S01.E10: Possession

[Whimsy]

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Hetty accidentally possesses Jay's body just as he and Sam are to about show Woodstone Mansion to a renowned wedding planner.

Original airdate 12/9/21

[ctlady]

On 12/6/2021 at 7:42 PM, Whimsy said:

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Hetty accidentally possesses Jay's body just as he and Sam are to about show Woodstone Mansion to a renowned wedding planner.

Original airdate 12/9/21

I think the episode number should be 1:10.  1:09 was Alberta's Fan

[Whimsy]

1 hour ago, ctlady said:

I think the episode number should be 1:10.  1:09 was Alberta's Fan

Fixed. Thanks!

[nora1992]

If I were in the academy, I’d vote for Jay for an Emmy based on the first 5 minutes 

I can’t remember the last show where someone’s physical comedy seemed so effortless!  An unnatural plot device, he made it seem so natural.  

Edited December 10, 2021 by nora1992
Updating

[Annber03]

"That was kinda sexy."

"I guess I still have a little Hetty left in me."

"...that wasn't."

Ha (Sam's not wrong, though, Jay taking charge like that was pretty sexy.)

22 minutes ago, nora1992 said:

If I were in the academy, I’d vote for Jay for an Emmy based on the first 5 minutes 

Jay's impersonation of Hetty this entire episode was pure GOLD XD. I was dying. You could tell Utkarsh Ambudkar was having a LOT of fun with this storyline :D. 

I also got a real kick out of the ghosts' reactions to the possession, and trying to help Sam figure out what to do. And Isaac's comments about when he possessed that one guy...lord :p. I also loved how the show touched on how weird it would be for a ghost that's possessing someone to experience all the things they'd never gotten the chance to experience before, like various foods. I really like the way this show touches on how weird, and fun, and interesting, it is for the ghosts to encounter this stuff. 

Hetty's words to Sam at the end were sweet, too. Also, another episode where Sam's whole look was really cute. 

This episode was fun. 

[Snow Apple]

A shame Thorfinn isn't here this week. I can just imagine what he'd say about the possession.

Pete and his Connor/McEnroe comment was funny and reminded me that even though he's a modern guy, that his era was decades ago.

Sasappis mentioned a disco song (We Are Family?) I think his love of pop culture is what makes him so funny to me. I hope we get his story soon.

[Ms Lark]

This episode is right up there with The Good Place episode when Chidi went insane and made Peeps chili. Solid gold!

Also good to see Utkarsh Ambudkar finally get something worthwhile to showcase his talent as opposed to being a background character who doesn't even interact with the ghosts.

[DanaK]

Really funny. I enjoyed the ghosts’ discussion of the fact they can go through walls but not fall through the floor. They signposted the possession solution early with the ghosts not able to leave the property but I didn’t clue in that that was going to be the solution to get Hetty out of Jay

[AnimeMania]

My favorite part was when Hetty was thrown from the fast moving car, if she wasn't already dead, she would have been.

[Kiddvideo]

The actor playing Jay deserves all the awards. All of them. This was excellent.

[CrazyDog]

This show just kills it every episode.

I can never remember the exact quotes, but Jay's line about being like the Property Brothers, but not the lame one, the one who actually fixes stuff...lol.

Murphy, the bird removal man, looked so sad and horrified. Aww.

Flower helping out! I've warned up to her a bit.

Isaac's amusement at everything is the best. 

Utkarsh Ambudkar was hilarious. All the Hetty sound effects had me rolling.

Edited December 10, 2021 by CrazyDog

[Blakeston]

Best line of the night was, IMO, Hetty saying that if women could have orgasms, this is what they would feel like!

The men's comedy acting categories at the Emmys have had weak lineups lately. I don't know if Utkarsh Ambudkar would be considered lead or supporting, but either way, he'll be totally deserving of a nomination if he gets one.

Hetty really should have known something was up when the pigeon-guy responded to her. That said, they definitely chose the correct character for a body-swap episode. Thorfinn would have been the most obvious choice, because of his over-the-top personality and his ability to conduct electricity, but I'm glad they went in a more challenging direction.

