Arguably, the shows with the quirkiest premises and plots that make you say “it’s difficult to explain, but you have to watch it”, are some of the best ones. Ghosts, a haunted house sitcom where the majority of characters are dead, is one of those.
Set in the present day, Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) are the living owners of Button House, which we have seen haunted for three seasons now by ghosts including but not limited to a disgraced conservative politician, a witch trial victim, and a caveman. All of the ghosts died on the property, and who only Alison can see. A certain age group would recognise much of the cast as that of Horrible Histories, which only adds to the feeling of nostalgia and relatability throughout. The stellar cast, wacky concept, and unrelenting witty one-liners, makes Ghosts a high-quality comedy that lends itself to rewatching.
In season three, the audience gains a deeper understanding of the relationships in the house. Looking at a group of nine ghosts, forced to live together for eternity, you might not expect there to still be changing dynamics between characters, but the day-to-day troubles of Alison and Mike spark a bit of action and ensure this is not the case. For example, the couple are forced to camp outside while the house is fumigated. Here, we get to see how the connection between Julian, the politician (Simon Farnaby) and Robin, the caveman (Laurence Rickard) is not limited to just chess playing. They support each other after a particularly comical attempt to show bravery, or perhaps even masculinity, when outside in a storm.
Mike is key to the show, namely because he knows about the ghosts but cannot see them. This aspect of his character keeps the audience with one foot in the real world, but he gets relatively little attention in terms of both screen time and involvement in the action. His understanding of Alison’s relationships with the ghosts, while admirable, sometimes feels unrealistic. Eventually, he tries to use black magic to force himself to see them, which could hopefully foreshadow a future where he is no longer left quite so much on the sidelines.
Other major developments are connected to Kitty (Lolly Adefope), a spirited, over-friendly ghost of a Georgian noblewoman, who was arguably the star of this season. Although hers is one of the few deaths that remains unexplained, we do see some more of her lived experiences. In a discussion resembling group therapy, Kitty speaks about her sister and comes to realise that perhaps she looks back at memories of her with rose-coloured glasses. Whether it is thanks to the angle of the camera placing the viewer in the group circle, or to the characters’ exceedingly relatable, human responses to vulnerability, this episode captivates the viewer in such a way that you feel like a part of their group.
Kitty’s experience of sisterhood is somewhat mirrored in Alison’s, as a key plot point is the seemingly too-good-to-be true arrival of her long-lost sister, Lucy (Jessica Knappett). The jealousy from Kitty in response to this is funny, above all, but also shows the audience the extent of her affection for Alison. This sets up an emotional season finale which includes a heartfelt moment between the two women.
This representation of family highlights the main strength of this season: its ability to explore intense, sometimes upsetting experiences through a medium so wacky, that you only shed tears from laughter.
4/5 stars