Give it another season for some refinement has merit but sometimes irritating
23 Reviews
Good show too much voice box though
vbnelsen8 September 2020
Interesting stories, but not good investigations.
nitestar9516 October 2019
Like most other TV 'ghost' shows, there's a lot of fluff here. The stories are entertaining, though, enough for me to watch without getting sick of the nonsensical, even though I know that I'm not going to find any real evidence of ghosts. FWIW, my grandchildren (10 - 17) really enjoyed it. Recommended for a nice stormy night's viewing.
Eh
tunacrusade29 March 2020
Very meh host.
The other people involved are great.
I keep forgetting it's a paranormal show. Seems more of a "visit Wisconsin" advert. Don't get me wrong, I dig the history, but this series focuses down too hard on trivia about a given building more than they do anything else.
Other than that, it's just spirit box EVPs
Finally paranormal done right
johnplove-1778418 April 2019
I watched the movies that was done by these investigators and really enjoyed them. I have watched almost every show about the paranormal on television and on YouTube. It gets pretty tiring watching what you know is not true on these shows. It takes a lot of time and even if a place is extremely haunted does it mean when you show up that you're going to get activity. I live in the state of Wisconsin and I know how haunted it is. It's been ignored for a long time. It's very refreshing seeing people taking the time to do background and take the right approach and truly understand what the paranormal is all about. Even with all we know we still don't understand why certain things happen at certain times and at certain places but we try and we're learning. I recommend the show for the true paranormal fan out there. Thanks for prime for having the guts to pick this up to follow the people that really know what they're doing I'm sure over this year is going to get exciting.
I don't want to sound mean, but...
DebraIonaVogel18 November 2020
This show is not nearly as fascinating as the investigators think they're being.
There's a lot of discussion about how and why they do things; all very pretentious. And- that guy, Michael, speaks with the cadence and affect of a twelve year old valley girl at the mall.
They say, in the beginning, that their way of doing things (read: better and smarter than yooooouuuu) may leave some (read: not as enlightened as them) bored.
No, just bored because they never stop complimenting themselves on their awesomeness. It's like they can barely contain how high above the others in the field they are.
Maybe, they are. But, I couldnt make it through one episode. Tooooo self-grandizing. And boring.
There's a lot of discussion about how and why they do things; all very pretentious. And- that guy, Michael, speaks with the cadence and affect of a twelve year old valley girl at the mall.
They say, in the beginning, that their way of doing things (read: better and smarter than yooooouuuu) may leave some (read: not as enlightened as them) bored.
No, just bored because they never stop complimenting themselves on their awesomeness. It's like they can barely contain how high above the others in the field they are.
Maybe, they are. But, I couldnt make it through one episode. Tooooo self-grandizing. And boring.
Take a look!
skel-eduardo13 May 2019
Ticks all the paranormal boxes
amesmonde2 July 2019
This documentary series follows a likeable American team of filmmakers as they investigate the paranormal.
In this outing Michael Brown and friends including, Anne Benson, Todd Dehring give a detailed background of the places they are investigating. If you enjoyed the Ghost Hunting of Haunted State: Theatre Of Shadows you'll love this.
There's times when they capture EVPs, video evidence, changes in temperatures and magnetic fields etc. It's surprising how open they are when approaching their interactions with loved ones who have died. It's heartfelt and brings home what they are trying to prove especially in the moments where producer Angela Olson tries to contact her parents which is emotionally stirring.
If committed paranormal investigators with heart and no fakery is your thing, this series ticks all the boxes.
In this outing Michael Brown and friends including, Anne Benson, Todd Dehring give a detailed background of the places they are investigating. If you enjoyed the Ghost Hunting of Haunted State: Theatre Of Shadows you'll love this.
There's times when they capture EVPs, video evidence, changes in temperatures and magnetic fields etc. It's surprising how open they are when approaching their interactions with loved ones who have died. It's heartfelt and brings home what they are trying to prove especially in the moments where producer Angela Olson tries to contact her parents which is emotionally stirring.
