Ghosts 2×21 “Whodunnit,” delivers a gut-punch and gasp-worthy resolution to a century-old murder mystery. Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) has been on an epic quest to discover the truth behind her murder for over a hundred years. That’s tenacity. Ghosts being Ghosts, this penultimate episode of the season is enough to elicit more than a few tears and tonnes of laugh-out-loud moments.
An Intergenerational Murder Mystery
It doesn’t need to be said that Alberta is the group that holds this chaotic ghostly family together. Clearly, the mystery behind her murder has captivated generations of adoring fans. Sam’s (Rose McIver) podcast has re-ignited the mystery. Alberta’s fandom really has extended to the deepest darkest corners of the internet (looking at you, Creepy Todd), but she deserves nothing less. Someone with this kind of star power is bound to continue making an impact long after their death.
What makes this episode’s whodunnit really come together is how committed everyone is to discovering the truth. They’ll even go down into Woodstone’s cholera pit to find the answers they need. Additionally, fact that Alberta was tangled up with Al Capone in life just adds another intriguing layer to this character’s story. It’s true, Capone is a worthy villain for Alberta to have been involved with. It makes sense that being rejected by such a star would have such an impact on an infamous tax evader.
Sisters Before Misters
Who could have possibly predicted that the story of Alberta’s murder would have such a devastating twist? It’s more than heartbreaking to think that Alberta thought that her sister was responsible for the murder that shook the jazz world a century ago. Hetty’s (Rebecca Wisocky) son being responsible for Alberta’s untimely demise is a shocking twist that is sure to have massive repercussions. This reveal also closes a loop. It now makes perfect make sense that a crusty Gilded Age broad would be so accepting of the fact that Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) is gay.
This episode is evidently a critical moment for Alberta and Hetty’s friendship. As a pair, they’re among the most underrated duos that exist within this ensemble. Now, they have to face the consequences of the fact that Hetty kept this horrific secret from her dear friend. If Hetty was willing to lie about this, what other deep dark secrets is she keeping about the residents of Woodstone? In a series that is all about spooky hijinks and hilarious shenanigans, this is an unusually sobering thought. The reason that this shift in tone works is because the series has put so much effort into developing each of these characters individually so that they can be that much stronger together.
A Princely Scam for Our Grandma and Grandpas
Ghosts 2×21 “Whodunnit,” also features maybe one of the best B-stories of the series so far. Flower (Sheila Carrasco), Trevor (Asher Grodman), and Pete (Richie Moriarty) being scammed by an alleged Nigerian prince is the most wholesome way to poke fun at the elderly. In an episode with difficult questions for these lovable characters, the B-story more than carries the comedy.
This chaotic trio truly embodies the chaos that Ghosts has become known for. They’re trying to do the right thing to help Sam and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar). Everything blows up in their faces spectacularly. This storyline is also a good reminder that while these ghosts may have died in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, at this point in time, they’re just old. It’s fascinating to watch these ghosts get to experience the joys of aging, including being scammed out of thousands of dollars, while being the same age forever.
A New Bromance Worth Loving
Trevor and Pete could not be more opposite as ghosts. It’s hard to imagine that they would have had anything in common in life. Their team-up is as delightful as it is unexpected. Listening to them bond over their thighs is just proof that truly anyone can be friends. These two grandpas are balls of anarchy, and they truly deserve to be friends in their respective afterlives. Woodstone has a funny way of bringing the most unexpected people together.
As Ghosts sets up for the grand finale of the season, the series shows no signs of slowing down. There are still so many relationships to explore and many more stories left to tell. The series is doing a phenomenal job of setting up its own future. This episode is also proof that the series can perfectly balance humour and heart. The future already looks bright.
Ghosts airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.
I was very surprised that Trevor fell for the Nigerian Prince e-mail. That particular scam was well known by the time he died in 2000. Given his age and profession, I would think he would have been on the World Wide Web in the 90s and heard about it. I’m speaking some born around the Sam time as Trevor and Prom Ghost Tiffany.