 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Ghost Lab
- Discovery Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Copycat ghost-hunting show mixes scares and tedium.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the stars of this reality show hope to prove the existence of ghosts by visiting allegedly haunted houses with a variety of scientific gear. While there's nothing particularly age-inappropriate for older tweens (words stronger than "crap" and "fricking" are bleeped, and violence is more discussed than shown), it can be both tedious (lots of waiting around) and occasionally quite scary, when something unexpleainable really does happen. Overall, the tone is pretty creepy, so younger and/or particularly sensitive viewers may not enjoy watching.
What's the story?
Motivated by an alleged personal encounter with a ghostly squad of Civil War soldiers, brothers Brad and Barry Klinge decided to create the GHOST LAB, a rolling paranormal investigation vehicle. Along with other intrepid spirit hunters, the Klinges travel the country to examine supposedly haunted houses. The team spends the night at each site, using high-tech gear to try to find evidence of the supernatural. Some trips are a bust, but sometimes the team -- and the cameras -- document sights and sounds that are almost impossible to explain.
Is it any good?
The reality show ghost-hunting genre is starting to get pretty crowded, from Ghost Hunters to Ghost Adventures. These shows all follow the same basic format, with the team getting briefed on the sometimes-macabre history of each site they visit and then descending on the location with plenty of equipment. The highlight of each episode is when the cameras actually catch something that may indeed be ghostly -- and sometimes they do.
But most of the GHOST LAB footage is of the brothers explaining what they're doing and why and then sitting around waiting for something to happen. That’s the weak point of all of these shows, and it’s especially weak here. The Klinge brothers seem like genial folks, but they're not especially telegenic; watching them sitting around isn't appealing, and the issue is exacerbated by their heavy abuse of dude-speak. “Dude, I think I heard something!” “No way, dude, that was just a rat.” Well, dudes, I think I’d rather watch something else.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the supernatural. Do you think ghosts are real? Do you think the Ghost Lab team actually encounters spirits? Can their gear prove the existence of the paranormal?
Why are there so many shows like this? How does this one compare to others you've seen? Do you think there are enough haunted houses for all these investigators?
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- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
ok watch for language
not as good as chost hunters
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AGE
Ghost Lab
Not my favorite ghost hunting show on TV, but its highly addicting and very fun to watch.
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AGE
Eh..
I wouldn't say this show is bad, but for kids 10 and under it can be scary. They refer several times to daemonic spirits and ghosts.
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Kid, 11 years old
September 2, 2011
AGE
Fail.
Really commonsensemedia? Really? I'm 10 and I LOVE this show! Not only that, I'm not scared of it at ALL. I only just get the creeps when the investigators talk about demons and ghost people.
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AGE
The use of different SyTec gadets is long overdue. Nice to see people use their heads and inventing experiments never before used. As for language, come on, if your kids haven't heard it already, where have you been hiding them, the basement. Even Ghost Hunters gets bleeped out. Keep it coming G.L., my whole family will be watching what you come up with next. Go Klinge's!!!!!
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | Discovery Channel |
| Cast: | Barry Klinge, Brad Klinge |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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