S02.E04: The Tree

[Neptune]

“The Tree” - Sasappis convinces Sam and Jay to try and save an old tree on the Woodstone property that the neighbours want to cut down; Thor attempts to become more environmentally friendly to get Flower's attention.

[Neptune]

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

If Sasappis has a flashback scene with Chiki I will die of euphoria and be forced to haunt my ugly apartment. 

[ams1001]

7 hours ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

If Sasappis has a flashback scene with Chiki I will die of euphoria and be forced to haunt my ugly apartment. 

"Hi."

[Snow Apple]

"Rich and handsome. Too bad he's not dead."

 "You don't deserve Jay." On Pete 😆

[ams1001]

Would the tree markings really still be visible after 500 years?

[Annber03]

"It's a picture of a baby seal!"

"I don't care what you're into, you deviant!'" 

Oh, my god....XD. And the stable boy stuff... I am here for this side of Hetty being further explored!

Okay, so that's the second time now this season that this show got me all misty-eyed. Awwwwwwwww, what a beautiful, touching resolution to that storyline. I love how that ending tied in Thor's sudden passion for the environment, and how he took Flower's advice to heart, and that he did it not so much to impress her at the end (though clearly she was impressed), but to honor his "oldest friend". I really liked how they gave a nod to the fact those two have known each other as long as they have. And I love the thought of new trees growing on that land. Now they just need to have a refresher talk with Thor at the end about the dangers of the changing climate...:p. 

Also, Sasappis is right, Bob does rock, and I'd be totally fine with him returning for whatever reason :). 

LOL at Flower joining in the protest against Woodstone. Oof at everything with Sam's article going sideways as it did* - Jay gently trying to explain to her how awkward things were getting was good. I do like the backstory behind why that tree means so much to Sasappis, it's a sweet, innocent reason. I wonder how Jay would feel knowing he and Trevor had the same reaction to that explanation :p. 

Also, please tell me I wasn't the only one thinking of Abed from "Community" when Sasappis was being all, "Cool, cool, cool..." regarding Chiki :p?

(I really liked the shirt Sam was wearing in the scene when she learned her op-ed was trending.)

I also liked Trevor's story about memorizing the various nail polishes out there. Yeah, he did it to impress women, but there's something about him taking the time to do that that just tickles me all the same :D. 

[Sakura12]

I said it last season I'll say it again, Sam really needs to invest in some earbuds. 

I love everyone trying to give Sass the benefit of the doubt in thinking saying hi meant something different in his time. Also everyone's Hamilton knowledge since they watched the musical getting on Issac's nerves.

I loved that Hetty and Trevor were watching a show about horses (im assuming with stable boys) before Thor turned the TV off. Lol

[AnimeMania]

Carolyn Taylor (June)
Punkie Johnson (Ally)
Dallas Goldtooth (Lenape Bob)
Crystle Lightning (Shiki)
Thomas Wilkinson Fullerton (Protestor)
Francesca Gosselin (Ulster worker)
Kegona Brazeau (Lenape villager)
Hazgary Colin (Ted the arborist)
Pierre-Alexandre Vollant (Lenape villager #2)

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

I’ve seen Dallas Goldtooth in a lot of stuff, and always thought he was a good-looking guy, but here? With the earrings? Hello! Giving my imaginary boyfriend Román a run for his money. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by ZuluQueenOfDwarves

[Sigmagirl]

Add "friendzone" to "sucked off" on the list of misinterpretations.

[phalange]

It's both funny and sweet that Sasappis made a mark on the tree each time Shiki said hi and how everyone wondered if "hi" had more significance in the past. The main plot of Sasappis' tree and the secondary plot of Thor's sudden environmentalism being brought together in the end was wonderful, as was the Lanape land acknowledgment Sam, Jay, and Bob did. The tree got cut down but they can care for the land by planting new trees for future generations. Lol at the ghosts all chanting "friend zone" because they don't have a clue what the term means.

Oh Thor, do not take relationship advice from Trevor. It was funny how he got passionate about the environment for real once he heard about fish being affected then changed course at the end because climate change would kill off humans faster. Flower was great as always, saying she probably won't remember that anyway so he still has a chance. Also crediting acid trips for saving snow leopards.

