Parents' Guide to

Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Experts debunk supernatural video clips in so-so show.

TV Syfy Reality TV 2010
Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 5 parent reviews

mach1dal
mach1dal Adult
July 22, 2021
age 2+

Paranormal Fact or Faked is FAKED

This program is so bogus. The video editor needs to get another job - the shots are on average 2 seconds long. If you have migraines, this show will give it to you the way the cameras are jumping shots at 1-2 seconds a shot! Makes you dizzy to watch. These people aren't investigating anything, just hyping. Such a bogus show! Don't waste your time.
Bunny86
Bunny86 Adult
February 13, 2021
age 12+

Season 1 episode 6

On season 1 episode 6 about the civil war apparition fishers Indiana....they try to reenact the four wheeler going past but i believe they are looking at it from a wrong angle. The 'paranormal' isnt moving. If u look closely its a spider in a web and they're just walking past it with the light reflecting on it.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Former FBI agent Ben Hansen applies his investigative chops to examining video clips of ghosts, aliens. and other unexplainable encounters in FACT OR FAKED: PARANORMAL FILES. His team of trained skeptics includes a photography expert, a scientist, a stuntman, a special effects wizard, and a journalist, all of whom are willing to be convinced they're seeing real evidence of the unknown -- but only if they can't prove it's fake. The group debunks plenty of tapes from their studio, but when they see something that could be the real deal, they hit the road to investigate, often recreating the incident to see if they can figure out what happened.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (4):

The Fact or Faked squad was obviously selected for their skills rather than their TV readiness, because they're not especially interesting to watch on camera. They light up when they're pointing out some tiny detail on the videos, but otherwise they all fade into the background. The dialogue and conversations seem strained, and the recreation sequences sometimes drag as the team members evaluate every possible option.

But the real stars of the series are the well-known video clips, which just might have evidence of ... something. It's fun to watch when the team shows why a tape is likely fake, and even more interesting when they conclude that a clip could be the real thing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the supernatural. Do you believe in ghosts? Do you think any of these tapes document actual encounters with the spirit world?

  • Do you agree with the investigators' conclusions? Do you think their investigations are thorough?

  • Do you think some of the clips are hoaxes, intentionally made with the intent of deceiving people? Why would people make such films?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: July 15, 2010
  • Cast: Ben Hansen
  • Network: Syfy
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: NR
  • Last updated: October 14, 2022

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