Which paranormal documentaries are actually worth your time?

Alright lads, I'm absolutely skint this month so I'm working through my backlog of paranormal documentaries instead of going down the pub. But Christ, there's some absolute dross out there. Half of it's just jump scares and dramatic music with no actual investigation.

What's everyone's go-to? I'm looking for something with actual substance - the kind of thing where they genuinely try to debunk claims rather than just assuming everything's haunted. Already a huge fan of the old Fortean TV stuff from the 90s if that gives you any sense of my taste.

Cheers in advance!

Go back and watch the original Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack if you haven't already. Proper storytelling, lets the viewer draw their own conclusions, and the production quality is surprisingly good for the era. Also try anything by James Van Praagh, though if you're looking for skepticism that probably won't scratch the itch.

the kind of thing where they genuinely try to debunk claims

Have you tried the Skeptics' Guide podcast? Not quite a documentary but it's brilliant for rational analysis without being condescending. Way better than most of the telly stuff.

The BBC's 'Ghostwatch' from 1992 still holds up brilliantly - proper creepy without being silly about it. Obviously you'll know it's fiction but the atmosphere is incredible. If you want actual investigations, Scooby-Doo has a better track record than most paranormal TV shows tbh 😅

Anything with Tony Robinson does it for me. He approaches these things with genuine curiosity but also common sense. The one about Pendle witches was brilliant. And if you get a chance, hunt down some of the old BBC Omnibus episodes about the paranormal - proper archival stuff.

Most paranormal documentaries are rubbish because they're held back by the broadcasters. Netflix and Discovery+ have better budgets but worse editorial standards. Your best bet is honestly YouTube channels run by actual researchers - less polished but way more honest.