Ghost Hunters 3.1: "Tombstone, AZ"

Disclaimer

A lot has happened since the end of the second season, both in terms of the show and my relationship to it. Since writing my review for the second season finale, the episode covering the investigation of the Stanley Hotel, my perspective has shifted considerably. For one thing, I’ve met Jason and Grant on more than one occasion, and I’ve spent time with some high profile individuals within the paranormal research field. I’ve gained hands-on experience in paranormal investigation, and while that’s still a work in progress, the preparations involved gave me a wealth of insight, above and beyond my technical education.

My point is that there will be a noticeable effect on the reviews, and so it’s worth running through the basics in the first review for the third season. I fully acknowledge, here and now, that I cannot be fully objective. My perceptions and assumptions are colored by my relationships with the people and ideas on the show. From a purely professional standpoint, one could reasonably question my ability to review a show about people I know, even as general acquaintances. Thankfully, my goal is not to judge the veracity of the evidence, the validity of the methods, or the integrity of TAPS. My goal, simply put, is to say whether or not I was entertained.

I fully intend to give my opinion on the evidence and the conclusions reached by Jason and Grant, but ultimately, this is all information that has been filtered through several stages of editing and post-production. So it’s a matter of “taking it as it’s presented” and going from there. I’m not going to get into an argument about whether or not it was falsified. On the other hand, if something looks questionable, I’ll point that out and give reasons why. Basically, I’ll be saying exactly what I would say to Jason or Grant if we were discussing the show with them personally.

I’ll also speak to the dramatic elements of the show, because I have a great deal of experience in reviewing dramatic television. When I see signs of a storyline being manufactured, even out of real events, I’ll be pointing that out. And I’ll be pointing out technical items here and there as well. If it crosses my mind, it’s fair game. The only caveat is that I don’t claim to be an expert on paranormal investigation, TAPS, or television production. I take full responsibility for any inaccurate, incorrect, or inane comments along the way, and I reserve the right to correct myself later.

Now, on with the show!


The Investigation

Things start off on the right foot when we have Donna in a cowboy hat. It just gets better from there! I was very happy to notice that the show has been retooled a little bit. The stupid and distracting sounds and music added in post-production are still a point of contention, but on a practical level, there were some items added to the investigation that I really liked.

As some might remember from my second season post-mortem podcast (http://entil2001.libsyn.com), I mentioned how useful it would be to see them setting up the cameras and explaining the whys and wherefores. They actually did that, and I found it helped a lot in getting a sense of the space and what could or could not be covered. One minor improvement, however, would be a very quick graphic. In terms of air time, it would take less than a minute to show a floor plan, a few dots, and run a useful voiceover to explain the rationale. It would be very easy to do, and would look damned professional in the process.

I also noticed that there was a stronger emphasis on portraying the investigation in a more realistic manner. That might be lost when two or more cases are covered in a single hour, but for now, I thought the production values were much higher and the sense of realism was enhanced as a result. The downside, of course, is that it felt like someone had suggested that they carry digital cameras around and snap at random, as if that would satisfy critics. I don’t recall them doing that before, and while it’s perfectly legitimate, it was a little suspicious.

For all that, a lot of time was spent commenting on shadows and sounds that never made it on camera. That’s par for the course, but made a lot worse by the post-production. I thought, now and again, that there was a sound of cards shuffling, but I had to dismiss that because of the goofy sound effects. Even when it comes down to the full body apparition, I’m willing to take them at their word, but there’s no way to demonstrate that the third party verification technique wasn’t contrived. Any critic is going to pull that one apart easily, just on the basis of editing alone.

One very good development, at least in the short term, was the lack of drama. This was a relatively straightforward investigation, probably designed to introduce new viewers to the premise, the personnel, and the format. One can only hope that the rest of the season will continue with this trend.


The Evidence

As usual, there was a wealth of personal experience involved, but since it wasn’t caught on film or any recording device, not much can be said about it. I’m willing to hear it and accept that it was possible they saw an apparition, but there’s really no proof. Also, I was not impressed at all by the sound of a large marble hitting and rolling down the roof. That would be all too easy to manufacture, and I think even the team had that thought when they were talking about it.

The EVP of period-appropriate music was interesting, especially since it appeared to be embedded in the background noise. I’d love to get my hands on a copy of that sound file and look at it more closely. But I can hear the counter-argument already. Was it possible that there was a radio station playing that music nearby? Maybe someone outside? Unlikely, perhaps, but possible.

The best evidence was probably the cord unwrapping itself from the bell. Reading the “debunking” on that one should be fun. I’ll admit that it was very hard to see the cord in the footage, and it took me a few times before I could see what they were talking about, thanks to the nature of the footage. But it was definitely interesting and I’d love to get into that place myself!

Chill Factor: 8/10