Ghosts Season 2 Episode 21 Review: Whodunnit

The finale to Alberta’s murder mystery podcast is every bit the shocking revelation listeners deserve.

Ghosts Season 2 Episode 21, “Whodunnit,” could be this show’s magnum opus of storylines. Alberta’s murder has lingered in the background since the pilot, beginning as a mere ego trip on the singer’s part and blossoming into a punchy murder investigation with a knack for plot twists.

However, the chosen conclusion elevates a hundred years of ghost dynamics and the capabilities of this sitcom with one deadly blow.

It’s one thing to craft a good murder mystery, another thing entirely to nail the killer reveal, and Ghosts has an ace up its sleeve with Thomas Woodstone.

He is the perfect culprit. Hetty’s son does not possess the star power of a high-profile murderer like Al Capone. However, he does boast a history steeped in personal stakes that put his mother and their Woodstone reputation in the direct line of fire.

Hetty withholding this devastating information for years, understanding what the not knowing was doing to Alberta, is gutting in ways we could not have predicted.

We know Elias was a terrible person, and Hetty neglected her children, so this outcome could not be more of a study in character.

For instance, Hetty’s unflinching support towards Isaac when he came out and her encouragement not to bottle up his feelings for Nigel speaks to the layers of the Woodstone family this twist pulls back.

The Killer Reveal

The implications of Thomas killing Alberta to be with Earl is scandalous. But the two women left with the fallout are the ones who effectively twist the knife.

Ghosts brilliantly plays through its usual blend of humility and humor as Hetty begs forgiveness. However, Alberta does not offer her salvation. It marks the first time the sitcom fully embraces these darker tones as it refuses to look away from the characters’ uglier tendencies.

The stakes of Alberta’s murder could have easily been waved off as they have in the past with Nigel and Isaac, but Ghosts wants this unforgivable act to have real consequences for its ensemble. A maturing premise on the cusp of the finale could not be more timely.

The confrontation almost takes on a soap opera quality as the two reconcile with Hetty’s secret. However, the tragic scene endures the harsh realities of murdering someone without shedding its breezy dialogue exchanges.

Praise indeed rests with the creatives behind this episode for orchestrating that grand reveal.

The writing of this mystery saga has never wavered, even with a surprise cancellation. The calculated moves throughout this episode allow the audience to feel part of an organic mystery as it unravels.

The brief comment from Hetty to close the case and call it a day is enough to rub us the wrong way without spoiling the whole reveal.

And using Theresa, Alberta’s family, to force Hetty out of the shadows is ridiculously clever because it establishes an urgency the Victorian socialite cannot ignore.

Wrap the intricate dialogue and pacing up in a neat package and hand it to two skillful members of this ensemble, and you have a concept firing on all cylinders.

The Shocking Confession

Danielle Pinnock and Rebecca Wisocky have the daunting task of challenging the sitcom’s usual status quo with such a heavy confrontation. But they do just that while conveying a hundred years of friendship as it unraveled with their agonizing delivery.

It’s safe to assume Alberta struggled to trust Hetty when she arrived at Woodstone, a place she wasn’t allowed to room at when alive. With Hetty confirming her greatest fear, this reveal sets their dynamic back terribly — but it ups the stakes tremendously.

Heartbreak is present throughout the brief exchange, and it is impossible not to empathize with both women. Hetty truly is remorseful, and we have all struggled with the desire to keep a secret from a friend out of fear of losing them. But Alberta was ridiculed endlessly for suggesting she was murdered.

The two women craft an empathetic argument for why a whodunnit with no victors or heroes proves the most captivating to watch.

Add in a few nosey floating heads, and the scene strikes a haunting balance between the show we love and the show these compelling characters need.

The Silly Side Scam

It is easy to get lost in the drama surrounding Jay’s useless murder board, but there’s no mistaking this Nigerian Prince side quest as the ideal B-storyline.

It is far too crowded to have all the ghosts involved with Alberta’s investigation, and it makes sense that a few stragglers would get caught up in something nefarious. It is one of the few times the separate room plotlines work because Trevor, Flower, and Pete are deliberately hiding from Sam.

It’s clever to have an escalating mystery playing out in the other room while we are in on this joke from the jump. Yet, even this scam toys with the revelation that the ghosts might not be reckless children as much as they are confused elderly.

From Trevor’s missing pants to Alberta’s star-studded whodunnit, Ghosts is ridiculously good at this mystery thing. A Benoit Blanc-approved episode, indeed.

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What did you think of this episode of Ghosts? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And check out our postmortem episode discussion with Danielle Pinnock.

Watch Ghosts online, now streaming on Paramount+. Try it for FREE!

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

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