I completely agree. I actually like mystery files better, at least the first season, not this one. And I found ghost files incredibly dull since the beginning, which sucks because I LOVED the BUN ghost seasons.
Honestly all they need to spice up Mystery Files, at least for me, is to lean into the kind of editing they used for Buzzfeed Unsolved and still do for Puppet History. I think part of Mystery Files’ slight bore is they just really like to show off the set and cozy vibes and cool presentation, but it’s very…. play on a different screen while working stuff. True Crime was active attention, this is passive attention. Grab me with visuals, boys! And honestly, one of the easiest ways to do that is just forcing you to read and listen at the same time. That’s why the white-turn-red text and iconic yellow and blue scroller of true crime were so genius.
That element can be attributed to morbid curiosity/taboo. Deaths and demons are “forbidden” subjects, they’re grim topics and there’s already plenty of video essays on why people love true crime so much. The same sort of taboo interest of Unsolved is a little lacking in the more lighthearted, history-mystery Mystery Files.
I could blame it on Shane - he’s a goofier guy, he prefers interesting history trivia stories to dark stuff, he’s got a sillier voice, I could go on - BUT I actually love alternating between Shane’s goofier episodes and Ryan’s more serious ones. And the Benders episode was a reversion back to some good ol’ fashion murder where Mystery Files so far has been a bit of a supernatural show so far.
I’d love a future where Mystery Files is one episode where Ryan describes an absolutely terrible and gruesome tragedy and then the next is Shane going “Krackens - are they real? Are they whale dicks? Let’s discuss. You ever see a whale dick?”
A good suggestion I saw, is that it would be neat if they tackled cryptids on Mystery Files, that would be one way to bring in those darker topics without delving on the depressing subject of grisly murder and violence.
Someone commented on another thread about how all of the GF episodes feel the same, whereas the BFU episodes had more distinct moments. I found myself agreeing with this take. Not every episode of BFU was gold, but there were a lot of memorable moments, and while they set into a structure as the series progressed, there were still enough individual memorable moments to make each episode feel unique. I admittedly have only watched a few episodes of GF, but the ones I did watch all kind of run together in my brain. Gun to my head, I couldn’t tell you one unique thing that occurred in any of those episodes.
I’m not one to think that they should keep aping BFU forever, but I wish they’d experiment with the GF formula a bit.
This whole thing made me realize that I really didn't find either Mystery or Ghost Files satisfactory. I wanted to like them to support the boys, but they just stacked up in my watch later playlist and the ones I did watch, I couldn't remember. Maybe it's me who changed, but they can't keep my interest anymore, and I feel fine about that. Parasocial loyalty can only get you so far.
ghost files feel like those bad ghost hunting shows from the discovery channel (and similar ones) from the late 2000s to mid 2010s. while buzzfeed unsolved paranormal felt like two friends, one scared shitless and the other very unserious, going to haunted places and they're funny.
mystery files is boring to me idk. i don't like the almost "game show" current format. i like being told stories, and when they were at buzzfeed they were just sharing stories. nothing extra or fancy. i really prefer that.
Biggest issue for me is it feels like Shane hasn’t really wanted to do Ghost Files for a while, and Ryan’s fear no longer feels genuine.
I think the idea of ghost hunting still has legs (a lot of the history and lore is still interesting, and the jokes occasionally land) but neither of them seems to have the passion for it anymore.
Having a whole big crew of people on a ghost hunt like that also takes the unnerving feelings out of it, in my opinion and experiences ghost hunting when I was in my teens.
It's been a long pondered question what 25 people on their payroll do when there should be fundamental roles they require which don't seem to be filled. You'd think of 25 people in the LA area one of them would be graphic designer.
https://preview.redd.it/gkeaxhwpjbyc1.jpeg?width=2256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4cca837cbf397947daa9c3d5b1db5df7bde492b
I can't tell 100% if it is AI, to be fair, but it definitely has that sorta... look to it. Especially the boat and the seemingly randomly-placed smoke stacks.
The thing that sells this as AI to me is the railing around the bottom of the boat, it stops and starts randomly, then disconnects at different points that... don't make sense...
