In 2008, SyFy show Ghost Hunters went international. Longtime “hosts” Jay and Grant left the franchise in the hands of Rob Demarest, an old time friend. In 2010, Demarest was let go from the franchise – but not before putting in two solid seasons. One night on Facebook, Demarest went down in a blaze of glory – ranting about his firing. In this explosive episode, he went off the deep end, solidifying Syfy’s decision to not have him return to the show – going as far as to insult fans (I was lucky enough to be called “dumbie” – yes, that was the spelling). Even still, Ghost Hunters International is by far the most intriguing of the series. Within this Season Two: Part 1 set is an interesting episode titled Gates of Hell. The team travels to the Czech Republic to Houska Castle. A castle built with no fortifications, near no water, had no kitchen, and there was no one to live in it when it was built. Supposedly, it was built over a hole in the ground that was a gateway to Hell. Hitler and his buddies took over the castle during WWII and performed occult type activities inside its walls. About 75% of this episode consists of the team sitting around on night vision asking “Is das Furher here?” which is translated each time – Is the Furher here? Other than that, as with most every episode of the series, they more or less find nothing.

The ghost hunters themselves are what make the show entertaining – even when nothing is going on. Barry Fitzgerald’s Irish accent is always a hit. Demarest appears uneasy throughout the season – like he’s not sure of his scripted dialogue – which makes it all the more entertaining. Dustin Pari is ridiculous with his spiky hair and visor. But the greatest member of the GHI team is Joe Chin. The robust little man is the most entertaining in night vision. He always appears startled, as if being caught in a lewd act. He even has a cult following online of people who are chinterested in him. Yes, everything is a play on his last name.

The DVDs don’t come loaded with bells and whistles. Each episode appears to be the same quality as broadcast. Special features include clips from the editing room floor… and that’s pretty much it. The packaging makes the set look a bit fancier than what you get when you open the box. A shiny slip cover covers a DVD box with the same artwork, and inside four discs sit stacked on a single spindle. Scratch heaven! However, despite these mellow packaging means, if you are a diehard fan, the set is sure to be a nice addition to any collection.

Score: 7/10