Ken Estin Steers New Psychic Fraud Series to American Film Market

Ken Estin, the two-time Emmy winner known for 'Taxi' and 'Cheers,' has taken the helm of 'Psychic Predators,' a paranormal dramatic comedy. The series stars mentalist Banachek as himself. Organic Media Group, or OMG, introduced the project at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei. The production team is also taking the material to the American Film Market.

Steve Chicorel created the show and serves as an executive producer. Estin signed on after reading the pilot, titled 'The Voice of God.' If the network commissions the season, Estin will oversee the writing of the remaining episodes. Chicorel and Estin will run the series together.

The premise centers on Banachek, a famous mentalist who makes his living by deceiving audiences while openly admitting his feats are tricks. A hard-charging TV producer convinces executives at TRN, The Reality Network, to fund a show that catches fake psychics in the act. Banachek goes undercover with a magician skilled in disguise and a tough female FBI agent. The producers describe the setup as a mix of 'Mission Impossible' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' set within the world of investigative television.

Behind the scenes, the team must manage network executives, clashing egos, and the tension between uncovering the truth and landing an unscripted hit. Chicorel praised Estin’s ability to find vulnerability and heartbreak in comedy. He noted that Estin’s work balances humor and pathos, a quality he believes the series needs to expose uncomfortable truths.

Estin said comedy requires emotional honesty, while serious drama needs humor to help people face difficult subjects. He compared the approach to 'MAS*H,' which used comedy to illuminate the horrors of war. Estin said the series explores why people believe in the supernatural and what happens when that belief is exploited.

The story draws on Banachek’s own history. He was mentored by the late James 'The Amazing' Randi, a famed skeptic. At age 18, Banachek participated in Project Alpha, a well-known sting in paranormal research. He passed himself off as a psychic to reveal weaknesses in researchers' experimental controls, while Randi showed how the same effects could be faked. Banachek also helped Randi unmask televangelist Peter Popoff, who used a concealed earpiece to relay supposed messages from God.

The pilot dramatizes a con similar to the Popoff incident. Later episodes will target pseudoscience, bogus medical treatments, expensive fortune-telling scams, rigged paranormal events, and faked alien encounters. The targets include psychic con artists, exploitative spiritual leaders, and doomsday cults. Chicorel and Banachek plan to bring in other top magicians to demonstrate how apparently impossible feats are pulled off. These performers would follow the example of Houdini, who debunked mediums preying on the grieving. The drama and the reality show inside it share one rule: stay open to extraordinary claims, but insist on solid evidence.

OMG maintains bases in Los Angeles, Taipei, and Brisbane. The company was co-founded by Chicorel and Kelly Mi Li. Mi Li stars in and executive produces Netflix's 'Bling Empire' and hosts 'Stir the Pot.' The pair's scripted credits include 'Cypher,' the first original drama series made exclusively for Roku.