Six primary members of the Paranormal Research Society on the official A&E TV Paranormal State website.

                                 Ryan Buell Director
                                                        Sergey Poberezhny Tech Specialist
                                                                           Katrina Weidman Interviewer
                                                                                        Eilfie Music Occult Specialist
                                                                                                       Michelle Belanger PRS Psychic
                                                                                                                    Heather Taddy Team Documentarian 

Does Paranormal State portray real and verifiable paranormal activity? Are parts of episodes, or whole episodes, scripted, fabricated and produced to try and make you believe something paranormal happened when it didn’t? Or, could the series be a combination of both scenarios?

Paranormal State is typically a half-hour TV series, with the exceptions of the “I am Six,” “The Possession: Return,” “Devil’s Nest,” and fourth season episodes “Suicide Possession” and “Darkness Falls,” which were one hour in length. The (mid-season?) season five finale of Paranormal State aired on Sunday, 28 November 2010. Season five was to have been originally slated for 20 episodes, but it looks like 13 aired by that date. 

Season Six of Paranormal State ended on Monday, 02 May 2011.
Even though there are no new episodes of Paranormal Sate, I will continue to update this website.

Captions during the beginning of the episodes state:
(not actual screenshots)

I wish to provide the most insight as to questionable details about Paranormal State on the Internet.

After viewing all of the season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 episodes, I have not seen any scientifically verifiable evidence of paranormal phenomena. Most of what is portrayed on Paranormal State involves anecdotal claims, cinematic effects such as scenes shot with either a night vision or infrared thermal imaging camera, creative post-production editing of both audio and video, and instances of added sound effects. So far, my website contains reviews pertaining to only some of the episodes.

First, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, this 22nd day of November 2012.

Second, I planned to include new work on my website today to demonstrate that Paranormal State was a made-up, made-for-TV series. Unfortunately this is taking me a long time to complete, as I’m still working on these new webpages. While I was unable to make today’s 22 November 2012 anticipated update, I am working on finalizing the information and will upload it as soon as possible. I wish I can give you a solid date and time this information will be available, but can’t, other than to say it should be within a week from today.

This website is not complete or in a final state, and will be updated. In an effort to better convey information, I will make revisions as to the design and content of this website.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I will be adding some webpages to include information from astute visitors to my website; David Proctor who noticed the Adena Indian Burial Mound in the “Darkness Falls” episode was incorrectly spelled as “Adina.”

I will add a webpage for the observant viewer who wishes to remain anonymous, who clarified that “The Basement” episode (1) actually took place in Jefferson County Ohio, and (2) that the “Local Policeman” with the “JPD” insignia on his collar, was not with the “Jefferson County Police Department” as shown in the episode, but was with the Jefferson Police Department, of Jefferson Village in Ashtabula County, Ohio.

Some episodes have a strong Catholic-based approach; sometimes prayers are said and readings are done from a Bible, and at times Holy Water is dispensed in an effort to quell alleged paranormal phenomena.

The PRS motto, “To trust, honor, and always seek the truth” might sound nice, honorable, and well-intentioned, but there are occurrences in various episodes, where the truth is not shown.

There are times in various episodes in which Paranormal State gives false, misleading, and/or inaccurate information. And in some episodes, relevant information has been withheld, and/or scenes have been fabricated to produce the illusion of paranormal activity. Therefore, I feel it is imperative to question the authenticity, legitimacy, and integrity of the Paranormal Research Society (PRS) as a group, and Paranormal State as a “Real life. Drama,” TV show.

One of the many complaints I have about the series is that there is no disclaimer before, during, or after the episodes, stating that Paranormal State is “For entertainment purposes.”

Ryan Buell was a student at The Pennsylvania State University (often referred to as Penn State), at the University Park campus, located in State College, Pennsylvania, when he founded the college club known as the Paranormal Research Society (PRS). on 16 September 2001. The PRS was the college club on which the TV series, Paranormal State, is based. In addition to being the Founder/Director of the PRS, Ryan’s name appears in the closing credits as a Consulting Producer for the majority of Paranormal State episodes, and once as a Co-Executive Producer for the season four episode, “Darkness Falls.” Ryan’s also shown as one of the Co-Executive Producers for season five episodes, with the exception of “Dwelling of the Dead,” which appears to have been made for, but not aired in, season four.

I WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THIS WEBSITE (CHECK BACK ON NOVEMBER 22nd)
On October 12th, 2012 I made minor visual changes to this website. On or before November 22nd, I will add new content to reveal additional false, misleading, and inaccurate information portrayed on Paranormal State, so please check back for revealing information.

THE PRS “TRANSFORMED”
According to the Paranormal Research Society’s Web site, the PRS is no longer a student-run Penn State University club. They say that in 2008 it “transformed itself as a professional organization.” What they don’t tell you is that most of the PRS members had already earned their college degree by the time Paranormal State first aired in December of 2007. Also, there is no mention that the PRS club failed to turn in a form listing club officers for the year 2008. Without officers, there could be no members. Without enough officers or members to keep the PRS club active, it became “inactive.” So, it was due to a lack of interest in the Penn State Paranormal Research Society (PRS) club that caused the club to cease under Ryan Buell’s direction.

EQUIPMENT USE
The PRS uses a variety of equipment as a supposed means to find and document evidence of paranormal activity. Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detectors, night-vision video cameras, video cameras, digital cameras, infrared thermal imaging cameras, audio recorders, infrared motion detectors, Frank’s Box, an 8-Coil Shakti headset, an Ovilus, and radar, are some of the examples of equipment/technologies used in various episodes of Paranormal State. It should be understood, however, that none of the equipment/technology has been scientifically proven to detect paranormal or supernatural activity. In instances where the PRS does use scientific equipment (examples such as EMF detectors, or FLIR cameras) the approach is pseudoscientific. There is not one documented case in which science has proven the existence of a paranormal or supernatural phenomenon.

PRS CLAIMS ABOUT ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
On the PRS website, and in the season one episode of Paranormal State, “Freshman Fear,” the claim is made that the PRS assists, and is involved with, law enforcement. I invite Ryan Buell to provide a written explanation, which I will prominently post on this website, to define the specifics of what is meant by assisting law enforcement. In “Freshman Fear,” Ryan said: “There were a few unsolved deaths here. My first two cases were those of Betsy Aardsma, a grad student killed in the stacks. And then there’s Cindy Song, a girl who went missing on Halloween night in 2001. That case got national attention, and landed me and the newly-formed PRS, in the spotlight.”

Those two cases remain unsolved to this day, so Ryan and the then-newly-formed PRS landed in the spotlight– without contributing anything to solve either case.

I would think that if the paranormal exists and the PRS had proven paranormal investigative methods, they should have been able to solve those local, Penn State campus cases. So if the PRS couldn’t solve a single, local case, why should we believe they can use supposed paranormal techniques and equipment that hasn’t been scientifically proven to detect or document paranormal phenomena, to solve a case within a two- or three-day investigation located in a different city?

Note: This site is not owned by, or affiliated with Penn State, the Paranormal Research Society, A&E Television Networks, Go Go Luckey Productions, or Four Seasons Productions International, nor is it maintained or endorsed by them. Copyright © 2008-2012 Ernie Marsh.