A Haunting

Last updated

A Haunting
A haunting.jpg
Genre
Developed byAllison Erkelens
Narrated byAnthony Call [1]
Theme music composer
  • Ed Smart
  • Cret Wilson
Opening theme
  • Ed Smart
  • Cret Wilson
Ending themeEd Smart
ComposerEd Smart
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons11
No. of episodes115 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Larry Silverman
  • Nicolas Valcour
  • Jack E. Smith
  • Tom Naughton
  • Mark Johnston
  • Jim Lindsay
  • Caroline Perez
  • Christine Shuler
  • Cecile Bouchardeau
Camera setup Single
Running time43–50 minutes
Production company New Dominion Pictures
Original release
Network Discovery Channel
ReleaseAugust 6, 2002 (2002-08-06) 
November 9, 2007 (2007-11-09)
Network
ReleaseOctober 12, 2012 (2012-10-12) 
March 4, 2022 (2022-03-04)

A Haunting is an American paranormal drama anthology television series that depicts eyewitness accounts of alleged possession, exorcism, and ghostly encounters. The program features narrations, interviews, and dramatic re-enactments based on various accounts of alleged paranormal experiences at reportedly haunted and mostly residential locations.

Contents

Format

The series has featured several alleged paranormal encounters, including traditional hauntings, demonic activity, ghost attacks, possessions, and cryptic visions. [2] [3] The series covers incidents from various locations mostly in the United States, but five episodes are set in international locations around the world, these are Canada, England, Ireland, and Taiwan. Episodes may be set in houses, apartments, farms, commercial areas, and even vast outdoor regions. [4] [5] [6] Most episodes present several accounts of paranormal experiences through cinematic re-enactments, which are accompanied by commentary from eyewitnesses and investigators themselves. [7]

Episodes within the series follow a frequently recurring pattern, in which victims of hauntings begin noticing peculiar incidents that gradually become more frequent and bizarre. Denial is most often the first reaction. As the situation escalates, however, and every possible conventional explanation is explored and found wanting, they either contact a paranormal investigator, a member of the clergy, or a spiritual medium for assistance. In some cases, victims are able to successfully resolve their paranormal issues, while in others, victims are forced to vacate their residence. [8] [9] Certain episodes have also featured commentary from famed demonologist and clairvoyant Ed and Lorraine Warren, who have actually investigated some of the cases featured on the series. The episode "The Dark Side" was dedicated to the memory of Ed, who died in 2006. [9] The episode "Dangerous Games" featured commentary from the Warrens' nephew, John Zaffis. [10]

Background and production

A Haunting originally began as two feature-length specials, A Haunting in Connecticut and A Haunting in Georgia , which were developed by Allison Erkelens, who also served as head writer. The specials were executive produced by Tom Naughton and Nicolas Valcour for New Dominion Pictures. [11] Based on strong ratings, A Haunting became a weekly series on the Discovery Channel in the Fall of 2005 and was produced by Larry Silverman. [4]

According to Silverman, the show's writers search for stories and then filter out accounts with enough substantial content. [4] He has further added that the episodes are strictly based on the accounts of victims, although the Discovery Channel did compel the show's producers to sanitize certain case histories due to their graphic sexual and violent content. [4] Bill Bean, whose real-life experiences were first featured in the episode "House of the Dead", claimed that the show's producers left out some of his story and that "some of the content was altered." [12]

Release

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
Specials 2August 6, 2002 (2002-08-06)September 18, 2002 (2002-09-18) Discovery Channel
1 8October 28, 2005 (2005-10-28)March 24, 2006 (2006-03-24)
2 8August 10, 2006 (2006-08-10)September 28, 2006 (2006-09-28)
3 10October 5, 2006 (2006-10-05)December 14, 2006 (2006-12-14)
4 13August 10, 2007 (2007-08-10)November 9, 2007 (2007-11-09)
5 10October 12, 2012 (2012-10-12)December 16, 2012 (2012-12-16) Destination America
6 4September 29, 2013 (2013-09-29)October 20, 2013 (2013-10-20)
7 16August 1, 2014 (2014-08-01)January 23, 2015 (2015-01-23)
8 10January 3, 2016 (2016-01-03)March 20, 2016 (2016-03-20)
9 16October 21, 2016 (2016-10-21)October 30, 2017 (2017-10-30) TLC
10 10May 27, 2019 (2019-05-27)July 29, 2019 (2019-07-29) Travel Channel
11 10December 31, 2021 (2021-12-31)March 4, 2022 (2022-03-04)

Broadcast

The show originally aired from August 6, 2002, to November 9, 2007, on the Discovery Channel, which produced four seasons of 39 episodes. After nearly a five-year hiatus, New Dominion productions began producing new episodes of a A Haunting in 2012. The show's fifth through eighth seasons were broadcast on the Destination America channel, which aired between October 12, 2012 [13] [14] and March 20, 2016. As of the show's ninth season, it aired on the TLC Network, where it premiered on October 21, 2016, and ended the following year on October 30, 2017. In 2019, the show's tenth season premiered on The Travel Channel. [15] After a two-year hiatus, the eleventh season of A Haunting debuted on December 31, 2021, on the Travel Channel as well as Discovery Plus. [16]

Home media

Timeless Media Group has released the first 7 seasons on DVD in Region 1 for the first time. [17] [18] [19]

On October 14, 2014, Timeless Media Group released A Haunting- The Television Series: Special Edition, a 9-disc box set featuring seasons 1–6. [20]

