Truth Seekers

The first half of the eight-episode season errs toward the procedural-monster-case-of-the-week style that something like “Doctor Who” has long leaned upon, and it works. ... The second half, however, opens the story up into something more complex and conspiratorial ... The loss of the self-contained episode frameworks noticeably slackens the show’s grip on its own specific universe. And yet, the season moves briskly enough that it’s hard to fault its detours too much. Eight episodes are just enough to spend some time in its world, and the spiritual one lurking beyond.

The first few episodes of "Truth Seekers" are somewhat disappointing, but the acting is strong and there's potential for improvement.

While it works as a spooky drama, Truth Seekers is underpowered as a comedy. The jokes, often couched in Frost’s trademark droll delivery, are barely there; more like an afterthought than the backbone of the series.

The problem with Truth Seekers is that it’s a 21st century Amazon Prime comedy-horror that not so secretly wants to be an unnerving BBC kids caper circa 1978 and generally lacks any deeper ambitions. Frost and Pegg will never not be likeable together. It’s just a pity Truth Seekers isn’t that bit funnier and scarier.

Gus is motivated by grief, and Frost can do sensitive, too, but Truth Seekers sometimes struggles to achieve the right balance between its different elements. You can understand why they wanted to try something new, rather than play it safe, but director Edgar Wright’s absence looms large.

Truth Seekers isn't anywhere near as funny or scary as HBO's Los Espookys, but as single-agenda shows go it's still funnier than Fox's short-lived Ghosted and scarier than Hulu's likely-to-be-short-lived Helstrom.

It wants to read like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, but forgets to include what made those such show-stopping game-changers in genre comedy. Like the ghosts the Truth Seekers seek, this show feels half-alive, translucent, and intangible.

It’s a show that seems content in the tonal middle—not funny but not scary or thrilling either. It just kind of sits there, almost refusing to go too broad into either of its genres.