UK Supernatural Sitcom Hit Series On Paramount+ Is Your Next Binge

Ghosts UK begins with Alison and her husband Mike inheriting a dilapidated mansion called Button House, which they move into with plans to convert it into a hotel. When Alison falls out of a window, an accident that leaves her clinically dead, briefly, she discovers she can see the ghosts who haunt Button House. Alison and Mike are financially tied to the house, and the ghosts literally can’t leave, so they’re forced to learn to coexist. 

The sprawling cast of characters makes Ghosts UK a truly great comedy. As the show’s main living characters, Alison and Mike are a believable and likable couple who ground the show. However, the real comedic stars are the ghosts: the naive noblewoman Kitty, the lovesick poet Thomas, the pantsless politician Julian, the jovial scout leader Pat, the caveman Robin, the decapitated nobleman Humphrey, the closeted World War II captain, the witch trial victim Mary, and the Lady of the house, Fanny.

At its heart, Ghosts UK is a hangout show about roommates, but its supernatural premise gives that style of show a new spin. Many episodes center around Alison navigating mundane situations like a dinner party or cleaning up after a party, with her spectral housemates complicating those situations. These episodes often rely on the fact that only Alison can see the ghosts for humor. 

The best episodes of Ghosts UK are the ones that lean further into its premise. My favorite episodes explore the spirit’s backstories, such as the Rashamon-style episode “The Thomas Thorne Affair,” which shows the duel that killed Thomas from several ghost’s perspectives. “Bump in the Night” is another great episode using its fantasy premise, depicting the spirits trying to warn Mike, who can’t see or hear them, about burglars. 

The comedy in Ghosts UK is flawlessly executed, but it also shines in its heartwarming moments. When Pat’s family visits Button House on the anniversary of his death and learns he has a grandson, it’s a genuinely touching moment. The childlike friendship between Kitty and Alison is also surprisingly sweet and believable. 

While I enjoyed the US version of the show starring Rose McIver, it simply doesn’t live up to Ghosts UK. The characters in the original are a bit rougher around the edges, which makes for better comedy and helps its sincere moments feel less saccharine. The US version also tends to overuse certain jokes, like the ghosts calling moving on to the afterlife “being sucked off,” while the original shows a bit more restraint. 

REVIEW SCORE

Ghosts UK is one of my favorite recent sitcoms, with great jokes and enough heart to be emotionally compelling. It’s a great ensemble-comedy cast that makes the most of its fantastical premise, and almost every episode is a delight. If you’re a comedy fan, you should binge-watch the first two seasons of Ghosts UK on Paramount+.