"You don't deserve Jay." Pete wants to be best friends with Jay so bad.

I love how excited Hetty and Isaac were when they thought Sam was pregnant. 

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

I had a feeling Sas was lying when he said the tree had significance to the Lenape as a whole.

I’m with Pete this time. I’ve always loved Sam and Jay together, but this week she left my guy in a tree and barely acknowledged it. You don’t deserve him, Sam. 

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

I’ve seen Dallas Goldtooth in a lot of stuff, and always thought he was a good-looking guy, but here? With the earrings? Hello! Giving my imaginary boyfriend Román a run for his money. 

Just FYI: He's on Reservation Dogs as a spirit guide and his shirt is off in every scene.

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

Just now, possibilities said:

Just FYI: He's on Reservation Dogs as a spirit guide and his shirt is off in every scene.

Oh, I KNOW!

[giovannif7]

Speaking of the friendzone, I'm glad that the show is acknowledging the connection between Thor and Sass as the two who have been on the property the longest. I hope we get some flashbacks of moments from the long road those two have traveled together, starting with Thor welcoming Sass to the afterlife.

[Jules1]

I just started watching this season, but now think I need to go back and watch the first season too. It’s hilarious! 
“Who are you explaining this to?” had me cracking up. 😂

[kathyk24]

This episode was hilarious. I laughed more in the first few minutes than watching Abbott Elementary. I thought Trevor was honestly trying to help Thorfin. He was really funny going from not caring about the environment to becoming obsessed. I felt sorry for Sass it's easy to forget how old Sass is because he loves pop culture so much.

[Phebemarie]

So far Ghosts is having a great sophomore season.  I really like how they’re building community by bringing in meaningful new characters like Bob, Ally, and June.  

[Skooma]

1 hour ago, Jules1 said:

I just started watching this season, but now think I need to go back and watch the first season too. It’s hilarious! 
“Who are you explaining this to?” had me cracking up. 😂

Oh you are in for a real treat!  Enjoy.  Because you definitely will.

[Neptune]

https://www.tvinsider.com/1066261/ghosts-season-2-episode-4-roman-zaragoza-sasappis-tree-modern-native-representation/

[cuppasun]

Well, I'm going to own getting legit choked up and blurry visioned during the moments when Bob spoke in Lenape and Sass listened rapturously to hearing his language after so long. It was so incredibly moving, and it really hit home to me (along with the ultimate reason for the grief over losing the tree) just how hard it must be on him to lose everything from his community, culture and environment over those long years. Beautifully done.

And as already copiously noted in this thread, the rest of the ep was marvelous. The humor and performances in this are so deft, perfectly timed, and filled with so much genuine sweetness and connection that it's really a cut above most other comedies. Loving it. And I second the suggestions for more of the history of Sass and Thor's friendship!

[appositival]

I was glad that you could see that the tree really was dying after it was cut down. I was also glad that it didn't collapse and destroy the neighbor's barn before it was cut down.

Could Sam and Jay buy the part of the tree with the marks on it? The tree is dead, but so are the people associated with those marks.

In the flashbacks it looked like Shiki was waiting for Sasappis to make some sort of move. I assume she is still waiting.

[Starchild]

23 minutes ago, appositival said:

In the flashbacks it looked like Shiki was waiting for Sasappis to make some sort of move. I assume she is still waiting.

And always will be, since they are in two different places and ghosts can't cross boundaries. Too bad this won't resolve with them getting together. Unless the show decides to violate one of its own rules.

[shapeshifter]

Just now, Starchild said:

And always will be, since they are in two different places and ghosts can't cross boundaries. Too bad this won't resolve with them getting together. Unless the show decides to violate one of its own rules.

I don't think these writers would do a retcon, but they might create a loophole.

[joanne3482]

1 hour ago, appositival said:

Could Sam and Jay buy the part of the tree with the marks on it? The tree is dead, but so are the people associated with those marks.

I was wondering why they didn't just cut that part off for him. It was clearly laying there when Bob came by to do the land thing. 

