Ghost Hunters International Recap Episode 2.11: Tasmanian Death Sentence

Posted by Ron Martin on 02.05.2010

This week on Ghost Hunters International the team stays in Tasmania and still doesn't find the Tasmanian Devil, Ashley tries to lure a ghost from last week into a new investigation and one team member would rather bail then go to Malaysia.

Double whammy this week, kids. My computer is still acting up but worse than that, I did a big no no. You see, yesterday when I got home from one job and before I went to the other, I found out I had no water. The very substance we need to drink, bathe, flush the crapper and even throw at others on hot summer days was missing from my home. Turns out there was a mistake at the utility company. Good news: I now have water. Bad news: the distraction caused me to forget to DVR Ghost Hunters International.

This leads me to my next paragraph. This paragraph involves me planning on creating a false episode where the GHI team investigates my house for your amusement until said episode gets online. Luckily for you, me and everyone else involved, GHI doesn't actually know where I live and Syfy.com has the episode up on their website already, which is amazing because I thought I'd have to wait a week.

My new challenge is this: writing in Microsoft Word and watching video feed at the same time while my computer randomly restarts itself every 15 minutes – woohoo! If anything really cool happens on the very top of the screen, I apologize in advance because I am going to miss it. There is no better way to spend a Thursday night says I. With this knowledge behind us, I give to you….



On this episode of Ghost Hunters International…
The team is in Tasmania to investigate the courthouse of death – the announcer's words, not mine. There are a lot of nooses. This may not end up well for Rookie Scum. Then, the team hits a castle in Malaysia for the hell of it. The announcer is just namedropping now. Bah!

I take great exception to the fact that they just refer to him as "Joe" in the opening credits instead of Joe MFing Chin, bitches!

Robb mixes things up and has Barry give us details of the prison. HA! You're so gullible! Brandy is totally the one giving us the details. No one in either car is wearing sunglasses. They are illegal at Tasmania. Dustin uses the word "penal" which causes Brandy to talk a lot and Robb to use the phrase "amped up." Did they get a new sponsor?

Case #1: Supreme Courthouse, Hobart, Tasmania

The Investigation
This makes me want a burrito supreme. Brian is our tour guide. Rookie Scum is not on the tour because the others finally figured out he was sneaking in on the tours. This building was once a jail. Jails are always haunted. I know because Pilgrim Films is playing the spooky music. They name their ghosts in Tasmania – Ivy. Dustin, being the quizzical guy he is asks why the name Ivy. He is quickly scolded by Brian and called a smartass. Nobody like a smart ass, buddy. Brian is a very mysterious tour guide. There's a gallows – that's got to count for something. Brian goes out of his way to let us all know that a woman was executed on the gallows – which still works. Dude, Freddy Krueger is an eye witness! Robert Englund is, anyways. Robb's eyes gleam with the thought of using a gallows. Is it time for a new member? It has been like six episodes.

Robb has Rookie Scum set up a camera underneath the gallows. He blames it on a full body apparition that may or may not be hanging out there, but we all know that if you have a gallows and a camera – you're putting the camera under the gallows. If you don't, you have to give away your man card.

LIGHTS OUT!

Ninja Robb, Ashley, Brandy and Joe Chin are in Courtroom #1. Why so many people? Ninja Robb wants witnesses in case Joe Chin decides to get homicidal. He's kind of a loose cannon. Robb plays it off as everyone has their own thing and the room is completely covered. Whatever you say, buddy. Joe immediately goes to the door and checks it out. It looks weak from one side, but a little heavy on the other. Robb starts asking the ghosts for advice. They're dead, man. Perhaps advice could be easier obtained from someone else. Robb proves his manliness by asking only the male ghosts and trying to get the ghost to knock Brandy around because well, their convicts, so they're probably used to knocking the ladies around. Robb gets confused and starts trying to ask questions of a ghost from last week – the one who likes Ashley. He uses Ashley as bait. The ghost seems to respond. Robb sneaks in the last line to get the point.

COMMERCIALS.

Score: Robb 1

Repeat the last few seconds before the commercial. Ashley recaps her experiences with the ghost from the last investigation and we get a few minutes of footage. Very good – excellent use of footage. The intensity builds in the room because Joe Chin is looking to kill some people who wants to touch Ashley. Nothing else happens so Robb goes the coincidence route.

Robb and Ashley have magically transported to the execution yard. Robb brings Ashley up on the stories of the place. Ashley looks nervous because Robb has already used her as bait once, what the hell will he do with a noose? Robb tells the ghosts to pose for pictures with the noose. I am guessing this probably isn't going to happen. Ashley goes the nice girl route. Robb gets a weird flash so he keeps trying to recreate the picture. He gets Ashley in on the action. When that doesn't work he goes back to look at the pictures. You're getting obsessive, Robb. Give it up, dude!

Barry, Dustin and Rookie Scum are in Courtroom #1 with the 360 MIKE and FULL SPECTRUM CAMERA. Dustin starts yelling at the ghosts like he's a judge. No visor, we're not buying into it, buddy. They're hearing noises, but Dustin only cares about convicting some people. Barry hear something behind him that's scary enough to go to…

COMMERCIALS.

Score: Robb 1, Barry 1.

