SciFi.Radio reviewed the new CBS comedy Ghosts back in November. Now it appears that the Television Critics Association (TCA) agrees with our opinion of the show. Ghosts has been nominated by the TCA for for Outstanding New Program and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. We agree with both these nominations and wish the cast and crew good luck in winning both awards.
In the New Program category, Ghosts is competing against Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, Severance, Pachinko, Reservation Dogs, The White Lotus and Yellowjackets. For Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, the nominees are Ghosts, Abbott Elementary, Atlanta, Barry, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, Reservation Dogs and Ted Lasso.
My distinguished colleague, Tania Hussain of PopCulture.com described Ghosts as having “an immaculately cast ensemble.” I cannot disagree with Ms. Hussain. From Living B&B owner/freelance journalist Samantha Arondekar (played by former Yellow Ranger Rose McIver) to the ghost of her great-great-grandmother Hetty Woodstone (played by Rebecca Wisocky, who played Evelyn Powell in Devious Maids, and Queen Mab in True Blood) the casts of Ghosts brings three-dimensional characters to life on a weekly basis. Well-written scripts and a competent, culturally diverse cast combine to make a show that will not only make its audience laugh, but occasionally make them think.
Hollywood has long had a problem with diversity .Ghosts has a perfectly blended cast of male and female actors, Gay and straight characters, and white and POC characters. Hetty has had the most character growth of anyone on the show, living or dead. None of the characters are static or one-dimensional.
The TCA is made up of more than 200 professional journalists covering television with 13 categories honoring drama, comedy, miniseries, youth, news and information, reality variety and sketch or talk shows. This year’s ceremony, held in Pasadena, California, will be the first in-person ceremony since 2019.
Ghosts has already been renewed for a second season, so winning the TCA awards will be a feather in its cap, but will not determine whether or not the show survives. Nevertheless, we congratulate the cast and crew on these well-deserved nominations and hope they win these two awards. We also hope they are nominated for Emmy and Saturn awards. This is the best ghost show on TV since Hanna-Barbera’s The Funky Phantom was cancelled in 1972. A half-century is a long time to wait for a good ghost show, but Ghosts is worth the wait.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