 

[chaifan]

10 hours ago, DanaK said:

I enjoyed the ghosts’ discussion of the fact they can go through walls but not fall through the floor.

They hit this on the UK show, too, but it was much more of a one liner, something about being able to sit in chairs.  I'm glad they finally got to it here.  I did love how Jay/Hetty kept walking into closed doors. 

8 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

My favorite part was when Hetty was thrown from the fast moving car, if she wasn't already dead, she would have been.

And not a hair out of place!  There are advantages to being a ghost. 

It's a shame that Jay wasn't able to see/hear the other ghosts while he was Hetty. 

I like that they chose Hetty for this swap.  She's the one character that has remained most fixed from an ideological standpoint.  Sasappis is downright modern, with Alberta in a close second.  Thorfinn isn't quite "modern", but has certainly come a long way.  Isaac is a mixed bag (in so many ways).  But Hetty has seemed to stay put with her ideas, standards, etc.  Until now.

 

 

[kwnyc]

I'm glad Jay got to "hear" Hetty's voice. He's been the left-out one, and now he knows what one of them sounds like!

Also, Flower's power (heh) is pretty groovy. I wouldn't mind if she walked through me!

Enrico Colantoni (as the wedding planner) was also quite enjoyable! And despite their initial horror at the idea of turning the house into a hotel/B&B, the ghosts sure seem happy about having a wedding there. I would LOVE to see them all dance.

[Ms Lark]

Probably should go under Media, but it's an interview with Utkarsh talking about taking on Hetty, so here:

https://www.tvinsider.com/1025092/ghosts-season-1-episode-10-jay-posessed-hetty-impersonation/

He does mention we'll be learning more about Hetty in future eps. I hope that's not too spoilery.

 

[iMonrey]

It's funny, I thought this series started out  fairly weak but it has just grown stronger with every episode, and I think this one was the best one yet. 

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Utkarsh Ambudkar was hilarious.

Don't try saying that name three times fast. But yes, he really nailed it. He was perfect at channeling "Hetty" with the mannerisms and voice. It's too bad he probably won't get any recognition from the Emmys or other award shows because they all go to streaming and pay cable shows these days.

I'll be watching this one again. So many great lines, but Utkarsh Ambudkar's performance was the highlight. It was funny, and yet - there is always a rather poignant moment too, like when Hetty realizes how much she missed out on in life. 

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Enrico Colantoni (as the wedding planner) was also quite enjoyable! 

It was driving me crazy where I knew him from . . . he was Mathesar on Galaxy Quest!

Edited December 10, 2021 by iMonrey

[Annber03]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

It was driving me crazy where I knew him from . . . he was Mathesar on Galaxy Quest!

"Just Shoot Me" for me :D. 

5 hours ago, Blakeston said:

Best line of the night was, IMO, Hetty saying that if women could have orgasms, this is what they would feel like!

That was great XD. 

[Starchild]

12 hours ago, CrazyDog said:

Isaac's amusement at everything is the best. 

I love Isaac. This show can sometimes get quite sentimental; I'm looking forward to his reactions to the first loving gay couple to come to the B&B (male, to enhance his relatability). I think the actor would be able to nail the conflicting emotions that could come out of that kind of encounter.

[tennisgurl]

This should absolutely be Utkarsh Ambudkar's Emmy submission, his Hetty impression was absolutely gold. Every time he ran around with his hands clasped together Hetty style I just about died. I am so glad that he got an episode to really show his stuff, the whole episode was hilarious but he stole the show. "Do you have any cocaine? I ran out." 

I loved all of the ghosts talking about the ghost rules that they don't really understand, like how they can walk through walls but don't fall through the floor. If only they had a manual. 

Edited December 10, 2021 by tennisgurl

[Bruinsfan]

Utkarsh's performance didn't land for me, he was too exuberant and pitched his voice too high. It was as if he were possessed by Mrs. Doubtfire rather than Hetty.

[emma675]

I went back and forth with Utkarsh's performance as Hetty. Sometimes I loved it and sometimes I felt it was too over the top. But he did a great job morphing from one to the next as Hetty took back over. 

