TV review: Truth Seekers
Anyone hoping that Nick Frost and Simon Pegg reuniting for a horror comedy would mean Shaun Of The Dead II will be initially disappointed.
Thankfully, one of the best things about this currently streaming Amazon Prime series is that the Frost-Pegg dynamic is done away with.
While they are co-writers, Pegg - as the boss of Britain's biggest mobile network operator and Internet service provider Smyle - has only limited interaction with top employee Frost.
Truth Seekers is very much Frost's show and he proves to be as watchable as ever, though sadly not displaying his prowess for physical comedy.
His is a more serious, grounded role. Okay, not when he misreads a spell's ingredient and mistakes the "b" of brine for a "u".
He plays widower Gus Roberts, an avid supernaturalist who, when he is not fixing Wi-Fi issues, posts YouTube videos on his attempts at ghost hunting.
He has more luck with the broadband - that is until the arrival of new apprentice Elton John (Samson Kayo) also heralds the arrival of real face-to-face supernatural activity.
While Truth Seekers is a comedy with a few big laughs and a strong smile factor, the horror and the frights are treated seriously.
We may laugh at the reactions of Gus and Elton, but it is only a brief respite from some scenes.
As the show continues, so grows Gus' gang - comprising his elderly dad (Malcolm McDowell), Elton's agoraphobic sister Helen (Susie Wokoma) and the unusual, haunted Astrid (Emma D'Arcy).
While there is essentially a different ghost each episode, there is also a strong arc leading to a finale.
But maybe this would have worked better as a more episodic format. While the end is satisfying, there is a feeling they held back plot-wise.
Truth Seekers has decent production values, and in parts, is chilling enough to force a rethink on any decision to watch it alone in the dark.
A second season will hopefully pack more in, but for now, Truth Seekers is an enjoyable walk on the other side.
Rating: NC16
Score: 3.5/5
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