Scifi’s newest Ghost Hunter show, Ghost Hunters International debuted last Wednesday night. Viewers have responded with mixed emotions over this new global team that will investigate hauntings around the world.
Die hard TAPS fans found the show to be a bit unorthodox and teetering on the edge of credibility. The introduction of new team members with variant philosophies was little hard to swallow after years of watching Jason and Grant work hard to build credibility and maintain a professional organization.
Barry Fitzgerald brought with him an air of showmanship that is better left to entertainment shows. He definitely has an air of superiority that suggests that his “elementals” are the real thing, as opposed to the ghosts found in the states. But that is not what irritates me. It’s the running through the halls, nearly missing walls and steps, in an effort to catch spirits off guard that I find unsettling. Blindly dashing through doorways and clicking the camera shutter does nothing for credibility, or to instill faith in the viewer that any evidence he may produce is legitimate.
I would expect this kind of behavior from Brian Harnois. He has always been overly dramatic and excitable; fully believing he has spotted or heard a ghost at a mere sneeze. He fits well with Barry’s dramatic presentation. Barry and Brian rushing through the hallways of some long abandoned castle, huffing and puffing to gain their breath is nothing new. Brian has done it before and even earned some recognition with the catchy phrase “Run Dude Run!” when he belted down a hallway after seeing a black shadow pass before him.
But what is Donna thinking? She has been a credible member of TAPS. She has worked with Jason and Grant. She knows better. Screaming out in fear every time she thinks she sees something paints the image of an amateur who is not prepared to take on the role of an investigator for Ghost Hunters International. It’s a little hard to take a spirit by surprise when you punctuate your investigation with screaming and squealing over nothing, let alone careening through dark hallways flashing a camera.
And then, of course, there is Robb Demarest, the leader of Ghost Hunters International. He may be okay, if he could complete a sentence without using the words of Jason and Grant. Somehow, it doesn’t quite cut it when he tries to speak with authority while using Jason’s words.
And lose the riding off into the sunset scenes in the van. We love it when Jason and Grant chat after a long investigation. Their friendship and concern for TAPS is evident in their late night interlude as they head home. Viewing a newly formed team in the same light just doesn’t create the same atmosphere . Instead of a peek into the personal side of the team, it comes off as a scripted conversation designed to mimic Jason and Grant.
Scifi promised us a quality show with Ghost Hunters International, but unless the team members muster up some gusto of their own to convince us that they are reliable and credible, they will quickly fall out of grace with TAPS Ghost Hunter fans.
