What did you think of the season premiere of 'Ghost Hunters'?

Season Seven of my favorite TV show, “Ghost Hunters,” premiered last night on the SyFy Channel with Episode One, “Haunted Town,” in which investigators from The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) visited three spooky locations in Alexandria, La.

TAPS members on the trip included lead investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, investigators Dave Tango and Amy Bruni, tech manager Steve Gonsalves and investigator-in-training Adam Berry.

What made this investigation unique was the fact that team members investigated three locations in Alexandria over the course of several nights. The locations included the Bentley Hotel, the Diamond Grill restaurant and a bar called Finnegan’s Wake.

Prior to the investigation, TAPS members received guided tours of all three locations. Mayor’s office liason Bill Hess and city spokesman Richard Gwartney took investigators through the Bentley Hotel, which was built in 1908 by timber baron Joseph Bentley and closed in 2004. Gwartney told of a girl who was killed when she fell down an elevator shaft and of a man who fell over the railing of the hotel’s large staircase. Gwartney indicated that the spirits of these individuals might be responsible for some of the unusual events that happen inside the hotel today.

From there, the TAPS team went to Finnegan’s Wake, where co-owner, Shannon Nolan, showed them around. Nolan said that the building is over 100 years old and over the years it has served as a clothing store and an optometrist’s office. Some of the furniture in the building also came from a brothel, Nolan said. Paranormal claims inside this location include glasses that fly off the shelves, unexplained footsteps and banging noises.

Bartender Dana Brodhead and assistant manager Ben Wightkin led TAPS members on a tour of the Diamond Grill, which was built in 1931 and once housed a jewelry store. Paranormal claims inside this building include lights that flicker on and off, glasses that tip over, candles that move on their own as well as other misplaced items.

From here, investigators set up their equipment and the City of Alexandria closed down the streets near all three locations and killed the street lights as the team “went dark” to begin their investigation.

With all six investigators working in three locations, they had an eventful investigation.

Jason and Grant heard noises in the Diamond Grill’s kitchen and saw a set of swinging doors move. Grant’s K2 meter went wild at one point, and they discussed the possibility that the kitchen’s high EMF fields could be creating a fear cage. Jason also saw something move in the dark, almost as if it looked back at him, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

Also in the Diamond Grill, Amy and Adam checked for EMFs, and Amy claimed to hear a voice. They also found an open door, which was slightly moving, even though there was no breeze. They eventually set up a stationary digital video camera to record any future activity by the door.

In Finnegan’s Wake, Dave and Steve unsuccessfully attempted to have spirit move a beer bottle at the bar.

In the Bentley Hotel, Jason and Grant investigated the Venetian Room. Jason described the air as “thick,” and they later said they thought they heard a noise as if someone was pushing a wheeled cart. Jason and Grant then thought they heard voices and maybe saw a shadow or someone on the stairs. A few minutes later, they thought he heard someone say “hello” and “no you don’t.” Then they thought they heard what sounded like someone singing a song.

Later, Steve and Tango conducted an EVP session on the third floor of the Bentley Hotel, inside the apartment of the building’s original owner, Joseph Bentley. Bentley supposedly died in the room and haunts it to this day. During their session, Steve and Tango split up, going to opposite ends of the room or hallway, and begin to try to make contact with Bentley’s spirit. Eventually, they thought they heard multiple “thumps” or “knocking” sounds, but nothing more substantial.

Next, it was Amy and Adam’s turn to investigate the hotel’s third floor. They used a digital video camera and a special flashlight that cast a laser grid in front of the camera to help detect spirit activity. While they were seated by the light, the grid light seemed to roll on its own. They tried to make the light roll again, but couldn’t recreate the event. The light did move slightly when Amy set a recorder down on the floor beside it, so they didn’t chalk it up to paranormal activity.

Dave and Steve went on to investigate the hotel lobby and while casting a flashlight beam on some large, shiny marble pillars they figured out that they could make shadows on the balcony that appeared to look like a “head and shoulders.” Dave also made a couple of trips up and down the stairs to see if a spirit would push him or trip him on the stairs. He did manage to accidentally trip himself, resulting in one of the episode’s lighter moments.

We later find Jason and Grant in the mezzanine area of the hotel, and they’re not up there long before they see a light coming from several floors down in what they call the “basement.” They eventually see it again and describe it as a “spark” as if someone had struck a cigarette lighter or took a flash photo. They quickly went down to check it out and heard footsteps, but they couldn’t find the source of the sound after a brief search.

Shortly thereafter, they wrapped up the investigation and moved on to the analysis part of the investigation. Dave, Steve, Adam and Amy conducted the analysis and discussed several potential EVPs and other pieces of evidence.

The thing that made this episode most unique was how they conducted the reveal. Normally, the investigators conduct the reveal across a table from the person who has invited them to conduct the investigation. In this episode, they conduct the reveal before a standing-room-only crowd inside of Alexandria City Hall.

They start with their evidence from Finnegan’s Wake – an EVP they captured on the second floor that sounded like singing in a female voice.

From there, they move on to their evidence from the Diamond Grill. This time, it’s a couple of EVPs. One is a breathy voice that they think is saying “Hey, Adam.” Another was captured on the second floor, and they think it was saying “I’m sorry.”

Last, but not least, is the evidence from the Bentley Hotel. The strongest piece of evidence they have is footage of the unexplained light going off in the basement. They also capture the sound of unexplained footsteps and an EVP that sounds like “No you don’t.”

I thought this was a pretty decent episode featuring three cool locations. I’ve never been to Alexandria, but if I ever get a chance to go, I’ll probably visit all three just to say that I’ve been there.

Honestly, I thought their best piece of evidence – the flashing basement light at the Bentley Hotel – was weak, especially since Jason and Grant said they heard footsteps when they went down to investigate. I know that these locations are said to be secure and vacant, but you have to wonder about the possibility of someone slipping in and out without the team’s knowledge. I think it could easily happen, especially if the intruder is very familiar with the property and could slip in and out undetected.

How many of you out there saw this episode? What did you think of the evidence they collected? Do you think that any of the places they investigated in Alexandria are really haunted? Let us know in the comments section below.

Season Seven, Episode Two is scheduled to air for the first time next Wednesday at 8 p.m. Central Time and will feature an investigation of Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City, Pa.