The Big Picture

Ghosts
Season 3 reveals who got sucked off without resorting to hijinks, staying true to the show’s form.
Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar deliver strong performances, injecting charm into the network circuit.
The premiere suffers from rushed pacing, weak writing, and a disconnect between character growth and the ghosts’ responses following Woodstone’s loss.

Following a massive cliffhanger that left audiences flabbergasted, Ghosts is back for Season 3 this Thursday and finally revealing just who got sucked off at Woodstone B&B. The Joe Port and Joe Wiseman series went out with a bang in Season 2, leaving fans on edge for months as the two Livings — Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay Arondekar (Utkarsh Ambudkar) — were left stunned in the episode’s final moments witnessing a light ascending into the night sky. With the network teasing in its promos that one of our dearly departed main eight is also one of the departed, fans will unequivocally be heartbroken by the exit. But as the episode delivers its answer, the Season 3 premiere makes some awkward choices in adjusting to a world without the beloved spirit and waters down its signature emotional grip through some rather unsteady pacing.

Since its debut on CBS in 2021, Ghosts has been a favorite among audiences, pulling in an average of 7 million viewers each week. It has also been one of the funniest series on the network in a long time thanks to its acute sense of humor and emotionally rich storylines. Holding its own among critically acclaimed favorites like Abbott Elementary or long-running series like Young Sheldon, Ghosts remains one of the best comedies on TV with lovable characters that you genuinely root for. But while it is a funny and endearing sitcom, the premiere is rather disjointed and goes from being a shadow of its former self to a spiritless entry in a well-rounded catalog. While this could have possibly fallen on CBS greenlighting a shorter season with just 10 episodes due to filming being delayed after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Season 3’s opener continues some issues that create a disconnect.

Ghosts (US) A young couple, Sam and Jay, inherit a haunted mansion and, unaware of their invisible housemates, plan to turn it into a B&B. Their lives become much more complicated after a fall causes Sam to see the ghosts. Based on the UK series.Release Date October 7, 2021 Creator Joe Port, Joe Wiseman Main Genre Comedy Seasons 3

The “Who Got Sucked Off” Reveal Is a Mixed Bag on ‘Ghosts’ Season 3

Though the first two episodes of Ghosts Season 3 were made available for review, fans can breathe easy because there are no spoilers ahead. After all, the exit is one of primetime’s most anticipated moments following a shocking finale that haunted social media and forums for months. But as previously noted by Collider, the loss needed to be a significant payoff going into the show’s third season and match the love fans have for these characters. Without giving anything away, the writers answered that call. The reveal is a shock and one that feels raw, especially as this Woodstone spirit was a favorite. Their storyline might have been the one with the most growth and, in many ways, outdid their Woodstone B&B housemates. Because of these aspects, their exit is fair, despite how upsetting the circumstances are and what more we could have seen. But that is the understanding associated with loss — it’s abrupt and sudden.

Related ‘Ghosts’ UK Has One Big Advantage Over the US Remake And no, it’s got nothing to do with being the original.

Although the writers were able to create a significant departure that will be felt, there are moments throughout the premiere that often misremember the show’s prior character developments. While the exit is a shock, its impact is slightly off and manages to rile up more emotion from Sam and Jay than the remaining spirits. How some of the ghosts handle the news feels illogical considering the connections built between them. It’s like they’re desensitized despite being among the core group that we’ve understood spent the most time together. Of course, this can be chalked up to stages of grief, but the pacing and emotion accompanying such interactions are significantly imbalanced with the writing not supporting those particular sentiments through micro- or nonverbal communications. We could call it denial and shock, but that’s easy to say when there is no indication that it’s been considered. So, are our ghosts just selfish? A few of them fall back on such traits and even compare their own “suck-off worthy moments” to the exit. It’s this disconnect from the complicated model of loss between character and story that is off-putting and a disservice to past arcs.

