If you’re an avid consumer of true crime content, you’ve heard the names Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej. “Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime” and “Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural” were Shane and Ryan’s main shows on Buzzfeed’s YouTube channel.
The duo piqued my interest with their true crime show, but what kept me coming back was their paranormal investigations.
Unlike all other ghost shows I’ve seen, Shane brings apathetic energy to Ryan’s fearful and respectful approach. He occasionally respects the idea of spirits but consistently denies their existence.
Ryan tries his hardest to trick Shane into revealing his belief in the paranormal to no avail. These two ghost hunters even continued filming the show after COVID-19 and all the hardships the pandemic brought to their channel.
What viewers don’t know is these two iconic paranormal investigators left Buzzfeed in 2019 to create their own brand.
In 2020, Ryan and Shane signed a contract to finish season 12 of “Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural” while working on content for their new YouTube Channel, Watcher. For all my Buzzfeed Unsolved enthusiasts out there, you know the name was chosen from the recent unsolved case Ryan and Shane released in 2019: The Eerie Case Of The Watcher.
The recency of this case makes it more nerve-wracking than most of the unsolved cases they review on the show. I hope the Watcher knows that he now has a brand named in his honor.
I’ve read a few articles that say Ryan and Shane left Buzzfeed to create their own brand and have creative freedom, but Buzzfeed profits off the success of their creators without giving them proper compensation.
The Try Guys also left Buzzfeed to build their own brand, but unlike Ryan and Shane, they kept their same name. That brand is on thin ice now with recent news, but I appreciate Ryan and Shane’s ingenuity to build their own brand in the face of leaving a company they’ve worked at for many years.
They’re succeeding beyond my expectations as an avid consumer of their content.
Watcher (the channel) has many different series running at once, including the popular “Puppet History” hosted by Shane and “Are You Scared?” The latter is a spin-off of their paranormal content while they work on what I’ve been waiting for since season 12 wrapped up in 2021: “Ghost Files.”
I’ve never bought merch for a series so quickly before. They have everything from the authentic “Ghost Files” jacket they wear on missions to cute ghost-themed sweatshirts and beanies.
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I watched the premiere of “Ghost Files” with my roommate at 11 p.m., the perfect time to watch something spooky. I was blown away by the difference between the production value of their Buzzfeed episodes and this new series. The typical style of their old videos used stock images and powerpoint-like graphics. “Ghost Files,” on the other hand, immerses the audience in their investigation location by adding 3D models of the building, detailing where they placed cameras and sensors to record paranormal activity.
One element I happily missed in the premiere was the strange text-style montages where they discuss what’s happening in their investigation. It felt amateurish, and I’m glad they improved on their personal style for “Ghost Files.”
Calling back to their previous investigation at Waverly Hills Sanitorium, Shane and Ryan searched for evidence on solo missions. Shane’s approach is aggressive and threatening toward the spirits, asking them to harm him in every way possible. He typically does his solo investigation before Ryan, making him fearful that Shane’s actions aggravate the spirits.
This premiere of “Ghost Files” was worth the wait. I can see that Ryan and Shane put their hearts into this new show, expanding beyond their limited production at Buzzfeed. They’re an inspiration to other influencers who want to branch out and make their own content.
As a devoted Boogara, I can’t wait for the next episode!
Rating: 9/10
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