If you’ve been following my “hole show” obsession, you’ll know that I’m all about shows where holes play a pivotal role in the story. While this might sound a bit niche, I’m not alone in my love for these mysterious voids. My hole show addiction began with Outer Range (Season 2 coming soon), and spread to the short-lived Night Sky and the brilliant 1899. Now, CBS’s Ghosts has joined the ranks of hole shows with one of the season’s best episodes, making it a memorable entry in the Ghosts series.
As much as I’ve enjoyed Ghosts, its third season hasn’t exactly been consistent. Early magic has started to fade, largely because we’ve already gotten the backstories of the main ghost characters, and the living ones, Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), aren’t as compelling. But this particular episode reinvigorates the show with a blend of humor, emotion, and, of course, a hole—or, more specifically, a well.
In the episode, we learn that Flower (Sheila Carrasco) didn’t meet the fate we expected at the end of Season 2. Instead of being “sucked off” (a term that, in Ghosts, means something far from its usual connotations), Flower got stuck in a well while chasing a butterfly. This plot twist was necessary due to Carrasco’s real-life maternity leave, but it also provided a great setup for one of the show’s most unique challenges: rescuing a ghost trapped in a well.
Ghosts, as supernatural beings, have a specific set of limitations. They can float through walls, but they can’t climb or use physical objects like ropes to escape a confined space. That means if Flower stays stuck in the well while Jay and Sam’s contractor fills it with concrete, she could be trapped forever. But just as things look bleak, a revelation about Hetty’s (Rebecca Wisocky) tragic past provides the key to saving Flower.
In a heartbreaking yet redemptive moment, Hetty opens up about her death. In 1895, Hetty took her own life in a tragic attempt to protect her son’s reputation, using a telephone cord—the very same invention that had just been introduced at the time. This cord, hidden beneath her neck ruff, becomes the lifeline the ghosts need to rescue Flower.
The emotional weight of Hetty’s backstory, combined with the absurdity of the situation, makes for an episode that’s both heartwarming and hilarious. Flower is freed from the well, Hetty’s secret is shared, and the hole—literally and metaphorically—is filled. For a show that has occasionally struggled with consistency, this episode serves as a reminder of Ghosts’ unique ability to balance humor with poignant moments.
While Ghosts may not be as strong as it once was, this episode shows that it still has the power to captivate and surprise. And for that, it gets its moment as a hole show—brief, but memorable. RIP, well.