Hetty getting flung through the car at the ghost barrier, flying through the air in a seated position until she hit the ground, was hilarious. I also liked to see how the barrier worked with Flower. I wonder how far the property line extends? Sam and the afternoon walk gang seem to go pretty far away from the house. 

Sassapis, Trevor, Isaac, and Pete watching Hetty/Jay was hilarious. Pete is right, a death manual would be extremely helpful. And Isaac telling the story of possessing a man was hilarious.

I'm also amazed at the 180 I've done on Trevor. I almost loathed him in the beginning, he seemed like a caricature of a douchey 90s bro, but he's come so far for me. I always look to see what he's doing in any scene he's in, the actor has great mannerisms. They really did a fantastic job casting each character, they are all so fun. 

Edited December 11, 2021 by emma675d

[Blakeston]

55 minutes ago, Bruinsfan said:

Utkarsh's performance didn't land for me, he was too exuberant and pitched his voice too high. It was as if he were possessed by Mrs. Doubtfire rather than Hetty.

The voice was definitely too high. Rebecca Wisocky's voice is pretty deep and throaty.

I'm guessing he was directed to do the falsetto for maximum silliness, rather than accuracy. But everything else about it struck me as accurate.

[iMonrey]

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"Do you have any cocaine? I ran out." 

My favorite line was asking the pigeon guy if there was enough room in his van for all his potatoes.

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Utkarsh's performance didn't land for me, he was too exuberant and pitched his voice too high. It was as if he were possessed by Mrs. Doubtfire rather than Hetty.

Quote

The voice was definitely too high. Rebecca Wisocky's voice is pretty deep and throaty.

Yes, but this was an exuberant Hetty getting high on life, literally. In her ghostly form she's mostly prim and proper and lower key, but she was just giddy at enjoying the sensations of eating and drinking and feeling again. So I thought being a little over the top was perfectly appropriate. Also? The actor just absolutely nailed her laugh and her mannerisms. I honestly wouldn't have known he had it in him.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, emma675 said:

I went back and forth with Utkarsh's performance as Hetty. Sometimes I loved it and sometimes I felt it was too over the top. But he did a great job morphing from one to the next as Hetty took back over

I think this would have worked better in an hour-long (42 minute) show than a half-hour (17 minute) show because they needed enough time for the Hetty-Jay, back-and-forth bits. 
But the writing, acting, CGI, etc. were all top notch.

Edited December 11, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Daff]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:05 AM, chaifan said:

It's a shame that Jay wasn't able to see/hear the other ghosts while he was Hetty

Really valid point. Why wouldn’t she (and Jay) attend to them. For that matter, why didn’t the other ghosts address her (Jay) directly during the possession? At least then, Jay would have had benefit of knowing what they all look and sound like. I feel like he was deprived!

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Daff said:

Really valid point. Why wouldn’t she (and Jay) attend to them. For that matter, why didn’t the other ghosts address her (Jay) directly during the possession? At least then, Jay would have had benefit of knowing what they all look and sound like. I feel like he was deprived!

Even though we didn't see Jay noticing the other ghosts when he was possessed by Hetty, I think there's plenty of room story-wise for Jay to have flashbacks in future episodes of glimpses or whispers of the other ghosts.

I'm not very familiar with accepted lore regarding possession or ghosts, but isn't there a thing where the possessed person is not completely exorcised?

Edited December 11, 2021 by shapeshifter

[possibilities]

On 12/10/2021 at 11:09 AM, iMonrey said:

It was driving me crazy where I knew him from . . . he was Mathesar on Galaxy Quest!

He was also Keith Mars, Veronica's dad.

[Trey]

He was also Carl Elias on Person of Interest and Sgt. Gregory Parker on Flashpoint. Not to mention guest spots on many, many other shows.

[bybrandy]

Enrico Colantoni!!!!!   Love him.   

I've liked this show in general but this episode really, really, really tickled me.  I laughed out loud a few times especially when Hetty had trouble with doors because physical humor but also because, yes, she would be so used to not being stopped by doors.

I didn't mind at all the over the top moments because Hetty had food and feeling for the first time in years she'd be exuberant and over the top.  

And Hetty missing the other ghosts when she couldn't see them was a lovely moment.   

