Ghosts Season 4 Episodes 8 and 9 mark a rare milestone for one of CBS’ most popular comedies. After nearly 60 episodes, the show returns with its second-ever two-part storyline, once again earning a full hour-long time slot for one continuous story. Centered around the hilarity of possession, this two-parter features laughter, mischief, and most importantly, possession, proving that when it comes to “ghosts,” there’s never a shortage of surprises in the afterlife!
Part 1:
The episode’s two characters, one involving Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) and the other Sam (Rose MacIver), show how different things can be depending on the ghost who controls them dynamics. Importantly, if Jay and Sam had to choose any ghost to possess their bodies, Jay possible Choose Pete (Ritchie Moriarty), but Sam will Absolutely not Choose Nancy (Betsy Sodaro). Compared to the other ghosts, Nancy is more of a complete loose cannon.
In fact, Nancy is Sam’s antithesis and the ghost she least wants her mother-in-law to interact with. Of course, this fact makes two special elements of Season 4, Episode 8 all the more interesting. First, Rose McIver’s action as Nancy is some of the funniest moments of physical comedy the series has produced so far. Sam was usually reserved and reserved, but Nancy showed no such restraint and moved about the house in a completely nonchalant manner. Whether it’s eating guacamole without chips or driving a car poorly, there seems to be no limit to Nancy’s antics.
Additionally, Nancy’s manic personality is somehow more appealing to Champa (Sakina Jaffrey) than Sam’s “dull” personality, which is the perfect absurd irony that “Ghost” handles so well. While I certainly doubt Sam has any serious plans to put Nancy back in the driver’s seat (either in terms of ball handling or driving), who else wants to see Nancy and Champa more in future episodes? Get to know each other well?
Also at the end of Episode 8, after Thor (Devin Chandler Long) revealed to Flower (Sheila Carrasco) and others that the 500-year-old Lenape man is still a virgin, Sasapi Si (Roman Zaragoza) feels uneasy. While this particular storyline doesn’t have the same comedic power as the property, Thor and Flower’s amusing attempts to “convert” Sarsapith through Carol (Caroline Aaron) did raise some eyebrows funny.
Thankfully, this episode takes full advantage of the dramatic possibilities that come with a two-part episode. Jay’s sudden “ghost transformation” is an interesting twist that essentially gives fans and Jay what we’ve been wanting for several seasons without ruining the best part of the show: Jay can temporarily see ghost!
Part 2:
This may seem strange considering they’ve lived together for so long, but it’s worth noting that Jay had never seen any ghosts before this episode! While he was possessed by Heidi (Rebecca Wysocki) in Season 1, Episode 10 (“Possessed”) and sometimes interacted with Sasapis and Trevor via text messages in his dreams, other All ghostly encounters have been filtered through Sam – until now!
The second half hour deftly reimagines familiar ghostly antics, such as walking through doors, from Jay’s fresh perspective, making the supernatural extravaganza feel delightfully new again. Of course, the show wouldn’t be as interesting if Jay could keep seeing ghosts, but having him temporarily enter the ghost’s inner circle is an interesting and refreshing twist. His first meeting with the group is particularly heartwarming, from his excitement when he finally meets Trevor to his heartfelt embrace of Thor.
Speaking of deeply touching moments, the scenes with Pitt’s daughter Laura (Holly Gauthier-Frankel) are full of genuine emotion, though they border on being overly sentimental. Every time I think Pete’s family has had enough of Sam and Jay (considering they were indirectly responsible for his wife’s death!), they keep coming back in some way. Laura admits how weird their dynamic is, which makes for a funny and self-aware moment, even if Zombie Jay wins the crown for their weirdest encounter yet. While there’s not much to like about Zombie Jay, that’s probably the point – it’s hilarious and disturbing in all the right ways.
Meanwhile, Thasapis’ storyline with Thor takes a softer turn, although it’s a bit predictable. The consequences are less about the secret itself than about how the characters handle vulnerability. Sasapis’s anger is understandable, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Likewise, there are charming moments as Thor clumsily tries to make amends, but the resolution feels underwhelming. It’s a subplot that yields some cheap laughs, but ultimately leaves you wanting to explore Sassapis’ personal growth more deeply. I feel like we haven’t seen the end of this storyline yet, so let’s hope the writers find a way to take this subplot in a fresher, more engaging direction!
Rating: 8.9/10 – The Ghost writers certainly know they can’t do possession episodes too often, but it’s a great gimmick and they pulled it off well in this episode. While Thor and Thasapis’ fight/reconciliation provided some good laughs, it didn’t work as well as most A storylines.
Other notes:
-Is anyone else worried about what will actually happen to the old water heater? No? Is it just me and the ghost in the basement? OK
-How could a mother-in-law not love Sam? When she’s not possessed by the creepy cholera ghost, she’s always so cute and wholesome.
-Who else wants to know what would happen if Pete disappeared completely?
-“Where the hell are you? I swear to God, if you don’t come back now, I’ll never let you smell anything again.” I don’t want to think about this so-called “inside joke” that Jay’s parents had about Sam. What do you think?
– It may seem strange that Rose McIver’s Nancy lines are dubbed, but Utkarsh Ambudkar leaves an impression whenever possessed. #ReleaseTheMcIverCut
-“I want to let you know from the beginning that this is what I want to talk about so in case I go off topic you can guide me back.” Flowers are smarter than she looks!
-I hope someone brings some high quality cocaine to poor Heidi. If you can’t enjoy cocaine after you die, when can you?
-Given Pete’s reaction to the delivery robot in Season 3, Episode 9 (“Travel Agent”), I can’t imagine he cares much about Sam’s new Roomba.
-What do you think Jay’s ghost power is? If he can walk through walls, he must have ghost powers too!
Ghost Season 4 Episodes 8 and 9 will air Thursday, December 19 at 8pm ET on CBS. Don’t forget to share your thoughts on this episode with us here on SpoilerTV!
