Previously on Ghosts: Patience (Mary Holland), the Puritan ghost, joins the Woodstone B&B, and Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) struggles to move on from his broken engagement to Nigel (John Hartman).
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Some of the best episodes of “Ghosts” allow viewers to learn more about the central characters via sudden visits from extended family members. It’s a strength that writers clearly recognized from the very beginning of the series. For example, in Season 1, Episode 12 ("Jay's Sister"), we are introduced to Jay’s sister, Bela (Punam Patel), one of the few livings who comes to know about the ghosts.
Other episodes of this nature include "Sam's Mom," "The Baby Bjorn," "Alberta's Descendant," and "Hello, Brother." Importantly, each of these episodes use the awkward results of ghostly interventions to tell us something we didn’t know about that family member's relationship with one of the main characters. In the case of "Jay's Sister," for example, we learn that Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) both value the relationship with Bela enough that they trust her with the secret.
Now, in Season 4, we are finally meeting Sam’s dad, Frank (Dean Norris), someone she hasn’t talked about much but with whom she desperately wants a better relationship. Frank visits the Woodstone B&B with his girlfriend, Diane (Melinda McGraw), in order to grow closer to Sam. However, Patience's ghostly interventions (namely, making the walls bleed) add more than a few complications.
Of course, this isn't the first time that Sam has been forced to awkwardly explain away seemingly erratic behavior. In fact, she often has to accept that strangers and/or acquittances may find her actions (like talking to the sky or making odd requests) extremely off-putting. Most of the time, it's one of the funnier aspects of the show, but it doesn't quite work when the extreme behavior a) impacts a character's important relationship and b) doesn't actually have a reasonable, non-ghostly explanation.
Unfortunately, spelling "SIN" in blood on the wall where your dad and his girlfriend sleep is another one of those occasions. Of course, it's absurdly funny that a Puritan ghost is so bothered by an unmarried couple sleeping together that she makes the walls bleed. However, even to those uninitiated in ghostly sightings, the truth actually seems more likely than the idea that Sam or Jay (who Sam briefly attempts to scapegoat) would do such a thing. It's a logical inconsistency that just makes the writing feel a bit weak.
While the humor lands in parts, the episode’s attempt to blend heartfelt family moments with absurd ghost hijinks doesn’t always come together seamlessly. Frank’s visit is supposed to provide Sam with an opportunity for growth, but their interactions (from the bleeding walls to the flute recital) are largely contrived, which makes their eventual reconciliation at the end of the episode feel a bit rushed and less emotionally impactful.
Rating: 8.3/10 - When sappy and silly are mixed in the right proportions,“Ghosts” can make even the biggest cynic crack a smile. "Sam's Dad" arguably leans a bit too far into both categories to be considered great, but the shenanigans still make for an enjoyable half-hour of television.
Other notes:
-This is quite an episode for fans of the so-called "Dad TV" genre. Dean Norris is best known for his role as Hank Schrader on "Breaking Bad," while Melinda McGraw will also be recognizable to CBS viewers as the late Diane Sterling (formerly Gibbs and Fornell) on "NCIS."
-Isaac's effort to be a better person by taking Nigel's place in the shed (rather than essentially evicting Nigel) is admirable. Of course, it also makes all the sense in the world that the other shed ghosts ask for Nigel back because Isaac is insufferable.
-If you've never seen "Throw Momma From the Train" (1987), which Trevor references while advising Isaac, Flower (Sheila Carrasco), and Thorfinn (Devan Chandler Long), it's required viewing now!
-Doesn't Sam have anything else she's accomplished in the years since that missed flute recital that she might want to share with her dad? Like, literally anything else?
-Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) and Patience are totally right. That flute recital is horrendous. If the bleeding walls didn't make me leave before, that certainly would have had me out the door fast.
"Ghosts" airs Thursdays at 8:30 pm ET on CBS. Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode with us here at SpoilerTV!