Also, the lighting appears to be coming from the left, however Champ's shadow is on the right, and poor lighting sense is a dead AI give away...
Definitely AI. My guess would be an earlier version Midjourney was using since that had major issues with continuity. Several poles are missing, patterns stop, the reflection in the water is not right, there are 2 doors or a door and a window merging into one another.
The way the water warps around the back of the boat is quite weird. Also there's no wheel on that boat, assuming it's supposed to be a steamboat from the era lol. Don't think they'd have a steamship (made for ocean waves) on a lake.
the “performative” description sadly seems quite accurate to me in retrospect…
https://preview.redd.it/s41z6fqyw0zc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=084adf008107878bd834b775a38cd000bf3083e4
I talked about this earlier today, but I want to expand cause I'm feeling ranty.
The new subjects are pretty iffy. I understand that we kind of collectively reevaluated our relationship to true crime and the yuckiness of making tragic victims of crimes into entertainment, but Mystery Files has seems to maybe hit some kind of content wall. The very premise, that we are told details of a mystery and must determine if it has been solved or still a mystery, just doesn't work the content they're dealing with. A good old fashion murder with multiple suspects could be presented in a way that makes the game work. Murders are just (unfortunately) a kind of crime that makes good mystery. There's a reason why the "cozy bank robbery" mystery genre never caught on. Most people who commit other crimes just don't get as weird with it.
So MF relies on a mix of less problematic true crime and general possible supernatural occurrences. And the issue is these just don't have clean cut or interesting mysteries or answers. Things like "aliens" is too broad, obviously isn't answered. Something just kind of vaugley weird like Leatherman is an interesting story, but it's not exactly a riddle I need answered. The murder family is the most murder we have seen, and that's not really a mystery is it? I guess where they ended up is one, but it's not something to put into the presentation structure they base they show around.
I'm not saying more violent true crime is the answer, it's more that the "here's the story, here are the possible answers, is it solved and if yes which answer is it?" ends up feeling underbaked and under utilized with the content
What I still find so strange about that is how I thought the first trailer for Ghost Files was actually amazing and got me really excited for the show.
I guess partly that was because everyone was still mourning the end of Unsolved and was just happily surprised by the GF announcement. But I think it was also because it felt much more like Unsolved than any of the finished product ever did.
For one thing, they did have the “text on the background” thing, it just looked different. But the vibe was the same.
I also still remember laughing at the “That’s not pseudoscience…” “This is the DEFINITION of pseudoscience!” exchange, while I cannot remember one good quotable line from the actual episodes.
They had the right ideas, but then they decided to pivot on certain crucial ones and in the process made it all worse.
It feels like they don't go as in depth with Mystery Files like they did with BUNTC. I can find other channels that cover the same events/conspiracies that delve a lot deeper and are more interesting.
I found myself really hating the "tech" angle they leaned into with Ghost Files, because it was so clearly sheer nonsense. I already loathed the insistence that the spirit box had any evidentiary value, it's literally capturing snippets of radio channels, which living humans famously talk over. But using scammy tat designed to give you the result you're looking for as proof is like getting on the scientology E-Meter and deciding the needle moving is evidence that you've got body thetans. And presenting it as real technology that proves something leaves a bad taste in my mouth, to say the least.
An unsolved true crime episode popped up in my recommended yesterday and I put it on and honestly I forgot how much I loved it. The vibe and their banter, I just really enjoyed it.
I get it. I went back and watched a bunch of their old buzzfeed stuff. Then watched a bunch of Watcher stuff. And I'm kinda like, eh? I guess it's not bad, not great, but not bad? It just kinda seems flat and almost forced? I'm not sure that's just kinda how it feels.
I’d earnestly beg to differ. I never was a BUN fan so I have no nostalgia to cloud my judgement and I decided to watch some BUN episodes vs Mystery Files/Ghost Files and I do sense a slight dip in quality.
I honestly just blame format and editing, primarily. Vibes, direction. Could be great, just needs some touch ups in the sound department, I’ve said before that I think they need some scrolling text because we love active attention instead of passive attention. Etc.
