Ghosts Season 5 Episode 8 Review: The Life and Times of Esther Greene

Unfortunately for Alberta, she will forever be linked to Creepy Todd and his weird obsession with her.

Fortunately for us, Todd’s return on Ghosts Season 5 Episode 8, “The Life and Times of Esther Greene,” after two years, means Alberta’s backstory is back on the table.

With another podcast and a valuable dive into her double life, we gain even more respect for the star spirit.

The best part of this episode should be Alberta confiding in Pete, but it is most definitely Thorfinn and Alberta’s revenge pact.

There is nothing more incredible than watching people be petty for the sake of being petty and snitching for the purpose of causing maximum damage.

These two, holding ridiculous grudges and unleashing their wrath suddenly, came about quietly. Now they have the funniest running gag on the show.

Alberta’s calling Thorfinn a “petty bitch” as he fist bumps the air, followed by his little “yeah!” in response, is a highlight of the show. And the pure joy Thor experiences when he learns Alberta’s hat belonged to a dummy, making it a “dummy hat,” is worth the years of setup.

This purely spiteful behaviour that doesn’t tiptoe around niceties is what makes Ghosts’ comedy so unique and unnerving.

That said, the stuff with Pete is pretty dang adorable, too!

Alberta meets her first crossroads with Pete as a couple, and it’s fascinating to see her briefly slip into her old ways by throwing up that wall to keep him out. Then Pete brilliantly pulls that emotional guilt trip card by reminding her that he married a woman who kept him in the dark, and he won’t do it again.

It’s a decisive moment of strength for Pete to push back against someone else’s wishes, and it’s a defining one for Alberta when she agrees it’s not okay for her to ask that of him.

These two continue to prove they are the idyllic pairing, pushing each other to be better and rewarding us with the spoils of their victories.

The reveal of Esther Greene feels like a victory!

This new piece of Alberta’s lore slots effortlessly into what we already know about her. Of course, Alberta had a secret life of fame and fortune — she is a showgirl through and through. It’s comforting to know she did get the fame she wanted and ultimately gave it up for her passion job.

That enriches every aspect of the singer’s storyline and leads to a silly, only slightly disturbing, ventriloquistic act with Pete on her lap.

Any episode that treats Alberta Haynes like a star is worthy in our books!

The Todd Pod storyline is possibly at its weakest when it’s trying to tie itself to Alberta’s storyline.

Todd just casually mentioning there’s a whole chapter to Alberta’s story he can’t uncover when that never once came up during Alberta’s podcast storyline is a little too revealing of a plot hole.

It’s aggressively clear in that dialogue exchange that the episode needs to go in a specific direction, whether it works or not. It’s a sitcom weakness Ghosts doesn’t often display so prominently.

Thankfully, as the episode gets underway, Todd and Alberta’s storylines coexist much more organically, covering an impressive amount of ground.

“The Life and Times of Esther Greene” doesn’t just champion Alberta, and that’s what makes it such a spectacle.

In welcoming a wealthier Todd back to Woodstone, it not only throws off the pre-established power dynamics between Sam and Todd. The promise of something to gain from Todd draws several more characters out of the woodwork.

Mark makes an appearance, and Bela steals the show as a woman hell-bent on sacrificing her dignity for the sake of bagging a rich man. Not only does it come perfectly on the heels of her breakup with Eric, but it gives Hetty something hilarious to root for.

Most importantly, we catch a deeper glance into Jay and Sam’s relationship as they struggle internally with sacrificing their success for each other.

Ghosts could use more storylines that remind us they are a three-dimensional couple outside of the ghost-related drama.

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

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