Before The Conjuring series made Ed and Lorraine Warren household names, there was a little-known Discovery Channel special in 2002 called A Haunting in Connecticut. I first watched it with my mom, the same woman who introduced me to astrology via Walter Mercado’s horoscopes. Little did I know that this docudrama would also cement my lifelong obsession with horror, specifically with the paranormal and cheesy ghost-hunting TV shows, which I wrote about briefly here.

Based on “true” events, A Haunting in Connecticut tells the story of the Parker family. Paul, the eldest son, is suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, so the family moved from Upstate New York to Connecticut so Paul could continue receiving treatment at the nearby hospital. But as soon as the family moves in, strange things begin to happen. 

If you’ve watched the 2009 theatrical version starring our favorite Final Boy Kyle Gallner, you already know where things go. The house meant to save Paul’s life is a former funeral home, and none of the spirits are resting peacefully.

You can watch the special in full right here:

While the 2009 version embellishes certain events, the TV special is mostly faithful to the true story, which you can read about here. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make any interesting decisions. A deep-voiced narrator guides you through dramatic reenactments and interviews with the family and none other than Lorraine Warren. Watching it now, certain elements haven’t aged well (it has the same production value as one of those outdated after-school specials you had to watch in health class), but under the right circumstances, it’s genuinely chilling.

Turn off the lights and tell me mop water turning into blood, breathing beds, levitating rosaries, snowy graveyards, and images of a ghostly mortician lurking in the basement aren’t scary. I’ll wait. 

What’s remarkable, though, is that this obscure special didn’t just create a generation of horror fans—it spawned the TV series, A Haunting, which featured other eyewitness accounts of alleged possessions, exorcisms, ghostly encounters, and, of course, more interviews with Ed and Lorraine Warren. And now, the original special is streaming free on YouTube, ready for a new crop of fans, like myself, who are looking for some spooky nostalgia as Halloween approaches. 

I’m watching it as I write, and I can still feel the same thrill I felt sitting in the living room with my mom. Which reminds me, I need to put my laundry in the dryer. Too bad she’s not here to go down to the basement with me. 

If you remember A Haunting in Connecticut, let me know: @ashjenexi on X and Instagram.

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