Paranormal Cops is a sucky rip-off of Ghost Hunters, simple as that

Here’s the thing about Ghost Hunters — I don’t necessarily believe in ghosts. I watch Ghost Hunters, but I don’t sit on the edge of my seat with white knuckles, thinking that these guys are actually talking to spirits from beyond. I will say, though, that I’m a sucker for the show in that I’d like to believe they are not lying — that these odd things going on aren’t something they’re knowingly staging or someone is putting them on. Many or most of you will think me a fool for being so gullible, but so what — I’m entertained.

I got a chance to catch A&E’s newest Syfy rip-off show a few weeks ago, Paranormal Cops (the first rip-off was Paranormal State, which I’d compare to Syfy’s Destination Truth). I hadn’t written anything about it yet because, well, I didn’t want to waste my time on it. In hindsight I wish I had written about it earlier, so I could warn you all to stay away from this train wreck. Maybe I’m not too late, as it airs later tonight.

Paranormal Cops would have been an awesome show if it didn’t actually try to take itself seriously and instead was an out-and-out parody of Ghost Hunters, maybe like Reno 911! is to Cops. But, no, these guys are — as far as I can tell — serious. This is the “CPD,” or Chicago Paranormal Detectives. They’re actual Chicago cops (at least some of them are) who moonlight as these “paranormal cops,” basically doing what the Ghost Hunters do, only laughably so. Oh, if you watch Ghost Hunters and laugh at that already, then you’re in for a bowl full of hilarity watching this show.

The head CPD detective is Ron Fabiani, an actual Chicago police officer who is seriously a caricature of himself. He wears a gatsby hat, drools all over a disgusting cigar (all. the. TIME.), and sports an accent fitting of the old SNL Super Fans. They even show shots of him arresting people with that drippy stoggie hanging off his lip. Hey, I have nothing against cigars, but this is just comical.

The premise is just too similar to Ghost Hunters to ignore, up to the fact that they heavily market the “moonlighting ghost investigators” angle. The way the team handles evidence is just too silly to bear, actually using police evidence bags and police-line tape during their investigations. They also start their investigations with something called a “protection circle,” where they say a few words so evil forces won’t hurt them during their work. Yes, it’s as supremely hokey as it sounds.

After having watched Paranormal Cops, I really hope few people who haven’t watched Ghost Hunters before don’t watch this and draw assumptions to what Ghost Hunters is like. Even I am embarrassed after having watched this show. Me! A guy who defends Ghost Hunters! That’s got to say something.

Clacked by Keith McDuffee
on Jan 19, 2010 @ 21:52 EST5EDT