21 TV Shows That Explore the Unexplained

Have aliens visited earth? Do ghosts really exist? Are demonic possessions real? What about urban legends? They have to be based on something real, right?

Questions like these have fascinated us for eons.

You might even have experienced something otherworldly in your lifetime. I know I have!

There is an endless amount of television shows, both reality and fictional, that feed into our fears and curiousity. While many of these shows try to give us answers, sometimes all we're left with is more questions.

Whether you watch for entertainment only, want to be scared, or need to find out the truth, there is a show to meet your needs.

Here are 21 of them! Which is your favorite?

1. Project Blue Book - History

Premiering in January 2019 on History, this ten episode series explores the stories behind Project Blue Book - a real-life secret investigation into UFOs undertaken by the U.S. Air Force in the 50s and 60s. The show stars Aiden Gillen and Michael Malarkey was renewed for a second season set to premiere in 2020.

2. Evil - CBS Fall 2019

Coming to CBS in the Fall of 2019, Evil is a psychological thriller about a forensic psychologist, a Catholic priest-in-training, and a carpenter who team up to investigate the Church's unexplained mysteries. The cases they'll investigate include supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other mysterious events. Will they discover the truth or just end up with more questions?

3. Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation - History

Even the Pentagon has an interest in UFOs. This series explores the Pentagon's mysterious Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program which was once run by Luis Elizondo. He shares information about a series of encounters that may pose a threat to national security.

4. Ancient Aliens - History

Ancient Aliens explores the idea that extraterrestrials have visited the earth since the age of dinosaurs to influence mankind and share advanced knowledge. The series premiered in 2010 and is in its 14th season.

5. The X-Files - FOX

The truth is out there, indeed. At least in Mulder's mind. The X-Files was a series that followed two FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, who were tasked with investigating unsolved cases or X-files involving paranormal phenomena. There were "monster-of-the-week" episodes that were quite scary and others that delved into the existence of alien life which eventually became part of the show's mythology. It is one of the most successful paranormal/science fiction series of all time.

6. Supernatural - The CW

Before it delved into its current mythology, Supernatural was a show that featured a "monster-of-the-week" (and even now it sometimes returns to its roots) which Sam and Dean Winchester would hunt and kill or release back to the world where it belonged. Many of their early cases were based on urban legends and gave a fascinating perspective on whether or not the legends could be true.

7. UFO Hunters - History

A team of experts investigates UFO sightings and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Witnesses are interviewed and evidence is examined to determine if the cases being explored are real or a hoax. Some of the cases investigated include well-known UFO crashes including the one in Roswell, New Mexico in the 1940s.

8. Paranormal Witness - Syfy

This documentary series brings to life true paranormal tales through first-hand testimony and re-enactments. It explores hauntings, UFO sightings, and other supernatural phenomena including witches, werewolves, and imaginary friends that may be real.

9. Scariest Places on Earth - ABC Family

Hosted by Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame and narrated by Zelda Rubenstein (the medium from Poltergeist), this series sent out ordinary families to haunted locations and made them spend the night to see if any paranormal activity occurred. Fabricated and sensationalized or not, spending the night in a haunted anything had to be lots of fun!

10. The Dresden Files - Syfy

The Dresden Files was based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Jim Butcher. It follows Harry Dresden, a private investigator and wizard in Chicago who investigates unusual cases for the police and private individuals. The cases involve something supernatural including vampires, faeries, werewolves and other otherworldly beings.

11. Ghost Adventures - The Travel Channel

A team of ghost hunters investigates haunted places around the world. They spend the night at each location trying to find evidence of the hauntings. Even though the show has been criticized for fabricating some of their "encounters" it's still a super popular show that has been on the air for 18 seasons and counting.

12. Kolchak: The Night Stalker - ABC

Kolchak was a Chicago reporter who investigated mysterious crimes that may have involved supernatural creatures. The cops weren't interested, but Kolchak never gave up, even risking his life to crack the cases. The series aired from 1974 o 1975 and is credited for being a huge influence on Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files.

13. UFOs Declassified - Smithsonian Channel

This series delves into declassified files from the CIA and U.S. Air Force about UFOs. Many UFO sightings have logical explanations, and this series will pretty much pop your balloon if you're a believer.

14. A Haunting - Discovery Channel

This series features dramatic re-enactments of supposed paranormal events including demonic possessions, poltergeist attacks, and plain old hauntings. Each re-enactment is accompanied by narration and interviews about the supposed paranormal event. Even the person who experienced the original event is on hand to give his or her perspective of what happened.

15. Fact or Faked - Syfy

A team of investigators scrutinizes paranormal sightings after reviewing photos and viral videos from the internet to determine if the sighting is worthy of their time. If it is, the team goes to the site to investigate further by doing their own experiments. They then make a determination on whether the sighting is fact or faked.

16. Monsterquest - History

The typical monsters are explored in this short-lived series including the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and the Chupacabra. The series also investigates other strange monsters including giant killer bees, flying humanoids, and monster spiders. Watch with the lights on!

17. Haunted History - History

Haunted History explores the history of some of the world's most haunted locations including Savannah, Georgia; Scotland; and New Orleans. The series is a fascinating look into the history of these various "haunted" places whether the stories are true or not.

18. The Dead Files - Travel Channel

Former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi and psychic Amy Allan team up to investigate reported hauntings where deadly crimes have occurred. Are the property owners imagining things or does a ghost really exist? The duo investigates each location independent of each other and then reconvene to compare their findings.

19. Fringe - FOX

In this "almost like The X-Files but not quite" fictional series, the Fringe division of the FBI investigate strange and unexplained occurrences and crimes. As it turns out, the team discovers parallel universes and alternate timelines that may be the cause for the unusual events.

20. Destination Truth - Syfy

In this reality series, Paranormal researcher John Gates travels the world to investigate the truth behind mysterious and supernatural creatures such as Bigfoot, Argentinian werewolves, and the Mongolian Death Worm among other strange entities.

21. Paranormal State - A&E

A 19-year-old leads a team of student members of Penn State University's Paranormal Research Society which he founded to investigate a variety of mysteries from hauntings to demonic disturbances. The series which was described as "spooky" by reviewers sought the help of affected families and even the Catholic Church for their investigations.