Jay can see the spirits in Ghosts season 4, episodes 8 and 9, but the ability is short-lived despite being teased ahead of the season premiere. While the show has made great comedy out of Jay’s metaphysical limits, such as him accidentally sharing secrets in Ghosts season 4, episode 17, the trope of Jay not knowing what’s happening is feeling less and less sustainable. Ghosts season 4, episode 21, “Kyle,” introduces a new character played by Superstore‘s Ben Feldman, who vindicates Jay’s chief complaint about the ghost imbalance.
Jay Is Jealous Of Sam’s Connection With Ben Feldman’s Kyle (And Turns Out He Was Justified)
Sam And Kyle Bond Over The Hassle Of Living With Their Ghost Ability
While roaming, Pete (Richie Moriarty) meets Kyle, a man who can see ghosts just like Sam. Sam is delighted, but Jay feels a little sidelined. He vents to his sister Bela (Punam Patel), as Sam and Kyle keep bonding over ghost stuff, like how annoying it is to look up spirits’ obscure relatives. In a brilliant storytelling choice, Hetty (Rebecca Wisocky) starts telling a joke, but we cut to Jay’s perspective before the punchline, so we just get a few seconds of silence and then a burst of laughter. Even for just one comment, it’s an exclusionary experience.
Bela then discovers Kyle spent six months in prison for robbery. Jay tells Sam, but Kyle explains he was caught breaking into a house to retrieve a memento for a ghost to pass on to a loved one — a tragic, noble story, not the sinister one Jay assumed. However, Kyle realizes he’s not welcome and prepares to leave.
| Ghosts & Their Powers In CBS’ Ghosts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ghost Name | Period/Occupation | Power |
| Pete Martino | Travel agent & Pinecone Troop leader | Can leave the property at will (but not indefinitely) |
| Trevor Lefkowitz | Stockbroker | Can move material objects with great effort |
| Sasappis | Lenape Native (1500s) | Entering Livings’ dreams |
| Thorfinn | Viking | Harnessing electricity |
| Flower | Hippie | Makes Livings high if they pass through her |
| Henrietta “Hetty” Woodstone | Gilded Age socialite & Lady of the Manor | Be seen by all Livings on St. Patrick’s Day |
| Alberta Haynes | Prohibition lounge singer | Project a humming/singing sound |
| Isaac Higgintoot | Revolutionary War captain | Gives off a foul smell if a living passes through him |
Sam explains Kyle could’ve helped carry the ghost-related burdens she faces, and that their connection wasn’t romantic. But Kyle undercuts that when he leans in for a kiss as she comes to say goodbye. Luckily, Sam employs the same move Pete pulled on Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) in Ghosts season 4, episode 19, and palms him in the face.
Kyle tells Sam how hard it is to date with their gift — there are not a lot of people “willing to put up with this.” Later, Jay apologizes to Sam for his jealousy, but Sam immediately confesses that Kyle did make a pass at her, and Jay is angry but vindicated. The whole experience reminded Sam of how lucky she is to have Jay by her side, acknowledging it can’t be easy to be with someone with her abilities.
Kyle’s Existence Validates Jay’s Biggest Complaint In Ghosts
Kyle Tells Sam She Should Appreciate Jay’s Patience With Their “Curse”
Jay has complained for years that he is excluded from so much of what happens at Woodstone Manor, and Kyle’s presence highlights how justified these feelings are. Jay’s biggest problem in Ghosts means that he’s often left entirely out of the action, or he is operating on partial information. Sam insists that having Kyle around would have made their lives easier by taking “ghost things” off her plate, but from what we see in this episode, having a second Living who can interact with the ghosts would have isolated Jay even more.
Sam already uses her power to lie to Jay, and Kyle would have continued this bad trend. Yet Kyle’s confession to Sam about how their gift — or “curse,” as he calls it — connects him to the spirits but separates from Livings was a powerful moment. It would have been even more resonant without the aborted kiss, which did seem to come out of nowhere so Jay could feel victorious and to ensure Kyle would be another short-term character in Ghosts. Nevertheless, it’s important to point out that Jay’s patience is often underappreciated.
Ghosts Needs To Address Jay’s Issue In Season 5 (But How?)
Jay Should Find Creative Ways To Communicate With The Ghosts
Jay’s one-way communication barrier is a central tenant of Ghosts, so if he could permanently see the spirits, it would take away a main source of comedic tension. However, with two more seasons to come, Jay needs to be integrated into the show differently to keep his character from being underutilized and repetitive.
