‘Ghosts’: 10 of the Show’s Most Emotional Episodes, Ranked
Ghosts may be one of TV’s most funny comedies right now, but it also has tons of heart.
These days, comedy isn’t good comedy without a tear or two every few episodes, and Ghosts is no exception. Since the arrival of living couple Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) at Woodstone Mansion, nothing has been the same for its spirits. Viewers have been lucky enough to see all of their worlds are being shaken up in different emotional ways.
Whether it’s finding long-sought-after fame or ghosts getting an update on their living loved ones, this show has something for everyone. Below, we’re ranking some of the show’s most emotional installments so far, and let us know what moments you’ve loved the most in the comments section.
Ghosts, Thursdays, 9/8c, CBS
10. "Attic Girl" (Season 1, Episode 17)
It’s always fun when a new ghost joins the mix on Ghosts, but for Samantha, it’s anything but sunshine and rainbows when she meets moody teen Stephanie (Odessa A’zion), a girl who died on her prom night. After opening up about her own high school experience, Sam’s insecurities are taken advantage of by Stephanie who takes on the “mean girl” role. But when Sam takes a moment to step back and see where Stephanie’s pain is coming from, they both get the prom night they always wanted in the form of a celebration that fans won’t soon forget. For the sweet factor, this episode definitely lands on the emotional scale.
9. "Viking Funeral" (Season 1, Episode 3)
While this installment isn’t quite the weepiest, there is something sweet about the fact that Viking Thorfinn (Devan Long) just wants a traditional burial for his bones, which are discovered amid Sam and Jay’s ongoing bed and breakfast renovations. Even though the couple considers selling them for money, they decide to do what’s right and honor their ghoulish houseguest in a moving ceremony that includes a boat and flaming arrow. The gesture is the first sight of Sam and Jay’s real attachment to the ghosts as well.
8. "The Vault" (Season 1, Episode 13)
Although Hetty’s (Rebecca Wisocky) reunion with her ghastly husband and cousin Elias (guest star Matt Walsh) it isn’t exactly sweet, emotions still run high. Despite years to think on his past errors, Elias doesn’t learn much in the afterlife in comparison to Hetty who calls him out on his cruel behaviors. Displeased that his wife no longer bows to his commands, Elias receives a one way ticket to hell after an impassioned speech from Hetty that certainly reaches the kind of emotional heights this show tackles so well. Which is why this episode earns a spot on our emotional ranking.
7. "D & D" (Season 1, Episode 8)
Perhaps more funny than sad, Isaac’s (Brandon Scott Jones) run-in with Nigel Chessum (John Hartman) brings out the Revolutionary military man’s true feelings, even if he can’t voice them quite yet. Despite being enemies on the battlefield, its clear that the duo have come to care for one another over their years on Woodstone’s grounds, leaving us keeping our fingers crossed for a romantic reunion in future episodes.
6. "Possession" (Season 1, Episode 10)
It’s always fun seeing actors impersonate their costars, and Utkarsh Ambudkar got to put on his best Hetty as he embodied Rebecca Wisocky’s ghost. Through the silliness, there was a bittersweetness to the possession over Jay’s body in which Hetty tried her best to experience the life she never had, vicariously through his living form. While she munched on cheese puffs and guzzled down booze, the true heart of Hetty’s motivation finally surfaces in the moments before she’s pushed out of Jay’s body. She regrets that she didn’t travel or live life the way she could have while she still had time. It’s a perfect reminder to anyone watching that life’s too short to not take chances and experience everything you can.
5. "Ghostwriter" (Season 1, Episode 14)
Digging into Sasappis’ (Román Zaragoza) past, the episode follows his struggles to share his storytelling skills. After an initially failed attempt to impress Sam (Rose McIver) with his skills, Sasappis reflected on his life and advice he received from his father to encourage her efforts to make a website for the B&B. Moved by his wisdom, Sam recruits the help of Sasappis’ fellow ghosts to arrange an emotional storytelling session that may or may not bring a little tear to viewers’ eyes. Along with this moving moment, the fact that Sasappis’ father was portrayed by Román Zaragoza’s real-life dad, Gregory Zaragoza, makes the installment that much more special.
4. "Sam's Mom" (Season 1, Episode 11)
Sam reunites with her mother Sheryl (Rachael Harris) who died in a tacky fusion restaurant based out of Ohio six years prior. While Sam gets an opportunity that most individuals would die for, she can’t get over her mother’s judgemental thoughts about her journalist career path. After some brief bickering though, Sam overhears the other ghosts in the restaurant talking about how proud Sheryl is of her. This leads to some heartwarming bonding and a final goodbye as Sheryl is by definition of Woodstone’s ghosts “sucked off.” The emotional weight of realizing she’ll never see her mother again, makes Sam’s experience a high-ranking one.
3. "Alberta's Fan" (Season 1, Episode 9)
This episode lands in the Top 3 for more than one reason as the episode focuses on Alberta’s (Danielle Pinnock) crazy fan. Despite the cringey historian who stops by Woodstone hoping to uncover more about his favorite jazz star, Alberta finally learns the truth behind her death and gets recognition for musical contributions with an all-new fanbase. It’s the perfect and emotional reaction from Alberta that makes this episode stand out. A special bonus layer to the episode is Hetty’s realization that the “angel” who used to sing her to sleep as a child was actually Thorfinn, leading to a sweet and special kind of reunion between the pair who already live together in the mansion.
2. "Flower's Article" (Season 1, Episode 6)
Flower’s (Sheila Carrasco) best known as Woodstone’s resident hippie, but this episode delves into her criminal past as she robbed a bank with her fellow rebels. Even though her fellow ghosts saw her as a directionless person, this episode proves that she was once a person with hopes, dreams, and a love that endured long after her death. When Sam does some digging, she learns that a successful chain of coffee shops was created in Flower’s memory by her former boyfriend.
1. "Pete's Wife" (Season 1, Episode 5)
Even if Woodstone’s über-positive scout leader Pete (Richie Moriarty) had to learn that his wife had been cheating on him with his best friend, the hard-to-swallow development is more than made up for when he gets to see his adult daughter and lookalike grandson. It may be TV, but the kind of closure that Pete’s able to experience is enough to bring tears to not just one, but both of our eyes, making “Pete’s Wife” an episode to beat.
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