Although “Abbott Elementary” is probably getting the most attention and acclaim among live-action sitcoms in 2025, CBS’s “Ghosts” still deserves its due. It’s a comedy series about a married couple who come into possession of a manor in upstate New York and try to turn it into a successful bed and breakfast.
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There’s just one complication: the house is filled with ghosts, and the wife, Sam (Rose McIver), can see them. The husband, Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), can’t see the ghosts, but thankfully, he is the world’s most patient man. Not only does he believe his wife quickly, but he also makes a valiant effort to be nice to the invisible specters as they constantly interfere with his and Sam’s lives.
What makes “Ghosts” work is the way its premise allows it to toss together characters who would never normally find themselves in the same room. For example, the ghosts in Sam and Jay’s house include a closeted military officer who died during the Revolutionary War, a Native American storyteller who died in 1593, a Viking who died over a thousand years ago, and more modern spirits like Trevor, a finance bro who died in 2000. The potential for sitcom-y shenanigans between them are endless, especially since most of the ghosts have living ancestors who can stop by for an episode whenever the show’s writers feel like it.
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The most promising aspect of “Ghosts” is that, even after four seasons, it has still resisted the temptation of having Jay suffer his own near-death experience and develop his own ability to see the ghosts. If the series’ writers ever run out of ideas, they can do that and guarantee at least another season’s worth of material to work with. But although Jay has interacted with the ghosts occasionally (and even saw one of them temporarily in an episode), the show’s creatives have otherwise kept away from any such status quo shift. At the same time, they’ve left the possibility open for down the line; hopefully, they’ll toss Jay the bone he deserves by the time the show starts wrapping up.
Before Ghosts aired in the U.S., the original Ghosts aired in the U.K.
Much like “The Office” before it, “Ghosts” is yet another American TV show that isn’t as original as you might’ve assumed. The original UK “Ghosts” series premiered in April 2019 and aired for five seasons (or 34 episodes total). It has the same basic premise involving a wife (Alison, played by Charlotte Ritchie) being able to see ghosts after a near-death experience, all while her husband (Mike, played by Kiell Smith-Bynoe) tries his best to keep up.
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The differences between the shows recall those between the American and UK versions of “The Office,” in that the British iteration is more willing to embrace the darkness of its premise. The American “Ghosts,” on the other hand, often skirts around the tragedy inherent to its ghostly characters, using humor to undercut what could’ve been devastating heartfelt moments. The British “Ghosts” is simply more comfortable letting the audience stay sad for an extended period when needed.
It’s also willing to let its main married couple have harsher fights over the course of the series. Whereas Sam and Jay are almost absurdly healthy and good at communicating, Mike has a much harder time adjusting to how his wife spends all day talking to her invisible friends. The result is that the UK “Ghosts” feels grittier, but the American version makes for reliably breezy escapist entertainment.
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For American fans wanting Jay to start seeing the ghosts on a regular basis, the British version doesn’t offer much hope. Mike makes it the whole show without seeing the ghosts, which feels like a missed opportunity. Thankfully, the American version, with its 20+ episode seasons, will have more time to explore its zany premise from every possible angle. At some point during its six (or possibly more) seasons, Jay might get to properly hang out with all the ghosts.