[NaughtyKitty]

Ditto - I was really hoping that they would cut out and save the marked part of the trunk to give to Sass (aka: hang in the house)

[shapeshifter]

I'm imagining that off-screen Sam and/or Jay offered to save that part of the tree for Sasappis and he said no.
Or maybe they did save it for him, or maybe Thor or Flower or Sasappis himself did salvage that part (or another part) of the tree for Sasappis to keep, and it will turn up in another episode.

[iMonrey]

Now THAT'S more like it.

There have been some comments about the first few episodes this season not being as funny as the first season was, and I hate to say I kind of agreed. Mind you, it's still been sweet and charming but the laughs haven't really been coming so far like they did last season. Until now.

I was really laughing the whole way through. So many great jokes, the right emphasis on every character. I about died when Sam was Karen-splaining Lenape dialect to Bob and even Jay had to lean in and tell her it was starting to feel a little Karen-y. Cut to the protesters protesting at Woodstone Manor. Jay: "Hello. Are you calling to cancel for the reason I think you are?" 

Thor was letter perfect Thor. I love the established gag that once he gets on a subject he's going to list every fish, every tree, etc. Pete: Actually that's a telephone pole." Thor: "SAME!" Also I loved when Isaac and Thor walked in together and Isaac started to gently break the news about the tree until Thor cut in with "TREE DEAD."

Hetty's sexual awakening seems to be her running theme this season, interesting she wants to know if stable boys are "in there" on Sam's "lap computer." So close, almost there Hetty.

The quick flashbacks to all the times Shiki said "Hi" to Sass were adorable, and Sass got to wear a slightly different costume. I got a kick out of both Trevor and Jay not understanding why "Hi" meant so much to him.

Quote

Also, please tell me I wasn't the only one thinking of Abed from "Community" when Sasappis was being all, "Cool, cool, cool..." regarding Shiki :p?

I was thinking Andy Samberg on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he always did that "Cool cool cool" thing too.

Quote

Oh Thor, do not take relationship advice from Trevor. 

He actually gave him some good, practical advice in taking an interest in the things important to Flower. Granted, Trevor was just interested in getting into those women's pants but the basic principal was helpful. And I loved the full circle it took when Thor realized he wanted global warming to accelerate to kill off all the humans.

Edited October 21, 2022 by iMonrey

[Daff]

11 hours ago, giovannif7 said:

starting with Thor welcoming Sass to the afterlife.

I’m guessing that initially, Thor reacted as if Sass were a (gasp!) DANE!

[shura]

14 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Thor was letter perfect Thor. I love the established gag that once he gets on a subject he's going to list every fish, every tree, etc. Pete: Actually that's a telephone pole." Thor: "SAME!" Also I loved when Isaac and Thor walked in together and Isaac started to gently break the news about the tree until Thor cut in with "TREE DEAD."

And Isaac continued with “well, I was trying to be more delicate, but yes, tree dead.”  I also loved how Isaac, marching into a room when Jay was standing in the doorway, offhandedly said “Move him” and kept moving without slowing down a bit while Sam told Jay to move and Jay scrambled to get out of the ghost’s way without asking anything. They have all gotten pretty comfortable with their situation.

Flower shined again when she explained to Thor that you can’t get people to do what you want if you only yell at them. This was my exact problem with Greta Thunberg. You cannot yell at everybody at the UN and expect them to become passionate about protecting the environment because you shamed them into it.

”Trevor wise like Odin… if Odin’s butt cheeks visible every time he bend over.”  I liked the little look Trevor gave Hetty after she enquired about researching stable boys. And yes, that, apparently, is indeed in there.

[shapeshifter]

23 minutes ago, Daff said:

I’m guessing that initially, Thor reacted as if Sass were a (gasp!) DANE!

That depends upon Thor's interpretation of what he saw.
Had Thor previously observed Lenape people and figured out that they were not from Norway or Denmark, or even noticed any differences of physicality between the Lenape and the Europeans? 

