Growing up in the 90s, some of my most visceral memories are tied to watching “Unsolved Mysteries” at my grandparents’ house, clutching a cup of cocoa with wide eyes while Robert Stack hosted chilling stories of disappearances, death and supernatural phenomenon.
Even though I knew I’d never get a resolution by the end credits — the show was called “Unsolved Mysteries,” c’mon, what did I expect? — I always wanted more. More details, another perspective, a different theory, something!
But it was the not-knowing that made so many of the stories lodge in my grey matter, sparking a passion for all things bizarre and mysterious. My love of “Unsolved Mysteries” made me tune into “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction” every week, then “Paranormal Witness” and “Destination Truth.”
In more recent years, I’ve tried various ghost-hunting programs, hoping to feel that old rush, but nothing really scratched the itch just right. I wanted a good balance between supernatural weirdness and true crime head-scratchers. I wanted hosts I actually liked (sorry, “Ghost Adventures,” but y’all are a tad too “aggressively bro-ish” for me).
Then in 2016, two new series hit the Internet that could’ve been tailor-made just for me: “Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural” and “Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime.”
Created by true believer Ryan Bergara and co-hosted by eternal skeptic (and Illinois boy) Shane Madej, the Buzzfeed shows are “Unsolved Mysteries” made for and by Millennials, packed with ridiculous dialogue and silly behavior.
While a terrified Ryan loses his mind over whispery voices captured as EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon), Shane dances across cursed bridges and challenges ghosts to rip his heart out. The Mulder/Scully dynamic between the two is hysterical, and fans of the show proudly proclaim themselves “Boogaras” or “Shaniacs,” depending on how they fall on the skepticism divide.
(You can watch both “Unsolved” shows, as well as their accompanying Q&A videos, on Hulu or YouTube. “Supernatural” is more of a traditional ghost hunting program, with Bergara and Madej visiting infamously haunted locations, while “True Crime” is a talking heads discussion in a studio augmented with graphics and photos.)
Sadly, the Buzzfeed Network treated Ryan and Shane abominably, cashing in on their wildly popular series with spin-off programs and tons of merchandise, but never fairly compensating the duo. So two years ago, Bergara and Madej cut ties with Buzzfeed and founded their own YouTube channel: Watcher.
This means we unfortunately won’t be getting any more “Unsolved: Supernatural” or “Unsolved: True Crime.”
We are, however, getting several other quality shows from the Ghoul Boys, and if you’ve binged through all of the “Buzzfeed” offerings and are still hungry for more, be sure to check out:
1. “Ghost Files”
Ryan and Shane are really giving Buzzfeed the ol’ Double Deuces with this brand new series, which started three weeks ago and is “Unsolved: Supernatural” with a bit more polish and a new label.
Armed with cameras and various gadgets, the two visit infamous locations like Alcatraz and Waverly Hills Sanatorium, hoping to capture evidence of ghosts (in Ryan’s case) or just visit historical spots without any other tourists about (in Shane’s). Interspersed throughout the show are stories and photos from fans/other investigators.
Granted, there have only been three episodes and two Q&As posted thus far. But Bergara and Madej have clearly not lost any of their old magic with this new series, and the most recent episode had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. It’s so nice to see these two idiots doing what they love again.
2. “Puppet History”
Ghosts and demons may be Ryan’s whole raison d’être, but what’s Shane’s? Puppets and history, it turns out! Which he combined to utterly hilarious effect in this genuinely informative, extremely silly show.
This time it’s Shane (as the blue, Muppet-esque Professor) in the hosting chair, putting on goofy performances with paper dolls on a tiny puppet stage, teaching the audience, Ryan and a guest contestant all about the Donner Party, the Dancing Plague, Pinkertons, samurai, and ill-fated Olympic Games, among other topics.
Winners receive a tiny trophy, a bag of jelly beans and the coveted title of “History Master.” Each episode is capped by a musical number performed by a puppet connected to that week’s story, and I gotta admit: a few of those songs are legit bops.
As someone who minored in history and was just as influenced by Muppets as “Unsolved Mysteries” as a child, “Puppet History” is one of my favorite shows in recent years. We’ve gotten four seasons in two years, and I really, really hope Shane has another one planned to hit the net soon.
3. “Are You Scared?”
In which Ryan reads Shane a spooky online story, accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, and we all have to guess whether the story is true or a work of fiction.
OK, yeah: some of the stories are so obviously fake right from the get-go. Yes, this is a really low-budget offering, with most of the episodes barely 15 minutes long. Some of the episodes aren’t all that scary, especially for anyone who’s a serious fan of horror, or are well-known creepypastas (internet urban legends — think Slenderman).
But there are a few really solid stories to enjoy here. The combination of narration and illustrations can be pretty dang effective, in my opinion. And Shane’s interjected commentary is, as usual, very entertaining.
4. “Too Many Spirits”
Over the course of one night, four episodes per season, Ryan and Shane get progressively drunker while reading each other fan-submitted stories about ghosts, cryptids (animals such as the Sasquatch and Loch Ness monster whose existence has never been proven) and bizarre experiences. Watcher co-founder Steven Lim also appears as their bartender, mixing up themed drinks to varying degrees of success.
This is a ridiculous series, I fully admit that. But it’s such fun, especially in these pandemic times when some of us are still trying to quarantine/avoid COVID, to just watch a couple of good buddies get stupidly drunk by a bonfire while telling each other goofy ghost stories. And in the Christmas season, Shane dresses up in a full Krampus costume — that right there is more than worth two hours of my time.
Time will tell what new shows Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej cook up for us. Meanwhile, I’ll be rewatching their full backlog this spooky season, cackling over Shane’s cynical antics even while hoping that maybe, finally, Ryan will get that ironclad evidence he’s always wanted, proof so undeniable that even Shane will have to concede defeat. Because while Shane may be my favorite, I’m still a “Boogara” deep at heart …
- Angie Barry is a contributing columnist for Shaw Media. To suggest future topics for The B-List, which covers topics in pop culture, history and literature, contact her at newsroom@mywebtimes.com.