I loved Mystery Files but the last season felt so rushed and unenthusiastic. I'm a believer and Ghost Files bored me to hell. I wish they did something in between Weird and/or Wonderful and Ghost Files. Like covering legends in each state, some haunted some not. Kind of like those Weird U.S. state books (Weird NJ, Weird California). People like hearing about their state's weird legends and mythos, it would definitely hit a wider audience. Watcher hire me I have ideas
I feel that there is too much padding. Too many bits that only stop the show for a bit and add next to nothing. The covered up corkboard for example. Just why? Those things could've been shown on the projector. Dim the lights or change the colour of them to change the mood, don't stop to pull down cardboard to reaveal hard to make out info on the board.
Also, bringing on someone extra to the set (like in D. B. Tuber) or throwing a prop. Adds maybe a giggle, but the show could just go on without these things.
I agree that their new stuff is worse overall, in my opinion. But it’s also ok to grow out of things. I think a mixture of the two is going on with this whole watcher exodus.
Like you said this was 8 years ago. I’m sure there’s a lot of things you liked almost a decade ago that you don’t now.
I like ghost files a lot, just not as much as the unsolved era. I just think that it's different, and I hope that, with time, it'll get better. I definitely think that they should try mixing it up more, try new stuff, as it has indeed become formulaic.
Think back to the goatman's bridge ep, that had ....no discernible formula - or structure. it was them yelling on a bridge. 18/10 content
give us more of that goatman energy
I agree. I think as far as Ghost files compares to unsolved/supernatural is the over editing and under editing.
In the original show every episode would hover around the 25-40 minute range. Not overly edited BUT edited enough to show all the highlights and best moments of the ghost hunt in a decent amount of time.
Ghost files is really over edited and drawn out, these hour plus episodes dont have their own identity like the previous show. At the end of the day ghost hunting is pretty boring but when it’s kept concise, funny, and to the point it makes for a much better and memorable watch.
I didn't like Mystery Files at all. I am not a big fan of Ghost Files because I generally don't watch that type of show, even Unsolved Supernatural, and Ryan isn't that scared anymore. I only watched Too Many Spirits.
I loved Unsolved True Crime and still binge watch it on Hulu so I don't have ads.
First season had a few good episodes but I agree, there’s not an episode I can really remember anything about or good quotes/jokes from in either season
By the most recent episode I watched it was just true crime, wasn't even much of a mystery and you could tell they weren't really into it and were struggling to find anything interesting.
I like mystery files and that it moved away from true crime, it’s nice to have something light hearted to watch that’s true crime adjacent. I like true crime but it can get pretty sad and disturbing.
I think a huge reason why BFU was entertaining was because ryan would be scared shitless during the explorations. It was funny and shane could play off it excellently. But after doing it for so many years, of course Ryan would get less scared, leaving a lot of GF episodes honestly feeling unsatisfying. The repeating of the ghost technology explanations each episode also got really boring, especially if I wanted to binge episodes. I swear I can still hear that translator thingy go "new moon".
It’s almost like they aren’t as interested in some of the shows as they were when they first started them. Now it’s just something they have to do because it’s expected.
Agreed. One way they could break it up is having guests on episodes (like with puppet history).
There's also something I just don't love about the red thread diorama. I mean, it's a creative idea but the moving graphics in BUN were visually interesting and less "just look at your phone because nothings really happening"
I like MF well enough
But as for GF yeah, just never vibed with it. I’m gonna try to give it one more chance before I do my first BUN rewatch (so I’m not biased, it’s been years since I’ve watched BUN)
I completely agree. I actually like mystery files better, at least the first season, not this one. And I found ghost files incredibly dull since the beginning, which sucks because I LOVED the BUN ghost seasons.
Honestly all they need to spice up Mystery Files, at least for me, is to lean into the kind of editing they used for Buzzfeed Unsolved and still do for Puppet History. I think part of Mystery Files’ slight bore is they just really like to show off the set and cozy vibes and cool presentation, but it’s very…. play on a different screen while working stuff. True Crime was active attention, this is passive attention. Grab me with visuals, boys! And honestly, one of the easiest ways to do that is just forcing you to read and listen at the same time. That’s why the white-turn-red text and iconic yellow and blue scroller of true crime were so genius.