Based on this description, Sass's hair color would have been very different than the reds and blonds Thor encountered among the Norse and Danish: 
https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/the-people/appearance/

When I started a new school at age 10 in a Chicago suburb with a lot of kids whose ancestors were Scandinavian, some made remarks about my almost-black hair.

So maybe Thor would have at least assumed Sasappis was not a Dane, and perhaps from Thor's natural curiosity and loneliness their friendship emerged. 
👨🏻‍🦰👬👨🏽‍🦱

[Sakura12]

2 hours ago, Starchild said:

And always will be, since they are in two different places and ghosts can't cross boundaries. Too bad this won't resolve with them getting together. Unless the show decides to violate one of its own rules.

They could go with the ghost rule of ghosts being allowed to leave on Halloween. 

[KarenX]

1 hour ago, shura said:

I liked the little look Trevor gave Hetty after she enquired about researching stable boys. And yes, that, apparently, is indeed in there.

I loved that he sat down to watch the stable boys with her! Trevor is EOH: Equal Opportunity Horny.

[iMonrey]

They need to do more of these change of perspective shots, because the visuals are very funny. I loved the random passerby while Sam was talking to Shiki, because from their perspective she's standing in the middle of the hallway talking to nobody. Same thing when she's explaining to the ghosts about the Lenape and Bob asks "Who are you explaining this to?" We are so used to seeing the ghosts and seeing Sam's perspective it's easy to forget how odd it must look without any of the ghosts present. Jay is of course used to it, but nobody else would be.

[HelloooKitty]

I really loved the end bit with the blessing and land acknowledgment. It felt important and was moving. 

[Snow Apple]

I was trying to remember where I heard "Cool. Cool, cool, cool" before since I didn't watch Community or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I finally remembered Penelope said it at least once on Criminal Minds. So I guess that saying is an actual thing. Leave it to Sass to pick up modern slang. LOL

[eel21788]

5 hours ago, Starchild said:

And always will be, since they are in two different places and ghosts can't cross boundaries.

Before I watched this show, it had never occurred to me that ghosts haunt the place where they died because there is an actual barrier that keeps them from going elsewhere. 

[tennisgurl]

19 hours ago, ams1001 said:

"Hi."

"Did that mean something more suggestive back then?" 

I had a feeling right away that Sasappis was lying about the tree and its significance, but I really like how it played out, especially the ending, bringing together Thor trying to be more into the environment and Sasappis's tree back together. Its not just about his "hi tree" its about being sad about losing that last connection to his people and living life. I also really liked them bringing up how long Thor and Sasappis have known each other and how long it was just them, there is a pretty big gap between Sasappis dying and when Isaac died in the Colonial era. 

Hetty and Isaac freaking out about Jay and Sam was really cute, I'm not in a rush for them to add a baby to the show, but I do wonder what it would be like to raise a kid in the mansion. The kid at least would see the ghosts for awhile! 

Loved Flower being so enthusiastic to join a protest again, even when protesting Sam.

Edited October 21, 2022 by tennisgurl

[Daff]

5 hours ago, shura said:

And Isaac continued with “well, I was trying to be more delicate, but yes, tree dead.”  I also loved how Isaac, marching into a room when Jay was standing in the doorway, offhandedly said “Move him” and kept moving without slowing down a bit while Sam told Jay to move and Jay scrambled to get out of the ghost’s way without asking anything. They have all gotten pretty comfortable with their situation.

Flower shined again when she explained to Thor that you can’t get people to do what you want if you only yell at them. This was my exact problem with Greta Thunberg. You cannot yell at everybody at the UN and expect them to become passionate about protecting the environment because you shamed them into it.

”Trevor wise like Odin… if Odin’s butt cheeks visible every time he bend over.”  I liked the little look Trevor gave Hetty after she enquired about researching stable boys. And yes, that, apparently, is indeed in there.

Double, triple hearts!

5 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

That depends upon Thor's interpretation of what he saw.
Had Thor previously observed Lenape people and figured out that they were not from Norway or Denmark, or even noticed any differences of physicality between the Lenape and the Europeans? 

Based on this description, Sass's hair color would have been very different than the reds and blonds Thor encountered among the Norse and Danish: 
https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/the-people/appearance/

When I started a new school at age 10 in a Chicago suburb with a lot of kids whose ancestors were Scandinavian, some made remarks about my almost-black hair.