If committed paranormal investigators with heart and no fakery is your thing, this series ticks all the boxes.
Get to the point
arclinecreative13 April 2020
I don't really think viewers care to watch a show that feels compelled to explain ad nauseum, why and how you're making your show. From a professional, you make the show and let it stand on its own. If I want to hear people tell their ghost stories, I can get that anywhere.
Even a skeptic loved it
Backdraft75229 June 2019
Me and my wife just watched this. Since we live in the great state of Wisconsin, its even better. Im borderline skeptical but was stillwell done and was very interesting. If you like the paranormal, then you should watch
GET ON with it all!
merrill-5822413 March 2021
We're not here for wine tasting.
We're not here to go scenic cruising.
We're not here for idle chatter.
I mean I'm fast forwarding now. And I'm totally surprised how little EVP work in ea ep.
And Michael, honey, please. First off let someone else moderate the majority of the show, if not all of it. Just too, uhhh, nellymayish bordering snappymayish at times. And PLEASE drop the whole late 90s two day dirty beard thing. Gross. No chin for one. And it's so past tense, dirty looking, and unprofessional for a documentary like this. Just sayin.
I give a 3 star for trying and getting it all packaged to sell on air.
The Real Deal
cdbrooks-4210615 March 2020
I absolutely love this show!! If you've watched it from the beginning, you know the cast and crew are the SAME PEOPLE. They do ALL the work themselves. They are genuine and truly committed to exploring paranormal events with the respect and reverence the locations and history deserve. They are so honest in their interactions with each other and the people involved with all the locations they explore. They record INCREDIBLE evidence during their investigations. I'm waiting anxiously for the last two episodes of Season One, and I am SO EXCITED for Season Two!!! Seriously, if you haven't watched this yet, DO IT. Watch it. Get hooked. Thank me later.
Headache inducing
thelewisgirl11 April 2021
Like ghost hunting with your buddies
trosino-3967330 August 2020
My wife and I really enjoyed a marathon of this show. Felt engaged by the investigation style. I was worried it would be too low budget, but the locations were great and the investigators had a great connection with each other and us. This overcame the budget constraints. We can't wait for season two...we have tried every show out there and this is now a top 3 for us.
Some very real production quality issues
mattdean-4381319 March 2023
Decent premise, decent execution to the premise.
Though there are some very huge production quality issues. Frame rate discrepancies, rolling shutter, weird crossfades between talking heads - and hand held footage as wobbly as a melting bowl of jelly. Gimbles are stupidly affordable, guys.
The radio scanner thing has no reason to be mixed so loudly, it's just annoying static at this point.
I found these issues super distracting from the show. Distracting enough that I'm here writing this review instead of paying attention.
Also, the "Replays" are super corny, and seem like blatant filler.
We get it, you subtitled it the first time. We don't need an instant replay of something we just saw, heard and read guys...
Interesting content with sub par execution. Seems more akin to something you would find on YouTube.
Though there are some very huge production quality issues. Frame rate discrepancies, rolling shutter, weird crossfades between talking heads - and hand held footage as wobbly as a melting bowl of jelly. Gimbles are stupidly affordable, guys.
The radio scanner thing has no reason to be mixed so loudly, it's just annoying static at this point.
I found these issues super distracting from the show. Distracting enough that I'm here writing this review instead of paying attention.
Also, the "Replays" are super corny, and seem like blatant filler.
We get it, you subtitled it the first time. We don't need an instant replay of something we just saw, heard and read guys...
Interesting content with sub par execution. Seems more akin to something you would find on YouTube.
NOT Your Typical Haunt
binfordtools12 August 2020
There is a casket full of homogenized ethereal shows on TV depicting some sort of insider-information to the dead. Spoon-fed to the masses with a side-dish of over processed drama (**cough** - "Zak") because as we all know - drama sells. Even for the deceased.
