The CBS sitcom, Ghosts, is a fan favorite. The series has consistently been able to set itself apart with high-quality writing and acting. The first two seasons were strong right out of the gate and helped to successfully establish the ghost lore that creates the premise of the show. But Season 3 ran into some trouble because of the strikes in Hollywood. A super short season (of just 10 episodes) resulted in the series losing its footing a bit. At first, it seemed like Season 4 would right the ship, with the addition of an exciting new spirit and a change of tone that felt more aligned with the horror genre. But now that the season is in full swing, signs are pointing to the fact that Ghosts is struggling to find its way.
Some ‘Ghosts’ Jokes Are Getting Repetitive
As with any series, there are some elements that get repeated frequently because they are part of the show’s formula. Of course, there are always going to be constant miscommunications because Sam (Rose McIver) is the only human who can talk with the ghosts. And the ghosts need to rely on Sam to help them mediate their conflicts. However, some jokes have worn out their welcome (even if they were initially funny bits). For example, Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) saying something profound to a ghost that has already exited the room was funny the first time but loses its potency when it happens in nearly every episode. Thor (Devan Chandler Long) yelling across the way to his son, Bjorn (Christian Jadah) was a bit of silly humor in Season 2 but feels more cheesy now that we’re in Season 4. Some aspects of the ghosts’ personalities are also starting to feel tired after four seasons. As lovable as Flower (Sheila Carrasco) is, most of her lines are pretty much the same (which means that her character never really grows or changes).
There are also several examples of the series using the same type of storylines that begin to feel stale after a while. Hetty (Rebecca Wisocky) and Sasappis (Roman Zaragoza) spreading a rumor about Pete in Season 4 feels straight out of Season 1, as does the spirits’ constant selfish behavior. They’re constantly demanding Sam’s time and energy, even at the expense of her well-being and marriage. Although it is part of the show’s foundation to have the ghosts interact with Sam in this way, sometimes it makes them seem more annoying than fun. The series also tends to rely on cliffhangers at the end of each season. The Season 2 finale reveals a ghost has been “sucked off” but doesn’t say who, and Season 3 shows Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) being dragged into the dirt by a spectral force. The good news is that these cliffhangers are tied up in a neat way at the beginning of the subsequent season, but it can be an overworked trope for shows to rely on cliffhangers just to keep people interested.
There Is an Inconsistency Between Episodes of ‘Ghosts’
That’s not to say that every element of Ghosts isn’t working. In fact, there have been some standout episodes in the past two seasons that have truly illustrated a lot of growth for the series. Episode 8 of Season 3 was one of the series’ all-time best when it was revealed how Hetty truly died. The storyline of Hetty’s suicide is handled with a moving honesty, and it is an episode that provides more sensitivity and character development than most sitcoms are known for. Likewise, Season 4 Episode 4 features a spotlight on Trevor (Asher Grodman), who ultimately finds out that he has left more of a lasting impact on the world than he previously thought. Both of these episodes are examples of the show at its finest: plotlines that tug at the heartstrings while providing substantial laughs along the way.
But for every episode that knocks it out of the park, there’s another episode that feels like it’s filled with recycled material. The ghosts get into some antics, end up ruining things, and then they all work together to save the day in the end. Season 4 Episode 5 features storylines about Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) offering to help Sam prepare for a community theater audition, and Sas trying to enter Jay’s dreams again. Sas’ ghost power of dreamwalking was fun the first time around but doesn’t really add anything to the show that would need to be explored in yet another episode. This unevenness of the series from episode to episode makes the show feel inconsistent. Although there are still moments of hilarity, these predictable storylines make Ghosts feel like any other traditional sitcom.
‘Ghosts’ Needs To Switch Things Up Moving Forward
There are many things that the series’ writers can do to help Ghosts live up to its potential. The show thrives with exciting guest stars (such as Matt Walsh as Hetty’s husband, Elias, and Lamorne Morris as Saul, a poltergeist who shows up in Season 3 and has a brief fling with Alberta). The best part of Season 4 so far has been the inclusion of the Puritan ghost, Patience (Mary Holland). But as soon as things started getting interesting with her being welcomed into the gang, she exited to go back to living underground. Any new additions to the cast provide a fresh energy that is sometimes missing from storylines that can stray into formulaic territory. Perhaps Sam can head out into the world more to interact with spirits that exist outside of Woodstone, or more spirits can find their way onto the property to broaden the plot possibilities.
The series seems to be ready to shake things up with the announcement that Jay will start to be able to see the ghosts for himself in Season 4. This is a fantastic way to breathe new life into the series and to keep it from repeating storylines too frequently. This change in the structure of the show will also provide the writers with plenty of storylines to explore with each and every character on the sitcom (as they adapt to the ability to communicate with Jay for the first time). Ghosts will always be a fun comedy to watch filled with talented actors, but it can definitely benefit from some brand-new ideas and a willingness to stray from the predictable plots and jokes of the past few seasons. If it doesn’t, the series could also be destined for the afterlife.
New episodes of Ghosts air Thursday nights on CBS and are available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
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