Ghost stories aren't just for Halloween; some people enjoy getting the living crap scared out of them year round. For those who fit into that category, there are a few spooky television shows out there -- if you know where to find them.

From professional ghost hunters to people thrown into scary situations, read on to see our seven favorite freaky shows on TV right now.

Ahead of A&E's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York comes news from the Live Feed that the network has renewed 'Paranormal State' for a fifth season. According to the report, 20 episodes have been ordered, which will begin airing in the fall.

The show features Ryan Buell and his Paranormal Research Society as they try to unravel the mysteries behind numerous paranormal events across the globe.

• TV Land's week-long Home Improvement marathon continues all night.
• At 7:30, FOX has FedEx Orange Bowl, Georgia Tech. vs. Iowa.
• At 8, ABC has a new Scrubs, followed by a new Better Off Ted, another new Scrubs, another new Better Off Ted, and a new episode of The Forgotten.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then new episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles and The Good Wife.
• NBC has the two-hour season premiere of The Biggest Loser at 8, followed by a new Jay Leno Show.
• PBS has a new Nova at 8.
• BBC America has a new Britain's Top Missing Model at 8, then a new Last Restaurant Standing.
• At 9, ESPN has a new Homecoming with Rick Reilly.
• Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs at 9.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Chopped.
• A&E has two new episodes of Paranormal State at 10.
• Bravo has a new Tabatha's Salon Takeover at 10.
• Also at 10: Syfy has a new ECW.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 7, ReelzChannel has a new Hollywood Dailies with new contributor Richard Roeper.
• 8, FOX has Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special.
• ESPN has the MAACO Bowl, BYU vs. Oregon State.
• At 9, ABC has a new Scrubs, then a new Better Off Ted.
• Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs at 9, followed by a new Ghost Lab.
• History Channel has two new episodes of How The Earth Was Made.
• BBC America has a new Britain's Missing Top Model at 9.
• Comedy Central has four Christmas episodes of South Park starting at 9.
• At 10, Syfy has a new ECW.
• A&E has two new episodes of Paranormal State at 10.
• Also at 10: HBO has a new Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

I confess I've written more than my fair share of posts complaining about the never-ending march of paranormal, ghost busting shows haunting TV these days. You know the shows I refer to -- the "documentaries" promising to prove the existence of ghosts without ever finding anything resembling actual proof.

Every time I've written something bemoaning the arrival of another such show, I think it has to be over soon. There can't be another hour of clods stumbling around in night vision and reacting to sights and sounds the audience doesn't get to experience.

But, they keep coming. They keep finding nothing. But, evidently, people keep watching them. Now, we have Ghost Intervention -- running through December. The 4-part docu-series from TLC "chronicles a case manager and a team of women with psychic abilities as they try to help different families who are struggling with paranormal activity in their homes."

There was a time when ghosts, apparitions and other paranormal entities led a quiet, under-the-radar sort of un-life. Now, thanks to the proliferation of reality or documentary-style TV shows devoted to the subject, the poor dead have nowhere to hide.

These days everybody wants to talk about their brush with the inexplicable, and it seems there are more paranormal investigators than actual ghosts stumbling around in the dark. How believable are these shows? Let's see.

Some shows are creepy just because, well, they're icky to think about. Like 'The Girls Next Door' (twins sleeping with the same old guy!) or 'Hoarders' (the ultimate pack-rats!). Then there are shows that are frightening, but in a good way. Read on for eight such shows that make you look under the bed at night, avoid cemeteries, and ponder alternate universes.

If a show like Top Chef never found a meal, would you watch it? If Ice Road Truckers couldn't find snow, would you pay attention?

Yet, every week, paranormal investigation shows like Ghost Hunters or Paranormal State hit the air and unveil the whole pile of absolute squat they found. Now, there's a new contender in the "Hey! Look! We found pretty much nothing!" category with the Discovery Channel's Ghost Lab.

Each week two thick slabs of Texas beef named Brad and Barry Klinge (right) take their Everyday Paranormal investigation team out into the wild haunted yonder. They come armed with their traveling "ghost lab" -- a 24-foot car hauler "capable of providing 200,000 watts of electricity to power audio, video and photo analysis stations; flat-screen televisions and an interactive touch-screen smartboard."

