Ghost Lab – Episode 5 – Nottoway, Louisiana /Metro Club, Chicago

It’s hunting for the paranormal using quack science.

These guys are just absurd. I said I wasn’t going to write about each episode, but I keep doing it because each one is more outlandish than the previous one. The Ghost Lab team goes to the beautiful Nottoway plantation to investigate the apparitions that have been spotted.

Apparently the theme of this episode was water as they become fixated on it. In their minds water is causing the paranormal activity and to prove it they take samples of the Mississippi. Then, as though they completely forgot their high school chemistry classes they had to call in a professor to confirm that water can conduct electricity. Further, the more polluted the water is the more it will conduct. Are there really people watching the show who don’t know that? I guess they forgot about those warnings that say not to use a dryer near the bathtub.

Moving past that, they feel that moving water is causes EMFs which drives the paranormal. So, out they go to measure the levels of EMF at the river and on the third floor where the activity occurs. This doesn’t sound all that unreasonable. Base readings show 0.1 while the third floor shows 0.5. Since there is such a drastic difference in readings the EMF has to be coming from the water. Holy leap of logic Batman! If you’ve watch any of the previous episodes (or stick around for the second part of this same episode) anything from 0.1 to 1.0 is considered “normal”. (By the way, EMF coming from a phone or power line would be considered predictable or expected, not “natural”. I don’t think you can associate the word “natural” with fabricated manmade objects.)

So even though the level is in the normal range they say it’s a significant difference. I can’t agree, but whatever.

Next, as expected, comes the complete lack of evidence. They heard a voice say “What?” which to me sounds like someone moving a chair in the distance. They feel a cold spot, again, not really scientific. Next is an extremely grainy photo they claim contains the face of a spirit. Forget the idea of “matrixing” (Ghost Hunters fans) or the fact that it could be the reflection of someone in the room or of the person who took the photo. I’m not saying it can’t be the picture of a spirit, I clearly see what looks like a face too, I’m just saying there are plenty of alternative explanations.

And then boom, they label the place haunted and move on.

Chicago is basically the same thing. They find running water under the building. At least this time it registers an eighteen on the meter. But evidence? Not really. A noise, a cold spot, a “feeling” and a claim of seeing someone.

Out comes the paranormal stamp and they label this place haunted too. I can’t say they haven’t labeled a place haunted.

Their logic is flawed, but their evidence gathering is actually not bad, even though they never seem to come up with anything. The Klinge brothers are just way too easy to impress and they’re ready to label a place haunted at the drop of a hat. Hell, they would even claim a falling hat is paranormal.

Why am I still watching this junk?

Other Articles of Interest:

• Ghost Adventures – Washoe Club and Chollar Mine
• Paranormal Cops – Stirring Up The Dead – S01E03
• Ghost Adventures – Crazy Town – S07E13
• Ghost Lab – Episode 4 – Chicago/Texas
• Ghost Hunters International – Quarantine Station
• Ghost Asylum – Hayswood Infirmary – S01E03
• Paranormal State – Shadow Caster – S04E09
• Paranormal Challenge – Rolling Hills Asylum – S01E01
• What a difference a year makes … It’s time to say goodbye
• Haunted Highway – Manchac Swamp and Moonville Tunnel – S02E02