Brandon Scott Jones on Captaining the Haunting Hit-Comedy ‘Ghosts’ [Interview]

Ghosts continues to haunt viewers with its killer sense of humor and spooky-good storylines.

Based on the BBC series of the same name, this supernatural sitcom has become somewhat of a phenomenon, securing a strong fanbase and earning a stellar reputation as the #1 new comedy thanks to its skilled ensemble of spirits.

One of those spirits is Captain Isaac Higgentoot, played by Brandon Scott Jones. A snobbish Revolutionary War soldier, Isaac’s petty history lessons and closeted struggle with sexuality have given viewers plenty of comedic depth to champion.

Ahead of Ghosts Season 1 Episode 15, “Thorapy,” I had the opportunity to ask Jones questions that have haunted fans, including the significance of Isaac’s journey to self-love, the mystery of Trevor’s missing pants, and the cast’s appreciation for this spirited fanbase.

Jones confirmed fans had been nothing short of “awesome” during his stay at Woodstone Manor. “To see the viewership grow each week has been blowing our minds. And getting a chance to interact with all the fans on Twitter has been one of the joys of the whole process.”

“We’re very, very lucky because we know there’s a lot of great TV out there in this golden age of television, and knowing that people are coming to see our show is — it’s truly one of the most moving and flattering things you can think of.”

When it comes to the cast’s offscreen camaraderie, he confessed life imitates art.

“We’ve been up in Montreal shooting the show, and we only really know each other. So not only did we hang out on set, we’d hang out outside of the set as well. Those who have relocated their families, we’ve gotten to know them. And I think these are people that I would love to have in my life for a long time, that’s for damn sure.”

Ghosts‘ “Thorapy” episode witnessed Isaac confide in Hetty about his true feelings for Nigel, a choice Jones thought was fantastic for the characters. “To have it be between Rebecca [Wisocky] and me was one of the best things in the world.”

“I know that when we got the script, Rebecca and I were so impressed with the writing that Trey Kollmer and John Blickstead did. And we were also just so excited to be able to have a couple of scenes together where we got to both play and have a nice emotional connection.”

“It’s a delicate moment in someone’s life, and we’re hopefully seeing a shift in the way the world is and so forth. But as somebody who had to come out myself, I know that it takes a lot of courage to really admit to yourself who you are. And then to do it to another person is always this interesting thing, especially if it’s something you’ve been struggling with, and Isaac’s been struggling with it for two-and-a-half centuries,” he recalled.

“It’s this real leap of faith and this real sign of trust. That they’ve known each other for 150 years, and only it’s now coming to a head, is such an interesting thing. It’s such a big step in their relationship.”

As for Isaac’s romantic prospects, rest assured, more manor meet-cutes are coming.

“I can tell you that I know we’ll see Nigel again,” Jones teased. “Where Isaac is, we’ll check in with him. After this episode, I think he’s able to move past this little hump. One of my favorite moments that the writers created was the fact that not only was this guy a crush, but Isaac was the one who killed him.”

“I think to associate the two things of like, ‘Oh my gosh, my love is so powerful that I killed this person.’ That’s already something he has to deal with, and now he’s finally feeling his feelings. 250 years is already a slow burn, so I think it’s going to keep going at that pace.”

A particularly loveable aspect of Isaac’s character is the enjoyment he takes in using his first hand-accounts of American history to bag on the founding fathers. It’s a habit Jones finds “so fun” to experiment with.

“It feels so current, too, because that’s always in the zeitgeist, is the idea of, ‘Okay, what did our founding fathers want and what have we become?’ I think that Isaac, whether he doesn’t know too much about the outside world, he’s learning slowly. But he feels like he was on the edge of history, and I think he’s so desperate to be remembered as one of those founding fathers that whenever he isn’t, he’s just willing to throw them under the bus,” Jones joked.

“He’s like, ‘Look, if people aren’t going to think that I’m a better part, I’m at least going to take everyone else down.'”

It’s a strategy many would agree is very on-brand for Isaac.

Speaking of on-brand, it is no surprise which particular ghost causes the most breaks during scenes.

