Ghosts Review – Viking Funeral (1×03)

Reviews

The fall season ushered in a handful of new pilots including CBS’s Ghosts, an adaptation of the British comedy of the same name.

The premise is fresh and intriguing, so it’s not entirely shocking that CBS wanted to embrace it as an American comedy, but you have to wonder why they chose to blatantly copy the original instead of letting it serve as inspiration. 

I haven’t watched the BBC One sitcom, but based on the trailer, it’s evident that CBS opted for “copy and paste” rather than “making it your own.”

It’s a strange choice considering the original got such astounding reviews. Why mess with perfection? Why remake something that already exists?

Admittedly, however, the Rose McIver-led drama fills a void left behind by The Good Place, yet another brilliant 20-minute existential comedy).

And if there’s anyone who can sell us on the belief that she can see dead people, it’s the woman who ate brains in order to solve crimes on iZombie.

A more perfect role doesn’t exist for McIver, who flawlessly takes on the character of Sam, a young woman who inherits the Woodstone Mansion after the Great Aunt passes away. 

Sam’s impulsive nature tells her to give the rundown home a little TLC and turn it into a bed and breakfast, which doesn’t exactly sit well with her boyfriend Jay. 

He approaches the idea with an open mind, but he’s a bit more realistic in terms of how much TLC this place actually needs.

Old homes mean more repairs, which, in turn, means more money. 

However, his perspective changes when Sam trips over a vase and tumbles down two flights of stairs. 

While she’s in a coma for two weeks, Jay begins to see potential in the old mansion. He consults with a contractor before depleting all of their funds into the property in hopes of eventually turning a profit.

Millennials, that’s what they get for watching so much HGTV, am I right?

Of course, the plan hits an unexpected snag — ghosts. 

When I tell you I’ve never met a more eclectic group, I truly mean it. The ghostly ensemble consists of former residents who have died on the property over the course of several decades.

Issac, the leader of the pack, is a gay colonial soldier. Thor is a bloodthirsty and primitive Viking, while Trevor is a pantsless yuppie. He’s also the most recently dead, so none of the other dated ghosts ever know what he’s referring to when he mentions the internet or Tara Reid. 

It’s a miserable existence that they all brush off with plenty of sarcasm and shenanigans, usually at the expense of what they call “the livings.”

Most of them have an affinity for Sam and Jay, the lovebirds… that is until they hear her idea to turn the place into a hotel.

 Horrified that their home might soon be overrun by people that will cramp their space and worse, walk through them, they decide to “haunt” Sam and Jay. After all, that’s what ghosts do!

Except these ghosts aren’t all that great at haunting, which ultimately leads to Sam’s accident. 

Sam is out of commission for two weeks, which is when we learn that she died for 3 minutes before being resuscitated. 

Her brief brush with death provides her with new and unwanted powers — she’s the first living person that can see the ghosts. 

Sam is basically straddling the line between the living and the dead, which naturally freaks her out.

Screaming at the top of your lungs seems to be the only appropriate reaction to seeing ghosts walk through a wall. 

The accident provides the plot with a lot of potential. 

Obviously, Jay is likely going to think this is a side effect of Sam hitting her head. He might also consider that it’s some kind of mental break. 

Meanwhile, Sam has several options — she can befriend the ghosts, she can try to help them pass on,  or she can decide to sell the property (though it’s unclear if she can see ghosts everywhere or just in the mansion). The possibilities are endless. 

The ghosts are intriguing in their own right because you want to know more about them.

Hetty, for example, is a distinguished woman and Sam’s distant family, but we don’t know what her “powers” are nor do we know how she passed. 

The aforementioned Issac died of dysentery, so his secret weapon is producing foul-smelling gas. Anyone else now wondering if you’ve ever walked through a ghost fart? Same.

Since Thor was struck by lightning, he can manipulate electricity. Meanwhile, Alberta, a Prohibition-era singer in her past life, can project humming into the living world. 

Both Pete and Flower —  the cheerful boy scout killed by a rogue bow-and-arrow (had to hurt!) and the 60s hippie who was mauled by a bear when she wandered onto the property during a bad drug trip —  seem like they’re going to be a handful.

There’s also a headless man, but we don’t really get too much info about him as he loses his head early on and isn’t seen again.

As I said, it’s an eclectic bunch, which will likely be overwhelming for Sam when she realizes she’s the only one that can handle them. 

And while the ghost’s biggest fear was having their space overrun by people, a new fear possibly materializes when they realize Sam can see and hear them.

How will this impact them? Will they be thrilled to have a connection to the living? Or will they use this to their advantage and kick her out?

The pilot is straightforward, cheeky, and balances the right amount of levity against a more serious tone.

Just when you think the whole episode will consist of jokes about seeing dead people, you suddenly find yourself thinking about how short our time on Earth is and the possibility of life after death.

Were you sold on the pilot? Will you be adding Ghosts to your weekly must-watch list?

Read the review of Ghosts Season 1 Episode 2 now!

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