Barry asked the ghosts if they were misjudged and is looking for members of the jury. Rookie Scum follows up that line of questioning, but they get next to nothing.

Group A is in Courtroom #2 looking for Ivy. Ashley gives us recap of who has us while Robb tries to hit on Ivy by asking to smell her perfume. Next he'll by her a drink, then the inevitable "hey, let's watch a movie at my place." Joe Chin offers hand to Ivy, but she knows it's just a decoy and Joe Chin will just go crazy on her so she bails.

Robb adjourns court…literally.

The Analysis
The team is dressed all casual and not all in black – something is seriously wrong. Brandy talks about Robb's crazy photograph antics around the noose. Turns out it was just a reflection of the noose. Barry quickly ushers them back into looking at screens. There will be no excess talking! Joe Chin talks about some sort of solo investigation that Dustin went on even thought we saw nothing of this mysterious solo investigation. Apparently he caught something we're not cool enough to see…


The Reveal
Robb goes through his spiel, but for the first time in awhile, they don't have a lot to show. Robb keep just telling Brian all the places they went and found nothing. Dustin brings up the clock and we get super secret bonus footage of this mysterious solo investigation. He blames the clock stoppage on wild animals. I blame a lot on wild animals. Robb gives Brian an out to keep his hope up and Brian readily takes it.

Status: Not Haunted.

Cartalk. Robb tries to say everything is good but Dustin just wants to listen to Rock N Roll, man.

Case #2: Kellie's Castle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Investigation
Brandy is off in the world somewhere starting her own spinoff "Where in the world is Brandy Green?" Instead we get Ashley give us the "what's up" because everyone knows that's women's work. The best thing ever is the multiple shots we're getting of Joe Chin looking so bored he may as well have been at a baby shower.

Taj is our tour guide and Taj gets the added bonus of subtitles. Within minutes we are treated to full body apparitions and ghost lights which someone has video footage of. Robb decides he wants this video footage and threatens to send Joe Chin if he does not get the footage. Taj wisely agrees to give him said footage. Taj thinks the place is haunted. I bet he wouldn't have agreed to let GHI come in if he knew he'd be jammed into the second spot of an episode. There is no electricity so there will be no DVR tonight.

NO LIGHTS OUT! There isn't electricity, people!

Barry and Dustin are in the stable doing an EVP session. Dustin decides this is a good time to move his arms around like he is doing either yoga or meditating. Barry is getting goose bumps, but not enough to score him a point before the commercials. Nice try, buddy.

COMMERCIALS.

Barry claims the energy of the place is changing. Then he smells incense. It's probably Dustin with his new New Age ghost hunting technique. They take this as a sign the ghosts are Indian – dot not feather. Barry wants to know how the ghost died. That's too personal, so the ghosts take their incense and run.

Robb and Ashley are on the second floor corridor looking for a dude named William. They're not very good at the "Where in the world is Brandy Green?" game. They are asking only William questions and get some tapping in response. Robb decides this is a good time for some touristy pictures.

Rookie Scum and Joe Chin are in Helen's Room. Rookie sets up the 360 MIKE to try to get some EVPs. He also explains how he thinks crouching down allows him to better communicate with ghost kids. They hear a noise in the other room that sounds like a spaceship landing. Joe Chin says it was an animal and I am not one to argue with Joe Chin so an animal it is. Rookie Scum decides this is going to screw up the audio so he tells the ghost to scream into the mike. Good enough.

Barry is stalking the grounds like he is going to catch and skin a tiger with his bare hands. He is taking pictures like a mad man. He got a red light on an image in the FULL SPECTRUM camera which causes him to say things like "what's that?" and "bizarre" over and over again.

Robb calls it when Barry starts getting sidetracked with lizards.


The Analysis
Barry says they ran a ton of equipment even though we know they had no DVR. They're also going to look at the footage. The photo that Barry thought was so bizarre is debunked quickly. The video given them does show some weird lights. Enough for Joe Chin to score some commercial action with a "What is that?"

Score: Robb 1, Barry 1, Joe Chin 1.

The Reveal
Dustin confuses Taj by talking about all kinds of crazy large fireflies. Is this promotional material for The Princess and the Frog? Dustin talks about people coming in thinking the place is haunted and thus fireflies could be mistaken for strange lights. The strange, mystical video Taj provided, they have decided it is just a bat with reflective eyes. Robb gets in on some action by saying they have no answers. Dustin brings up the incense and says he can't explain it. That doesn't ease Taj's pain, brutha!

Taj claims the place is safe for visitors once again. Thank goodness for GHI!

Status: Not Haunted.

Cartalk. Robb brings up the smell-o-meter and Dustin decides it's time to brain Robb by yelling Rock N Roll in his face! Yeah!

Overall: I know it's not a very exciting episode, but it's a necessary episode. With all the evidence that the team has been gathering this season, they have to have an episode where they get nothing or they lose some credibility. No team gets something every time they go out – impossible!

Ashley has found a nice spot on the team. I love the use of footage of her from last week to bring the continuity of two cases together. Hopefully, this will be a more common segment. I do wish when they have an absence they would explain more. With a show that has lost so many cast members, we get antsy when someone misses even one show. I am sure Brandy will be back next week, but the show should still try to explain her absence better than "Hey, Brandy's not here!"

Spellcheck.

Fin.