn what TAPS has to teach. Adam, with his consistency, positivity and creativity is chosen to join the team. Everyone is grateful to have been a part of this work, but Adam is overjoyed - especially when Jason hands him the car keys and tells him he's driving the team.