Ghosts review – Pilot – when the afterlife comes with roommates

Do you believe in ghosts? Well, dying is one thing, but getting stuck in a house with a bunch of ghosts from different eras? Now that’s an afterlife crisis. Or, depending on your perspective, the perfect setup for a sitcom.

Originally a British series, Ghosts found new life (or… afterlife?) in its American adaptation. The premise remains the same: a couple inherits an old house, only to discover it’s haunted by a group of spirits who, despite being dead, are anything but quiet. With each ghost bringing their era-specific quirks, as well as grievances, this is less of a horror story and more of a historical comedy club that never closes.

But does this adaptation manage to capture the charm of the original while standing on its own ectoplasmic feet? Let’s find out.

A few disclaimers. No ghosts were harmed in the making of this review—though some egos may have been bruised during failed haunting attempts. The opinions expressed here are solely those of a viewer who was very much alive while watching (unlike certain characters). Side effects of watching Ghosts may include a sudden attachment to historical figures, an irrational fear of falling vases, and an overwhelming urge to sage your living space—just in case.

Warning: Some spoilers ahead. Viewer discretion is advised, but mostly, just enjoy the show.

Beetle... mildly spooky, but mostly hilarious

While Ghosts doesn’t fully dive into the chaotic energy of Beetlejuice, it does share a certain playful irreverence when it comes to the afterlife. Instead of grotesque ghouls and sandworms, we get a mismatched group of ghosts who feel more like a historical reenactment gone off the rails.

If Beetlejuice is the punk rock version of the undead, Ghosts is more like a haunted museum tour where the exhibits talk back—and they have opinions. Lots of them.

Time-traveling hotel rooms vs. a timeless haunted house

While Doctor Who’s Joy to the World special introduced the Time Hotel, where each room serves as a portal to a different historical Christmas, Ghosts takes a more stationary approach to time travel, by keeping the past trapped under one roof.

Instead of stepping through a doorway into another era, the living characters in Ghosts are surrounded by history that refuses to move on. The story is less of a sci-fi adventure and more of a never-ending dinner party where the guests all died centuries apart but never left.

Welcome to the afterlife, no introductions needed

There’s no ominous music, no flickering lights, no slow-building dread. Instead, Ghosts opens with its spectral residents already deep in conversation, as if we’ve simply walked into their world mid-sentence.

They’re not here to haunt—they’re here to explain, with all the confidence of a historical reenactment that never ended. And really, why waste time with dramatic ghostly reveals when there are more pressing matters at hand?

Like a Viking with a thousand-yard stare, looking as if he’s still mid-battle, or a free-spirited hippie who, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have tried to befriend a bear. From the start, Ghosts makes it clear: the dead may be stuck, but they are far from silent.

From a shoebox to a haunted mansion—life comes at you fast

One minute, Sam is a freelancer squeezing out a living in a glorified closet. Cut to, she’s the next of kin to an actual estate—emphasis on estate because this place is massive. It’s the kind of twist that sounds too good to be true, and in true sitcom fashion, it is.

Determined to start fresh, she does what any modern homeowner with a hint of superstition might do: lights some sage to cleanse the place of bad energy. What happens next? Not a peaceful, spiritually refreshing moment, but a chorus of ghosts suddenly sniffing the air like a group of long-lost sommeliers. Wait, what is that? Oh wow, that is delightful.

Ten minutes in, and Ghosts has already flipped the haunted house trope on its head—because when the spirits show up, they’re less vengeful apparitions and more unexpected dinner guests who just really appreciate a good aroma.

A home, a hotel… or a supernatural nightmare?

Just as Sam and Jay start dreaming of their future—a charming B&B, fresh beginnings, maybe even a five-star Yelp review—the ghosts are living their worst nightmare. Every room in this house is filled with people coming and going, they say, with the kind of horror usually reserved for actual hauntings.

For centuries, they’ve had the place to themselves, free to bicker, gossip, and judge the living from a comfortable distance. Now? Their peaceful afterlife is on the verge of becoming a revolving door of strangers. And if there’s one thing worse than being stuck for eternity, it’s being stuck with an ever-changing audience.

The great haunting… that goes horribly wrong

Halfway through the episode, the ghosts finally decide it’s time to do what ghosts are supposed to do—haunt the living. The plan? Grand, dramatic, and foolproof. The execution? Not so much. Turns out, after centuries of aimless bickering and passive-aggressive room assignments, their actual haunting skills are more than a little rusty.

What should be a terrifying display of supernatural power quickly unravels into a chaotic mess, where the biggest threat isn’t ghostly terror, but secondhand embarrassment.

A little push… and a whole new perspective

After a failed hunting attempt that barely registers, the ghosts get their first real success—though not in the way they planned. One of them finally manages to knock over a vase, and while that alone wouldn’t be enough to change anything, it sets off a chain reaction. In the middle of arguing with Jay about decision-making (and his unwavering commitment to neutral color palettes), Sam storms off, only to trip over the fallen vase and take a dramatic tumble down the stairs.

And in that split second, before she loses consciousness, something shifts. The world blurs, and for the first time, she sees more than just her husband—there, in the periphery, are two ghostly figures, watching.

Final verdict: 5 out of 5 stars

With just six minutes left in the episode, things are about to get even more interesting—but that’s for you to find out. Ghosts turned out to be a delight, blending comedy, history, and supernatural chaos in the best way possible.

And if you’re wondering how Sam suddenly gained a new perspective on the afterlife, well… let’s just say she was technically dead for three minutes. That alone should tell you everything you need to know.

5 out of 5 spectral shenanigans.