If you thought Ghosts couldn’t get any better, you’d be wrong. The series hits fans with a near-perfect episode with “Jay’s Friends.” Seriously, the emotions that this show can pack into less than thirty minutes is breathtaking every time. This episode is the perfect example of everything that Ghosts does best. The humor is always on point, but the feelings are what will get you, in the best possible way. And if you’re wondering who’s left the bowl of chopped onions out, you aren’t the only one.
Flower Power
Let’s be honest, Flower has always been the glue that holds this misfit group of spirits together. Her massive heart shines through every time she’s around. Sheila Carrasco is a force of nature and truthfully defies the ability to accurately describe just how poignant her performance here is. It’s beyond heartbreaking to think of Flower carrying this amount of regret for not reconciling with her brother while she was alive. She deserves the peace she’s given, knowing that her brother not only survived the Vietnam War, but still loves her and thinks about her all the time.
Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) bringing Flower out of her shell is poetic as well. Last week, we got to know Alberta in a deeper, enthralling way. Alberta’s compassion towards Flower is a credit to Alberta as a leader. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like Alberta, letting us tell our truth in our own time. These two have such an incredible dynamic. Alberta never comes across as demeaning or invalidating when dealing with Flower. Instead, it’s clear that Alberta recognizes Flower’s innocence isn’t something to be mocked, it’s something to be cherished and nurtured.
Roommate Trouble
This episode has arguably one of the greatest B-stories that this series has had so far. Sass (Román Zaragoza) and Pete (Richie Moriarty) are a force of nature together. Moriarty’s line delivery of, “Welcome to another day in hell, bitch” may have been the absolute best one-liner in this series so far. Pete’s boundless optimism combined with Sass’s heartbreaking realism makes for an extra dose of comedy that really never lets up.
On the flip side, there’s a poignancy, seeing these two approaches to the afterlife side by side. Imagine getting bored of seeing the same sun rise and set for a thousand years. Facing the crushing endlessness of eternity is clearly not for the faint of heart. Even in the monotony, however, there’s still beauty to be found. And Pete is the perfect character to remind us to always look at sunsets.
You’ve Got to Have Friends?
It’s honestly kind of easy to forget that the premise of this episode is Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) Micha very nearly joining a cult. However, this is yet another reminder of what a lonely existence Jay must have. With Sam (Rose McIver) having the ghosts to speak to at any time of day, it’s tough seeing a guy as great as Jay not be able to branch out and be the great friend he’s capable of being. Also, for anyone feeling unlucky in friendship love, Jay is all too relatable.
Additionally, this storyline is a venue for Sam and Jay to show how much of a power couple they really are. They’re clearly stronger together. So many couples talk about being one another’s best friend. Sam and Jay are already there. Throw in Thor’s (Devan Chandler Long) continued Friends obsession, and you have a beautiful meditation on the importance of friendship at any age, and how we all depend on these relationships in our lives.
The Best Crew in Town
The continued exploration of Hetty’s (Rebecca Wisocky) sexual awakening is equally hilarious as a bit and incredibly empowering. Hetty deserves to discover this part of herself after spending her life sexually repressed, and her afterlife in ignorance. Relatedly, there’s a beautiful moment where Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) verbalizes that he doesn’t need to hide his sexuality anymore. It’s a throwaway line, but there’s a triumph in the moment that was too long coming.
Ultimately, Ghosts has truly outdone itself with an episode packed with its strongest episodes to date. “Jay’s Friends” is instructional in how to use an entire ensemble cast to their strengths. Even Trevor (Asher Grodman) gets to be the voice of reason, which is massive growth for him as a character. The tears only make the laughs land harder. And a cult leader’s charisma is no match for the family that is at Woodstone Manor. That’s why Ghosts remains a delight that we don’t deserve.
Ghosts airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.