Ghosts Season 3 Episode 8 Review: Holes Are Bad

Indeed, holes are very bad. Yet, as much as Ghosts Season 3 Episode 8, “Holes Are Bad,” makes us want to throw ourselves into one, it is anything but bad.

This episode is a gutwrenching use of the humanity at Ghosts’ disposal, a chilling victory for a premise that withholds information, and a phenomenal blend of comedy and camaraderie.

It makes you want to hug these ghosts for being so preciously human and heartbreaking.

The episode sets itself up for victory early on as Sam and Jay leave the ghosts to fend for themselves. It’s not a tool Ghosts can use often, but there’s no denying when it removes the conduit between the living and the dead, the show does its best work.

The scene that sets the rescue mission into motion is a fantastic use of Sam and Jay’s absence. It forces the ghosts to work together more than usual. And what a rarity it is to see Stephanie, Nancy, and the core ensemble playing off each other in one room. Their collective energy is palpable!

It’s a shame we couldn’t see more of Ralph and Stephanie together, but if sacrificing a teenage cholera victim is what gets Flower back, so be it.

Between Nancy miscounting the basement ghosts, Thorfinn knowing where Flower was this entire time, and Isaac saying, “Some of us are trying to plan dinosaur-themed weddings,” this exchange is effortlessly in character for everyone involved in the mayhem.

The group’s lighthearted panic and excitement set the tone of this friendship-centric episode early, so it’s ready to cushion Hetty’s fall.

Flower’s Return

Flower’s return is another lighthearted tool that allows Ghosts to plunge into the deep end without letting the subject matter weigh this episode down.

The sitcom never planned to lose such an important character. However, the choice to make her absence mean something, not just for the shortened season but for Hetty’s story, proves crucial in Season 3’s success. It is also a damning reminder of how valuable Sheila Carrasco is to this comedy.

When the camera pans into the well to reveal our first glimpse at Flower in over a year, it’s hard not to breathe a sigh of relief.

Flower’s bubbly, flighty personality breathes life into every room. By merely existing in the same space as Hetty, she transforms a ridiculous storyline into something soothing and loving with stakes that complement Hetty’s struggles.

A passionate reunion between Thor and Flower is the happy ending we need to walk away from this difficult subject feeling comforted.

Hetty’s Cause of Death

Now, we need to discuss the death that could have brought this comedy to its knees but instead elevated it to new heights.

When Hetty pulls back her lace blouse to reveal the rope around her neck, the comedy chooses not to shy away from the uglier parts of its premise. Ghosts is a show about death, and while that means learning to navigate the worst fates, it also means this show has to be brave enough to acknowledge the shame and delicacy around certain deaths.

Hetty’s story does this with remarkable ease, presenting her decision to commit suicide without having to give up the charm or warmth of the episode’s tone.

The reveal comes at the perfect time as we have come to grow with Hetty and care for the incredible woman hiding underneath all those layers. We feel Hetty’s despair every second of her reveal, which makes this storyline work so painfully well.

Learning that this confident, intelligent woman was reduced to such a heartbreaking ending is gutting.

Her demise no doubt holds more weight than an accidental morphine overdose because it is one of the few deaths in the mansion that was intentional — and immediately regretted.

Sadly, tragedy is this show’s most valuable currency, and it profoundly enriches Hetty’s three seasons of building story.

It’s heartbreaking to learn all those times Hetty was taught to prioritize men, money, and male power; she was led to believe her existence didn’t matter. When she had no men to think for her, Hetty assumed she had to sacrifice her life to save her son’s reputation.

We started this show debating a woman’s right to vote, and this comedy has yet to see the ceiling to that topic.

As sad and devastating as this death is, it strikes a chord for a multitude of topical and emotional reasons, ensuring the gravity of this choice strikes home for many viewers watching. The anguish on Hetty’s face as she reveals her scars is universally understood.

In a Hole

Give Rebecca Wisocky her flowers because this performance is otherworldly. She makes us feel every note of shame, sadness, and regret in Hetty’s sunken posture.

This stellar comedian switches up on us so fast and plays the despair of her downfall with devastating grace as she uses the tool of her undoing to save a friend. To see Hetty flee her friends in disgrace and then voice remorse for not asking for help when she fell into a hole is an emotional rollercoaster.

Also, we must give Ghosts its flowers for being so painfully human without losing what makes comedy a cathartic remedy for sorrow. As sad as Hetty’s situation is, she has Flower to remind her that love and laughter are always close by.

It’s safe to say we will never look at holes or this comedy the same again.

Additional Thoughts

• The show’s refusal to take its lore seriously continues to be the best running joke. Because “What makes floor, floor? And wall, wall?” does not explain why the ghosts pass through walls, but it is immensely entertaining to hear.
• I love that there’s a feral protestant ghost wandering the grounds, and I hope Ghosts will let this haunting tidbit come back around just in time for Halloween.
• We should care where Carol wandered off to, but this episode benefits from its focus on the core ghost ensemble. At least that weird purse candy had a purpose.
• Trevor doesn’t have lines during the initial reveal, but the devastation on his face says it all. Isaac reassuring Hetty with the line, “You were in a hole,” proves delivery can turn an episode title on its head.

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

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