Ghosts pulls off a fantastic Halloween episode this year, full of lame parties, a seance, new ghosts, and Liam Neeson. Well, that last one didn't actually happen on-screen, but his annual Halloween party did get things rolling this week.
My favorite thing about Halloween 2 is how it uses the entire ensemble cast impeccably. With Sam and Jay doing their own thing with other humans, in particular the farmer neighbors Ally and June, it was mighty clever to make good use of the ghosts to turn a dying Halloween party into a real, spooky one. While their original plan of having the lights flicker and the ghosts hum or something go afoot, the seance conducted by Sam and the gang ends up pulling down a maiden ghost Molly "from up above". It's easily the episode's best, most absurd, and equally hilarious sequence: Sam, Jay, and the livings conducting a "seance" where nothing seems to be happening, contrasted with the ghosts freaking out over a portal opening up in the ceiling and bringing a ghost down. I rewatched this scene three times, and it never gets old.
Making this episode somewhat Hetty-centric was a stroke of genius because she is basically the "ghost glue" that holds everyone else together, in some sense. While I was expecting her fight with Molly, who slept with her husband back in the day, to be a bit more climactic, it was still impactful in a ways only Ghosts can pull off. Turning it into a story about two women realizing they were stuck in a patriarchal society where men could not be held accountable for their actions (including cheating on their wives with maids), Hetty and Molly have their first sincere moment in literal decades, bonding over their hatred of Elias. Did anyone else want Molly to stick around solely to see her dynamic with Hetty evolve over the season? Just me?
A major thing that makes this episode a huge success in my book is the added "spook" factor by having Sam stuck in the vault with no living human to save her and very little oxygen. It's quite clever having these characters move to the one part of the mansion where the ghosts can't help (a nice callback to last season), and it effectively escalates the tension in the episode. Not only that, but the writers take it a step further by having the ghosts use their powers to aid Jay to the
I would be remiss not to mention my favorite coupling, Isaac and Nigel, getting a sweet little subplot about hiding who you really are from someone you care about a lot. Much like Nigel, I find Isaac's ability to stink up the place every time he walks through humans, to be quite impactful and impressive actually. To have that kind of effect on the living world as a ghost must be pretty splendid, but understandable that he wanted to impress his first ever "boyfriend" by pretending it was Stinky Pete instead. Luckily, Nigel finds it impressive as well and the two avoid a fight--but what's this thing about Nigel having webbed feet? I have questions.
All in all, this was a solid and hilarious entry for Ghosts. Halloween episodes are especially held to a higher standard for this show, and I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint on any level. Now, how long till we actually get Liam Neeson on here and never have to see the pickle guy again? And while the episode doesn't end on any of our main ghosts "getting sucked off", it did hint at Hetty's desperate attempt to go. Do you think we will lose any ghosts before the end of the season?
Scary Delights from the B&B:
- "This is our first party as whatever it is we are now."
- "Boyfriends?"
- "Ah, it's just so lovey-dovey."
- "Murderer and victim?"
- "Not loving the sound of that one either."
- "I'm Ruth Maid-er Ginsburg. I'm here to clean up the mess left behind by the patriarchy."
- Hetty: "Feminism has ruined this sacred holiday."
- "I’ve been in relationships that had more people than this party."
- "I have a TV in my room."
- "She's never seen a refrigerator, but, sure, lead with TV."
- "I may have been a harlot, but what about you? You were a cruel and vindictive boss."
- "It's too late for flattery."
- "There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Okay, not plenty, but there is that one other guy. And I don't know what Thor means when he talks about "boat rules," but that sounds..."
- "Hetty, maybe her being here is an opportunity."
- "You mean for me to push her down the stairs? That is not bad, Samantha. She would heal instantly, but it would be fun to watch her tumble."
- "No, I mean an opportunity for you to get closure. By forgiving her. Who knows? Maybe it could even help you to move on."
- "Forgiveness? Closure? I'm sorry, the words are ridiculous enough, but coming from someone in that wig, I simply cannot."
- "It's honestly shocking [Flower] lived as long as she did."
- "That is just the way things were."
- "But the way things were was wrong. You shouldn't be mad at each other when the real culprit is right there. Both of you were stuck in a patriarchal system that pitted women against each other, because holding a man accountable wasn't an option."
- "We get it, you're a feminist."
- "Did you know I sent him to hell?"
- "Did you? That's wonderful."
- "I hope he didn't give you syphilis."
- "Nope. I gave him syphilis."
- "Oh, that's sweet."
- "Take me with you! I've changed! Let me ride you while you get sucked off! Don't leave me here with these peasants!"
