As the Autumn season sets in and the evenings draw closer, many of us find comfort in getting cosy on the sofa and settling in for the shows we can always count upon at this time of year.
Be it getting in the or popping on your dancing shoes each Saturday night for , many of us have that comfort show that we always welcome the return of during the time of year when the days get shorter and colder (well, , but you get the idea).
One such show that fits that criteria and has become a comfort watch for many since its debut in 2019 is ’s Ghosts. The sitcom – written and performed by a number of the minds behind the equally beloved Horrible Histories series – has garnered a loyal fan following across its previous four series, growing in popularity during the pandemic as many – myself included – found comfort in its sweet and silly spirit maintained by its endearing cast of characters.
It is bittersweet, then, that its return this year is its fifth and final series, meaning that come the end of the year, fans are going to have finally say goodbye to both the living and dead inhabitants of Button House. But, it’s best not to think of the end, but to rather enjoy what time you have left, and from evidence of the final season’s first episode, Ghosts has not lost any of its winning spirit.
For those unfamiliar, the show follows married couple the Coopers, Alison () and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe), who come to inherit an old manor house belonging to a distant relative of Alison’s. Following a near-death experience, Alison gains the ability to see and interact with ghosts and quickly discovers that Button House is home to a number of spiritual inhabitants who all met their end on the grounds at various points across history.
There’s caveman Robin (Laurence Rickard), decapitated Tudor Humphrey Bone (also Rickard), sweet and naive Georgina noblewoman Kitty (Lolly Adefope), Thomas the romantic poet from the 1800s (Matthew Baynton), Edwardian lady of the manor Fanny (Martha Howe-Douglas), a World War II Captain (Ben Willibond), a 1980s scout leader Pat (Jim Howick) and Julien (Simon Farnaby) a disgraced Tory MP who died during a sex Scan**l in the 1990s.
Much of the comedy in the show is mined from Alison’s balancing act of maintaining a balanced relationship between her husband – who knows of her abilities but can’t see them himself – and the very demanding ghosts and their time period culture clashes, while all the while trying to figure out how best to make a living from their inherited estate.
Over the course of the series, we have gotten to know each ghost more intimately, delving into their varied backstories, ones filled with both macabre slapstick set pieces that led to their deaths, while also revealing a level of melancholy, longing and sadness that has helped elevate the show into something that feels more resonant and emotionally intelligent.
The opening episode for series five doesn’t hold much in the way of that kind of emotional depth, but it is an ideal reintroduction to the setting and characters and it is quite chiefly silly and fun, making you forget (for 30 minutes at least) that this will indeed be the last series premiere of the show.
The concept for the episode is a pretty classic sitcom setup. It’s April Fool’s Day – and after the ghosts pul;l a prank on Alison that maybe was a little too close to the cuff, Alison dedicates the rest of her morning (the cutoff for pranks is midday of course), assisted by Sir Humphrey who often feels he’s the butt of the joke across the rest of the gang.
Meanwhile, Mike must field questions from nan insurance agent who suspects that a recent fire on the property could be an act of fraud, all the while trying to make excuses for his wife’s bizarre behaviour as she sets about pranking the ghosts one by one.
The characters and their relationships with each other are so well-established at this point, making Alison’s targeted personal approach to the pranks feel a bit like fan service, but fan service in a manner which is earned by this point. Nothing feels disingenuous either, the writers and cast know their parts inside and out, allowing everything to feel like it is coming from an organic place rooted in character, and not reverse-engineered for the sake of a good gag.
There is still also room for character growth, as it soon becomes clear near the end of the episode that Alison and Mike are about to embark on a new chapter in their relationship, an onscreen that is bound to delight fans of the adorable pairing. There are also hints that resolutions are on the way for some of the dangling threads that remain for a number of the ghosts.
So while this episode is more about laughs than anything else, there is already the feeling that the endgame is being laid into place. With this warm and funny episode, demonstrating the show’s ease at setting up silly scenarios rooted in character, there is the calm and comforting sense that the fans are in good hands, and that while saying goodbye will be hard, it will be worth it.
Ghosts airs on BBC One Friday nights at 8.30pm
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