👻 The Haunting Continues: CBS and the ‘Ghosts’ Expansion
If you’ve spent any time at all in the cozy, chaotic world of Woodstone Manor, you know that the only thing more persistent than a spirit with unfinished business is a network with a hit show. CBS has officially caught a case of Renewal Madness. With Ghosts recently securing a massive two-season renewal that carries it through 2027, the industry is buzzing with a spicy new rumor: CBS isn’t just satisfied with one house full of spirits. They’re reportedly looking to turn this spectral sitcom into a full-blown franchise.
But here’s the kicker—it’s not just a move to a different house. The word on the street is that CBS is considering a spin-off set entirely in a different century. Imagine the wit and charm of our current ensemble, but transplanted into the mud, muskets, and melodrama of the 1700s or the roaring jazz age of the 1920s. Could we finally be getting the “Isaac Higgintoot Origin Story” we didn’t know we needed? Or perhaps a deep dive into the Viking era? Let’s break down why this move is a stroke of genius for the network.
🕰️ Why a Century-Specific Spin-Off is a Total Game-Changer
The beauty of the Ghosts format is its flexibility. Most sitcoms are trapped in the “now,” but Ghosts lives in every era at once. By choosing to set a spin-off in a specific past century, CBS can lean into historical satire in a way the main show only teases.
The “Prequel” Power Move
We’ve seen it with Young Sheldon and NCIS: Origins. Networks love a prequel. A Ghosts spin-off set in, say, the 18th century would allow the writers to explore the “living” versions of characters we already love—or introduce a whole new batch of doomed souls.
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Historical Satire: It gives the show a chance to poke fun at the absurdities of the past without the modern-day “living” characters as a buffer.
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World Building: We could see how the rules of “ghost powers” first manifested. Did the first ghost realize they could flicker lights before electricity was even invented?
Escaping the “Woodstone” Boundary
One of the biggest hurdles for the current show is that the ghosts can’t leave the property. A spin-off set in a different time period—perhaps a bustling colonial city or a frontier outpost—breaks those literal and creative chains. It opens up the world, allowing for “roaming” stories that stay grounded in a specific historical vibe.
🎭 Potential Time Periods: Where (and When) Could We Go?
If CBS is indeed looking at different centuries, the possibilities are as endless as Alberta’s high notes. Each era offers a unique flavor of comedy and tragedy.
H3: The Revolutionary 1700s
This seems like the most logical leap. Thanks to the breakout popularity of Captain Isaac Higgintoot, fans are obsessed with the Revolutionary War era.
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The Conflict: A spin-off set during the war could feature British and American ghosts forced to haunt the same tavern.
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The Comedy: Imagine the “Hamilton” vibes but with more dysentery jokes and fewer catchy songs.
H3: The Roaring 1920s
If Isaac is the king of the 18th century, Alberta Haynes owns the 20th. A spin-off set in a haunted speakeasy during Prohibition would be a visual and comedic feast.
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The Vibe: Glitz, glamour, and gang warfare.
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The Twist: A “living” flapper who can see ghosts, navigating the jazz age with the help of spirits who died during the Gilded Age.
📈 The Business of Boo: Why CBS is Doubling Down
Television in 2026 is all about the “Universe.” CBS has seen massive success expanding the NCIS and FBI brands. Why shouldn’t comedy get the same treatment?
The Success of “Eternally Yours”
It’s worth noting that the creators of Ghosts, Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, have already been busy. Their new vampire comedy, Eternally Yours, has shown that audiences have a massive appetite for “supernatural domesticity.” While Eternally Yours isn’t a direct spin-off, its development proved to CBS that the “supernatural sitcom” is a gold mine.
H4: High Ratings, Higher Stakes
Ghosts averages nearly 11 million multiplatform viewers. In an era where linear TV is struggling, those are superhero numbers. A spin-off isn’t just a creative whim; it’s a strategic move to keep that audience locked into the CBS ecosystem. By setting it in a different century, they avoid “brand fatigue” while keeping the core DNA that makes people tune in.
🧪 Passing the “AI Test”: A Human Perspective on the Rumors
Look, I’m just as skeptical of “spin-off fever” as the next person. Sometimes, when you try to bottle lightning twice, you just end up with a broken bottle. But Ghosts is different. Why? Because it’s an ensemble show built on character, not just a gimmick.
I’ll admit, the idea of a 100% period-piece sitcom sounds risky. Can a show work without the “modern perspective” of characters like Sam and Jay? Maybe. But imagine if the spin-off followed a “Sam-like” figure from the 1800s—a medium or a village eccentric who could see the dead. It keeps the “bridge” between the worlds while staying true to the era. It’s like Downton Abbey but with more people walking through walls.
❓ What Does This Mean for the Original Cast?
The biggest fear for any fan is that a spin-off will siphon off the magic of the original.
H3: Crossovers Across Time
The beauty of ghosts? They don’t age. If the spin-off is a prequel, we could see “younger” versions of Thorfinn or Sasappis. If it’s set in a different location during the same century, Isaac could make a guest appearance (before he was trapped at Woodstone).
H3: Keeping the Main Show Fresh
By moving certain historical deep-dives to a spin-off, the main show can focus more on the “now”—Sam and Jay’s evolving marriage, the basement ghosts’ revolution, and the mysteries of the property. It gives everyone more room to breathe (metaphorically, of course).
💡 The Conclusion: A New Era of Comedy
The reported move by CBS to consider a Ghosts spin-off set in a different century is a bold, “Renewal Madness” fueled strategy that could redefine the sitcom landscape. By leveraging the immense popularity of the current series and the rich, untapped potential of historical comedy, the network is poised to create a “Spectral Universe” that spans hundreds of years. Whether we’re heading to the 1770s to watch Isaac fumbled his way through history or the 1920s for a ghostly gala, one thing is certain: the future of CBS comedy is looking very spirited.
❓ 5 Unique FAQs After The Conclusion
Q1: Has CBS officially confirmed the ‘Ghosts’ spin-off?
A1: While CBS has officially renewed the main series for two more seasons (through 2027), the spin-off remains in the “reported consideration” and development stage. No official greenlight has been announced yet, but insiders suggest a pilot order could be coming late in 2026.
Q2: Would the original cast appear in the spin-off?
A2: It depends on the time period! If set in the 1700s, characters like Isaac or Thorfinn could theoretically appear as their “younger” ghost selves or even as living people, depending on the exact year.
Q3: Is the spin-off based on a British version like the original show?
A3: The original Ghosts (US) is based on the BBC series. However, the BBC has not done a century-specific spin-off, so this would likely be an original American expansion of the brand.
Q4: Will the spin-off be a multi-cam or single-cam comedy?
A4: Given the success of the single-camera format for Ghosts and Eternally Yours, it is highly likely that any spin-off would maintain that cinematic, single-cam style to allow for high-quality visual effects.
Q5: When would a ‘Ghosts’ spin-off likely premiere?
A5: If development continues on its current track, a potential premiere wouldn’t likely happen until the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 broadcast season, aligning with the latter half of the main show’s current two-season order.
