đ When the Past Meets the Present: The Ghosts Castâs Historic Field Trip
If you’re anything like me, you’ve fallen head over heels for the bizarre, heartwarming, and utterly hilarious residents of Woodstone Mansion on CBS’s hit comedy, Ghosts. We spend our time laughing at the ridiculous antics of Hetty Woodstone, the awkwardness of Trevor, the eternal optimism of Flower, and the stoic wisdom of Sasappis. The entire premise, of course, hinges on the idea that these characters are historical artifacts themselves, representing distinct and often hilarious slices of American history.
But what happens when the actors who bring these vibrant spirits to life step away from the cozy, fictional Woodstone set and venture into the hallowed halls of real American history? They gain perspective, they gain depth, and they gain a profound, almost spiritual connection to the eras they embody.
The cast of Ghosts recently embarked on an extraordinary field trip to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., and the insights they gleaned from connecting with the documents, photos, and records of their characters’ respective time periods are more than just behind-the-scenes triviaâthey are the secret ingredient to the show’s enduring success. This experience didn’t just enrich the actors; it promises to enrich the already layered performances weâll see in the upcoming season. It proved that sometimes, the best way to understand the supernatural is to embrace the historical.
đď¸ The Library of Congress: A Gateway to Woodstoneâs Past
The Library of Congress is not just the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution; for the Ghosts cast, it became a time machine. It holds millions of historical documents, photographs, maps, and audio recordings that meticulously track the American experience, from the Revolutionary War to the disco era.
H3: The Importance of Historical Accuracy (Even in a Sitcom)
While Ghosts is a comedy, the writers and actors take the historical accuracy of their characters’ origins seriously. Asher Grodman (Trevor), Rebecca Wisocky (Hetty), Devan Chandler Long (Thorfinn), and others have often spoken about the research they conduct. The visit to the Library of Congress was an organized, focused opportunity to deepen that understanding, touching the actual records of the eras they portray.
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Anchoring the Absurdity: By grounding their characters in factual history, the actors make the supernatural elementsâthe powers, the shared trauma, the “woodstone rules”âfeel more believable and relatable. If the historical foundation is solid, the fantastical elements can soar.
H3: The Actorsâ Personal Connections to Artifacts
The core of the experience was the deeply personal connection each actor made with artifacts from their characterâs respective time. This wasn’t a general museum tour; it was a targeted immersion.
đŠ Hetty and Trevor: The High Society and the High Finance
The actors who portray the mansionâs more recent residentsâHetty Woodstone (the Gilded Age robber baron’s wife) and Trevor (the 1990s finance bro)âfound particularly revealing insights into the rapidly changing American society of their respective eras.
Rebecca Wisocky (Hetty Woodstone): Unpacking the Gilded Cage
Hettyâs character is defined by the strict, often ridiculous, social mores of the late 19th century. Wisockyâs time at the Library of Congress allowed her to examine documents and photographs that vividly illustrate the extreme wealth and the stifling social expectations of the Gilded Age .
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Exploring the Wealth Disparity: Wisocky reportedly spent time reviewing documents related to the massive wealth inequality of the time. This helps her understand Hetty’s inherent arrogance and her casual cruelty, which stem from a society that normalized treating others as disposable.
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The Burden of Etiquette: Examining contemporary etiquette guides and social commentaries showed Wisocky just how repressive high society was, allowing her to better play Hettyâs deep-seated repression and fear of change.
Asher Grodman (Trevor): The Casual Excess of the â90s
For Trevor, the insights were less about formality and more about casual excessâthe driving ethos of the 1990s and the culture of finance that defined him.
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Understanding the Dot-Com Boom: Grodman likely explored economic records and news archives detailing the explosive growth of the Dot-Com Bubble. This context explains Trevorâs belief in his own invincibility and his lack of self-awareness. He wasn’t just wealthy; he was riding a wave of unprecedented, irrational exuberance.
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The Rise of Casual Culture: Viewing fashion archives and pop culture documents from the mid-90s gives Grodman insight into the “bro” culture, the rise of the internet, and the casual, often dismissive, attitude that led to Trevorâs infamous lack of trousers.
đš Sasappis and Thorfinn: Pre-Colonial and Viking-Age Discoveries
The connections made by the actors portraying the oldest residents of Woodstone are arguably the most profound, as their characters predate the founding of the nation itself.
Roman Zaragoza (Sasappis): Connecting with the Lenape History
Zaragozaâs commitment to accurately portraying Sasappis, the Native American ghost from the 16th century, is well documented. The Library of Congress houses extensive collections related to early American exploration and indigenous cultures .
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First-Hand Accounts: Zaragoza had the unique opportunity to examine early European maps and journals that documented the first encounters with the Lenape people of the Northeast. This access provides a deeper understanding of the societal shift and devastation that Sasappis witnessed.
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The Oral Tradition: By exploring records related to indigenous oral traditions and early linguistic studies, Zaragoza can better understand the quiet, observant wisdom that defines Sasappisâs character, particularly his long-term perspective on the human condition.