Also my sister who is 99 percent healthy eatng choices all the time has a hot Cheetos addiction that I only learned about a few weeks ago so Hetty being lured by the possibility of hot Cheetos was even funnier to me.

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Enrico Colantoni!!!!!   Love him. 

Yes, but I didn't even recognize him. Did he have a hat on the whole time? He's such a great actor, in part because he manages to fly under the radar as barely a H!ITG! when the part calls for it.

[AnimeMania]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

10 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Enrico Colantoni!!!!!   Love him. 

Yes, but I didn't even recognize him. Did he have a hat on the whole time?

No

[Daff]

11 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Enrico Colantoni!!!!!   Love him. 

OMG. Didn’t click with me either (loved POI and Flashpoint). Must go view again!

[PattyorSelma]

On 12/9/2021 at 9:08 PM, nora1992 said:

If I were in the academy, I’d vote for Jay for an Emmy based on the first 5 minutes 

I can’t remember the last show where someone’s physical comedy seemed so effortless!  An unnatural plot device, he made it seem so natural.  

Yes, it was like the episode of Frasier that had Niles ironing his pants and the chaos that ensued. I think he won an Emmy for that performance. 

[mammaM]

1 hour ago, PattyorSelma said:

Yes, it was like the episode of Frasier that had Niles ironing his pants and the chaos that ensued. I think he won an Emmy for that performance. 

My favorite episode! With "Flight of the Bumblebee" playing in the background😂😂😂😂😂

[AncientNewbie]

Jay-as-Hetty with the anti-Irish slurs to poor Mr. Murphy the pigeon guy really amused me far more than I should admit. Utkarsh's delivery was just golden as Hetty suddenly able to interact (read: slander) with those Irish again. 

[Bruinsfan]

It is comical that she's retained her urge to mock the Irish despite having haunted on seemingly good terms with Alberta and Sassapis for many decades. Not to mention actually occupying the body of (presumably) an Indian-American man at the time she's mocking him!

[possibilities]

 I felt  bad for the guy receiving her vitriol, though, and it would wreck the reputation of Sam and Jay and the B&B in no time flat because in a small town situation like that, you alienate a contractor, and you're done.

[shapeshifter]

11 minutes ago, possibilities said:

 I felt  bad for the guy receiving her vitriol, though, and it would wreck the reputation of Sam and Jay and the B&B in no time flat because in a small town situation like that, you alienate a contractor, and you're done.

Did the pigeon catcher/pest control guy seem more puzzled than offended? Because I'm not sure "No Irish Need Apply" signs have been around for a few generations. 
Also, I think the name on the truck was "Murphy's..." but the pigeon catcher could have been a Smith or a Cohen or a Russo.

 

[DanielleBowden]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:30 PM, AncientNewbie said:

Jay-as-Hetty with the anti-Irish slurs to poor Mr. Murphy

My husband is from Ireland and I now use the potato joke every time we get in his truck.  The Irish are generally very well humored.

[mojito]

Hetty, taking stock of her possession of Jay's body, detects something waaaay different.

"That's not mine."

[mojito]

On 12/16/2021 at 12:39 PM, DanielleBowden said:

My husband is from Ireland and I now use the potato joke every time we get in his truck.  The Irish are generally very well humored.

They have reached the point that I hope someday all minorities (or once minorities) reach: many years beyond the bad stuff so that the jokes feel as innocuous as knock-knock jokes. I thought it was clever of this show to show Hetty’s prejudice against the Irish. In 2021 it’s almost hard to believe that this was once a prevailing sentiment. 

[Scarlett45]

On 12/17/2021 at 9:58 AM, mojito said:

Hetty, taking stock of her possession of Jay's body, detects something waaaay different.

"That's not mine."

That was golden!

[LexieLily]

You're not the only one that would love a death manual, Pete, but I loved Isaac knowing how to fix this particular situation because he had once possessed an electrician before. Hee. The potential DIY exorcism-via-YouTube was fantastic; judging by the ropes on the bed that would not have gone well for poor Jay!

