The fifth season of Ghosts US has landed on BBC iPlayer, a remake of the original UK version, which faced tough criticism when it first came out in 2021.
The British comedy, helmed by the Horrible Histories and Yonderland stars, landed in 2019, about a gaggle of eccentric ghosts haunting a large manor inherited by unassuming couple Alison and Mike, ran for five seasons and will return for a feature-length movie.
It was met with widespread praise during its run on TV, but there was far more scepticism when its American counterpart (starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar as our central couple) aired.
It was dubbed everything from a ‘poor copy of the original’ to a ‘cheap knockoff’ to a ‘flawed remake’.
But it seems to have proved the haters wrong and, with 22-episode-long seasons to tuck into – considerably more than the British show’s modest six-episode stints – it’s comfortably hit its stride, already eyeing up a sixth season which will land in the US this autumn.
The show is not a beat-for-beat rehash of the original, with its own unique ghosts and storylines, and by season five, we’ve long strayed from any recognisable plotlines as it goes totally in its own direction.
In fact, the new series seems to have impressed fans who have already watched it.
‘The American version is consistent, pretty good with some bright moments,’ Blanca M praised on Rotten Tomatoes, averaging an impressive 87% audience score for the show as a whole.
‘Well if the last season was the best yet then this is better. It’s also the funniest season in the entire show. There are episodes in this season that will keep you laughing throughout,’ Zane T hailed.
‘First half of this season has the old magic back,’ Jen N reflected.
Like many other Ghosts UK fans I originally groaned at the idea of a US version of the show, and was sure it was a mistake.
Nevertheless, as someone who loves the premise of a household of kooky ghosts (and Rose McIver) I decided to give the show a chance and I’m glad I did.
Yes, there were times where the American humour didn’t quite land for me, but more often than not, the show has made me laugh out loud and I have grown quite fond of the eccentric band of spirits conjured up in this new version.
UK viewers have access to a whopping 72 episodes of the remake from today (Picture: CBS/BBC)
There’s a gay Revolutionary War veteran, Isaac, a forever high 60s hippie called Flower and a self-obsessed jazz singer, Alberta. What’s not to love?