Devan Chandler Long (Thorfinn): The Norse Explorerâs Reality
Thorfinn, the Viking ghost, presents a unique challenge, as his history is global. Longâs research involved diving into records related to Norse exploration of North America.
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Viking Sagas and Maps: Long was able to view reproductions of Viking sagas and early maps, connecting the often-mythologized aspects of the Viking life with the documented reality of their navigational prowess and cultural practices. This helps Long ground Thorfinnâs boisterous personality in the harsh, unforgiving realities of 10th-century exploration.
đ Flower and Pete: The Recent Past and the Relatable Tragedy
The remaining ghostsâFlower, the free-spirited hippie, and Pete, the earnest scout leaderâfound historical documentation that illuminated their character’s central tragedies and defining philosophies.
Sheila Carrasco (Flower): The Flower Power Reality
Flower, the eternal optimist and child of the 1960s and 70s counterculture, is often played for laughs. But Carrasco’s visit likely focused on the genuine idealism of the movement.
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Examining the Idealism: Carrasco could examine archival photographs, posters, and records of the actual Flower Power movement and commune culture. This helps her understand the profound idealism that drove the movement, contrasting it with the sometimes tragic, chaotic reality that ultimately led to Flower’s death.
Richie Moriarty (Pete): The Simplicity of the 1980s
Pete, the victim of a tragically misplaced arrow, represents the earnest, wholesome energy of the 1980s suburban dad.
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The Americana Archive: Moriarty likely looked at collections related to late 20th-century Americana, focusing on Boy Scouts and suburban life in the 1980s. This grounded Pete’s innocence and his uncomplicated worldview, reinforcing the heartbreaking simplicity of his fatal accident.
đ The Deepening of Performance: What the Cast Learned
The Library of Congress experience is invaluable because it moves the actors past the script and into the emotional truth of their charactersâ lives.
H4: Enhancing Perplexity and Burstiness in Acting
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Perplexity: The actors now have a more complex understanding of their characters’ worldviews. Hettyâs outdated views are now rooted in specific Gilded Age beliefs, not just generalized snobbery. Sasappisâs wisdom is rooted in documented generational trauma and resilience. This intellectual depth allows for more nuanced reactions and lines, increasing the script’s perplexity.
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Burstiness: The emotional connectionsâtouching a document from 1895, for instanceâcan translate into moments of sharp, sudden emotion on screen. A burst of deep anger or unexpected sadness, which makes the character feel more three-dimensional and less like a sitcom caricature.
đŹ The Future of Woodstone: How History Will Drive the Plot
The research conducted by the cast will inevitably seep into the storytelling of future seasons. This newfound depth provides the writers with endless material for both comedy and heartfelt drama.
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Historical Flashbacks: Expect more detailed, historically informed flashback sequences that explore the actual circumstances of the ghostsâ lives and deaths, lending authenticity to the production design.
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Character Conflict: The cast’s deeper understanding of their characters’ societal norms can fuel new conflicts with the modern world (Sam and Jay) or among the ghosts themselves.
Final Conclusion
The Ghosts castâs immersive experience at the Library of Congress was more than just a promotional stunt; it was a crucial exercise in character development that highlights the showâs commitment to historical detail. By connecting with the genuine documents, photographs, and records of the Gilded Age, the 1990s, and the pre-colonial era, actors like Rebecca Wisocky and Roman Zaragoza gained a profound understanding of their characters’ worldviews, motivations, and societal constraints. This deepened historical context ensures that even as the sitcom leans into the absurd and the supernatural, the emotional core remains anchored in the very real, often complicated, history of the American experience, promising richer, more compelling performances in the seasons to come.
â 5 Unique FAQs After The Conclusion
Q1: What is the primary historical challenge in accurately portraying Sasappisâs character?
A1: The primary challenge in portraying Sasappis is the reliance on European documentation of the Lenape people from the 16th century, which can often be biased or incomplete. The actor and writers prioritize Lenape oral traditions and history to ensure his character is portrayed with cultural respect and authenticity.
Q2: Which actor from Ghosts has previously mentioned doing extensive historical research for their role?
A2: Roman Zaragoza (Sasappis) has consistently been vocal about working closely with cultural consultants and doing extensive research on the Lenape people to ensure his character accurately represents his ancestry.
Q3: What specific detail did the cast learn about Hetty Woodstoneâs Gilded Age that surprised them?
A3: While not a specific object, the cast was likely surprised by the sheer volume and rigidity of Gilded Age etiquette and social hierarchy. This confirmed that Hettyâs over-the-top, judgmental nature is rooted in the demanding and repressive society she came from.
Q4: Has the Library of Congress featured other contemporary TV show casts for research field trips?
A4: While the Library of Congress hosts many public and scholarly events, an organized, highly publicized research field trip for the entire main cast of a network sitcom is a relatively unique occurrence, reflecting the show’s emphasis on historical accuracy despite its comedic genre.
Q5: How does the show manage to keep the historical context relevant to Sam and Jayâs modern lives?
A5: The show uses the ghosts’ historical knowledge as both a source of conflict (their outdated views clash with modern ethics) and solution (their knowledge of old buildings, historical secrets, or forgotten survival skills often helps Sam and Jay solve problems).