So maybe Thor would have at least assumed Sasappis was not a Dane, and perhaps from Thor's natural curiosity and loneliness their friendship emerged. 
👨🏻‍🦰👬👨🏽‍🦱

Oh, just laugh! I thought about Thor wanting to play basketball after so long alone. But your analysis is valid. 

[Daff]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

because the visuals are very funny.

Yes, yes they are. Worth watching a second time!

[iMonrey]

Jay: "It's trending, locally, between a missing cow and the weatherman's secret family."

Sam: "Nice!"

Pete: "Well not for the cow's owner, or the weatherman's wife."

Also loved (and I'm paraphrasing here) Hetty telling Thor he'll wind up like someone at a party who does too much cocaine and corners a guest with endless talk about Gilbert and Sullivan. Thor: "That was you!" 

[Browncoat]

I loved Flower reaching the barrier while she was protesting around the tree.

[Katy M]

My favorite part was "who are you explaining this to?"  I laughed my butt off.  Why wouldn't she have explained before he got there?

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Its not just about his "hi tree" its about being sad about losing that last connection to his people and living life. I also really liked them bringing up how long Thor and Sasappis have known each other and how long it was just them.

That part of Sasappis' storyline is also a nice continuation of the whole thing last week about how, the longer one lives forever, so to speak, the less appealing things become because you've seen it all before so many times. So not only did Sasappis have to deal with that problem, but now he's watching the few things that did matter to him, and which he did care about, disappear. And Shiki's still around in ghost form, but she's in a whole other building and Sasappis is trapped by the boundary of the mansion grounds, so unless a loophole presents itself, they'll never actually see each other again. Poor Sasappis :(. No wonder he struggled a bit with Pete's cheerful nature. 

38 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Also loved (and I'm paraphrasing here) Hetty telling Thor he'll wind up like someone at a party who does too much cocaine and corners a guest with endless talk about Gilbert and Sullivan. Thor: "That was you!" 

I loved that, too :D! I want to know more about that aspect of Hetty - given the constant nods to her experiences with cocaine back in her day, I'm guessing we have a possible idea as to how she might've died. 

And again, nice continuity there, too. We know Thor watched over her when she was alive, so of course he would remember details like that about her :). 

[possibilities]

What approximate year would Thor have died? I have no real sense of the timeline for that.

[Skooma]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

What approximate year would Thor have died? I have no real sense of the timeline for that.

According to the show's bible, appox. a thousand years ago.  Then Sass dies appox. 500 years ago.

The show explained Thor and his 3 buddies came down (me guessing: apparently referencing the real, historic Viking Canadian settlement) exploring the coastline in a very small version of a longboat (that boat wasn't one that crossed the ocean, it was a scouting boat) then turning up the Hudson to go explore further inland. 

Later in the show Thorfinn mentions they were looking for more otter to trap.  The other three rowed off when Thorfinn was out hunting and he arrived back in their campsite to see them off in the distance.  Then he raced on land trying to catch up to them (further down the river?) but then you know, lightning and a metal helmet don't mix too well for said person wearing said helmet.

[chitowngirl]

I hope they do wonderful things with all that wood and not just chop it for firewood 

[Nialla]

On 10/20/2022 at 10:01 PM, possibilities said:

Just FYI: He's on Reservation Dogs as a spirit guide and his shirt is off in every scene.

The scene of him asking Sam and Jay who they were talking to got an extra laugh, since his Reservation Dogs character is a spirit.

[bunnyface]

19 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I loved Flower reaching the barrier while she was protesting around the tree.

Yeah, I didn't understand that.  (And yes, I know logic has NO place here.)  But if the tree was on Woodstone or even half Woodstone property, how could the neighbors cut it down without permission?  If it's not on Woodstone property, how could the ghosts go there?  Or in Flower's case, halfway around it.  Then I dove down the rabbit hole of maybe the Woodstone property was once much bigger and so they can go more places, but half a tree bigger?  Eh.  No logic allowed.