ABSTRACT
In recent years paranormal subjects have become an increasing fixture in popular culture (Bader, Mencken and Baker 2010). US citizens of the 1970s and 1980s who desired ‘non-fiction’ paranormal content were limited to In Search of … (1976–1982), Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World (1980), and a handful of other television shows and movies. In 2011, at minimum, 28 distinct paranormal television shows aired new episodes, ranging from the venerable Ghost Hunters (2004–) to The Haunted (2009–), which documents tales of haunted pets. The amount of paranormal content available on American television at any given time is actually much larger, given the frequency with which networks air repeats of current or concluded paranormal shows and one-time specials about the paranormal. If fictional movies and television shows with paranormal themes, such as the Paranormal Activity series (2007) and The River (2011) are included in our accounting, the paranormal has become a truly ubiquitous feature of US popular culture. However, we argue that ‘non-fiction’ shows such as Ghost Hunters and fiction shows such as The X-Files (aired in Italy 1994–2002) share certain key features in the way in which they present the paranormal that have engendered their popularity.
