Haunted Collector and A Need for Improvement : A Television Review and First Impression (Seas. 1)

*spoiler alert warning.

Cast: Brian J. Cano and John Zaffis.

In the world of paranormal investigations, there are several names who have left an indelible stamp with the news media. Over the span of two centuries, the Fox Sisters inaugurated the Spiritualist movement and were the first to be scrutinized by the media eye, Harry Price made himself famous with investigating the Borley Rectory, Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated the Amityville Haunted House–which spun off to become a movie (hoax or not), and now John Zaffis, the nephew of the Warrens, has his own television show. With a family of his own to direct, this team goes around the country solving cases that he is called upon to help.

The Haunted Collector is his attempt to capture the same glory as Ghost Hunters–on the SyFy Channel no less–but it is being met with some trepidation. The same formula of paranormal investigation is used and the first season is too short, and as far, only six episodes have been aired. This set of episodes is supposedly the first season and no official word has been made about a second. If another set is produced, hopefully that will come with some resolution of the past investigations. Without some conflict within the family unit to liven the visual narrative, there really is no reason to watch this series.

For Zaffis to not do a follow-up about the first two episodes on screen, where an old revolver, typewriter, music box, and shark jaw bones were removed, could be a serious faux pas. There is the possibility that Zaffis took away the wrong item and the haunting continues–or, what if the terror escalates? There is a legend of a skull in Bettiscombe, England where that, if it is ever removed from its mantle, a hideous scream emanates until it is restored.

Certainly Zaffis must know that folklore contains an ounce of truth which must be taken seriously. He has 37 years of experience in the field, but does any of it include legends and lore? Or does he leave it to his daughter, Aimee, the researcher, to find out or his son, Chris, the next generation being trained, to discover on his own? Even the patriarch of the family admits to not knowing what the sigel on the floorboards of an old house means in the season finale, "Slaughterhouse Ghosts/Supernatural Sword."

Zaffis believes that most paranormal activity is tied to a physical object, and to remove it means bringing peace to the residence. He does so with the permission of the owner, but sometimes the viewer has to wonder about Zaffis' motives.

In Episode Two, "My Mother's Ghost/Paranormal Predator," to remove the music box that seemingly has a motherly spirit attached to it is highly unusual. But apparently, Charlotte does not want to make peace with mom. She believes the rhetoric that Zaffis spouts about how other spirits can enter an abode if they wre welcomed. She gives permission for him to take the box away. Nothing is offered by Zaffis to help make the spirit move on. Instead, the famed collector gets a reward that is far too lucrative.

He is getting a keepsake that Charlotte’s mom treasured when she was alive. It will be placed in his museum of haunted artifacts but occultists will have to wonder about all the energies that must be festering in that abode. Very little is said about the rituals involved in placating the spirit that is bound with the object. Also, hardly any mention has been said about whether or not these cursed items can go back to the original owner. Audiences only learn that they could be returned should the activity be attributed to another object on the sixth episode.

And when the object can never return, the spirits are literally put in a cage–only time will tell as to what harmful emotions may be created by the trapped spirit. Will there be a seething rage? No explanation has been given as to why some of these objects are placed into a glass seal. Perhaps these pairings creates a ghost-in-a-bottle. To accidentally unstopper them can be harmful. Spiritualists, mediums and mages all around the world should get ready. No simple magic trick can put them to rest. Assuming that the supernatural world does in fact exist, the spirits that lurks within the living world most likely do not take kindly to being put into a cage.

In some cases, the living will most likely be happy with the job that John Zaffis does. In Episode Five, "Uncivil Spirit/Revolutionary Ghost," Ken Spooner, a 21 year old living at home with his mother, was happy to find that by moving out of the haunted house, he would be cured of his nightly visitations. They are attracted to Spooner because of his age; and curiously, Zaffis does not consider cleansing the home.

Despite the limitations in what Zaffis can do, this segment was perhaps the best of the season; viewers get to hear a resolution and this was the only segment where Zaffis does not get an item for his museum. As for the other client cases, not much has been revealed in the days following. Has the activity stopped? Nobody knows. That is, until, maybe, next season.

One can only hope.

Overall: 4 out of 10.

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