Skepticism

After remembering about the X-files, the word Skepticism wouldn't leave my mind. Somehow the shows skeptic attitude made me believe in these things more and more. While not necessarily to the point of pure paranoia and conspiracy theories, but "Maybe there are aliens out there."
My mind jumps, and I begin to think about how this is so successful in paranormal documentaries like Destination Truth and Ghost Hunters. The skepticism displayed in these shows makes me question, and believe more, in real supernatural events.

Paranormal State, devoid of Skepticism, does the opposite.

Paranormal State is an A&E show, Mondays at 10pm (9Central), about a group of college students who are investigating paranormal events. This takes the same formula that other shows of this type use, like Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth. Each episode has 1 or 2 "cases" to investigate, and one entire case is gone through before the second one is introduced. Each case starts with the "lead investigator" (Ryan in the case of Paranormal State) giving an introduction into the case, and a brief synopsis of what is going on at the supposedly haunted site they'll be working on. After that, they arrive on site and interview those occupying the location, while also getting research about the place done, to learn as much as they can beforehand. Then there is a single night spent at the location to attempt to spot and document the phenomenon. This is all followed by a closing session in which the lead investigators give their ideas as to whether the place is haunted or not, and whats the best course of action for it.
In shows like Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth, the investigation attempts to be unbias. They come in with equipment to try to pick up small things, like infra-red video cameras to pick up tiny heat signatures, recorders in hopes of catching Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP), and maybe even personal experiences. Many of these episodes end in no evidence, or even finding scientific reasons as to what is actually occurring (like the "Fear cage," which is a high amount of electricity in an area from a generator or something that makes people paranoid, and potentially even cause hallucinations). At the 'worst,' they'll say "We got some spooky evidence that we currently can't substantiate, and we have to say its paranormal at this time." Rarely is it "Your place is haunted, we need an exorcism...now."
Paranormal State is the opposite. The team goes in believing everything they hear. Heck, one of the major team members is an 'Occult Expert' because they deal so often with demons. Their investigation is cleverly named "Dead Time" where they often just sit in rooms and have seances. Occasionally the group will disprove something, but its not what there mission is apparently set out to be. They are more likely to bring in a "Psychic" to feel out energies than they are to disprove anything. This show has ended with them exorcising houses, and has a constant feel that we, the audience, need to believe all this is happening...even if the show doesn't have a single image of anything disturbing other than bad acting.
The show attempts to be so dead set on being true, that it feels scripted. Perhaps its just editing as clever as John Edwards show, but their Psychic and Mystics, with "No prior knowledge," are able to guess whats haunting the houses in the first guess pretty well. And the fact that there was an under story that the lead investigator, Ryan, was being chased by the demon Belial (every mention of Belial in the show was actually bleeped out to 'protect' the audience from his wrath) went through a few episodes really makes the show hard to believe. It comes out so often believing everything, and expecting the audience to follow, that it ruins its own credibility.

But maybe the show is true in claiming to be 'reality TV.' Maybe these events are real, and 100% proof of the existence of the paranormal. Maybe the occult expert is right and Belial, the ruler of Northern Hell, has nothing better to do than haunt people for having messy houses. If its all true, its lack of skepticism makes it impossible to believe. After episodes of Ghost Hunters, even if they disprove a haunting, I still go to sleep thinking "What about that next house..." Its skepticism that really keeps our minds focussed on an idea, and allow for the potential of hauntings, demons, and alien abductions to exist.

But one compliment to Paranormal State; it did have the coolest ad campaign. Two huge billboards that used ultrasound to shoot messages to passerby's that sounded like whispers that you could only hear at specific places? Yes, included and you can see it here due to the magic of youtube.