The Tennessee Wraith Chasers became one of paranormal television’s most recognizable teams through Ghost Asylum, Haunted Towns and Haunted Live. Their best-known lineup featured Chris Smith, Steven “Doogie” McDougal, Scott Porter, Brannon Smith and Mike Goncalves, combining Southern humor, Christian belief, historical research and homemade ghost-hunting technology.
Then their television presence suddenly became much quieter.
That disappearance created years of fan theories about cancellation, internal changes and even claims that another paranormal-TV star pushed them off Travel Channel.
The evidence supports a less dramatic answer. Their major television series stopped receiving new seasons, the original five-person lineup moved in different directions, and the team evolved rather than simply vanishing.
In 2026, Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves are still publicly investigating under the Wraith Chasers name and appearing at paranormal events.
Who Are the Tennessee Wraith Chasers?
The Tennessee Wraith Chasers, commonly shortened to TWC, are a paranormal-investigation group from Tennessee. Over time,
Over time, they became nationally known during the 2010s when Destination America turned their investigation style into Ghost Asylum.
The group branded itself around a mixture of:
- paranormal technology;
- historical research;
- religious belief;
- homemade experiments;
- Southern personality.
Unlike paranormal teams that focused mainly on collecting electronic recordings or video anomalies, TWC became known for building devices they believed could contain or “trap” spirits.
That concept gave them an unusually recognizable television identity.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers Original Members
Most importantly, the lineup viewers remember from the team’s biggest television years included five men.
They were Chris Smith, Steven “Doogie” McDougal, Scott Porter, Brannon Smith and Mike Goncalves.
As a result, each person had a defined television role.
Those roles made the group feel closer to a paranormal problem-solving team than a collection of interchangeable investigators.
Chris Smith
At the center of the group, Chris Smith founded the Tennessee Wraith Chasers.
He became the team’s most recognizable leadership figure and was frequently called “The Architect.”
Chris helped define the group’s approach, including the combination of faith and experimentation that appeared throughout their shows.
Later, he remained active after the team’s regular television run slowed down.
Current 2026 paranormal-event listings still advertise Chris under the Wraith Chasers name.
That makes him one of the clearest links between the original television era and the current version of the brand.
Steven “Doogie” McDougal
Meanwhile, Steven McDougal, usually known as Doogie, was a co-founder and one of the team’s core personalities.
Depending on the series and promotional material, his on-screen label changed.
He was often presented as the hands-on team member who could fix, build or improvise when an investigation became unpredictable.
Doogie’s personality also provided much of the group’s humor.
He remained part of the main lineup through Ghost Asylum, Haunted Towns and Haunted Live.
Later reports suggest he continued occasional paranormal events after the regular television era.
Scott Porter
By contrast, Scott Porter served as the team’s historian and profiler.
His work centered on researching:
- historical events;
- deaths;
- folklore;
- local legends;
- possible identities behind reported hauntings.
That research role became especially important in Haunted Towns, where the team’s investigations expanded from individual buildings to entire communities.
Porter’s public biography later described him as a co-owner of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers franchise.
After the original television run, he also pursued paranormal work outside the full five-person lineup.
Brannon Smith
Likewise, Brannon Smith was known as “The Engineer.”
His role fit one of TWC’s most recognizable traits: creating unusual equipment for paranormal experiments.
The shows frequently presented technology as a way to test ideas about how spirits might communicate or interact with physical environments.
Brannon helped turn those theories into devices.
Later public reporting suggests he stepped back from regular paranormal appearances after the Travel Channel era.
Strong current evidence for a full-time 2026 TWC role is limited.
Mike Goncalves
Finally, Mike Goncalves became the team’s audio, video and surveillance specialist.
He joined after the earliest phase of the group and became part of the familiar five-person television lineup.
Mike brought a more technology-focused role to the team.
Most importantly for the current story, he remains publicly active with Chris Smith.
Multiple 2025 and 2026 event listings advertise Chris and Mike together as the Wraith Chasers.
That makes Mike another major link between the old TWC brand and its current live-event form.
Earlier Member Chasey Ray McKnight
Before that familiar lineup settled into place, Chasey Ray McKnight appeared with the team.