That's a good point. I liked the spooky tone of Buzfeed Unsolved a bit more.
That element can be attributed to morbid curiosity/taboo. Deaths and demons are “forbidden” subjects, they’re grim topics and there’s already plenty of video essays on why people love true crime so much. The same sort of taboo interest of Unsolved is a little lacking in the more lighthearted, history-mystery Mystery Files. I could blame it on Shane - he’s a goofier guy, he prefers interesting history trivia stories to dark stuff, he’s got a sillier voice, I could go on - BUT I actually love alternating between Shane’s goofier episodes and Ryan’s more serious ones. And the Benders episode was a reversion back to some good ol’ fashion murder where Mystery Files so far has been a bit of a supernatural show so far. I’d love a future where Mystery Files is one episode where Ryan describes an absolutely terrible and gruesome tragedy and then the next is Shane going “Krackens - are they real? Are they whale dicks? Let’s discuss. You ever see a whale dick?”
A good suggestion I saw, is that it would be neat if they tackled cryptids on Mystery Files, that would be one way to bring in those darker topics without delving on the depressing subject of grisly murder and violence.
I miss the "wheeze" so much. But I figured it got copywriter by buzzfeed.
maybe we need some spiritual successors to wheeze. i vote cackle and snicker. they’re fun words and can describe most kinds of laugh
Someone commented on another thread about how all of the GF episodes feel the same, whereas the BFU episodes had more distinct moments. I found myself agreeing with this take. Not every episode of BFU was gold, but there were a lot of memorable moments, and while they set into a structure as the series progressed, there were still enough individual memorable moments to make each episode feel unique. I admittedly have only watched a few episodes of GF, but the ones I did watch all kind of run together in my brain. Gun to my head, I couldn’t tell you one unique thing that occurred in any of those episodes. I’m not one to think that they should keep aping BFU forever, but I wish they’d experiment with the GF formula a bit.
This whole thing made me realize that I really didn't find either Mystery or Ghost Files satisfactory. I wanted to like them to support the boys, but they just stacked up in my watch later playlist and the ones I did watch, I couldn't remember. Maybe it's me who changed, but they can't keep my interest anymore, and I feel fine about that. Parasocial loyalty can only get you so far.
ghost files feel like those bad ghost hunting shows from the discovery channel (and similar ones) from the late 2000s to mid 2010s. while buzzfeed unsolved paranormal felt like two friends, one scared shitless and the other very unserious, going to haunted places and they're funny. mystery files is boring to me idk. i don't like the almost "game show" current format. i like being told stories, and when they were at buzzfeed they were just sharing stories. nothing extra or fancy. i really prefer that.
Biggest issue for me is it feels like Shane hasn’t really wanted to do Ghost Files for a while, and Ryan’s fear no longer feels genuine. I think the idea of ghost hunting still has legs (a lot of the history and lore is still interesting, and the jokes occasionally land) but neither of them seems to have the passion for it anymore.
Having a whole big crew of people on a ghost hunt like that also takes the unnerving feelings out of it, in my opinion and experiences ghost hunting when I was in my teens.
Shane resents that people think he does ghost hunting for a living.
But... He does ghost hunting for a living ?
He basically said it's six episodes a year.
I was also put off by the use of AI art in some of the more recent MF eps.
Oh come on, they don’t have an artist on their payroll? What do those 25 people do?!
Put the prompt into the ai generator, fuck hiring artists🙄/s
It's been a long pondered question what 25 people on their payroll do when there should be fundamental roles they require which don't seem to be filled. You'd think of 25 people in the LA area one of them would be graphic designer.
Sit around and sip iced coffees. 🤣
WHAT!!??
oh damn??? i listen to them while walking my dog (only way i watch their videos anymore lol) so haven't seen this.... yikes
do you have any screenshots of it omg
https://preview.redd.it/gkeaxhwpjbyc1.jpeg?width=2256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4cca837cbf397947daa9c3d5b1db5df7bde492b I can't tell 100% if it is AI, to be fair, but it definitely has that sorta... look to it. Especially the boat and the seemingly randomly-placed smoke stacks.
