Not a fan of horror? Well, this is the perfect ghost-themed show for you.
Full disclosure: I hate horror movies. Whether it’s because of the jump-scares, eerie music or avoidable bad choices made by the protagonist, horror movies have never been my style. I have, however, always been fascinated by the idea of spirits and ghosts and can’t help but ask the same question whenever I watch a horror movie: what happens to all the normal people who die? Are all ghosts really vengeful spirits or creepy kids?
BBC’s Ghosts, a three-season sitcom, puts a charming spin on the afterlife, giving us a witty and comedic take on the life of a group of ghosts who were, for all intents and purposes, regular people from various time periods.
The series follows Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe), an unwitting couple whose dreams of owning a home come true when they inherit a beautiful country manor from a recently deceased distant relative. Unbeknownst to them, the manor is already home to a group of squabbling ghosts, comprised of a decently articulate caveman, a lovesick yet lacklustre 1800s poet, a Stuart-era witch trial victim, a friendly scout leader, an uptight World War 2 captain, a decapitated Tudor and a 90’s British politician, amongst others.
Upon hearing Mike and Alison’s plans to renovate the house into a hotel, the ghosts fear their quiet home being overrun by tourists and begin their pathetic attempts at “haunting” the house to drive the new homeowners away. Though they soon realise that they are rather incompetent at scaring away the newcomers, an accident occurs that enables Alison to communicate and interact with them, creating excitement and much-needed change in the lives of these bored spirits.
In a time when most sitcoms seem generic and repetitive, BBC’s Ghosts (ironically) breathes some life back into the genre. The family-friendly sitcom maintains its light, comedic tone without cheapening the seriousness of its heavier themes, including death, forgiveness and compassion.
One of the things that I love about the show is its pacing. With only six episodes a season, BBC’s Ghosts doesn’t seem forced or rushed. Each of its three seasons zeroes in on a few ghosts, exploring their lives and deaths and giving each of them the screen time needed to flesh out their characters. Season 1, for instance, takes time away from the daily misadventures of Alison and the ghosts to explore the death of cheerful scout leader Pat (Jim Howick) who died when one of his young scouts accidentally misfired an arrow during an archery lesson in the house compound, leaving Pat forever impaled with an arrow through his neck. Though his death is portrayed with an element of comedic relief, the show later allows Pat to get the closure he needs throughout the season. Ghosts stays anchored in its comedic roots while exploring the mistakes we make in our everyday lives and the sobering reality of what those mistakes result in once we’re gone
Don’t get me wrong, Ghosts is still filled with ridiculous plots, witty banter and jokes at every opportunity. At its core, it’s a comedy about an unlikely found family who are trying to be a little better each day.
One criticism that I have of Ghosts is that although it doesn’t rush its character development or plot, it often tries to stuff a few too many subplots into a single episode to include as many of the characters on screen as possible. It works well if you’re looking for a show to laugh and unwind, but it comes at the expense of consistency in worldbuilding. How are the ghosts able to pass through some things and not the others? Why do only some people turn into ghosts? Hopefully, these questions will be answered in upcoming seasons of the show, but for now it’s best not to think too much about them.
One of the main reasons that the show fairs so well as a comedy is because of its quirky yet complex and engaging characters that are written and portrayed by the talented cast. The core cast is composed of six British comedians who got their big break on the live-action sketch show Horrible Histories, a children's comedy that explores the gritty and hilarious details of British history. Consisting of Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, and Ben Willbond, the group quickly gained popularity and have since come together for numerous collaborations, with BBC’s Ghosts being the latest in their list of shared works.
Their familiarity with one another plays off well on screen and remains one of my favourite aspects of the show. You can almost see through the screen the fun that they’re having working with each other, which translates well to the viewers. I also personally enjoyed the pairs and dynamics between the characters themselves as well. A caveman and a politician who enjoy playing chess together? The jokes write themselves!
I don’t think this show is for die-hard horror junkies looking for their next thrill or drama fans in search of something heavy. However, if you’re looking for something heartwarming to make you laugh, then BBC’s Ghost’s delivers - especially if you can’t resist the ol’ found family trope.
P.S. CBS has recently acquired the rights to the show in the US and is making a more “American” adaptation of the show that’s set to launch in October 2021, though I’d highly recommend watching the original BBC version of it that’s available on HBO Max first.
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