Later reporting says Chasey Ray left so he could spend more time with his family.
Mike Goncalves then became part of the regular group.
That lineup change is important when people ask who the “original” Tennessee Wraith Chasers were.
The answer depends on whether “original” means the earliest investigation group or the lineup viewers remember from the team’s biggest television years.
For most fans, the Chris-Doogie-Porter-Brannon-Mike version became the defining cast.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers Before TV Fame
Long before national television, the group already existed as a paranormal team.
Their early identity was already based on investigating allegedly haunted places in Tennessee and the surrounding region.
The team’s Southern branding was deliberate.
They presented themselves as practical investigators willing to combine:
- engineering;
- personal experience;
- faith;
- folklore;
- improvised equipment.
That style eventually became television-friendly because it offered both recurring personalities and a visual gimmick.
Instead of only asking whether a location was haunted, the team often tried to build something that might interact with the alleged entity.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers on Ghost Asylum
Then Ghost Asylum became the Tennessee Wraith Chasers’ breakout series.
The show premiered on Destination America in September 2014.
It ran through 2016 and produced three seasons.
The series sent TWC into places associated with death, institutional trauma and paranormal legends.
Hospitals, prisons, sanatoriums and abandoned facilities became the core settings.
The show made the team’s ghost-trap experiments central to the format.
That helped distinguish it from the many other paranormal-investigation series airing during the same period.
Why Ghost Asylum Stood Out
However, paranormal television was already crowded when Ghost Asylum arrived.
The series therefore needed a recognizable identity.
TWC’s answer was a combination of Southern personality and experimental spirit trapping.
The group did not present itself as a university laboratory.
Instead, it leaned into a “build it, test it and see what happens” approach.
That made the experiments visually memorable.
It also created debate about whether the methods were scientific, spiritual or simply entertainment.
The distinction matters.
The shows documented what the team believed and experienced, but mainstream science does not recognize ghost trapping as an established scientific process.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers and Their Ghost-Trap Experiments
In particular, ghost traps became one of TWC’s signature ideas.
Different episodes featured custom-built devices intended to:
- attract an entity;
- isolate energy;
- contain a spirit;
- provoke a response;
- test a paranormal theory.
One especially memorable concept involved destroying a device after the team believed it had contained something dangerous.
The extreme nature of those experiments helped the group build a devoted fan base.
However, viewers should separate television methodology from scientific proof.
The devices demonstrate the team’s approach to paranormal investigation.
They do not establish that ghosts can literally be captured inside machines.
Faith, Technology and Paranormal Investigation
At the same time, faith played a more visible role in TWC than in many competing paranormal programs.
A Warner Bros. Discovery press release later described the team as combining scientific method with spiritual faith.
That mixture became part of the brand.
The group used:
- electronics;
- audio equipment;
- cameras;
- experiments;
- prayer;
- religious interpretations.
Academic writers even studied the team’s mixture of Southern identity, religion and scientific language.
That level of analysis shows TWC became more than a forgettable reality-TV cast.
They represented a distinct style within paranormal television.
From Ghost Asylum to Haunted Towns
After Ghost Asylum, the team did not disappear. Instead,
the format changed.
Haunted Towns expanded the investigation beyond single buildings.
The team began examining communities where multiple locations shared:
- historical trauma;
- folklore;
- ghost stories;
- disasters;
- crimes.
That shift gave Scott Porter’s historical role even more importance.
It also allowed the team to travel beyond the institutional settings associated with Ghost Asylum.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers on Haunted Towns
Next, Haunted Towns premiered in 2017.
Tremendous! Entertainment’s official series page describes the Tennessee Wraith Chasers investigating towns connected with darker chapters of American history.
The familiar lineup included:
- Chris;
- Doogie;
- Porter;
- Brannon;
- Mike.
The series visited locations such as Gettysburg, Salem, Savannah and Fall River.
Season 1 aired through Destination America.
The second season arrived in 2019 and aired through Travel Channel.
After that, no third season followed.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers on Haunted Live
Meanwhile, between the two Haunted Towns seasons, Travel Channel gave TWC another format.
