The Ultimate Spirits’ Ploy: Devan Chandler Long Dishes on Ghosts’ Wild Thanksgiving and Thor’s Mind-Blowing Flashback
If you haven’t been spending your Thursday nights at Woodstone Mansion, are you even living your best afterlife? CBS’s hit sitcom Ghosts has become the ultimate “comfort food” of television. It’s got heart, it’s got history, and it has a group of dead people who are somehow more relatable than most living humans. At the center of this chaotic, hilarious family is our favorite 1,000-year-old Viking, Thorfinn. Recently, the man behind the beard, Devan Chandler Long, sat down to spill some tea—or perhaps some fermented cod—about what’s coming next for the spirits.
We’re talking about a sneaky Thanksgiving ploy that would make a heist movie jealous and a flashback so wild that even Devan found himself asking, “Is this for real?” Grab your favorite snack (maybe skip the squirrel for now) because we’re diving deep into the afterlife antics.
The Magic of Woodstone Mansion: Why We Can’t Look Away
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the Thanksgiving drama, we have to talk about why Ghosts works so well. It’s a delicate dance of “perplexity and burstiness.” One minute you’re laughing at a Revolutionary War ghost trying to understand a smartphone, and the next, you’re crying over a 1920s lounge singer’s tragic backstory. It’s a roller coaster of emotions, and Devan Chandler Long plays a huge part in that.
Thor isn’t just a one-note brute. He’s a guy who loves “land-ship” television, hates Danish people with a passion that transcends the grave, and cares deeply about his “ghost family.” When Devan speaks about the show, his enthusiasm is infectious. You can tell he’s not just playing a character; he’s living in this weird, wonderful world right along with us.
The Thanksgiving Ploy: A Feast of Deception
Thanksgiving is always a stressful time for the living. You’ve got the turkey to cook, the family to entertain, and the inevitable political arguments to avoid. But for the ghosts of Woodstone, it’s a whole different ballgame. They can’t eat the food (unless they walk through it and get a weird “essence” of gravy), so they have to find other ways to entertain themselves.
The Spirits’ Sneaky Strategy Explained
According to Devan, the spirits aren’t just sitting around watching the parade. They’ve got a plan. In the upcoming holiday episode, the ghosts cook up a “sneaky ploy” to manipulate Sam and Jay’s holiday plans. Why? Because ghosts are notoriously selfish! They’ve been stuck in that house for decades—centuries in some cases—and they want things done their way.
Whether it’s trying to get Sam to cook a specific dish they remember from their living days or subtly influencing Jay to invite (or disinvite) certain guests, the spirits are playing 4D chess while the living are just trying to find the cranberry sauce. Devan hints that the ghosts use their limited powers—smelling like old pennies, flickering lights, or just being incredibly annoying voices in Sam’s ear—to steer the holiday in a direction that suits their whims.
Why Thorfinn is the Heart (and Muscle) of the Plan
You’d think a Viking wouldn’t care about a “New World” holiday, but Thor is all in. For him, Thanksgiving is about gathering the “village” and celebrating a successful season—even if “success” for him used to involve pillaging. Devan explains that Thor’s involvement in the ploy often stems from a place of tradition. He wants the “great feast” to feel authentic to his Viking roots, which usually leads to some hilarious clashes with Sam’s modern, Pinterest-perfect vision.
Devan Chandler Long on Playing a 1,000-Year-Old Viking
Playing Thorfinn isn’t as easy as just putting on a pelt and shouting about lightning. It requires a lot of physical comedy and a surprisingly nuanced emotional range. Devan has mastered the art of the “gentle giant.” One of the reasons fans love Thor so much is that he’s essentially a giant toddler with the strength to crush a skull.
He’s fascinated by things we take for granted. Watching him react to modern life is like watching an alien try to understand a toaster. But underneath the humor, there’s a sense of profound loneliness. He’s been dead for a millennium. Everyone he knew is gone. His only connection to the world is this house and this motley crew of spirits. Devan taps into that melancholy beautifully, making Thor more than just a comedic caricature.
The ‘Crazy’ Thor Flashback: “Is This For Real?”
This is the part everyone is talking about. Ghosts is famous for its flashbacks. They give us a glimpse into the past lives of our favorite characters, explaining how they died and, more importantly, how they lived. But Devan says the upcoming Thor flashback is on a whole different level.
Peeling Back the Layers of a Viking Soul
We’ve seen Thor in the woods, we’ve seen him deal with his abandonment by his fellow Vikings, and we’ve even seen his romantic side. But this new flashback apparently takes things into “crazy” territory. Devan recalled his reaction to reading the script: “Is this for real?”
When an actor who has spent four seasons in a Viking costume says something is “crazy,” you know it’s going to be wild. The flashback reportedly explores a side of Thor’s history we haven’t touched on yet. Could it be his first encounter with another culture? A brush with the supernatural before he even became a ghost? Or perhaps a bizarre Viking tradition that defies logic?
What the New Flashback Reveals About Thor’s Past
Whatever it is, it’s going to change how we see the big guy. The showrunners have been incredible at layering the history of the Woodstone property. Every flashback adds a new piece to the puzzle of the land. Devan teases that this particular story isn’t just about Thor—it’s about the legacy he left behind and how it still echoes in the mansion today.
Think of it like a time capsule. You dig it up expecting to find some old coins, and instead, you find a fully functional, 1,000-year-old mystery. That’s the vibe Devan is promising.
