GHOST LOOP - The Review

Team: Spirit Hunters Members: #SeanAustin, #Chris Califf, #MattLytle, #KrisStar, and #EricVitale Production Co: Essential Media and Entertainment Synopsis: "When paranormal entities terrorize the living through endless and repetitive supernatural cycles, manifesting again and again in the same location, it is known as a 'ghost loop.' Now, a team of highly specialized paranormal experts, who focus on this distinct type of haunting, are stepping in to help both the living and the dead. In Travel Channel’s new eight-episode series, 'Ghost Loop,' premiering on Friday, December 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the team will attempt to break cycles of trapped paranormal activity and restore peace by drawing out each spirit through re-created trigger environments." Curtesy of DISCOVERY. Team Mission Statement: "Help the living by breaking the cycle of 'The Ghost Loop'."

Episode: Season 01, Episode 01 of 08 - Alarmed and Dangerous. In this episode, a lady contacts the group to report a haunting. She states that she wakes to the sound of banging, like someone is trying to get into her home and when she goes to investigate the client is confronted with the apparition of a smokey black figure that forms then rushes her. She feels isolated and afraid. This is where the 'team' step in. The usual team/client interview takes place and is carried out by Sean Austin (Investigator/medium) and Kris Star Investigator/Empath. The client was emotional and I felt sorry for her. She was clearly shaken by the things happening in her home, but I found myself getting annoyed by the shows empath Kris who appeared to be putting words into her mouth and on occasion answered for the client often cutting over the top of her. It was at this stage I also began to notice how the show was attempting to brand itself. I swear, if I took a shot for every time throughout the show they said the words, 'Ghost Loop' I would be drunk as a skunk! By the end of the episode, I had counted thirteen times they said it and it drove me CRAZY (if averaged, it was once every three minutes!). I thought, "Hey, it's product branding, they will ease off as the series progresses. Right?" Wrong! After skipping an episode I went on to watch the third one in the series only to have that 'nails on a chalkboard' moment again. In episode 03 of season 01, they said, "Ghost Loop" THIRTY-ONE TIMES!!!! For the love of all that is spooky!!! Enough already! We get it! The show is called GHOST LOOP!!!

After watching this show I have to call into question the channels decision to cast these particular group of people. There is no team vibe at all and that was reinforced as I watched the guys in the group jocky for the alpha-male role. This feels like a team that was brought together for the sake of TV. If not for the show these people would probably never have met (and it shows). As a researcher and investigator of the paranormal, I am probably being overly critical, but I can't help feel this show needs to step up its game. There will be people out there who watch this and think this is how things are done...it is not. How the investigation is represented is comical. Showing them doing a MEL meter sweep at the door and declaring a base reading for the investigation was only the start. Taking the biscuit was Matt needing to leave to "regroup" (don't get me started on that), and the other two guys, Eric and Califf, walking him out. Come on!!!! The house is tiny! What's gonna happen?

I know I have been listing the bad stuff (I could go on, there is so much wrong with this show), so it is only fair I highlight some of the stuff that they did that was sort of cool. I loved the AVI (Animated Video Inserts) used to visually show the reported loop and main theme of the show. I also liked the use of equipment tags (the text on the screen describing what it was and why it was used) and for the most part, they were non-biased and factual. I liked how they used the SLS camera with the Mel to corroborate the figure caught on camera. That was cool. But that was it. The idea of recreating the environment to that of the era in which a person died is cool, but let's be honest, it is unrealistic and a little OTT on camera when you see an investigator pushing over chairs, breaking plates etc and generally making a mess. Yes, before you jump at me, I get the WHY for this but, I still think it wrong to trash the clients home. There are other ways to reach out and they were doing this already with decent results. In conclusion, this show looks like a bunch of people were pulled off the street, given job roles and told all the wrong ways to investigate. There is no chemistry and the show is just one of many in the paranormal wall of "What A Shame". Until recently I thought the only thing on paranormal television that I could not stand was #MostHaunted, but boy does this show give it a run for its money. Don't just take my word for it, go check it out. Just because I wasn't impressed doesn't mean you won't be.