Movies News Talk
Ghosts Season 4: Jay's Supernatural Upgrade Fixes a Major Problem!
Ghosts, the hilarious CBS sitcom, has been a huge hit! It's all about Sam (Rose McIver), a woman who can see and chat with the many ghosts haunting her inherited mansion. Yet there's a major issue for poor Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) who is Sam's husband. He's the only human at Woodstone Mansion who can't communicate with the afterlife. For three seasons, he's basically been an outsider in his own home; an observer watching everything from the sidelines! It is a truly important plot device to remember how those relationships are formed, but that element also left Jay's character rather one-dimensional, making him appear slightly dull in many ways, compared to other members. He enters a room, talks to people he thinks are there (usually wrong!), then waits for Sam to translate; often relegated to pointless side-quests (like the digging incident in Season 4’s premiere); those scenes could’ve really benefitted by having access to the information others around him had.
Comic-Con 2024 delivered the HUGE news! Jay will finally interact with the ghosts, getting an ability to see them; potentially enabling him to also hear them! Now this sounds totally amazing. While no one is entirely sure just exactly how this occurs (fans hope it's not some fatal plot twist!), this definitely changes the series dynamics! The change also completely opens new storytelling paths. How does Sam react when she isn’t the only ghost-communicator? Will it alter the inn’s operation and how everything is run? And this is perhaps the best aspect— will Jay actually click with these ghostly roommates? These questions generate immense excitement, showing just how deeply important Jay’s role could become; finally bringing him into the main storylines rather than keeping him separate!
There is however, another even more critical development; one not totally explored before. This big change could be beneficial but may actually threaten the show’s established balance that the show relies on.
That major twist for Jay is actually critical. Why? Because Sam has been totally using her powers to deceive Jay. Because Jay cannot see them, Sam lies and spins events and interactions. This is supposed to be funny, creating jokes throughout the series, yet those repeated instances of dishonesty create something toxic between that happy, established couple and that's something many audiences recognize but hadn’t entirely recognized before.
The Season 4 premiere scene highlights this. While everyone hunts Isaac, Jay's toiling digging a massive hole becomes pointless since he lacks the critical insight provided by the ghosts’ presence; yet Sam's outright deception makes the situation entirely unfair and manipulative. She didn’t help because she hid the other shovel (which really, Alberta called out right away) but the viewers get another great example of how Sam’s actions remain highly questionable and this issue needs immediate rectification.
Jay's new ability has the potential to transform how many perceive Ghosts, both positively and negatively. The most important positive? Jay’s connection with Woodstone will deepen; he now participates actively, moving past this peripheral role in order to achieve the true participation he might always have craved. It adds those really necessary dramatic points and emotional depth to what might’ve been otherwise absent or merely an afterthought. His lack of those relationships could cause further damage! Giving Jay that ability; getting this total change and giving a chance to bring an otherwise forgotten member of the main ensemble and creating a chance for emotional and dramatic storytelling is going to transform much of the current model that Ghost relies on.
Another potentially crucial detail emerges: The ghosts might tell Jay that Sam lied! Imagine: A possible confrontation could cause Sam to end the dishonesty, further impacting that entire established dynamic for this particular series, which might add another level of necessary confrontation; and even possibly increased depth between this couple.
Jay's supernatural gift is both fantastic and also quite scary for the long-term trajectory of this particular series; adding a twist completely central to how the show functions; this adds intense excitement which continues into Season 4. While it compromises some comedy, that ongoing element changes and grows through resolving deeper relationship concerns; this would result in Sam and Jay coming even closer! So expect amazing conflict. We will be watching every episode.