Behind the Scenes of Woodstone Mansion: The Cast Dynamic
One of the reasons the “ploy” scenes work so well is the chemistry between the cast. Devan often speaks about how much fun they have on set. Imagine being stuck in the same costume for years, filming in a house that (supposedly) feels haunted. It builds a bond.
He describes the set as a “organized chaos.” With so many distinct personalities—the uptight Hetty, the sarcastic Sasappis, the lovable Pete—the energy is always high. When they film the scenes where the ghosts are all together, plotting and planning, it’s like watching a group of kids at summer camp. That joy translates directly to the screen, which is why the “ploy” storylines are always fan favorites.
The Secret Sauce: Perplexity and Burstiness in Ghosts
Let’s talk a little “shop” here. Why does Ghosts outrank other sitcoms in our hearts? It’s because the writing understands the human experience. It uses “burstiness”—short, punchy jokes—followed by “perplexity”—deep, complex emotional beats.
One second, Thor is yelling about “cod,” and the next, he’s having a heart-to-heart with Pete about the meaning of friendship. This variety keeps the audience engaged. You never know what’s coming next. Devan Chandler Long is a master of this. He can pivot from a roar to a whisper in a heartbeat, and that’s what makes Thorfinn so compelling.
Why the Spirits’ Relationships Keep Us Coming Back
At its heart, Ghosts isn’t a show about death. It’s a show about life—specifically, life after you think it’s over. The relationships between the ghosts are the strongest part of the series.
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Thor and Flower: Their “it’s complicated” romance is the stuff of legend.
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Thor and Pete: The ultimate “odd couple” friendship.
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Thor and Sasappis: The mutual respect between two spirits who have been on the land the longest.
Devan hints that the Thanksgiving ploy will put these relationships to the test. When you’re trying to pull off a “sneaky plan,” everyone has to be on the same page. And when you’re dealing with a group that includes a scout leader, a jazz singer, and a pants-less Wall Street bro, getting on the same page is easier said than done.
What’s Next for Thorfinn and the Gang?
As we move further into the current season, the stakes are getting higher. We’ve seen ghosts “sucked off” (their term for moving on to the great beyond), we’ve seen new ghosts arrive, and we’ve seen Sam and Jay deal with the financial realities of running a B&B.
Devan is excited about the future. He believes there are still so many stories to tell. For Thorfinn, the journey is about finding peace in a world that moved on without him. Whether it’s through “crazy” flashbacks or holiday ploys, Thor is learning what it means to be part of a family again.
The Impact of Flashbacks on TV Storytelling
Flashbacks aren’t just filler; they’re essential. In a show like Ghosts, they provide the “why” behind the “who.”
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Context: They explain why a character acts the way they do.
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Humor: They provide a contrast between the past and the present.
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Heart: They make the characters more than just ghosts—they make them human.
Thor’s upcoming flashback is promised to deliver on all three. It’s going to give us context for his “crazy” side, provide a ton of laughs, and likely tug at our heartstrings in a way we don’t expect.
The Evolution of Character Arcs in Ghosts
Think back to the pilot. Thor was a scary Viking in the woods. Now, he’s a guy who loves reality TV and worries about his friends. That’s growth! Devan Chandler Long has taken a character that could have been a joke and turned him into a legend.
The Thanksgiving ploy is just another step in that evolution. It shows the ghosts moving from being passive observers of Sam and Jay’s life to active participants in their family traditions. Even if they have to be a little “sneaky” to do it.
Conclusion
In the end, Ghosts succeeds because it reminds us that we’re all just a collection of stories, whether we’re living or dead. Devan Chandler Long’s portrayal of Thorfinn continues to be a highlight of the series, and his teases about the “sneaky Thanksgiving ploy” and the “crazy” flashback have us counting down the days until the next episode. The show manages to be hilarious and profound all at once, proving that even in the afterlife, there’s always room for a little more drama, a lot more laughter, and the occasional fermented cod. Are we ready for the most insane Thor flashback ever? You bet your land-ship we are.
❓ 5 Unique FAQs After The Conclusion
Q1: Does Thorfinn ever actually get to eat during the Thanksgiving episodes?
While the ghosts can’t eat physical food, they often “walk through” the food to experience its “essence.” Devan Chandler Long has joked that Thor would probably prefer a raw fish to a turkey, but he enjoys the “smell of victory” that comes with a big Thanksgiving meal.
Q2: How long does it take for Devan Chandler Long to get into his Viking gear?
The transformation into Thorfinn is no small feat! It involves a lot of hair work, beard maintenance, and layers of pelts. While the process has become more streamlined over four seasons, it still takes a significant amount of time to turn a modern actor into a 10th-century Viking.
Q3: Will the “crazy” flashback involve other ghosts from the house?
While the focus is on Thor’s past, Ghosts flashbacks often reveal how the different spirits’ timelines might have overlapped or how their presence on the land affected one another. Devan teases that we might see some surprising connections.
Q4: Is the Thanksgiving ploy a one-time thing, or do the ghosts do this every year?
In the world of Woodstone, every holiday is an opportunity for a ploy! The ghosts are bored, and Sam and Jay are their only window to the world. You can bet that if there’s a holiday, there’s a ghost-led scheme behind it.
Q5: What is Devan Chandler Long’s favorite thing about playing Thor?
Devan has mentioned in multiple interviews that he loves the “freedom” of the character. Thor can be loud, weird, and intensely emotional without any of the social filters we have today. It’s a “therapeutic” experience to yell about lightning and cod all day!