• TNT has Basketball Playoffs all night.
• Sci-Fi has a Star Trek: TNG marathon all night.
• At 7, ESPN has the Red Sox/Yankees game.
• Bravo has a new Inside The Actor's Studio (with Denis Leary) at 7.
• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour Dancing with the Stars, followed by a new Castle.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory, then new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• NBC has a new Deal or No Deal, followed by a new, two-hour Medium.
• FOX has a new House at 8, then a new 24.
• The CW has a new Gossip Girl at 8, then a new One Tree Hill.
• There's a new Antiques Roadshow on PBS at 8, followed by a new American Experience.
• ABC Family has a new Greek at 8, then four new episodes of Roommates.
• MyNetwork TV has a new Masters of Illusion at 8, then a new Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Good Eats.
• At 9, HBO has three new episodes of In Treatment.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• History Channel has a new Ax Men at 10.
• A&E has a new Paranormal State at 10.
• MTV has a new episode of The Hills at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, followed by new episodes of Surviving Suburbia and Castle.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory at 8, then new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• NBC has a new Chuck at 8, followed by new episodes of Heroes and Medium.
• FOX has new episodes of House and 24.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, then a new American Experience.
• There's a new Greek on ABC Family at 8, followed by a new Roommates.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 8.
  
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• At 8:30, Food Network has a new Will Work For Food, then a new Unwrapped.
• At 9, HBO has three new episodes of In Treatment.
• At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.
• Food Network has a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives at 10.
• History Channel has a new Ax Men at 10.
• MTV has a new episode of The Hills at 10.
• Also at 10: A&E has a new Paranormal State.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 6, GSN has the series premiere of The Newlywed Game.
• 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, followed by the series premiere of Surviving Suburbia and a new Castle.
• NBC has a new Chuck at 8, then new episodes of Heroes and Medium.
• FOX has new episodes of House and 24.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8.
• ABC Family has a new Greek at 8, followed by a new Roommates.
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• Nickelodeon has a new Penguins of Madagascar at 8.
• At 8:30, Food Network has a new Will Work For Food, then a new Unwrapped.
• At 9, CBS has the NCAA Tournament Final.
• There's a new Monday Night RAW on USA at 9.
• ESPN has the Oakland A's vs. the Los Angeles Angels at 9.
• At 9:30, HBO has two new episodes of In Treatment.
• At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.
• Food Network has a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives at 10.
• MTV has the season premiere of The Hills at 10 (two episodes).
• Also at 10: A&E has a new Paranormal State.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• Sci-Fi has a Star Trek: TNG marathon all night.
• TV Land has an Andy Griffith Show marathon all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour Dancing with the Stars, then a new Castle.
• CBS has a new How I Met Your Mother at 8.
• NBC has new episodes of Chuck, Heroes, and Medium.
• The CW has a new Gossip Girl at 8, followed by a new One Tree Hill.
• ABC Family has the season finale of The Secret Life of the American Teenager at 8, then the series premiere of Roommates.
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• Also at 8: BBC America has a new Top Gear.
• At 9, FOX has a new 24.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Will Work For Food, then a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.
• A&E has a new Paranormal State at 10.
• There's a new Ax Men on History Channel at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour Dancing with the Stars, then a new Castle.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory at 8, followed by new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• FOX has new episodes of House and 24.
• The CW has a new Gossip Girl at 8, followed by a new One Tree Hill.
• ABC Family has a new Secret Life of the American Teenager at 8, then a new Kyle XY.
• Also at 8: ESPN has coverage of the World Baseball Classic.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Will Work For Food, then a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• TCM is showing The Brain That Wouldn't Die at 9:30.
• At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.
• History Channel has a new Ax Men at 10.
• A&E has a new Paranormal State at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour Bachelor, followed by a new True Beauty.
• NBC has a new Superstars of Dance at 8, then the miniseries The Last Templar.
• FOX has new episodes of House and 24.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, followed by a new American Experience.
• There's a new Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family at 8, then a new Kyle XY.
• Bravo has a new Inside The Actor's Studio at 8, with Conan O'Brien.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Good Eats at 8, followed by a new Will Work For Food.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• TNT has a new episode of The Closer at 9, then the series premiere of Trust Me.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• A&E has two new episodes of Paranormal State at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

Well, this was probably inevitable. With the success of A&E's Paranormal State hanging over the heads of the SciFi Channel, the network has given a thumbs-up to a new Ghost Hunters pilot that will join the original as well as Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunter Babies. All right, there is no such thing as Ghost Hunter Babies, but it would be a good idea. Think about it for a moment -- the babies would literally be peeing and pooping in their pants when they saw or felt something ghost-like rather than just saying that they did.

The new pilot is called Ghost Hunters: College Edition. In this edition the hunters would be, you guessed it, college students. Instead of teaming up and performing investigations on their own -- like they do on Paranormal State -- these students would team up with professional investigators to examine claims of paranormal events across the globe. In other words, look for some cross-overs between this show and its two older siblings.

I understand that Ghost Hunters is one of the SciFi Channel's hits, but isn't the network heading towards the point of saturation by adding a third series? With three series you begin to parse out smaller and smaller groups of viewers to each show, which brings down the popularity of the original. Something to think about, network executives, when you decide on giving a green light to Ghost Hunters: The Animated Series.