Jay’s biggest issue was once again highlighted in season 1, episode 1, “Patience,” as he was sent on another side quest that contributed little to either the episode’s overarching plot or his character development. This time, Jay is forced to dig a hole in search of Patience’s lair, but Flower’s bad intel and the convoluted communication between him, Sam, and the ghosts make this entire enterprise a time-wasting folly in the end. This Ghosts season 4 plot proves that agency is the missing ingredient in Jay’s interactions with the ghosts, as its absence makes this plot frustrating and pointless.
Jay ends up doing whatever inconvenient grunt work the ghosts are unable to do.
Since Sam can actually communicate with the ghosts, she can put her foot down and decide what she is and, crucially, is not willing to do for them. In contrast, Jay ends up doing whatever inconvenient grunt work the ghosts are unable to do, resulting in aimless subplots like this one. Jay’s Ghosts season 4 premiere plot goes nowhere precisely because he can’t see or talk to the ghosts so, once again, he is left unsure of how much he is helping or what he should do without Sam’s guidance. The storyline proves season 4’s upcoming twist can’t arrive soon enough.
Ghosts Season 4’s Jay Twist Should Not Be Permanent
While it is great that his character will gain more focus from the twist, Jay’s ability to see ghosts shouldn’t be permanent in Ghosts season 4. Ghosts season 4 has other storylines that the show needs to focus on, but this is not the only reason that the twist should only last for a few episodes. If Jay can see ghosts for good, then Sam’s powers will no longer be unique. What makes Sam’s character work so well is her combination of skills and shortcomings, and Jay’s shared ability to communicate with the ghosts could compromise this.
In many storylines, Sam’s recklessness negates her ability to talk to the ghosts, and this is what makes the show funny. If Sam and Jay were both always able to communicate with the sprints, there would be far fewer misunderstandings, resulting in less conflict, which would result in less comedy. It might make the Woodstone B&B a more peaceful place to stay, but this twist wouldn’t help the show’s dynamic. Thus, Ghosts season 4 must temporarily grant Jay the ability to see ghosts so he can gain some much-needed plot focus before returning to its otherwise-successful status quo.
