Ghosts Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Spies

Ghosts‘ silly, spirited escapism makes checking into the Woodstone B&B a delight once again.

Ghosts Season 2 Episode 1, “Spies,” is a spooky good spectacle that conjures feelings of comfort and camaraderie while leaning into the problematic paranormal activity that gives this show its adorable edge.

Confident on its feet and clever with branding, the maturing sitcom has good bones and even better intentions.

Simple, well-executed episodes such as this exemplify the elegance of Ghosts‘ pre-established formula.

Part workplace comedy, part dysfunctional family sitcom, the series draws on elements of mundane insanity but finds vast richness in its humility.

This harmless haunt twists low-stakes, close quarters drama into breathless, high-energy commentary.

The unraveling of Jay’s ghost-seeing abilities speaks to the creativity of a premise that appreciates originality above gimmicks. Ghosts has never bothered to dumb down its wit for network television, so the clever fake-out feels entirely too on brand for this trickster spirit show.

And don’t think it goes unnoticed that “Spies” touches on every element of world-building introduced in the first season without feeling like a bloat apparition of itself.

The sitcom goes as far as to reintroduce us to the cholera pit and Nigel’s former lover, all while ensuring the TV holds infinite power over the house.

That flat screen is as much a character as the mansion at this point.

But, Sam and Jay constantly stumbling over ghosts keeps the show’s core concept in motion. It also reminds us of the sinister forces lurking beyond their existence. The glossy lens through which those chilling elements appear never grows tiresome.

Acting as a secondary pilot, “Spies” doesn’t throw a new playbook at us. Instead, it falls back on familiar beats that are trusted to succeed. A choice that could grow tiresome but, for now, feels delightfully quaint.

The decision to play this premiere safe may not be a coincidence. But neither is the choice to integrate Nigel’s dry wit — what a lovely nod he is to the BBC comedy!

What is glorious about Ghosts is its commitment to keeping this ensemble working as a seamless unit. It’s as if no time has passed between these colleagues.

There is bone-chilling chemistry at work here, and it affords certain players to take us by surprise when they break from the crowd.

That honor has to go to Flower this time, whose spacey demeanor is not lost in the shuffle. She has no issue undermining “Spies” with a delusion that has seemingly reached its full potential to wreak havoc.

She’s not in on the joke, not a single time. Instead, Carrasco turns that disadvantage into valuable timing, waiting until the moment has passed before striking. Whether complaining that B&Bs are worthless without invasion of privacy or admitting she couldn’t pick Jay out in a lineup, this ghost is scaring up hysteria.

Flower’s elbows are sharp, but it’s good to see Ghosts showcase her cutthroat timing. The hippy exemplifies everything killer about this sitcom’s renewed subtlety.

It’s good to see Ghosts doubling down on its promises.

The B&B opened, and Isaac and Nigel’s romantic feelings did not mysteriously vanish. By putting these star-crossed lovers at the front of this episode, the sitcom tells viewers exactly how committed it is to prioritizing their story.

Even better, Isaac and Nigel face their first scabble and overcome it together. Between the shared ant interest and the Spice Girl innuendos, adding Thorfinn as a relationship buffer is a brilliant move.

Isaac telling Thor to tone down his personality opens the episode to conflict that skirts redemption beautifully. No show does pettyness better than Ghosts, and having Thor storm off to live with the cholera ghosts is as dramatic as tantrums come.

And it would make sense that the minute Isaac has something entirely his, he would do anything to keep it. So nothing about Isaac’s betrayal is out of character, and the same can be said for his apology.

If this return to form is Ghosts‘ way of showing us how it plans to build on its blueprints, I am confident we will have nothing but good things to say about our stay.

A gaggle of gossiping ghosts; a man thirsty to see spirits that will drop all sensibility to defend his wife’s ass, and a Viking who befriends a British soldier — this is the energy every show should bring to spooky season.

And do not even get me started on the catalysts of this episode. Boomers with no comprehension of how technology works? You are a real one for that, Ghosts.

So, in the spirit of the iconic Spice Girls song: if you wanna be my friend, you gotta get with this adorable show!

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Ghosts airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.

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