Ghosts

Premise and Setting

The central premise of Ghosts revolves around Samantha 'Sam' and Jay Arondekar, a New York couple who inherit Woodstone Manor, a dilapidated country house, from Sam's great aunt Sophie Brimble. Their plan to convert the property into a bed and breakfast is complicated by two major discoveries. First, the manor is in a severe state of disrepair. Second, and more significantly, Sam gains the ability to see and hear ghosts after a near-death experience caused by the ghost Trevor successfully moving a vase. This accident reveals that Woodstone Manor is inhabited by the spirits of individuals who died on the property throughout American history. These ghosts are bound to the estate's grounds, appearing as they did at their moment of death and each possessing a unique supernatural ability tied to their life or demise. While Sam can now interact with this spectral ensemble, her husband Jay remains unable to see or hear them, though he often attempts to communicate based on Sam's descriptions.

Main Characters and Cast

Rose McIver portrays Samantha "Sam" Arondekar, a freelance journalist who revives with the ability to see, hear, and interact with ghosts after an accident leaves her clinically dead for three minutes. Utkarsh Ambudkar plays her husband Jayanth "Jay" Arondekar, a chef with interests in comic books, sci-fi films, video games, and Dungeons & Dragons. Ben Feldman appears as Kyle Rosenblatt from the sixth season, a man who can see ghosts after colliding with a bird on a roller coaster. The ghosts are each loosely based on a counterpart from the original British series.

Devan Chandler Long plays Thorfinn, a melodramatic Viking from over a thousand years ago who was left behind by his shipmates and died from a lightning strike conducted by his helmet. Román Zaragoza is Sasappis, a wry Lenape hunter and storyteller from 1513 who died for unknown reasons and serves as a voice of reason for the other ghosts. Brandon Scott Jones portrays Captain Isaac Higgintoot, an initially closeted gay Continental Army officer who died of dysentery in 1777 and is jealous of the more famous Alexander Hamilton. Rebecca Wisocky plays the uptight Victorian-era matriarch Hetty Woodstone, Sam's great-great-great-aunt, who strangled herself with a telephone cord in 1895 to avoid arrest.

Danielle Pinnock appears as Alberta Haynes, a Prohibition-era diva lounge singer who was murdered in 1928 by drinking strychnine-laced moonshine. Sheila Carrasco is Flower, a cheerful but naive hippie of Hispanic origin who was mauled to death by a bear in 1969 while trying to hug it under the influence of drugs. Richie Moriarty plays Pete Martino, a friendly and polite 1980s travel agent and Pinecone Troopers leader who died in 1985 when a girl in his care accidentally shot him through the neck with an arrow. Asher Grodman rounds out the main ghost cast as Trevor Lefkowitz, a wealthy, womanizing stockbroker from the year 2000 who died of a heart attack from an accidental drug overdose while not wearing pants.

Production History and Canadian Connection

Ghosts is an American adaptation of the acclaimed BBC sitcom created by the comedy group known as The Six Idiots. The CBS version was developed by showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, who have overseen the series since its premiere on October 7, 2021. The show was picked up for a full season shortly after its premiere and has enjoyed consistent renewal success, receiving orders for a second season in January 2022, a third in January 2023, and a fourth in March 2024. A significant production note for Canadian audiences is the show's filming location, which moved to Montreal, Quebec beginning with its third season.

Filming for the third season commenced in Montreal on December 2, 2023, and that season, consisting of ten episodes, premiered on February 15, 2024. This shift represents a notable contribution to Canada's film and television production sector, utilizing local crews and resources for a major network series. The series continued its successful run with a fourth season premiere on October 17, 2024, and was renewed for both fifth and sixth seasons in February 2025. The fifth season premiered on October 16, 2025, and the sixth is scheduled for October 29, 2026. This pattern of renewal demonstrates the show's stability and popularity on the CBS schedule.