However, not all spirit-shows are as contrived as a fixed marriage. Thus, is the case with the docuseries, "Haunted State" - the brainchild of Wisconsin based director, Michael Brown.
On the surface, Haunted State may at first seem like it was filmed for a graduate project. Home movie style, sometimes questionable editing, clearly not an extravagant budget or production values. BUT - this is the absolute genius in it! You feel like you are right there in the spirit-crowded room organic within the experience opposed to merely watching it on your flat screen.
Michael, along with his trifecta of cohorts; Todd Dehring, Angela Olson and Anne Benson spelunk deep into the bowels of supposed haunts in the most respectful of ways. The "come at me, bro" type-A mentality of "some" other similar genera afterlife shows is absolutely NOT Haunted State's hang. Instead, these lucky dead souls get to party with Michael and his buddies - laughing, joking and speaking as if they are perched on the couch next to them. Because essentially, they are.
These Ghostbusters use a standard collection of disembodied soul hunting tools as seen on many other shows. Spirt-box, laser-light array, recorders for EVP sessions, flashlights, etc. but used in a way as not to call too much attention to the technology and instead focus on the personal "relationship" with the deceased. Again, that is what makes Haunted State a trail-blazer in this field. And it seems to work! Amidst the repetitive static sound produced by the spirit-box device (used for communication with the afterlife inhabitants), the conjured apparitions seem to answer nonchalantly as if they were there sitting across a restaurant booth. We speak with the dead now. That's become normal.
As a connoisseur of sorts to this type of dead-reality shows, I am encouraged by the distinctive approach that Haunted State has taken. I encourage other shows of this type to take note while I sit here with goosebumps, waiting for season-2 to appear like a misty shaped manifestation across my TV.
Michael, along with his trifecta of cohorts; Todd Dehring, Angela Olson and Anne Benson spelunk deep into the bowels of supposed haunts in the most respectful of ways. The "come at me, bro" type-A mentality of "some" other similar genera afterlife shows is absolutely NOT Haunted State's hang. Instead, these lucky dead souls get to party with Michael and his buddies - laughing, joking and speaking as if they are perched on the couch next to them. Because essentially, they are.
These Ghostbusters use a standard collection of disembodied soul hunting tools as seen on many other shows. Spirt-box, laser-light array, recorders for EVP sessions, flashlights, etc. but used in a way as not to call too much attention to the technology and instead focus on the personal "relationship" with the deceased. Again, that is what makes Haunted State a trail-blazer in this field. And it seems to work! Amidst the repetitive static sound produced by the spirit-box device (used for communication with the afterlife inhabitants), the conjured apparitions seem to answer nonchalantly as if they were there sitting across a restaurant booth. We speak with the dead now. That's become normal.
As a connoisseur of sorts to this type of dead-reality shows, I am encouraged by the distinctive approach that Haunted State has taken. I encourage other shows of this type to take note while I sit here with goosebumps, waiting for season-2 to appear like a misty shaped manifestation across my TV.
Has to be funded by the state of Wisconsin travel department.
chrisshelton-558715 September 2021
Let's be honest. This is a travel show first and a ghost hunting show second. They should of just been honest about that, fans would probably trust them a lot more if they were. The story narration by each investigator that takes up half of the show, why??? And lose the non stop emotional back round music. As for the evidence, they should make it clear that the ghost box can't be trusted unless your in a location with no radio signal.
It's a great show focused around my old home.
jonathan_gruenke27 October 2020
I was born and raised in Wisconsin, lived there 35 years. They do amazing investigations around the Cheesehead state. They don't embellish and don't have crazy excessive production. It's just a fun show to watch, it showcases great scenery and beautiful locations. The investigations are simple, they don't "freak out" and yell and run around. They just produce a great show and a great investigation. If you like paranormal shows, this is it. This harkens back to the first few seasons of Ghost Hunters when it was about investigation and not about loud ambient music and pleasing the wallets.
