History’s Most Haunted follows the ladies from Haunted Gold Rush as they embark on paranormal investigations scattered across North America. Get the scoop after the jump.

Show Background

History’s Most Haunted is a spin-off series from Haunted Gold Rush. It follows an all-female team of investigators as they check out haunts from Newfoundland, South Carolina, New Orleans, Salem, Montreal, and San Antonio.

Once the ratings for Haunted Gold Rush came in, T+E knew they had something and this new series got the greenlight. The Haunted Gold Rush premiere improved on typical show ratings by 140+%. Plus, it’s an all-Canadian show. I’d put that puppy straight into production, too!

Anyway, it’s the same production company (Small Army Entertainment) and distributor (Blue Ant Media) as Haunted Gold Rush.

As for this review, I watched episode 5, “New Orleans: Ghosts of America’s Necropolis.”

Cast

The series follows the same cast from Haunted Gold Rush, Corine Carey (a sensitive), Kelly Ireland and Leanne Sallenback. To be frank, I really didn’t find much about the trio’s paranormal investigation background outside Haunted Gold Rush and History’s Most Haunted.

According to Coast Mountain News, the team has at least 5-years experience investigating haunts around British Columbia. Corine and Leanne are sisters, and they have had psychic abilities since childhood. However, the show seems to establish Corine as the powerhouse psychic.

I wish I could find more about their paranormal investigations on their own website or social media. Their website is just a media list for the new series and Haunted Gold Rush. I wish they had published their investigations here. Otherwise, I have to critique their techniques based on the show, and that means they’re at the mercy of the editor. You don’t want to be at the mercy of the editor on a reality tv show.

It also puts my skepticism into overdrive.

What’s Good About History’s Most Haunted

Production Quality

Like Haunted Gold Rush, this show is gorgeous to watch. The lighting, drone work, b-roll, editing choices and confessional moments are all so well done. Small Army Entertainment knows what it’s doing. Kudos to the DP (Director of Photography).

Episode Pacing

Real-life ghost hunting is pretty boring. You sit around, ask questions in dark rooms, and wait for a gadget to beep. The editor keeps the show moving. It never sits still, which is my biggest gripe about sibling series, Haunted Discoveries. I was never bored watching the show because locations kept changing and the ladies moved around the city streets, B ‘n B, and hotel.

The Haunts Get The Love

I’ve always liked it when the haunts feel like cast members themselves. Starting off in the Mardi Gras parade was the right choice. You got the feel for the city. Then the hotel and B ‘n B got the love through their history and b-roll.

With so much going on, I think the B ‘n B got the short-end of the stick for airtime, but that’s what happens with time allotments for TV slots. The show only gets 44 minutes. Maybe production can release some extended cuts on YouTube (hint, hint)?

What’s Bad About History’s Most Haunted

Paranormal Experiencers, Not Investigators

This is probably my biggest beef with the show: It’s obvious to anyone who’s investigated ghosts for a year or more that the cast are not hardcore investigators. They are experiencers. Mind you, they’re not amateurs like YouTube vloggers (who get freaked out by slightest noise for your entertainment), but I don’t like production pulling a fast one on me about it. If you read the Coast Mountain News article (linked earlier), then it’s obvious.

Note: Investigators are out to prove a haunting is real and to identify the spirits. They document the evidence and publish their findings. Experiencers are on a journey to have a deep, personal connection with ghosts and spirits. They don’t necessarily publish their findings.

As experiencers, make the show a bit more fun like Conjuring Kesha. Kesha may have had some bat-shit bonkers moments, but we knew she and her BFFs were out to better understand their paranormal journeys. This gives the cast a chance to make mistakes while they figure it out like …

The cast doesn’t know how to use the ghost hunting gadgets, another pet peeve of mine. For example, the REM pod in the hotel didn’t have the antenna extended which is notorious for giving false positives. This is an easy problem to fix. Someone should know how to use all the gadgets or you wouldn’t make a paranormal investigation show. Fix it.

Mutant Psychic Gene Development

When did they all become psychics prone to demonic possession? I mean, on Haunted Gold Rush, Corine was established as the team’s sensitive. Now, everyone has mutant powers (empath/sensitive/medium/danger sense)?! You’d think Professor X is on his way to recruit them for Ghost X-Men or something. Kelly became an empath and dark spirit possessed her in New Orleans?! I kid, but it was surprising to see the ramp in super powers.

This is another pet peeve of mine. If you’re going to change things up in production, then you’d better establish the ‘awakening’ during the intro/flashback/confessionals. It’s called continuity. Fans of the previous show will tune in for the new show. We know the cast well. Explain new circumstances. This feels like heavy-handed production which kills the reality part of reality tv. You’ve turned the 2 other cast members into actors, the death knell of a reality show/docu series.

If this was explained in the first 4 episodes, then go ahead and skewer me in the comments.

They Don’t Use Cutting Edge Ghost Tech

I also really hate it when the show blurb says the team uses cutting edge paranormal ghost tech. A REM pod, K2 meter, Spirit Box and Ovilus are routine gadgets. If you use cutting edge tech, then you’d have an EMCCD camera like Brandon Alvis on Haunted Discoveries.

Should You Watch History’s Most Haunted

I’m leaning to ‘Skip it!’ right now, but I’ll watch a couple more episodes. I generally like to do a full review after I’ve watched a few episodes. History’s Most Haunted isn’t available stateside just yet. I got to watch the New Orleans episode while on a trip to Powell River, BC. It will stream on HauntTV (available on Roku, Tubi, Sling TV and more streaming networks) sometime this fall in the USA.

I really liked Haunted Gold Rush, more for the dark history and gorgeous cinematography than the investigating. So far, History’s Most Haunted hasn’t recaptured that haunted spark.

Feature image courtesy of T+E press materials

Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Jacob Rice