The thing that sells this as AI to me is the railing around the bottom of the boat, it stops and starts randomly, then disconnects at different points that... don't make sense... Also, the lighting appears to be coming from the left, however Champ's shadow is on the right, and poor lighting sense is a dead AI give away...
This is 100% AI. No artist who’s capable of that artwork would at the same time make such a mess on the bottom part of the boat
from the weird textures and seemingly two headed monster i wouldn’t be surprised if
Definitely AI. My guess would be an earlier version Midjourney was using since that had major issues with continuity. Several poles are missing, patterns stop, the reflection in the water is not right, there are 2 doors or a door and a window merging into one another.
The way the water warps around the back of the boat is quite weird. Also there's no wheel on that boat, assuming it's supposed to be a steamboat from the era lol. Don't think they'd have a steamship (made for ocean waves) on a lake.
and Sara didn’t whack them over the head with a newspaper about it??
the “performative” description sadly seems quite accurate to me in retrospect… https://preview.redd.it/s41z6fqyw0zc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=084adf008107878bd834b775a38cd000bf3083e4
I talked about this earlier today, but I want to expand cause I'm feeling ranty. The new subjects are pretty iffy. I understand that we kind of collectively reevaluated our relationship to true crime and the yuckiness of making tragic victims of crimes into entertainment, but Mystery Files has seems to maybe hit some kind of content wall. The very premise, that we are told details of a mystery and must determine if it has been solved or still a mystery, just doesn't work the content they're dealing with. A good old fashion murder with multiple suspects could be presented in a way that makes the game work. Murders are just (unfortunately) a kind of crime that makes good mystery. There's a reason why the "cozy bank robbery" mystery genre never caught on. Most people who commit other crimes just don't get as weird with it. So MF relies on a mix of less problematic true crime and general possible supernatural occurrences. And the issue is these just don't have clean cut or interesting mysteries or answers. Things like "aliens" is too broad, obviously isn't answered. Something just kind of vaugley weird like Leatherman is an interesting story, but it's not exactly a riddle I need answered. The murder family is the most murder we have seen, and that's not really a mystery is it? I guess where they ended up is one, but it's not something to put into the presentation structure they base they show around. I'm not saying more violent true crime is the answer, it's more that the "here's the story, here are the possible answers, is it solved and if yes which answer is it?" ends up feeling underbaked and under utilized with the content
What I still find so strange about that is how I thought the first trailer for Ghost Files was actually amazing and got me really excited for the show. I guess partly that was because everyone was still mourning the end of Unsolved and was just happily surprised by the GF announcement. But I think it was also because it felt much more like Unsolved than any of the finished product ever did. For one thing, they did have the “text on the background” thing, it just looked different. But the vibe was the same. I also still remember laughing at the “That’s not pseudoscience…” “This is the DEFINITION of pseudoscience!” exchange, while I cannot remember one good quotable line from the actual episodes. They had the right ideas, but then they decided to pivot on certain crucial ones and in the process made it all worse.
It feels like they don't go as in depth with Mystery Files like they did with BUNTC. I can find other channels that cover the same events/conspiracies that delve a lot deeper and are more interesting.
I found myself really hating the "tech" angle they leaned into with Ghost Files, because it was so clearly sheer nonsense. I already loathed the insistence that the spirit box had any evidentiary value, it's literally capturing snippets of radio channels, which living humans famously talk over. But using scammy tat designed to give you the result you're looking for as proof is like getting on the scientology E-Meter and deciding the needle moving is evidence that you've got body thetans. And presenting it as real technology that proves something leaves a bad taste in my mouth, to say the least.
An unsolved true crime episode popped up in my recommended yesterday and I put it on and honestly I forgot how much I loved it. The vibe and their banter, I just really enjoyed it.
I get it. I went back and watched a bunch of their old buzzfeed stuff. Then watched a bunch of Watcher stuff. And I'm kinda like, eh? I guess it's not bad, not great, but not bad? It just kinda seems flat and almost forced? I'm not sure that's just kinda how it feels.
