Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Paranormal police comedy has slapstick violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Wellington Paranormal
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Wellington Paranormal is a small sub-branch of the Wellington police department that investigates strange occurrences. Officers O'Leary and Minogue get invited to join the paranormal squad while investigating a teenager who may be possessed by an ancient demon. With the support of their sergeant, they soon discover that Wellington is a hotbed for ghosts, UFOs, monsters, and other bizarre activity.
Is It Any Good?
This charming series doesn't quite live up to the comedic heights of the hilarious What We Do in the Shadows. The early episodes feel a lot like run-of-the-mill parodies of sci-fi and horror clichés with only glimpses of Waititi and Clement's unique sensibilities. But the premise and the style are so strong (it's like Reno 911! meets Scooby-Doo), that there's every possible chance that the show grows into itself over time as it's forced to come up with more and more outlandish bogeymen for its characters to encounter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about paranormal activity. What sorts of things do O'Leary and Minogue investigate? Why is their work top secret? What makes their work unique?
What are O'Leary and Minogue's attitudes toward their cases? How do they contrast with the attitude of their sergeant? How do the Wellington townspeople react to the investigations?
What values are important to O'Leary, Minogue, and Maaka as police officers? How do they conduct themselves? Can you spot any differences between New Zealand police and U.S. police? Are there differences in the way they're depicted?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 18, 2018
- Cast : Mike Minogue , Karen O'Leary , Maaka Pohatu
- Network : Max
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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