Recurring Ghosts and Supporting Characters

Beyond the main ensemble, Woodstone Manor is home to a rich supporting cast of spirits who add depth and recurring plotlines. A group of 'cholera victim' ghosts reside primarily in the basement, having died in a 19th-century pest house on the property and buried together in a pit. Among them is Nancy, played by Betsy Sodaro, a brash ghost who later is revealed in season five to be a famous missing English princess named Adeline Marie Dunham, whose presence makes Woodstone a historical landmark. The basement ghosts treat the water heater as a primary source of entertainment and can give non-contagious cholera symptoms to any living person they walk through.

Other notable recurring spirits include Crash, a smooth-talking 1950s-era greaser ghost who was decapitated, with his head played by Hudson Thames and later Alex Boniello and his body by Matt Keyes. The British Revolutionary War ghosts haunt the shed, led by Lieutenant Colonel Nigel Chessum, whom Isaac accidentally shot and who becomes Isaac's secret romantic interest. Elias Woodstone, Hetty's villainous husband who cheated on her, returns as a demonic figure after being sent to Hell for refusing to change, later promoted to a demon who collects souls. Stephanie, played by Odessa A'zion, is a prom night murder victim from 1987 who sleeps for months at a time, common for ghosts who die in their teens.

Later seasons introduce a Golden Age Hollywood screenwriter named Joan, who becomes a love interest for Sasappis. The show features recurring characters from the living world, such as Pete's widow Carol. Carol becomes a ghost herself in season three and eventually moves on to the afterlife in the fifth season premiere. These characters expand the show's world and provide ongoing narrative threads, including murder mysteries and romantic entanglements.

Character Arcs and Thematic Elements

Ghosts employs its supernatural premise to explore themes of community, history, and personal growth through extended character arcs. The ghosts, trapped together for decades or centuries, form a dysfunctional yet familial unit, forced to confront their past mistakes and prejudices. Historical comedy is derived from the culture clashes between ghosts from different eras, such as Thorfinn's bafflement with modern technology or Hetty's gradual softening of her Victorian-era elitism after learning she had an Irish grandmother. Each ghost's backstory, revealed over time, adds layers of pathos and humour to the ensemble, such as Alberta's guilt over selling out a fellow singer or Isaac's journey to accept his sexuality.

The series structures the second season around solving Alberta's murder through Sam's true crime podcast. The show establishes rules, such as each ghost having a unique power based on their life or death. For example, Pete can leave the Woodstone property but will start to vanish if he stays away too long. A key theme is the intersection of past and present, illustrated by Jay founding his own restaurant in an abandoned barn on the property in the fourth season.

Romantic relationships among the ghosts include Thorfinn and Flower's gentle flirtation and their eventual dating. Isaac and Nigel begin a secret romance that becomes a relationship. Alberta and Pete share their first kiss in the season four finale and officially start a relationship in the season five premiere. The show also features moments of connection, such as Sassapis finding companionship with Joan and Sam helping Thorfinn reconnect with his ghost son Bjorn on a neighbouring property.

Related Film: Ghosts: The Possession of Button House

While the CBS series continues, the original British Ghosts franchise is expanding to cinema with a feature film titled Ghosts: The Possession of Button House. Scheduled for release in the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 23, 2026, the film is directed by Simon Hynd and will be distributed by Lionsgate. It serves as a continuation of the BBC television series that concluded in 2023, reuniting the original cast and creative team, including writers and creators Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, and other members of the core group known as The Six Idiots. The film's plot follows the ghostly residents of Button House as they adjust to life after the departure of the living couple, Alison and Mike, who managed the estate in the series.

Teasers and a first-look image have been released, promising a spooky reunion for fans of the UK version, with the official trailer highlighting the beloved and award-winning comedy's move to the big screen. This cinematic project is separate from the American television series but shares the same core comedic concept of historical ghosts coexisting in a single location. Its release in late October 2026 is strategically timed for the Halloween season, with a reported run time of one hour and thirty-seven minutes. The film represents a significant expansion for the British franchise, offering a new chapter for its characters while the American adaptation continues its own successful run on television.