Haunted Live premiered in September 2018.
The show featured the full five-person lineup.
Instead of recording an investigation and editing it into a normal episode, the production invited viewers to watch the investigation unfold in real time.
That added unpredictability.
It also made audience participation part of the investigation itself.
How Haunted Live Let Viewers Join the Investigation
Most notably, Haunted Live used live video feeds and social media.
Fans could watch different camera views and comment on anything unusual they believed they saw.
The team could then respond to viewer observations during the investigation.
Travel Channel described the format as an interactive paranormal experience.
Rotten Tomatoes lists a 10-episode season.
The destinations included several well-known Tennessee paranormal sites and the Bell Witch location.
The concept arrived at a time when television networks were experimenting heavily with live social-media engagement.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers Production History
Tremendous! Entertainment produced both Haunted Towns and Haunted Live.
That detail matters because television success involves more than the investigators viewers see on screen.
A production company helps shape:
- episode structure;
- location research;
- filming logistics;
- network delivery;
- editing;
- story pacing.
Tremendous! still maintains pages for both shows, which confirms the programs as part of its catalog.
This helps separate the television product from the independent paranormal team.
TWC could continue investigating after a series ended because the team and the television production were never exactly the same thing.
That distinction is useful when explaining why the Wraith Chasers still appear at events even though new seasons have not followed.
Why the TV Run Slowed Down
However, there is no strong public evidence pointing to one dramatic reason.
Reality television changes quickly.
Networks:
- cancel shows;
- merge brands;
- change programming strategy;
- shift budgets;
- move audiences to streaming;
- reduce entire genres.
After Haunted Live in 2018 and Haunted Towns season 2 in 2019, TWC did not receive another regular series with the same profile.
That is the verifiable result.
The private network decision-making behind it has not been clearly documented in reliable public sources.
Why a Network Ending Does Not Mean the Team Failed
Fans often interpret the end of a paranormal series as proof of a scandal, feud or bad ratings.
Television rarely works that neatly.
Cable networks change strategy, ownership priorities, scheduling and audience targets.
A series can end even when it still has loyal viewers.
The Tennessee Wraith Chasers had already moved across several formats and channels:
- Ghost Asylum on Destination America;
- Haunted Towns across Destination America and Travel Channel;
- Haunted Live on Travel Channel.
That history shows experimentation rather than a single fixed franchise.
Therefore, the absence of another season does not by itself identify a villain or internal collapse.
Without a direct network explanation, the most accurate wording is simply that the shows stopped receiving new regular seasons.
What Happened to the Tennessee Wraith Chasers?
In reality, the Tennessee Wraith Chasers did not simply vanish.
Instead, the structure of the team changed.
The original five-person television lineup stopped appearing together regularly.
Members then pursued different paths.
Later reporting described:
- Chris and Mike continuing paranormal work;
- Scott pursuing separate paranormal projects;
- Doogie appearing at occasional investigations;
- Brannon stepping back from regular paranormal activity.
Current 2026 evidence strongly confirms one part of that picture: Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves still use the Wraith Chasers identity for live events.
Did Zak Bagans Get Tennessee Wraith Chasers Canceled?
Crucially, there is no credible evidence that Zak Bagans got the Tennessee Wraith Chasers canceled.
The theory appears in fan discussions, including a 2025 Reddit thread.
Fans noticed that TWC’s Travel Channel presence faded and connected that disappearance to broader rumors about competition inside paranormal television.
That is speculation.
No network executive, production document, reliable industry report or confirmed TWC interview located in this research says Bagans ordered, pressured or caused the cancellation of their programs.
The theory should therefore not be presented as fact.
Why the Reddit Theory Is Not Evidence
For context, Reddit is useful for understanding what fans believe.
It is not enough to prove a behind-the-scenes television decision.
The 2025 discussion includes people saying they suspect Zak Bagans pushed TWC out.
The same discussion also contains a different explanation: the team changed internally and members moved on to separate projects.
Neither claim becomes true simply because fans repeat it.
Until a credible insider source documents direct interference, the responsible conclusion is that the Bagans theory remains unverified.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers After Travel Channel
After their strongest TV period, the Wraith Chasers brand gradually shifted toward live paranormal experiences.