“It could be anyone on any day, but I’m going to go with Devan [Long],” Jones confessed. “The thing about Devan, who plays Thor, is that not only is he hilarious when he’s bellowing and screaming, or even when he’s doing his quiet, disgruntled Viking character, but he’s such an incredibly funny improviser that when they give him the license to just go hard and go big, he is so unbelievable with his specifics.”

“I think there’s even a clip online where you can see Danielle [Pinnock], just tears streaming down her face because he’s so funny. And then, in-between takes, Utkrsh [Ambudkar] makes me laugh a lot. He always has a joke right before we’re about to do a take, so he’s another good option.”

In case you were wondering, the bloopers for the back half of this season will indeed be juicy.

“There is going to be some juicy bloops, that is for sure. Whenever all 10 of us are in a scene together, we always say it is the absolute, most fun. There is nothing more enjoyable than when all of us are there. It also means our wonderful, amazing crew is going to have the biggest headache because we just are such a big, chatty group, and we love hanging out and making each other laugh,” the actor added.

“I’m sure that there are hours of footage of us messing up little lines or trying to make each other laugh during takes. It’s one of the most joyous things — oh my God, I almost got emotional saying that! But it is one of the most joyous things I’ve ever been a part of. So if any of those moments are caught on camera, then we’ll be in for a treat.”

When asked to elaborate on what has made Ghosts such an emotional project to work on, Jones explained, “It’s been bewildering in this really great way. I have these images of Richie [Moriarty] coming into our little tent area where the actors sit, and he’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, the ratings went up, and these reviews have come out, and they were so nice.’ We were all just so pleasantly, pleasantly surprised.”

“The morning after we premiered, we all came in, it was a big group scene, and we were all hugging each other, hugging the crew. That was one of the nicest moments, just being able to celebrate the achievement because the people that work on our show in Montreal are absolutely world-class A-list. You can’t get a better crew of people, and they’re working their asses off to make this show, and just to see it all come together was just a wonderful moment.”

Alas, all good things must come to an end (for now) as Jones confirmed Ghosts would go on a brief hiatus, returning with its final three episodes soon.

“I think the one we come back with is called ‘How Trevor Lost His Pants.’ The question will be answered, and it’s very, very exciting. I just think Asher Grodman is such a talented, amazing, funny actor, and so technically great.” He added,” I remember shooting it, and he gives such an amazing performance. Fans of the show and fans of him are going to be pleased.”

As for whether the answer shocked Jones, he did admit the pants-less reveal was “much more complex than I thought it was.”

Out of fear he may have “Tom-Hollanded” this answer, the actor left fans with this: “There’s a much more complex, detailed understanding of it, and it actually reveals something about Trevor’s character that I didn’t know before and I think none of us knew. I’m really excited about it.”

When asked what ghost persona he would love to act opposite of, Jones had a few ideas, “When Lincoln was shot, he was at a play called Our American Cousin. I imagine that the lead actor of that play would be a really funny example to have.”

“Somebody from the late 1800s, early 1900s. Like a drama star, that type, just very high drama, a high status in this fun way, and just coming in and overwhelming. Because Isaac and Hetty are two characters that are probably of the highest status or think they are, and then to have somebody come in – like a full Norma Desmond-type. How do we get her onto the property? That would be amazing.”

Jones also co-wrote the script for Senior Year, an upcoming Netflix film that follows a high school cheerleader who wants to be prom queen. It premieres internationally on May 13th.

“It takes place in 2002, and on the day of the final pep rally, she goes into a coma and wakes up 20 years later. It’s this very fun, very silly, hopefully very lovely story about the world of 2002 clashing with the world of 2022 and how teens have changed,” he explained. “It answers that question of, ‘If I had to go back to high school as an adult, what would feel different?'”

“It’s this silly comedy that gets to pay homage to the stories that I grew up with while also trying to pay homage to the current generation of kids that are going to be running the world. I was just talking to the director and Rebel [Wilson] last night, and the easiest way we describe it is if you like to laugh and you like Britney Spears, you’re going to love this movie.”

—

Ghosts airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS, and is available to stream on Paramount+.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

Shadow and Bone: Kit Young Discusses the Grishaverse, Gunslinging, and Goats [Interview]