Utkarsh Ambudkar did a great job with this episode. The ghosts watching and cheering Hetty on as she went on her little food bender was hilarious and what made it especially hilarious to me was that Hetty's bender foods of choice were peanut butter, Hot Cheetos and Sour Patch Kids :p. The possession was funny the entire episode through but at the same time Hetty said it herself, she'd never tasted peanut butter before and her entire first life she spent attempting to please her husband. The look on her face when she bounced back inside the ghost boundary at the edge of the property and said au revoir to Paris broke my heart. Maybe that's part of the reason why as much as she says she doesn't understand why Sam works she doesn't harp on it as much as she 'should.' Sam is living her life the way she wants to.

Hetty admitting out loud, if even to herself, that she missed being able to see the ghosts ("I wish Isaac was here, he'd know what to do," from the beginning) was a sweet way to end the possession part of the storyline, and I gotta say, loved the blink-and-you-miss-it look of pride on her face when Jay channeled his inner Hetty and stood up to the electrician that canceled on them twice pre-episode XD

I also love how Jay's first instinct after Sam hugged him after the successful possession-fix was to ask how Hetty was and if she was okay. Aww, Jay XD. (Hetty impressed me how she managed to turn the car on and drive it the short distance that she did, given how cars weren't even invented yet in her time.) 

On 12/10/2021 at 4:04 PM, emma675 said:

Hetty getting flung through the car at the ghost barrier, flying through the air in a seated position until she hit the ground, was hilarious.

Not even going to lie, that was my absolute favorite part of the back end of the episode XD

Oh, and the wedding planner? I spent that entire subplot trying to figure out where I knew him from, 'cause he looked vaguely familiar. Off to IMDB I go...

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

You're not the only one that would love a death manual, Pete, but I loved Isaac knowing how to fix this particular situation because he had once possessed an electrician before. Hee. The potential DIY exorcism-via-YouTube was fantastic; judging by the ropes on the bed that would not have gone well for poor Jay!

I'm kind of sad we didn't get to see that exorcism, or a flashback to the one Isaac had been part of, 'cause that would've been a trip XD. Maybe someday....

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The ghosts watching and cheering Hetty on as she went on her little food bender was hilarious and what made it especially hilarious to me was that Hetty's bender foods of choice were peanut butter, Hot Cheetos and Sour Patch Kids :p. 

 

I'm not sure if this is further proof that Jay is a big kid much of the time, or proof that the ghosts act so much like children much of the time :p. Probably a mix of both. 

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The look on her face when she bounced back inside the ghost boundary at the edge of the property and said au revoir to Paris broke my heart. Maybe that's part of the reason why as much as she says she doesn't understand why Sam works she doesn't harp on it as much as she 'should.' Sam is living her life the way she wants to.

This is a great point :). 

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I also love how Jay's first instinct after Sam hugged him after the successful possession-fix was to ask how Hetty was and if she was okay. Aww, Jay XD. 

I like that bit, too :). He cares about these ghosts so much, it's just...<3 :). 

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Oh, and the wedding planner? I spent that entire subplot trying to figure out where I knew him from, 'cause he looked vaguely familiar. Off to IMDB I go...

You might've seen it by now, but he was in a Monk episode - the "Employee of the Month" one :D. He's one of those "hey, it's that guy!" actors, it seems - just keeps popping up all over the place. Nice steady work if you can get it. 

[LexieLily]

3 hours ago, Annber03 said:

I'm kind of sad we didn't get to see that exorcism, or a flashback to the one Isaac had been part of, 'cause that would've been a trip XD. Maybe someday....

I don't remember when Isaac said he got possessed by the workman but if it was before Hetty's ghost-time in the house, it would have been just Isaac, Sass and Thor around. How did they ever come around to exorcism as a solution??

[Annber03]

20 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I don't remember when Isaac said he got possessed by the workman but if it was before Hetty's ghost-time in the house, it would have been just Isaac, Sass and Thor around. How did they ever come around to exorcism as a solution??

He said it was when the mansion was being wired for electricity, so yeah, I think Hetty would've still been alive then. I'm guessing either Hetty saw her workman being possessed or some other member of her family did, and so she/they were like, "Exorcism!". 

(Imagine Thor and Sasappis being witness to Hetty and/or her family trying to exorcise Isaac from someone. Their commentary alone would've been amazing XD.)