That model makes sense for a team with a loyal niche following.
Instead of relying on a television network, investigators can:
- sell event tickets;
- host Q&A sessions;
- lead public investigations;
- appear at haunted attractions;
- work with paranormal venues.
This is exactly the kind of activity current event records show.
The television era became quieter, but the brand continued in a different format.
Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves Today
Today, Chris and Mike are the clearest active Wraith Chasers pairing in 2026.
A current event announcement for the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum names Mike Goncalves and Chris Smith of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers.
The event is scheduled for December 2026.
An Eventbrite listing also advertises Chris and Mike for a September 2026 investigation in Connecticut.
These listings prove the Wraith Chasers identity is still being used publicly.
Scott Porter After the Original TV Run
Separately, Scott Porter continued to be associated with paranormal investigation after the team’s main television era.
His professional biographies emphasize:
- historical research;
- paranormal investigation;
- TWC co-ownership;
- numerous television appearances.
Later secondary reporting says Porter also worked on projects outside the original full team.
What is less clear is whether he currently participates in every event promoted under the Wraith Chasers name.
Therefore, the safest description is that Scott remains part of the group’s history and paranormal world, while current 2026 event evidence is strongest for Chris and Mike.
What Happened to Doogie and Brannon?
At the same time, Doogie and Brannon are less visible in current Wraith Chasers promotion.
Secondary reporting indicates Doogie continued occasional paranormal appearances and live investigations after television.
Brannon appears to have stepped back more substantially from regular paranormal activity.
However, current professional details should not be invented.
Their reduced visibility is enough to explain why the five-man team fans remember from television is no longer consistently promoted as one unit.
How the Tennessee Wraith Chasers Changed
During the television era, viewers encountered TWC as a five-man ensemble with clearly defined roles.
The post-TV version looks different.
Current event marketing often centers on Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves rather than recreating the full cast.
That creates confusion for viewers who remember the group as one permanent unit.
In practice, paranormal teams can operate more like flexible brands.
Members may:
- attend different events;
- launch separate projects;
- reduce travel;
- leave television;
- return for occasional appearances.
The Wraith Chasers name therefore survived even as the lineup became less fixed.
That evolution is more consistent with the public record than either saying the team fully disbanded or pretending nothing changed.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers in 2026
Overall, the current situation is best described as active brand, changed lineup.
Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves are still leading paranormal investigations under Wraith Chasers branding.
The original television programs are not producing new regular seasons.
Other former core members have different levels of public paranormal activity.
That makes two common claims inaccurate:
- “The Tennessee Wraith Chasers completely broke up and vanished.”
- “The original five are still touring exactly as before.”
Reality sits between those extremes.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers Current Events
For example, public event listings show continued demand for the team.
In September 2025, Mike and Chris appeared at Old South Pittsburg Hospital as part of a Wraith Tour event.
In 2026, events include paranormal investigations in Connecticut and West Virginia.
One 2026 report announced Chris and Mike for an event at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
These are ticketed experiences rather than television episodes.
Still, they show that the brand remains commercially and culturally active.
Are Tennessee Wraith Chasers Still Together?
Ultimately, the answer depends on what “together” means.
If it means the exact five-person Travel Channel lineup operating exactly as it did in 2018, current evidence does not support that.
If it means whether the Wraith Chasers still exist as an active paranormal brand, yes.
Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves are currently appearing publicly under that identity.
The team’s structure evolved.
That is common in long-running entertainment and investigation groups.
Why the Original Chemistry Mattered
The original television lineup worked because each member filled a recognizable role.
Chris supplied leadership and big-picture theories.
Doogie brought hands-on improvisation and humor.
Porter grounded episodes in historical research.
Brannon built and explained experimental devices.
Mike handled surveillance and technical evidence.
That division made episodes easy to follow.
It also gave fans favorite personalities rather than presenting one generic team.
When the lineup later changed, the chemistry naturally changed with it.
This is one reason viewers continue asking for the original group to return.
The appeal was not only the haunted locations.
It was also the interaction among five people with different responsibilities and personalities.
Can You Still Watch Their Shows?
