Season 1 · Episode 1

Ghost Hunters Academy: Web of Deceit

Location: Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The search is on for the next addition to the Ghost Hunters team! We kick off with Jason and Grant, founders of TAPS, briefing the new recruits on the job ahead of them and introducing them to Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango, who will be serving as their instructors. From there, the veterans take their charges to Philadelphia's historic Fort Mifflin, site of a previous TAPS investigation. As the investigation gets underway, the team leaders brief the recruits on not only what makes a good investigation, but also what makes a good investigative team: Trust, hard work and a keen eye for detail. Over the course of two nights at Fort Mifflin, we learn a bit about the recruits. Heathyr Hoffman, an experienced medium, chooses not to tour the facility with Steve and Tango, preferring to count on her own intuition. Biology student Chris McCune is excited to get his first investigation underway, but his enthusiasm leads him to do a bit of kissing up to his instructors, which Steve and Tango quickly nip in the bud. Most shocking is the revelation that Susan Slaughter has been hiding what she feels are empathic abilities from the team, because she feared it would lead to an assumption that she wasn't enough of a skeptic to investigate with TAPS. The recruits turn up some decent evidence, including an EVP recording that seems to indicate a spirit saying the name of team member Ben Smith. Steve and Tango are impressed, not only with the evidence, but also with the recruits' ability to spot false hits like a reflected dust mote on the IR camera. Before moving on, they take time to talk with Susan about her deception, and strike a deal with her to not judge her investigative integrity if she will be honest and at face value with them going forward. That settled, the GHA crew leaves a successful first foray into the world of the paranormal behind and rolls on to their next adventure. Today's Lessons: - Taping wires is the worst punishment a recruit can face. - Don't let the power of suggestion interfere with a keen investigative eye. - Honesty and trust among team members are crucial.