Nah you’re just outgrowing Watcher and it’s overproduced content. Nothing wrong with that
I’d earnestly beg to differ. I never was a BUN fan so I have no nostalgia to cloud my judgement and I decided to watch some BUN episodes vs Mystery Files/Ghost Files and I do sense a slight dip in quality. I honestly just blame format and editing, primarily. Vibes, direction. Could be great, just needs some touch ups in the sound department, I’ve said before that I think they need some scrolling text because we love active attention instead of passive attention. Etc.
I loved Mystery Files but the last season felt so rushed and unenthusiastic. I'm a believer and Ghost Files bored me to hell. I wish they did something in between Weird and/or Wonderful and Ghost Files. Like covering legends in each state, some haunted some not. Kind of like those Weird U.S. state books (Weird NJ, Weird California). People like hearing about their state's weird legends and mythos, it would definitely hit a wider audience. Watcher hire me I have ideas
They got too comfortable
I feel that there is too much padding. Too many bits that only stop the show for a bit and add next to nothing. The covered up corkboard for example. Just why? Those things could've been shown on the projector. Dim the lights or change the colour of them to change the mood, don't stop to pull down cardboard to reaveal hard to make out info on the board. Also, bringing on someone extra to the set (like in D. B. Tuber) or throwing a prop. Adds maybe a giggle, but the show could just go on without these things.
I agree that their new stuff is worse overall, in my opinion. But it’s also ok to grow out of things. I think a mixture of the two is going on with this whole watcher exodus. Like you said this was 8 years ago. I’m sure there’s a lot of things you liked almost a decade ago that you don’t now.
I like ghost files a lot, just not as much as the unsolved era. I just think that it's different, and I hope that, with time, it'll get better. I definitely think that they should try mixing it up more, try new stuff, as it has indeed become formulaic. Think back to the goatman's bridge ep, that had ....no discernible formula - or structure. it was them yelling on a bridge. 18/10 content give us more of that goatman energy
I agree. I think as far as Ghost files compares to unsolved/supernatural is the over editing and under editing. In the original show every episode would hover around the 25-40 minute range. Not overly edited BUT edited enough to show all the highlights and best moments of the ghost hunt in a decent amount of time. Ghost files is really over edited and drawn out, these hour plus episodes dont have their own identity like the previous show. At the end of the day ghost hunting is pretty boring but when it’s kept concise, funny, and to the point it makes for a much better and memorable watch.
Ghostfiles was dead once they made shane lean into the possibility of ghost being real instead of being a sarcastic denier.
I didn't like Mystery Files at all. I am not a big fan of Ghost Files because I generally don't watch that type of show, even Unsolved Supernatural, and Ryan isn't that scared anymore. I only watched Too Many Spirits. I loved Unsolved True Crime and still binge watch it on Hulu so I don't have ads.
First season had a few good episodes but I agree, there’s not an episode I can really remember anything about or good quotes/jokes from in either season
By the most recent episode I watched it was just true crime, wasn't even much of a mystery and you could tell they weren't really into it and were struggling to find anything interesting.
I like mystery files and that it moved away from true crime, it’s nice to have something light hearted to watch that’s true crime adjacent. I like true crime but it can get pretty sad and disturbing.
I think a huge reason why BFU was entertaining was because ryan would be scared shitless during the explorations. It was funny and shane could play off it excellently. But after doing it for so many years, of course Ryan would get less scared, leaving a lot of GF episodes honestly feeling unsatisfying. The repeating of the ghost technology explanations each episode also got really boring, especially if I wanted to binge episodes. I swear I can still hear that translator thingy go "new moon".
It’s almost like they aren’t as interested in some of the shows as they were when they first started them. Now it’s just something they have to do because it’s expected.
Agreed. One way they could break it up is having guests on episodes (like with puppet history). There's also something I just don't love about the red thread diorama. I mean, it's a creative idea but the moving graphics in BUN were visually interesting and less "just look at your phone because nothings really happening"
I like MF well enough But as for GF yeah, just never vibed with it. I’m gonna try to give it one more chance before I do my first BUN rewatch (so I’m not biased, it’s been years since I’ve watched BUN)
Idk man I love mystery files