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Before you watch Ghost Files, here is a tribute to Unsolved: Supernatural

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Ayaan Paul
Ayaan PaulSep 27, 2022 | 09:00

Before you watch Ghost Files, here is a tribute to Unsolved: Supernatural

The ‘Ghoul Boys’ are back with their latest production, titled Ghost Files, having run the beloved YouTube docuseries, BuzzFeed Unsolved, for over five years. 

For fans of the supernatural and the occult, the names Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej are the stuff of legend. The two paranormal investigators revolutionised the ‘ghost hunting’ movement across the internet with their Unsolved series of videos, spanning 15 seasons and over 130 episodes.

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Though Unsolved was split into two alternating themes - True Crime and Supernatural - the series' most popular episodes majorly belonged to the latter category.

Unsolved: Supernatural involved the duo visiting and investigating some of the most notoriously haunted locations across the United States in search for answers to a recurring question that the series hinged on: Are ghosts real?

Part of Unsolved’s massive appeal amongst people from all over the world was the Ryan-Shane dynamic that the two brought to the table. In befitting ‘Scully and Mulder’ archetypes of the skeptic and the believer, Ryan’s firm belief in the ‘Other’ was perfectly and quite humorously contrasted with Shane’s unyielding skepticism. 

The series’ success also stemmed from its ability to steer clear of any sensationalisation and stereotypes that their particular line of work had grown infamous for. Unsolved was a grounded and humanised investigation into the paranormal; one that changed the internet’s perception on the occult for the better.

The Unsolved investigations spawned an entire subculture of memes and references that originated from unscripted comedic exchanges between the two or the almost anthropomorphised set of tools and equipment (looking at you Spirit Box) they used to aid them in their investigations. 

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In late 2019, the series came to an end and the duo moved on to establish their own digital production company named Watcher Entertainment, following which, they announced their latest web series Ghost Files, in similar likeness to its successor. Here is the first episode to the new series:

As an ode to the Unsolved days, here are some of the most terrifying places across the US that the Ghoul Boys investigated:

6. The Ghosts and Demons of Bobby Mackey’s

The Bobby Mackey's nightclub in Wilder, Kentucky

Bobby Mackey's Music World is a nightclub and honky tonk located in Wilder, Kentucky, owned by the country singer Bobby Mackey. Urban legends claim the nightclub is the site of various hauntings, murders, and suicides and even what some consider to be a portal to hell.

Fans would remember the iconic “Hey there demons, it’s me, ya boi” originated from Shane’s time in the basement during the episode. 

5. The Haunted Shadows of St Augustine’s Lighthouse

The St Augustine Lighthouse in St Augustine, Florida

The St Augustine Lighthouse is a privately maintained aid to navigation and an active, working lighthouse in St Augustine, Florida. The current lighthouse stands at the north end of Anastasia Island and was built between 1871 and 1874, reported to be the subject of numerous ghost stories and supernatural legends.

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Ryan’s encounters with the overactive Spirit Box as they ascended the lighthouse during the episode were equal parts eerie and hilarious.

4. The Unbelievable Horrors of Old City Jail

The Charleston City Jail in Charleston, South Carolina

The Old Charleston Jail is a site of historical and architectural significance in Charleston, South Carolina. Operational between 1802 and 1939, it held many notable figures, including Union officers during the Civil War, high-seas pirates, and Lavinia Fisher: the first woman serial killer in the US.

This episode marked Ryan’s first major outbreak during his solo investigation as he manically ran through the hallways screaming in fright with Shane casually chuckling outside.

3. The Demonic Bellaire House

The Bellaire House in Ohio

Often regarded as one of the most haunted homes in the world, the Bellaire House in Ohio is filled with a healthy mix of spirits, apparitions, portals to the unknown as well as a demonic entity residing within its walls.

The house was one of the rare ‘demon-infested’ establishments that the two took on to investigate, however, despite the terror associated with it, the takeaway of the episode was the late night pizza they ordered while staying the night. 

2. The Haunted Halls of Waverly Hills Hospital

The Waverly Hills Hospital in Louisville County, Kentucky

The Waverly Hills Hospital is a former sanatorium located in southwestern Louisville County, Kentucky that opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. The hospital is said to be possessed to this day, by the spirits of its former inhabitants.

One of the earliest episodes in the series history, the hospital housed many fond (and creepy) memories involving the spirit of a boy named Timmy and a horrifying body shaft in the basement. 

1. The Haunting of Hannah Williams

Shane and Ryan stand outside Hannah Williams' house

Of the handful of housecalls the two have made, the paranormal happenings in the house of their Buzzfeed colleague Hannah Williams seems to be one of the most terrifying episodes in the series history.

Even Shane’s best attempts at comedic relief during the episode aren’t adequate to draw attention away from the frightening encounters they have over the course of their investigation.

Following the premiere of Ghost Files this weekend, it comes as no surpise that the Ghoul Boys have been overhwhelmed with responses over social media...

You can watch new episodes of Ghost Files every Friday on Watcher's YouTube channel.

Last updated: September 27, 2022 | 09:00
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