Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Language, some scares in slickly produced ghost stories.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
True Haunting
What's the Story?
TRUE HAUNTING is a five-episode docuseries about paranormal encounters that features interviews with real-life subjects alongside dramatic reenactments of their experiences. Produced by popular horror director James Wan, the series tells two stories: the first, "Eerie Hall," follows a college student distraught over a relentless spirit keeping him up at night, while "This House Murdered Me" centers on a frightened family upset that their new dream house appears to be haunted.
Is It Any Good?
Your enjoyment of any paranormal docuseries depends on how much you believe in ghost stories. True Haunting is slickly produced, which sets it apart, but that polish may undermine its sense of authenticity. The cinematic flourishes are impressive but so prominent that you can almost forget these are meant to be real-life accounts until the talking heads return. The stories may also remind viewers of more gripping Hollywood classics, like The Amityville Horror or Poltergeist. At times, it's hard not to wonder if the people sharing their experiences were themselves influenced by those films.
It's also an odd choice to stretch these recollections into three- and two-episode arcs when the material doesn't justify the slow pace. That time could've been better spent on new stories and subjects. Ultimately, True Haunting will satisfy diehard fans of "real life" paranormal experiences (and of James Wan), but for most viewers, it's a polished yet middling scare.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why people enjoy watching media that frightens them. What's the appeal? Did you find the stories depicted in True Haunting scary?
How does this series compare to other shows you've seen about paranormal experiences? Does seeing a dramatic reenactment of someone's story help convince you to believe it?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 7, 2025
- Cast : Ralph MacLeod , Makenna Pickersgill , Wyatt Dorion
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Animals ( Dogs ) , Fantasy ( Ghosts , Monsters ) , Holidays ( Halloween )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 14, 2025
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