Ghosts Season 4 Episode 3 Review: Halloween 4: The Witch

Beware Ghosts Season 4 Episode 3, “Halloween 4: The Witch,” for it will cast a spell of harmless laughs and silly scares, but underneath lurks a terrifying jumpscare.

This fourth installment thrives in the chaos of vintage Season 1 Ghosts with its rapid-fire banter and occult shenanigans.

Foolish Jay thought he could save lives and stress by canceling Halloween, but his yard sale replicates the perfect storm of chaos we expect from these specials.

The Witch Trial

A witch trial is so on-brand for Ghosts, and dare I say, our brand as well.

I secretly wish the witch trial had been the centerpiece of the episode rather than a side quest. Seeing Sam reluctantly take the stand in her own trial would have escalated things beautifully.

And it feels like a missed opportunity to ponder why Sam can speak with the dead when people like Eric could not.

That said, what we do get of the witch trial is iconic. 

The ghosts condemn her for selling their penguin leashes and not bringing the hot maid back. Their pettiness transports us back to the glory days of Season 1, when insults were slung more freely, and gazebo fires were lied about without remorse.

And Isaac blackmailing Patience with reality TV is as precious as her little jig to the Diabetes commercial. One joke reigns supreme: the lure of the television is too strong for any ghost to resist. It will always be their downfall.

Any episode that revolves around leaving the bored ghosts idle and expecting them not to get into trouble is a gem.

Jay should know by now not to leave those children unattended. We should be glad he never learns because it’s the best recipe for disaster.

And can we blame Jay for assuming his wife was a statue? He lives an insane life.

Thankfully, the ghosts have learned to use the iPad for swifter communication in a crisis. This was their most productive “No-Sam” adventure yet, and I adore that Trevor has learned to use emojis.

I also love seeing this side of Sam each year. Her joy for decorating her house is infectious, and it is validating for Jay to acknowledge this part of her.

This Halloween special is a fun little fest of callbacks. We see Hetty try to activate her ghost power to no avail. Peter hilariously reminds everyone that he can leave the property, and Sonic saves Sam — although it may still kill Jay.

A Spooky Yard Sale

A “Halloween yard sale” sounded like a terrible idea. How could something so dull and un-spooky top seances and dead bodies? With Hetty Woodstone, that’s how.

Ghosts leans on Hetty’s extravagant, reckless spending as a robber baron to breathe life into this yard sale. Every treasure and exotic trophy has a story, and Hetty hilariously forces them on anyone within her vicinity.

Hetty’s past as a slimy socialite is a blast to explore. It also ensures there’s always somewhere interesting to go with the scene when mummies and penguin leashes are involved.

And with all these treasures pulled from the mysterious ballroom, we might also have a tease for a new set.

Ultimately, the yard sale gives us a Farnsby update and visually hints at Hetty’s time alive at Woodstone. The best running joke has Sam discretely adding Jay’s collectibles to the sale when he’s not looking.

The essence of Halloween manages to live on in the kitschy and chaotic elements of this haunted house’s yard sale.

Cliffhangers, oh my!

Like most of these spooky specials, “Halloween 4: The Witch” leaves its impression on the season.

Shockingly so as Ghosts had to make sacrifices this time and could have easily fumbled a quieter outing. But there is something stellar to be said about the horrors that lurk in the sidelines.

The episode rightfully doesn’t try to compete with seances. Instead, it presents a harmless yard sale romp, lulling us into a false sense of safety before expertly pulling the rug out from under us.

Patience’s farewell is deliciously clever. We are so relieved to see her go that the last-second mention of “others” is unnerving. Yet, it’s not out of the blue. In her first scene, Patience told us she would seek out others. Now, that hint is paying off big time.

The phrase “I must return to the others ” evokes horror and shock, an emotional reaction akin to the Halloween experience.

You can’t always teach a spirit new tricks, but you can expect Ghosts to make us pay for it with a cliffhanger.

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

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