‘Ghosts’ Season 3 Is Wobbly, but the Cast Makes Up for It

Season 3’s premiere might not be the strongest episode in its beloved run so far, but it’s still got that comedy we came to love in Season 1. While the humor in “The Owl” feels a bit forced, only inducing soft chuckles, there’s a stronger return to Ghosts’ humorous form in Episode 2’s “Man of Your Dreams.” The story is better-paced and creates a bit more direction — even if it’s speeding up on renovating the restaurant after taking a year to build the B&B. There’s also more humor involved, and it’s this familiarity that sparks joy.

Despite frail writing and askew pacing in the premiere, the cast is still at the top of their game and consistently led by Ghosts’ powerhouse leads, Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar. The pair make everything right thanks to their compelling presence and comedic timing. While McIver stands out among primetime’s leading ladies, Ambudkar is one of the more refreshing performances on network television today. His approach to a man who cannot see spirits, but feels close to them is energizing and speaks to how his character is crafted. It gives Jay depth and a steady magnetism that positions itself well alongside McIver’s sparkling charm.

While speaking about the spirits would be a major spoiler, there is one Woodstone ghost in particular who earns more emotional focus in the series’ first two episodes, giving them a strong reason to be one of the show’s most underrated characters. It’s this character awareness that could have branched out to some others for a more realistic reaction. Instead, the writing doesn’t allow for some of Woodstone’s spirits to be as multidimensional compared to past episodes, further alluding to the ghosts being incapable of learning from past experiences. It’s this disconnect that does away with the natural progression of emotion built up over two seasons and doesn’t give more to the actors behind them.

Our Biggest Questions Heading Into ‘Ghosts’ Season 3

Image via Paramount, CBS

Ghosts’ season opener doesn’t resort to past hijinks that offered a low payoff, story-wise. Remember the Season 2 cold-open, which teased for a hot minute that Jay could see Woodstone’s spirits after his Season 1 finale accident? None of that happens here. Instead, a ghost has genuinely been sucked off, and the loss is felt across its first two episodes. But similar to how Abbott Elementary Season 3 utilized a time jump in its premiere to soften pacing issues for a more organic structure, Ghosts Season 3 would have benefited from such a device for a more seamless connection. Everyone is following routine except Sam, who has lost one of her best friends. With their moving on hitting her the hardest, we need to see a new layer to Woodstone’s main eight through grief. If the second episode is any indication of that, we might be on the right track.

That said, nothing ever makes sense in Ghosts. The spirits sit on couches and can have sex, yet they can’t eat or leave the grounds. So what does this mean? Because we have seen past ghosts like Hetty’s husband Elias (Matt Walsh) return from hell, or a Halloween seance summoning her Irish maid Molly (Hannah Rose May), we might just see the dearly departed return — a move the network might want if it means continuing to have the number one series on primetime. While this could mean the feeling of a prolonged cold open, the series needs to explore taking an unfamiliar path for a bit longer and not resort to a quick character return. Ghosts is still a smart comedy with solid laughs that strikes the perfect balance between pathos and humor. But for it to take off, it has to effectively manage its deeper conversations of loss through strong, layered writing and give its cast room to deliver strong performances.

Ghosts (US) REVIEWGhosts remains a smart comedy, but it has to effectively manage loss and give its cast room to deliver strong performances.ProsGhosts Season 3 reveals who got sucked off following its sophomore cliffhanger without resorting to hijinks like in Season 2.Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar are an irresistible and refreshing pair, injecting a dose of charm into the network circuit. ConsThe pacing of the season premiere often seems rushed, with the characters looking to resolve issues quickly.The show’s signature humor isn’t as prominent in the premiere, with the writing being rather weak and leaning on its leads to carry the story.There’s a disconnect between past character growth and the Woodstone B&B ghosts’ responses to that “sucked off” exit.

Ghosts Season 3 premieres February 15 at 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS and Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+