TV Show review
Review basis: 5 seasons · through May 21, 2026
October 7, 2021 · TV-14 · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Ghosts is a CBS sitcom about a young couple, Samantha and her husband Jay, who inherit a rundown country mansion and try to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. After an accident, Samantha can see and hear the ghosts stuck on the property from many eras of American history. The show features an interracial living couple and a main group of ghosts that includes a Black 1920s jazz singer, a Native American, an openly gay Revolutionary War captain with romance storylines, a 1960s hippie, and others. Their historical identities and culture clashes with modern life supply much of the comedy, along with the couple running the business.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Ghosts.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent audience-visible diversity in lead and main ghost roles: interracial living couple (white Samantha and Indian-American Jay), plus core ghosts Alberta (Black jazz singer), Sasappis (Native American), openly gay Isaac (flamboyant Revolutionary captain with visible romance/relationship arcs), and hippie Flower. The US version expanded and selected for broader demographic and historical representation compared to the more uniform British original cast.
Woke political dialogue
Light comedic clashes where historical ghosts voice era-typical views on gender, race, class, or sexuality that contrast with modern norms, especially around Isaac’s gay identity and acceptance or Alberta’s experiences. Delivered through character humor, group tolerance, and quick resolutions rather than lectures or sustained activist messaging.
Identity-driven story themes
Multiple ghost arcs and backstories draw on specific identities—Alberta as a Black performer in the 1920s, Sasappis as indigenous storyteller, Isaac as a gay man from the 1700s now openly navigating relationships, Flower’s counterculture past. Central themes of tolerance, personal growth, and found family across differences are reinforced through these elements, though kept broad and comedic. LGBTQ+ elements (prominent gay character with arcs) receive elevated weight per scoring guidelines.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Occasional mild satire on Gilded Age wealth and class (Hetty), old military formality, or outdated patriarchal attitudes that bump against today’s expectations. Historical figures learn or are puzzled by modern equality and individualism. Not framed as present-day systemic critiques of capitalism, patriarchy, whiteness, or Western institutions; remains light era-contrast comedy.
Woke character or canon changes
Adaptation from the British Ghosts reimagined or replaced several ghosts with American figures chosen to reflect wider U.S. history and demographics (added Black Alberta, Native Sasappis; made gay captain Isaac more flamboyant, central, and positively accepted versus the more repressed UK Captain).
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Minor and limited. UK fans sometimes call the US version less subtle with fast acceptance of the gay ghost and heavier diversity emphasis. Casual online mentions of the gay elements or CBS network context exist, but no major media controversy, widespread “too woke” campaigns, or sustained right-leaning criticism treating the content as activist or identity-driven propaganda.
Creator track record context
Main U.S. creators Joe Port and Joe Wiseman are mainstream comedy professionals (Brooklyn Nine-Nine etc.) without prominent activist histories. UK producer team brings light historical satire from Horrible Histories with mild liberal leanings (e.g., Simon Farnaby cached at 25). Director Matthew A. Cherry has a clearer pattern of Black representation work (Hair Love) and anti-discrimination advocacy (CROWN Act). Overall moderate without dominant identity-politics or DEI focus.
Production
