The second series of Ghosts on BBC1 has dropped. The ghosts are back and better than ever. Alison and Mike's dream of selling their mansion has had the breaks put on due to the plague pit in the basement. Instead the couple have decided to rent the mansion out for events.
Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) are back and still very much in love. We see how this couple work in this series and we see how much of a team they are. Ritchie and Smith-Bynoe do a great job in this series, their chemistry in scenes is really loving and sweet to watch. We believe in their relationship and it is a joy to watch.
The writing is amazing, it feels sharp and very witty. This sitcom is perfect for the whole family from children to your grandparents. There is something for everyone and everyone will enjoy it. The range of characters who are all so very different means you don't get bored. Given the range of characters that there is to offer we only probably only spend a few minutes with each character but the characters always make their screen time count and it is always enjoyable. In this second series we learn more about our main gang of ghosts and discover more into their backstories/past and who they are.
Lady Button played by Martha Howe-Douglas is still as outrageous as ever, stuck in the past with her old-fashioned ways of thinking. However, we do see her come to terms with gay marriage and the idea that everyone can love and marry who they want which was nice to see. Howe-Douglas always puts on a hilarious performance as Lady Button, especially her facial expressions. She says so much without saying a word and it works so well. When you think of Lady Button, you will always think of the funny facial expressions she makes when she is conveying her constant outrage for how things are done. A personal highlight of this character is in episode 3 (Redding Weddy) where we see Lady Button crushing on the most unexpected character which is hilarious to watch.
Romantic poet Thomas Thorne played by Matthew Baynton gets his own episode in this new series. We discover how he died and the events surrounding his death. Thomas is still very much in love with Alison and his little remarks when Mike and Alison disagree are quite amusing. Baynton plays Thomas and his plague victim so well, both characters are very different but both bring a lot to the scenes and always funny to watch. Baynton overall gives a fantastic performance and is a joy to watch.
Larry Richard is back playing caveman Robin who is the longest serving ghosts in the house. Robin learns a lot in this series about the modern world and even though his vocab isn’t as diverse as the other, it is clear Robin is the most caring ghost. Richard's performance as Robin has a lot of heart. A personal highlight of watching this character is between Robin and Mary in episode 2 after the events of the previous night. This interaction is so awkward but hilarious to watch as these two characters are dealing of what did or may not have happened but there are definitely some feelings there.
Mary is played by Katy Wix. Mary is a very lovable and innocent character; she is struggling to talk about what happened to her as she was burnt at the stake. Wix puts on a faultless performance in every episode.
Lolly Adefope returns as Kitty, the eager to please Georgian noblewomen. Kitty appears to be dumb; she wants Alison to like her. Kitty is a sweet character but Adefope's performance can be annoying to watch at times. This is due to the character itself trying too hard to please and appears to be a child trapped in a woman’s body. Adefope's performance is good but the character is sometimes unenjoyable to watch.
Scoutmaster Pat is play by Jim Howick. Pat gets some clarity on how he died in the finale which was emotional to watch. We see a different side to Pat in this series, for the most of it he is cheery and positive. However, we see the anger Pat possess which is refreshing to see the different side of Pat. Howick does a great performance throughout in showing this other side of Pat, which is still very enjoyable to watch.
Along with this we get a deeper insight into The Captains past played by Ben Willbond. An entire episode is dedicated to the Captain but it brings up questions about the captain's character himself and his past. The Captain always has a stiff upper lip but we see some form of remorse or even love from the captain in episode 3.
Finally, Simon Farnaby is back as Julian, the Tory MP who is seen never wearing trousers. He attempts to bargain with Alison to get what he wants; we see him giving political speeches. We don't really find out more about this character this series but this character doesn’t disappoint when he is in scenes but Farnaby's performance is still amazing.
The ghosts are the heart of every story but what this show does well is show how well all these different personalities work and live together. All these characters are so different as they are from different time periods and have different ideas on what is right and wrong. Over the course of the series all these characters are learning about modern society and changing their beliefs e.g. accepting gay marriage etc. Yet these characters also work so well as a team and are each other’s support team.
Ghosts is a really enjoyable series and show in general to watch. It is family friendly and has something for each member of the family. It something everyone can enjoy together. Overall, this show is charming and really witty. CGI isn't always perfect but this show is so enjoyable. There are some really hilarious moments throughout this second series. This cast work really well together and always produce great work. It’s great to see them back on our screens, learning more about their pasts and how they work.
Episodes:
Episode 1 : The Grey Lady
Episode 2: About Last Night
Episode 3: Reddy Weddy
Episode 4: The Thomas Thorne Affair
Episode 5: Bump in the Night
Episode 6: Perfect Day
