The Big Picture

Paranormal investigators Brandon Alvis and Mustafa Gatollari are back with their new reality series, Haunted Discoveries, which explores haunted locations in Kentucky through extensive research and a cinematic approach. The show differs from other paranormal reality shows in the genre as it is produced by the investigators themselves, allowing them to focus on telling the stories of the locations and their experiences without following set storylines or relying on manufactured scares. Viewers can expect a genuine pursuit of the unknown, as the show emphasizes truth, wonder, and a dedication to documenting paranormal activity while honoring the historical significance of each location. The first episode, “Gilded Age Ghosts,” takes place in a Victorian-era home and sets the tone for the rest of the series.

Almost three years following the end of A&E’s Ghost Hunters reboot led by Grant Wilson, paranormal investigators Brandon Alvis and Mustafa Gatollari are back with their own reality series, Haunted Discoveries. What begins as their pursuit of a paranormal research facility nestled in America’s most haunted state turns into an expedition filled with mysterious findings for the pair’s team of supernatural investigators. With Alvis and Gatollari delving into a string of mythologies featuring some eerie hauntings in Kentucky, the pair tells Collider in an exclusive interview how the show intends to tell real ghost stories through extensive research in a cinematic way, blending emotions with jaw-dropping cases.

Just in time for Halloween, the eight-part documentary is set to premiere October 6 on T+E as part of its “Creep Week” programming highlighting some of the best in eerie TV. In a Q&A with Collider ahead of the Friday night premiere, Gatollari admits the paranormal show is shaping up to be “simultaneously fun [and] terrifying,” while Alvis teases audiences and fans of the genre can expect “truth, wonder, and a genuine pursuit of the unknown.” In addition to teasing what fans can expect, the two open up about their cases, everything that went into their new series, Haunted Discoveries, and how the documentary series takes precedence over “manufactured jump scares and blinking lights.”

Image via A&G Creative

COLLIDER: Congratulations on Haunted Discoveries! The show is finally here and after everything you guys have been through to get this show off the ground, what is one of the most satisfying outcomes for you both from this entire experience?

MUSTAFA GATOLLARI: I’m definitely bragging, but we’ve gotten access to some pretty incredible locations that are wary of a lot of paranormal investigators not respecting their history. And the response from the folks who run these places has been nothing short of amazing, I’m really proud of the relationships we’ve established: we’re entirely open with our investigations, there was no “closed set,” and we spent a hell of a lot of time ensuring we honored the legacies of these purportedly haunted spots and the stories of those associated with them. As a result, we’ve established what I think is a great reputation among local historical societies and museums, giving us access to locations that would otherwise be reluctant to allow paranormal investigators within their halls to conduct research.

BRANDON ALVIS: Bringing our research to Kentucky, a place that many consider to be the most haunted state in America, has been a paranormal investigator’s dream. We have been very fortunate to be granted access to some of the state’s richest historical sites and the trust that these locations have put in us to not only uphold historical fact but log quantifiable data has been an amazing experience.

Haunted Discoveries is a unique show in that it really elevates the paranormal investigation from what we usually see. How does this show differ from so many others out there?

GATOLLARI: The investigators are the producers, and we allow the individuals who know these locations better than anyone to tell their stories and the stories of their locations. We do a ton of pre-production and research into each case, but once we arrive on location, all of that goes out the window if there are new developments. There’s no “storylines” to follow, [and] there’s no editing team that our footage gets shipped off to: Brandon’s editing what we’ve captured as a docu-series, not a reality show. Oftentimes, some series can feel like Mad Libs that follow a set rubric, what I love about HD is that each case is presented as a standalone film tailor-made to tell the story of our experiences investigating the locations. There’s no one else to report to except ourselves since we acquired funding independently via Stargazer, who believed in our vision for Haunted Discoveries, and we’re ecstatic to be partnering with them and T+E to share our vision for what an investigative docu-series can be.

ALVIS: First and foremost, the location is the central character of Haunted Discoveries. We know history is crucial to paranormal research, but we’ve managed to synthesize the unique histories of these locations with our investigative methodology by consulting with scientists, which allows us to dig deeper than we ever have into the elements of a haunting. As a result, our protocol has benefited greatly, and each case helps us push the limits of what we think we know about supernatural phenomena. The new adventures and new discoveries of each episode only come from the work we put into testing this methodology. With many shows, there is a specific formula that is always adhered to, oftentimes for the sake of legitimate paranormal research. Haunted Discoveries proves that science can be scary, and is a pure documentary where history and methodology take precedence over manufactured jump scares and blinking lights.

I know a lot of the show was inspired by almost 20 years of personal research and experiences. Was there one specific case in your life that made you feel like you needed to delve into this study on a deeper level?