Reception and Cultural Impact

Ghosts has proven to be a ratings success for CBS, consistently earning renewals and building a loyal viewership since its 2021 debut. Its adaptation of the British format for an American audience, with a focus on US historical figures and eras, has been effective in creating a distinct identity. The series also incorporates a variety of comedic styles, from Trevor's frat-boy humour to Hetty's withering put-downs. The series has sparked fan engagement through its character-driven mysteries and comedic ensemble chemistry, with plot points like the location of Crash's head or the identity of Alberta's murderer driving seasonal arcs. Its production move to Montreal has also tied it to the Canadian entertainment industry, providing economic and creative opportunities for local talent. While distinct from its British predecessor, the American Ghosts has carved out its own identity, using its haunted house setting to deliver a unique blend of sitcom conventions, historical vignettes, and supernatural comedy that resonates with a broad audience. The announcement of the British film continuation further highlights the enduring popularity of the franchise's core concept on both sides of the Atlantic.

Questions about Ghosts

Where is the TV series Ghosts filmed?

The American television series Ghosts is filmed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Production moved to Montreal for the third season, with filming commencing there on December 2, 2023. This location is used as the production base for the series, contributing to Canada's film and television sector. The setting for the show, Woodstone Manor, is represented through studio and location work in the Montreal area. The show's production in Canada is a notable example of American network television utilizing Canadian resources and crews.

Is there a Ghosts movie coming out?

Yes, a film titled Ghosts: The Possession of Button House is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026, in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This is a feature film continuation of the original British BBC sitcom, not the American CBS series. It is directed by Simon Hynd and will reunite the original UK cast and creators, including Mathew Baynton and Simon Farnaby. The film follows the ghosts of Button House after the departure of the living characters Alison and Mike, and its runtime is reported to be one hour and thirty-seven minutes.

How many seasons of Ghosts are there?

As of 2025, the American Ghosts series has aired five seasons. The show was renewed for a fifth and sixth season in February 2025. The fifth season premiered on October 16, 2025, and the sixth season is slated to premiere on October 29, 2026. The series began on CBS in October 2021 and has been renewed consistently due to its strong viewership, with a third season of ten episodes premiering in February 2024 and a fourth season in October 2024.

Who can see the ghosts in the TV show?

In the television series, Samantha 'Sam' Arondekar gains the ability to see, hear, and interact with ghosts after a near-death experience in the pilot episode caused by the ghost Trevor. Her husband, Jay, cannot see or hear them, though he often acknowledges their presence through Sam and attempts to communicate directly. A character named Kyle Rosenblatt, introduced in later seasons, also gains the ability to see ghosts after a separate accident involving a roller coaster and a bird, and he occasionally assists Sam and Jay for this reason. No other living characters on the show possess this ability regularly.

What are the ghosts' powers in the show?

Each main ghost possesses a unique power tied to their life or death. Thorfinn can manipulate electricity. Sasappis can influence living people's thoughts by interacting with them as characters in their dreams. Isaac emits a foul odour when living people walk through him. Flower can put a living person into a hallucinogenic high if she passes through them. Trevor can physically interact with the corporeal world to a limited degree, usually moving objects with one index finger. Pete can leave the Woodstone property but will start to vanish if away too long. Hetty's power to interact with the living on St. Patrick's Day manifests in the fourth season. Alberta's humming can be heard by the living.

Is the American Ghosts based on a British show?

Yes, the American CBS series Ghosts is an adaptation of the British sitcom of the same name that aired on the BBC from 2019 to 2023. The American version was adapted by showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. While the core premise of a couple inheriting a haunted house remains, the characters and historical eras are adapted for an American context, featuring ghosts from US history like a Viking explorer, a Lenape hunter, a Revolutionary War officer, and a Prohibition-era singer. Each main character is loosely based on a British counterpart, such as Pete being based on Pat Butcher and Trevor on Julian Fawcett MP.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-22.