Yes. However, availability depends on region and platform.
Tubi currently lists Haunted Towns.
Apple TV also lists episodes of Haunted Towns and Haunted Live in various markets.
Discovery-related catalogs may change over time.
Therefore, viewers should check their local streaming services rather than assuming every season is permanently available in every country.
Why Fans Still Remember the Tennessee Wraith Chasers
In the end, TWC had a formula that was easy to recognize.
They combined:
- serious paranormal interest;
- humor;
- Southern identity;
- religion;
- homemade technology;
- team chemistry.
The shows also avoided the polished, distant feel of some reality-TV productions.
Fans often felt as though they were watching a group of friends build something in a garage and then carry it into a haunted building.
That accessibility created loyalty even after new episodes stopped.
It explains why fans still ask where the team went years later.
Tennessee Wraith Chasers and Paranormal Television History
For broader context, the team belongs to a larger era of American paranormal television.
During the 2000s and 2010s, cable networks produced numerous series built around ghost investigation.
TWC entered that crowded field with a clear regional identity.
Their shows did not become as long-running as some competitors.
However, three separate formats—Ghost Asylum, Haunted Towns and Haunted Live—gave them a substantial television footprint.
That history is enough to explain why the team still has an active audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who are the Tennessee Wraith Chasers?
The Tennessee Wraith Chasers are a Tennessee-based paranormal-investigation team best known for Ghost Asylum, Haunted Towns and Haunted Live.
Their most familiar TV lineup included Chris Smith, Steven “Doogie” McDougal, Scott Porter, Brannon Smith and Mike Goncalves.
2. Who were the Tennessee Wraith Chasers members?
The best-known lineup was Chris Smith, Doogie McDougal, Scott Porter, Brannon Smith and Mike Goncalves.
Chasey Ray McKnight was an earlier member before Mike became part of the regular television team.
3. What shows were the Tennessee Wraith Chasers on?
Their major shows were Ghost Asylum, Haunted Towns and Haunted Live.
They also appeared in earlier paranormal television projects connected with the team’s development.
4. What happened to Ghost Asylum?
Ghost Asylum ran from 2014 through 2016 on Destination America.
After three seasons, TWC moved into other formats, especially Haunted Towns.
5. Why did Haunted Towns end?
No credible public source identifies one definitive reason.
The show aired two seasons, ending its regular run in 2019, and the network did not order another season.
6. Did Zak Bagans cancel the Tennessee Wraith Chasers?
There is no reliable evidence that he did.
The idea is a fan theory repeated online, but no credible network or production source confirms it.
7. Are the Tennessee Wraith Chasers still together?
The original five-person lineup is not currently promoted as a full-time unit.
However, the Wraith Chasers brand remains active, especially through Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves.
8. What are Chris Smith and Mike Goncalves doing now?
They continue leading public paranormal investigations and appearing at ticketed Wraith Chasers events.
Multiple 2026 events advertise them together.
9. Where can you watch Tennessee Wraith Chasers shows?
Availability varies, but Haunted Towns is currently listed on Tubi, while Apple TV also carries TWC-related series in some regions.
10. Are Tennessee Wraith Chasers coming back to TV?
No new regular TWC television season has been officially announced as of August 2026.
The team remains active through live events, but a TV reboot should not be claimed without a network announcement.
Conclusion: The Wraith Chasers Did Not Completely Disappear
The Tennessee Wraith Chasers did not vanish in one mysterious network purge.
Their television peak ran from Ghost Asylum through Haunted Towns and Haunted Live, with Chris Smith, Doogie McDougal, Scott Porter, Brannon Smith and Mike Goncalves forming the lineup most fans remember.
After 2019, that structure changed.
Some members moved toward separate projects or lower-profile lives.
Chris and Mike kept the Wraith Chasers identity active and continue hosting paranormal investigations in 2026.
That documented evolution is more convincing than fan theories claiming another paranormal personality secretly ended their careers.
There is currently no announced return of the original television lineup.
Still, the team remains part of paranormal-TV culture, their older shows remain available to stream, and the Wraith Chasers name continues to draw fans to live investigations years after the last regular season aired.
