In the penultimate outing of BBC’s original Ghosts, the country house’s adjacent Gatehouse catches fire and burns to the ground. Since the central couple were using the funds from renting the Gatehouse to refurbish the crumbling manor, they are left without a plan for their future.
This cliffhanger ending felt a lot like CBS’ Ghosts season 2 finale, which revealed that one of the ghosts was being taken to the afterlife but didn’t show which one. Both endings promised to upend the status quo of the series, forcing viewers to return next season and find out the outcome.
The difference is that BBC’s Ghosts only pulled this trick once after building up four years of audience goodwill. Earlier seasons, like season 3, could have ended with tantalizing open questions like whether the couple fell for a scammer.
However, the British version of the series resisted this temptation and wrapped up these storylines before ending the finale. In contrast, Ghosts seemed desperate to keep viewers invested even though the show is faring well with audiences. Since the series began, CBS’ Ghosts has boasted an impressive audience share, and this has only improved in recent outings.