GATOLLARI: For season one it has to be the Louisville Bourbon Inn. I don’t want to spoil too much, but it’s not every day that you get to throw yourself into a timeless local ghost story with celebrated historians and espiritismo practitioners, and bringing it to life as part of an investigation. What’s more is that the historical finds we uncovered at this location, juxtaposed to what we found in the evidence review after the fact, has provided some solid evidence for a paranormal theory Brandon and I have discussed for a very long time, setting a new precedent we explore in every case moving forward. It was simultaneously fun, terrifying, and fascinating, and the episode itself is a damn good piece of documentary storytelling, but here I go bragging again.

ALVIS: One case that I can’t get out of my mind is Hall Place, Glasgow, Kentucky. This was the first investigation that which the team was able to make direct contact with a purported entity in a fashion that defied logic and was also one of the most emotional investigations in all of my years of field research. What’s more, is that we were able to have a living descendant back up the information and data collected during our sessions that was otherwise unavailable. This case was a culmination of an extremely rare series of events from a location we initially thought appeared unassuming; it’s one for the books.

Image via Stargazer Television

With the show premiering October 6 on T&E, what can we expect from these investigations you two are on with your team, including historical researcher Malia Miglino and longtime paranormal investigator Kevin Otte?

GATOLLARI: You’re seeing a documentary of people killing themselves to document proof of paranormal activity while honoring the histories of Kentucky’s most purportedly haunted locations. I’m biased, but it’s also the best-looking show in the genre, hands down. I also think the passion for our work and the anxiousness that comes from challenging ourselves by avoiding all of the things we’ve hated about many paranormal shows while going for a high degree of difficulty to answer questions and subjecting our findings to scrutiny comes through in a big way.

ALVIS: Viewers can expect truth, wonder, and a genuine pursuit of the unknown. Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that we are documenting every minute during our time on location, and thankfully we’ve been able to capture some truly heartwarming moments as well as ones that’ll send shivers down viewers’ spines.

The first episode, “Gilded Age Ghosts” captures some shocking activity in a Victorian-era home that’s allegedly inhabited by its original owners. What made this investigation the perfect first episode?

GATOLLARI: The Conrad-Caldwell Museum embodies everything we wanted for our series: its history is well documented, and its claims make it a paranormal hotspot. One of the docents is a living descendant of its original owners, giving us the unique opportunity to test familial hauntings: in so many instances a deeply rooted family history has yielded astounding paranormal finds. We also had several conversations with museum staff and I loved that they vetted us to gauge what our intentions with their location was. I love that they had a standard — these are the types of places we want to work with, and the results spoke for themselves. I was genuinely shocked as to what we were able to document there.

ALVIS: As our good friend, historian and celebrated author, David Dominé would say, Old Louisville is considered “America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood” and there was no better place to start our journey than the Conrad-Caldwell House. Familial connections seem to be the basis for many hauntings throughout the world, and the fact that we were able to gain access to such a storied location was a privilege.

When it comes to a show like this, what are some of the new gadgets and technologies that audiences can expect to see?

GATOLLARI: One experiment I’m really excited for people to see is what we were able to bust out at Bethlehem Academy to test thought form manifestation theory with our good friends Darren West and Kyle Kadel from the Penny Royal Podcast.

ALVIS: The EMCCD camera makes a major appearance in this series. Kevin Otte, our field investigator, has also been able to source some amazing equipment from the National Weather Service, helping us to more accurately document environmental data in supposed haunted locations, which plays a major role in our research on Haunted Discoveries.

Image via Brandon Alvis/Instagram

Is there one particular episode you can’t wait for fans to see this season?

GATOLLARI: Talbott Tavern!

ALVIS: Jailer’s Inn

The show is called “Haunted Discoveries,” which begs the question: What is one of the most surprising things you discovered during these investigations?

GATOLLARI: Again, without giving away too much, I think that our find at the Louisville Bourbon Inn will defy what people believe hauntings to be and what ultimately causes them. It’s one of my favorite experiences to relive whenever I sit down with people and tell real-life ghost stories.

ALVIS: I will say that the EMCCD camera comes in clutch yet again.

Was there a location that just completely baffled you during these episodes you filmed that you might want to visit again in another season?

GATOLLARI: We actually did revisit a couple of locations in later seasons just because we needed to delve further into our findings. I will say that there is a location in Season 3, Harriman Hospital in Tennessee that we’d love to return to.

ALVIS: I don’t want to sound mysterious, but, more will be revealed in Season 2.

Obviously, October is the best time for these kinds of shows, and people will be tuning in, so what is one thing you would like fans to know about Haunted Discoveries?

GATOLLARI: Like many investigators, Brandon and I have talked about all the things we wish we could see in a paranormal series and now we’re able to make that happen. I know in this era of faux-positivity it sounds corny to say this, but this show is a dream come true, watch it when debuts on T+E on October 6th at 9 p.m. EST!

ALVIS: We hope that this show will give true insight into true paranormal investigation and I can’t wait for everyone to see it!

Haunted Discoveries premieres October 6 at 9 p.m. EST on T+E.