I’ve seen “Ghost” before: Puritan ghost Patience (Mary Hollander) joins the Woodstone Bed and Breakfast as Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) struggles to move on from his broken engagement to Nigel (John Hartman) Come out.
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Some of the best episodes of “Ghostbusters” allow viewers to learn more about the central characters through surprise visits from extended family members. This is a strength that the writers clearly recognized from the beginning of the series. For example, in Season 1, Episode 12 (“Jay’s Sister”), we are introduced to Jay’s sister Bella (Poonam Patel), one of the few people who understands ghosts.
Other series of a similar nature include “Sam’s Mom”, “Little Bjorn”, “Alberta’s Descendants” and “Hello, Brother”. Importantly, each episode uses the awkward consequences of ghostly intervention to tell us something we don’t know about that family member’s relationship with one of the protagonists. For example, in the case of “Jay’s Sister,” we learn that both Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) value their relationship with Bella, So much so that they trusted her with the secret.
Now, in season four, we finally meet Sam’s father, Frank (Dean Norris), whom she rarely talks about but whom she desperately wants to have a better relationship with. Frank and his girlfriend Diane (Melinda McGraw) come to the Woodstone B&B to get closer to Sam. However, patient ghostly intervention (i.e. letting the walls bleed) adds many complications.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Sam has been forced to awkwardly explain seemingly bizarre behavior. In fact, she often has to accept that strangers and/or acquittals may find her behavior (such as talking to the sky or making strange requests) very objectionable. Most of the time, this is one of the more interesting aspects of the show, but it’s less effective when extreme behavior a) affects the characters’ important relationships and b) doesn’t actually have a rational, non-ghostly explanation.
Unfortunately, having “SIN” spelled out in blood on the wall where your dad and his girlfriend sleep is another story. Of course, the absurdity is that a Puritan ghost is so haunted by an unmarried couple sleeping together that it makes the walls bleed. However, even to those unfamiliar with ghost sightings, the truth seems more likely than the idea that Sam or Jay (who Sam briefly tried to scapegoat) did such a thing. This logical inconsistency just makes the writing feel a little weak.
While the humor is there, the episode’s attempts to blend heartfelt family moments with absurd ghost orgies don’t always come together seamlessly. Frank’s visit is supposed to provide Sam with a chance to grow, but their interactions (from bleeding walls to flute playing) are largely contrived, making their eventual reconciliation at the end of the episode feel a bit rushed, after The emotional impact is also less.
Rating: 8.3/10 – When sentimentality and silliness are mixed in the right proportions, “Ghost” can make even the most cynical person smile. “Sam’s Dad” arguably skews too far in both categories to be considered great, but the shenanigans therein still make for an enjoyable half hour of television.
Other notes:
– This is a pretty solid episode for fans of the so-called “dad TV” genre. Dean Norris is best known for playing Hank Schrader on Breaking Bad , while Melinda McGraw will also star in NCIS as the late Diane Sterling (formerly Gibbs and Fornell), well known to CBS viewers.
-It’s admirable that Isaac becomes a better person by taking Nigel’s place in the shed (rather than essentially expelling Nigel). Of course, it makes sense that the other exiled ghosts would demand Nigel’s return, since Isaac is intolerable.
-If you’ve never seen Trevor’s reference to “Get Mom From “Thrown on a Train” (1987), then you need to watch it now!
-Since missing the flute recital, does Sam have any other accomplishments that she might want to share with her father? Like, is there anything else?
-Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) and patience are absolutely right. That flute recital was horrible. If the bleeding walls hadn’t gotten me out before, they certainly would soon.
“Ghost” airs Thursdays at 8:30 pm ET on CBS. Don’t forget to share your thoughts on this episode with us here on SpoilerTV!
