A Haunting

TV review by Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media
A Haunting Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Spooky real-life tales might genuinely frighten.

Discovery Channel Reality TV 2005
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 20 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this sometimes-scary docudrama series tells real people's stories about experiences with the paranormal. Episodes include dramatic re-enactments of ghostly appearances, children being frightened in bed, angry arguments between parents, and occasional injuries as a result of contact with spirits. Stories also sometimes include potentially upsetting family details -- like a father becoming a heavy drinker or a mother becoming seriously ill. Some episodes contain religious elements, such as a priest performing an exorcism and asking Jesus Christ to cleanse a house.

Community Reviews

HRUSHIKESH SABLE
HRUSHIKESH SABLE Adult
February 19, 2021
age 18+

Better for entertainment purposes only!

According to me this show is perfect for entertainment and nothing because if you are interested to watch haunted tv shows then it's okay. If you think this tv show is fact based then it's your stupidity because, week before I was watching on episode of this show where a girl was playing Oija board and she was playing Oija board to call her best friend's bf after his death but by mistake he calls the demon called Deanna and shows the actual footage of her home , where that demon made scratch on the wall (which are seems like some how some one threw ink on the wall). Secondly Oija board conference (separate point on Oija board) showed that skepticaly and by observations that there is nothing like Oija board calls spirit, and it's actually your brain who controls all about this thing. Also in Brain Game show which is truly fact based , have an episode about this topic in which group of people figure out same reaction and the Oija expert tells them that it's your brain which is sending this signals to your hands (involuntary) which feel you supernatural.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
ROBIN FLEMING
ROBIN FLEMING Adult
July 26, 2013
age 17+

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD ALONG TIME AGO..ABOUT THIS STUFF!!!!!

THIS IS THE MOST SCARIEST SHOW IVE SEEN. I DONT LIKE WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE PEOPLE. BUT IF THIS STUFF IS REAL THEN WE NEED TO PREPARE OUR FAMILYS THAT STUFF LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN..I WAS NEVER TOLD THIS STUFF WAS REAL GROWING UP. NOW I DONT KNOW WHAT ID DO IF I SAW A GHOST...

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Docudrama series A HAUNTING tells the stories of people affected by paranormal experiences, using dramatic re-enactments and interviews, spooky music, flashes of scary images, and somber narration. For example, one episode documented the childhood experiences of Billy Bean, whose happy family slowly crumbled after they moved to a house filled with strange noises, eerie sensations, and occasional apparitions. As Billy describes it during the show, his father developed a drinking problem, his teenage sister left home, and his mother developed serious health issues as a consequence. The episode features interviews with many of the people involved in the story, including the priest who performed a blessing on the house.

Is It Any Good?

These first-hand accounts -- along with the accompanying dramatizations -- build a scary tale that will frighten many children and even give some teens the creeps. While the re-enactments are poorly acted, the repetition of certain frightening scenes (along with the other dramatic elements) creates a real sense of foreboding. Creepy music and skittish camera work provide most of each tale's "documentation," but scenes occasionally include real violence. In one episode, for example, a woman wakes to find a ghost with a bloody facial scar strangling her, and in another scene, a family finds themselves under siege in their own home, with books flying off the shelf and furniture slamming against the walls, sometimes hitting and injuring people. In other words, if you don't like scary stories, this one's probably not for you (or your kids!).

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the supernatural. Do you believe in haunted houses, spirits, or paranormal events? What about the possibility of contacting the dead? Has anyone in your family had a brush with the paranormal? Is the idea of a spirit world scary or comforting? What do you know about other cultures' beliefs about the paranormal or spirit worlds? Why are we drawn to ghost stories and other tales of the supernatural? What's their appeal?

TV Details

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