Zzzzz
merrill-5822413 March 2021
It's like, jeeesh, get on with it! They drag along drinking bitters like a bunch of goobahs blahblahblahing away about nothing anybody cares about. They just come off as bunch of nelly lispy goofs who aren't very professional nor believable with their Radio Shack static play toys. I guess I give them a 3 for getting on air at all.
Addicted
mbrueneman12 April 2020
Watched the movies and the entire first season in 2 days! It's fun to see the first movie, then see how much the cast and techniques improve through time and experience.
I can't wait for more!
Plus, I'd love to have a beer with Anne.
"Astounding Evidence"
vickyoooh9 June 2020
I've just "binge watched" Season 1 of "Haunted State", and I absolutely love it. I watch every paranormal/ghosty show that I can, but these guys offer something a little different: there's a laid-back style to the questions asked, which is so refreshing....a nice "rapport", resulting in astounding evidence, captured at contrasting venues and locations, which made it even more compelling, also accompanied by some objective viewpoints. I felt drawn in by the lovely personalities of the team...the kind of guys I'd love to hang out with. I'm eagerly anticipating Season 2 as I found this compulsive viewing....so, fingers crossed. Don't just take my word for how good this series is, check it out for yourself!
Awful annoying static noise!
weimaj18 January 2024
I couldn't even finish an episode because they have this ridiculously annoying static noise throughout their entire investigation. Who ever thought that was a good idea needs to be fired. I even tried another episode to see if it was their equipment or just the location they were at in the first episode. It's their equipment or something they add to the video. No wonder they only lasted for 1 season. They also did a lot of explaining or commentary that wasn't necessary. Unfortunately this show will not be on my list to recommend to family and friends. Oh well. There are plenty of paranormal investigation shows to watch.
Love this show!
dedevaldez7 June 2020
Nothing New Here
a-dante-vega26 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
No matter how they organize the information they are doing exactly what the other shows are doing.
Just because they say they are doing something different doesn't make it so.
I am sorry If you have to be adamant about making sure the viewers know you a doing things differently you probably aren't doing something different. Most likely your not willing to accept that you are doing the same thing as the other shows.
They don't add the folklore? That is just something they subtracted that other shows do. Most other shows separate the folklore from the facts anyhow.
People watching these types of shows typically are more interested in the investigation more than what they are told or studied on the happenings of the location. There has to be a good mixture of the two areas. In this show at least from the episodes I watched too this point, this crew concentrates on the story and not enough of the investigation.
In the first episode they say feelings don't count. The viewers don't care about that they want to see evidence. If that were the case why is there so much personal information taking away from the investigational footage?
They don't concentrate on the folklore.
Folklore: The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.
Obviously they are hypocritical because minutes after making this statement they participate in the folklore by taking shots and joining a club which tradition has been passed through the generations from the prohibitional era.
Just because they say they are doing something different doesn't make it so.
I am sorry If you have to be adamant about making sure the viewers know you a doing things differently you probably aren't doing something different. Most likely your not willing to accept that you are doing the same thing as the other shows.
They don't add the folklore? That is just something they subtracted that other shows do. Most other shows separate the folklore from the facts anyhow.
People watching these types of shows typically are more interested in the investigation more than what they are told or studied on the happenings of the location. There has to be a good mixture of the two areas. In this show at least from the episodes I watched too this point, this crew concentrates on the story and not enough of the investigation.
In the first episode they say feelings don't count. The viewers don't care about that they want to see evidence. If that were the case why is there so much personal information taking away from the investigational footage?
They don't concentrate on the folklore.
Folklore: The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.
Obviously they are hypocritical because minutes after making this statement they participate in the folklore by taking shots and joining a club which tradition has been passed through the generations from the prohibitional era.
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