DVD releases
DVD titleRelease dateReleased byNotes
Hell House2005 Discovery Channel Individual episode
Lake Club Horror
Cursed
The Haunting of Summerwind
Echoes From The Grave
Darkness Follows
Seasons 1 and 2September 4, 2007Timeless Media Group
Seasons 1 and 2November 2007Discovery Channel
Ghosts And DemonsFebruary 5, 2008Timeless Media Group
The HouseFebruary 5, 2008Released in Ttn case on September 22, 2009
Meeting The DeadFebruary 5, 2008
Season 3May 20, 2008
Season 4September 9, 2008
Seasons 1–4September 9, 2008
A Haunting in ConnecticutSeptember 30, 2008Echo Bridge Entertainment
A Haunting in GeorgiaSeptember 30, 2008
Demon AngelsFebruary 10, 2009Timeless Media GroupReleased in tin case on September 22, 2009
House of FearFebruary 10, 2009Released in tin case on September 22, 2009
Spirits From The PastMay 12, 2009Released in tin case on September 22, 2009
The AnguishedMay 12, 2009
Twilight of EvilMay 12, 2009Released on Blu-ray on July 14, 2009; released in tin case on September 22, 2009
Season 5April 23, 2013 Shout! Factory/Timeless Media Group
Season 6August 19, 2014
Seasons 1-6October 14, 2014
Season 7April 14, 2015

Films

Gold Circle Films created two feature-length movies based on cases featured in A Haunting: The Haunting in Connecticut which was released in 2009, [21] and The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia , released in 2013. [22]

Accolades

AwardYear [a] CategoryNominee(s) / WorkResultRef(s)
The Telly Awards2008Bronze Telly: Film/Video – TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – DocumentaryA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLC; Discovery Channel (for "The Unleashed")Won [23]
2013Silver Telly: Film/Video – TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – DocumentaryA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLC (for "The Exorcism of Cindy Sauer")Won [24]
2015Bronze Telly: Film/Video – TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – DocumentaryA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLC (for "Curse of the Mummy")Won [25]
2020People's Bronze Telly: TV Programs/Segments – TelevisionA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLCWon [26]
Silver Telly: Documentary: Series – TelevisionA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLCWon [27]
Silver Telly: Use of Music – TelevisionA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLC; Ed Smart (Composer) (for "Provoking Evil")Won [28]
2023People's Silver Telly: Television Series/Shows/Segments – People's TellyA Haunting Season 11; New Dominion Pictures, LLC; Nicolas Valcour; Laura Marini; Lance Catania; Kelly Tucker; Dawn Wilfong; Kay RothmanWon [29]
Silver Telly: Horror – TelevisionA Haunting; New Dominion Pictures, LLC; Nicolas Valcour; Laura Marini; Dawn Wilfong; Lance Catania (for "Asylum 49")Won [30]

Notes

  1. Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

See also

References

  1. "A Haunting Press Kit" (PDF). New Dominion . December 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  2. Parente, Audrey (January 9, 2006). "'A Haunting' we will go... Discovery Channel takes a peek inside the 'weird' home of the Dunnams in Deltona". news-journalonline.com. News-Journal Corporation. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  3. Baird, Mike (October 18, 2007). "Corpus Christi ghost house?". Caller Times. NewsBank. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Fiendish Friday Interview: Larry Silverman of Discovery Channel's A Haunting". Blogcritics . October 19, 2007. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  5. Venable, Malcolm (June 17, 2006). "Local band rocks out on cable TV tonight.(Daily Break)". The Virginian Pilot. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  6. Briggs, Tyler (October 31, 2008). "Hinsdale's haunted house has all the frightful ingredients". Olean Times Herald. Retrieved October 31, 2008.
  7. "A Haunting Seasons 1 & 2 DVD Set". Discovery Channel. 2007. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  8. "Spirit Seekers are featured in an episode of "A Haunting" on The Discovery Channel". The Spirit Seekers. May 29, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "The Dark Side". A Haunting. Season 3. Episode 26. December 14, 2006.
  10. Lawerence, Amy (August 3, 2022). Ghost Channels: Paranormal Reality Television and the Haunting of Twenty-First-Century America. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 120–121. ISBN   978-1496838117. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  11. Bonko, Larry (December 2, 2002). "See more articles from The Virginian Pilot". The Virginian Pilot. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  12. "Bill Bean Interview for Entertainment Vine". Entertainment Vine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  13. Anderson, Kelly (September 19, 2012). "Destination America resurrects "A Haunting"" (Press release). Real Screen. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  14. "REAL-LIFE AMERICAN HORROR STORIES POSSESS "A HAUNTING," RESURRECTING ON DESTINATION AMERICA THIS OCTOBER". Discovery Web Press. September 2012. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  15. Leighton, Susan (May 9, 2019). "Travel Channel: A Haunting returns to scare a new audience". 1428 Elm. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  16. Roberts, Quinn (December 31, 2021). "How to Watch A Haunting Season 11 Premiere: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  17. Lambert, David (February 21, 2013). "A Haunting - The 2012 Episodes Come to DVD with a". TV Shows on DVD. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  18. "A Haunting DVD news: Announcement for A Haunting - Season 6 - TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on May 24, 2014.
  19. "A Haunting DVD news: Announcement for A Haunting - Season 7 - TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on January 25, 2015.
  20. "A Haunting- The Television Series *Special Edition* Seasons 1-6 * 9 DVDs* 2014" via Amazon.
  21. Ebert, Roger (March 25, 2009). "The Haunting in Connecticut review". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  22. Olsen, Mark (January 31, 2013). "Review: 'The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia' loses way". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  23. "Bronze Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  24. "2013 Winners". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  25. "Bronze Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  26. "Bronze Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  27. "Silver Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  28. "Silver Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  29. "Silver Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  30. "Silver Winner". tellyawards.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.