DVD Review: Ghosts (UK): Season One

Ghosts: Series One (UK)

(DVD Ghosts)

 

My wife and I got absolutely hooked on the American paranormal comedy series Ghosts, on CBS, this current television season. We knew, even when we started watching, that this was a U.S. remake of a popular U.K. series of the same name.

 

So, I was particularly happy, after watching the season finale of the U.S. version, to see that the libraries had purchased the DVD set of the U.K.’s first season. While there are many similarities between the UK and US versions of Ghosts, the two most noteworthy differences are that the British show’s first season only had 6 episodes (where the American version had 18). Also, many of the actors playing the “ghosts” in the British version are comics and writers, who created their characters, from various time periods, for portrayals in other British television, before recognizing that they could combine all their different historical characters into a single storyline.

 

The plot, in a nutshell: A young urban couple learn that the wife has inherited a rundown country estate — she was the last living descendant of the estate’s owner, even though they’d never met. They arrive to find the estate in massive disrepair, but decide to commit to rehabilitating the building and turning it into a hotel. What they don’t realize is that the estate is haunted by the ghosts of multiple individuals who’ve died there over the years but who didn’t pass on to another plane of existence. When the wife (Allison) suffers a near-death experience, she develops the ability to see and hear (and talk to) all of the ghosts.

 

The cast of the original British version of the show is incredible, and has impressive chemistry. The show, in just six episodes, manages to develop the concept extremely well. I only hope that the 2nd and 3rd seasons make it to DVD in the U.S. soon!

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the American version of Ghosts, currently airing Thursdays on CBS — and most likely available On Demand or via one of the various streaming platforms.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this series ) | ( official Ghosts page on the BBC web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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