Common Sense Media Review
Copycat ghost-hunting show mixes scares and tedium.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 6, 2009
- Cast : Barry Klinge , Brad Klinge
- Network : Discovery Channel
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 3, 2022
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