“Secrets of Sulphur Springs” is a Disney Channel series about a boy who finds a time machine in a haunted hotel. That pitch sounds like a Nickelodeon show from the early aughts, and the show leans into that comparison from the start. Preston Oliver plays Griffin Campbell, a 12-year-old whose family moves to the small town of Sulphur Springs to take over an abandoned hotel. The hotel is rumored to be haunted by Savannah Dillon, a camper who vanished three decades earlier.
Griffin makes a new friend named Harper, played by Kyliegh Curran. Together they find a portal that sends them back in time. The setup is simple. The execution drags in the middle.
Trailer, via Disney Channel.
The Hotel and Its Secrets
The Tremont Hotel is the engine of the series. Griffin’s father buys it without much explanation, and the family moves in despite the rumors. Savannah Dillon was a camper there who disappeared 30 years ago. The hotel is supposedly haunted by her spirit, and the family prepares to reopen it while paranormal activity rises.
The hotel itself is a character. It is rundown, full of rooms and corridors, and it holds the key to the mystery. Griffin and Harper use the portal to travel back to 1990, where they try to save Savannah from disappearing. The show spends its first season circling this mystery, and the slow burn works better than the fast reveals.
Harper’s Family and the Past
Harper’s connection to the hotel deepens in season two. She discovers a photo of her great-grandmother Daisy, which leads her to believe the answers lie in the 1930s. This branch of the story pulls Harper away from Griffin temporarily. She becomes obsessed with uncovering the secrets behind her family’s ties to the Tremont.
The show handles this split well. Harper’s investigation runs alongside Griffin’s time travels, and the two threads converge by the end of the season. The tension between the two friends adds weight to the central mystery.
The Ghosts and Their Rules
The third season introduces an evil new ghost haunting the Tremont. Griffin and Harper must defeat it to prevent a bleak future that could tear both of their families apart. This arc raises the stakes, but it also stretches the mythology thinner. The show has to explain why a new ghost exists, how it relates to Savannah, and what the consequences are for the families involved.
The show’s handling of ghosts follows a familiar pattern:
- The ghost is tied to a past injustice or wrong.
- The living characters must uncover the truth to stop the ghost.
- The resolution involves a sacrifice or a revelation that ends the haunting.
“Secrets of Sulphur Springs” follows this formula closely, and it works because the show invests in the relationships around the ghost. Griffin and Harper’s bond is stronger than any monster the writers can throw at them.
The Cast and Their Performances
Preston Oliver carries the show as Griffin Campbell. He plays the curious, loyal protagonist who wants to help his family and solve the mystery. Kyliegh Curran plays Harper Dunn / Daisy Tremont with equal energy, shifting between her present-day personality and her great-grandmother’s. Elle Graham’s Savannah Dillon is the heart of the mystery, and her presence looms over the entire series.
Kelly Frye plays Sarah Campbell, Josh Braaten plays Ben Campbell, Landon Gordon plays Wyatt Campbell, Madeleine McGraw plays Zoey Campbell, and Diandra Lyle plays Jess Dunn. The adult cast grounds the show in reality even as Griffin and Harper jump through time.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The show’s strengths are its world-building and its emotional core. The Tremont Hotel is a fully realized place with its own history, and the show treats its mysteries with genuine care. The relationship between Griffin and Harper is the beating heart of the series, and their friendship withstands the supernatural threats.
The pacing is the show’s weakness. The middle episodes of each season drag, with too many scenes of Griffin and Harper waiting for the next clue. The show also relies on flashbacks and dream sequences to fill out its narrative, which can feel like padding.
A Time Travel Show for Young Audiences
“Secrets of Sulphur Springs” is a family-friendly mystery thriller, and it knows exactly what that means. The show is aimed at young viewers, and it plays to that audience with clear-cut villains and satisfying resolutions. The time travel mechanics are simple enough for children to follow, and the supernatural elements are presented as real within the show’s world.
The show’s tone is light but not silly. It respects its young audience by giving them a mystery worth solving, even if the answers are straightforward. The show also handles grief and loss with care, which sets it apart from other shows aimed at younger viewers.
The Final Season and Its Legacy
The show was canceled after three seasons in January 2024. The final season introduces a new ghost and a bleak future, but the show does not tie off every loose end. Some mysteries remain open, which feels like a deliberate choice rather than a failure of storytelling. The show leaves room for a larger story, even though it ended.
The show’s legacy is as a solid entry in Disney Channel’s catalog of family-friendly dramas. It has a clear identity, a strong lead performance, and a mythology that rewards attention. The show’s flaws are noticeable, but they do not sink the overall experience.
Key Facts Box
- Network: Disney Channel
- First aired: January 15, 2021
- Last aired: March 25, 2023
- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 27
- Creator: Tracey Thomson
- Executive producers: Tracey Thomson, Charles Pratt Jr.
- Main cast: Preston Oliver, Kyliegh Curran, Elle Graham, Kelly Frye, Josh Braaten, Landon Gordon, Madeleine McGraw, Diandra Lyle
The show’s identity is strong enough to overcome its flaws. “Secrets of Sulphur Springs” is a show worth watching for its central mystery and its lead performances. The show’s time travel and ghostly elements are fun, and the show handles its emotional core with care. The pacing drags in the middle, and some mysteries remain unresolved, but the show’s identity is strong enough to overcome those flaws. It is a show that knows what it is and delivers on that promise.
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