“The Owl” – Sam, Jay and the remaining ghosts unravel the mystery of which ghost passed into the afterlife. Also, Sam and Jay must relocate an owl in order to do construction on the barn to turn it into Jay’s restaurant, on the third season premiere of the CBS Original series GHOSTS, Thursday, Feb. 15 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Pictured (L-R): Tristan D. Lalla as Mark, Utkarsh Ambudkar as Jay, and Rose McIver as Samantha. Photo: Bertrand Calmeau/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Season 2 of the hit CBS Series, Ghosts ended with much resolve and a HUGE cliffhanger. Things at the Woodstone B&B will never be the same. The main throughline of season 2 was Alberta (Danielle Pinnock) trying to figure out who murdered her. It turns out it was Hetty’s (Rebecca Wisocky) son who was Alberta’s murderer. After the Ghost Counsel, Alberta and Hetty come to the agreement that Alberta will now have her own room and Hetty will move in with Flower (Sheila Carraso).

However, they’re not the only relationship needing mending. Isaac and Nigel are in a rift because Nigel doesn’t feel wanted. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, Isaac asks Nigel to “make [him] the happiest ghost on the entire property,” Nigel tells him no, he’ll have to settle for being the second happiest ghost.

The rest of the ghosts are also in happy places. Thor and Flower are in the midst of their love affair. Stephanie, the prom ghost finally has her first kiss. However, Ghosts (being renewed for season 3) had to figure out a way to ruin all these happy endings. While sitting outside in their car, Sam and Jay see a bright white light showing that one of the Ghosts in the house has been sucked off…but who?

SPOILERS AHEAD!

GHOSTS: THE OWL

Season 3 of Ghosts picks up right where we left off. Sam and Jay come running into the house trying to figure out which ghost has been sucked off. Honestly, I figured it would be Stephanie the Prom Ghost (Odessa A’zion) finally getting her kiss, but I would quickly learn that I was mistaken.

First, we see Pete, Sasappis “Sass”, and Trevor are still at the Woodstone B&B. After learning that one of the ghosts has been sucked off Pete terrified yells for everyone to “get to your suck off buddy!”. Leave it to Ghosts to mesh hilarious humor with a dire situation. Next, thanks to Nancy (Betsy Sodaro) we learn that all the basement ghosts are accounted for. Then we see Alberta and Hettie, thank goodness. They’re my favorite characters in the series. I would have been truly upset.

We get to see Crash, the greaser ghost who was decapitated, who informs us that he poked his head into the attic (literally) and saw Stephanie (the Prom Ghost) sleeping soundly. Isaac comes running in worried about Nigel, but he is also safe. So, that leaves us Thor and Flower. Personally, I’d be more upset about one more than the other.

SPOILER AHEAD – WHICH GHOST GETS SUCKED OFF?

Sheila Carrasco as Flower, from the CBS Original Series GHOSTS, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Smallz + Raskind/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Devan Long as Thorfinn, from the CBS Original Series GHOSTS, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Smallz + Raskind/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

After all but Thor and Flower have gathered together, the final reveal comes with Thor walking into the room looking for Flower. Thank you Sheila Carraso (Leo) for bringing us the fun-loving, bank-robbing hippie that gets humans high. So, where does this leave us? Honestly, in the same place. The loss of Flower doesn’t take away from the story or really add to the drama. Hopefully, it’ll add to a little more messaging and comedy.

GHOSTS GRIEF AND MOVING ON

Thor is obviously crushed by the loss of Flower. So, in order to comfort him, Jay teaches him about reincarnation and the possibility of seeing her again in another form. Pete has decided to distract himself and make up for his rude “Just a basement ghost comment” by taking the basement ghosts on a tour of the house. Which, turns out, is a huge mistake. We’ll get to that in a moment.

Jay is finally starting construction on the restaurant. However, there’s a problem. The barn is home to an owl nest that must be moved before they can continue. However, Thor is convinced that the Owl is actually Flower reincarnated because owls were the first thing they had in common. So, in order to save the Owl Thor threatens Jay. That if he were to move the owl away from the house he would burn down his restaurant. 

So, what’s the solution? Moving the Owl into the house, of course! Which absolutely turns out to be a disaster. Sam and Jay are losing tenants. Not to mention, Jay is attacked by the owl. So, in order to fix things and move forward they all need to work through their griefs. So, Jay and Sam talk Thor through why they need to let the Owl go. Flower was always wild and free. So, the Owl needs to be. Thor agrees and they all say goodbye.

THE BASEMENT GHOST MENACE

After finally leaving the basement and seeing the light of the main floors the basement ghosts refuse to return home. The sunlight, the TV, and the amenities are too great to give up. However, Nancy, the basement ghost, hates that they’re all in her free space. She wants them gone! The upstairs was her sanctuary and a place to “get away from those weirdos”, but now it’s ruined. 

So, while Pete is trying to explain why the basement ghosts need to go back to the basement Peet, Hetty, and Alberta learn that Flower was also friends with the basement ghosts. She held a special place in everyone’s hearts. So, Hattie and Alberta feel guilty and invite them to the memorial.

FLOWERS MEMORIAL

At Flowers memorial, all the ghosts share their favorite memories of Flower and why she was so incredibly special to them. “I will miss her forever” – Thor. Then, afterward, Nancy can no longer take the basement ghosts in her space. So, she makes up a lie in order to get the group to go back to the basement, and it works!

So where do we go from here? While the episode was one of the funniest in a long time, the loss of Flower is anticlimactic. Part of me honestly thought Flower was gonna pop up at her own memorial and it would turn out it was actually Stephanie who was sucked off. How? Crash just saw someone sleeping in her bed and assumed it was Stephanie, but actually the boy she kissed. Well, that’s not what happened. Flower is actually gone.

While, yes, Flower was a core ghost her storylines were lacking after learning about her past. The love story with Thor felt like they needed to do something with the two characters because they had nothing else. It’s like when Soap Opera characters go on a parental lineage journey, you know their time is coming to an end if something doesn’t happen.

In the end, I’m happy that my favorite characters are still around, and can’t wait to see what shenanigans everyone gets up to this season!

You can watch Season 3 of Ghosts every Thursday at 8:30 pm on CBS, as well as Paramount+!

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