Watch Kids' Reviews of
GHOSTWRITER: SEASON 2

Though it has incredibly intricate plots and will provide children with much knowledge about literature, unfortunately Ghostwriter doesn't hold viewers' attention past a few episodes. I'll explain why very soon... but first--the story!

Ghostwriter follows four middle-schoolers (Ruben, Chevon, Donna, and Curtis) who team up to solve a mystery haunting their neighborhood. The ghost of Ruben's grandmother haunts his grandfather's bookstore; she has some unfinished business and communicates with her grandson and his friends via a typewriter. She releases the characters of several notable books to help them piece together the puzzle of her last wish. And it's up to the group to solve the mystery. That's all fine, but each episode is a part of a story: Episode 1 is Part 1 of "Ghost in Wonderland", Episode 2 is part 2 of that story. Episode 3 is Part 3 ... well, you get the gist. The show consists of three main plotlines which are split into two or three parts by episode. When I watched the show, I felt the script could have been tightened and each storyline could have taken up just one episode; there were parts that dragged on and parts that felt unnecessary to the development of the story. This is the one big drawback that I found in the series.

There were many strong performances. I especially enjoyed the performance of Isaac Arellanes as Ruben and Amadi Chapata as Chevon; Isaac Arellanes is skilled at emoting and delivers his lines clearly. Chevon's character is almost a trope by now--the bookworm who has a super fun personality, but I love the character nevertheless! Amadi Chapata especially shines in high-tension scenes, where she delivers lines naturally and with poise. Also, Neil Patrick Harris is super fun, energetic and entertaining as The White Rabbit! His performance will have you hopping! The music by Erica Procunier and set design by Jef Silver, Mark Jaworski, and Robin Hinter both caught my ear and eye, respectively. The suspenseful, deep intro of the show sets the mood, and the sets provide for an immersive visual experience. There are also some awesome special effects!

Ghostwriter promotes messages of teamwork, learning through exploring fictional worlds, and helping your friends out. There are some things parents should look out for: at two or three points in the film, Curtis yells at his sister Donna. One time, his parents yell at Donna. The topics of parental separation, as well as death, are brought up several times throughout the film. Also, considering the film is called Ghostwriter, there are a lot of ghost-y things in this show, like haunting, invisible forces typing, people roaming attics, and so forth.

I give Ghostwriter 3.5 stars out of 5 and recommend it for ages 8 to 18. Adults may enjoy this show as well. Ghostwriter: Season 2 debuted October 9, 2020, Exclusively on Apple TV+

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When a ghost haunts a neighborhood bookstore and starts releasing fictional characters into the real world, four kids must team up to solve an exciting mystery surrounding the ghost's unfinished business.