S03.E08: Holes Are Bad

[iMonrey]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I had forgotten about Hetty's mother being institutionalized
— for "hysteria," right?

I can't remember her father's exact line, he said she was involuntarily committed but I don't think he used the word "hysteria" because I would have remembered that.

[tennisgurl]

Here I was thinking that we would find out that Hettie's lawyers killed her and dumped her body in the well, but then they go and pull that reveal out. This show does such a great job at mixing comedy with very sincere feelings, I gasped when Hettie pulled down her collar and showed the cord around her neck. This makes so much about Hettie even more tragic, especially her relationship with her son. She loved him so much, it seemed like they were really close, and it was all for nothing. 

On a lighter note, I am so glad that Flower is back! Cookies to everyone who called Ralph the basement ghosts as being the one who got sucked off, poor Stephanie. She was so close! At least now Flower is back, it was so sweet when she thanked Hettie for saving her, and then of course she repeats her robbery story again. classic Flower! You dirty bohemian. 

So Thor knows what Facetime is but not cement? I'm with Pete, he is definitely screwing with us. 

I'm glad that Sam and Jay went off to have a weekend for themselves. Not only does it lead to an all ghosts episode which changes the shows dynamic, they really need some non ghost time together. Especially Jay, he has such patience, he needs the vacation. 

I really hope that we find Patience the Puritan who is apparently wondering around in the dirt. 

[Ilovepie]

On 4/20/2024 at 7:11 PM, ams1001 said:

In the Primetimer interview kathyk2 linked, Rebecca Wisocky mentions how Hetty and Trevor are really a lot alike: "Now I think they're almost exactly the same in different ways. Trevor came up in a new Gilded Age with an opioid crisis, class disparity, and ridiculous, ostentatious displays of wealth. He was so incredibly driven by money and power, and Hetty was exactly the same way and unscrupulous about it. A '90s Wall Street bro? That's exactly who that was, too. Those two have a lot more to say to one another and I enjoy their relationship a lot."

I was thinking about it earlier and wondered if Trevor hadn't had his own dark thoughts, between the high-pressure finance world and the drugs, and his reaction was one of real understanding.

This is why they are my favorite couple on this show - total opposites but make so much sense on closer inspection. Hetty and Isaac are my favorite ghosts and both were awesome here, Trevor too. Overall a great episode except.....

Maybe unpopular opinion, but I wish Flower had been sucked off. She is my least favorite and I don't love her and Thor together either. 

I think it would have been funnier if Nancy had said she doesn't know how to count (kind of like how Mary doesn't know how to read in the British version). She is hilarious in small doses and was freaking awesome in this episode!

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, PaulE said:

I think they had two strategies to choose from.  In the first, they wouldn't specify what the power was, so the audience will think, "Ooooh, I wonder what it is."  In the second, which is what they chose, they'd reveal the power so the audience thinks, "Ooooh, I want to see that."

Or…
they knew it had been leaked (as is common these days) and decided to own it?
But I hope it’s like when:

8 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

…they also spoiled Flower being found but it turned out the episode was so much more than about Flower. So I'm hopeful they will surprise us once again.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Ilovepie said:

I don't love her and Thor together either. 

I can't stand that relationship - they have zero chemistry to me and are each less interesting when together than when interacting with the group or other ghosts individually - so I'm not looking forward to more scenes like the final one, but I am happy to have Flower back.

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

So Thor knows what Facetime is but not cement? I'm with Pete, he is definitely screwing with us. 

In a previous episode, Thor kept talking about a "land ship" in the driveway. One of the ghosts pointed out to him that he knows what a car is, but he insists on calling it a land ship anyway.  So yes, I think he's screwing with us!!  

[mojito]

Sorry if this has been mentioned, but there are a lot of very long posts here...

Anyway, I was thinking, considering her adult life, that as a ghost, since the arrival of Jay and Samantha, Hetty is probably having the time of her life.

[kathyk2]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

I can't stand that relationship - they have zero chemistry to me and are each less interesting when together than when interacting with the group or other ghosts individually - so I'm not looking forward to more scenes like the final one, but I am happy to have Flower back.

I disagree I love Flower and Thorfin together. I believe them as a couple more than Isaac and Nigel or Trevor and Hetty.

[Annber03]

I like all the couples, myself. I think they're all entertaining in their own ways. I do have a particular soft spot for Isaac and Nigel, but yeah, I think every pairing on here is fun and cute and interesting. 

Edited April 23 by Annber03

[iMonrey]

16 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

In a previous episode, Thor kept talking about a "land ship" in the driveway. One of the ghosts pointed out to him that he knows what a car is, but he insists on calling it a land ship anyway.  So yes, I think he's screwing with us!!  

Either that or he's too stubborn to change what he calls things once he's learned them. He wouldn't have known a prior description of Facetime or the latest iOS. But if he started calling cars "land ships" the first time he ever saw one, he might be too stubborn to change.

[Ilovepie]

I think it's dumb that all of the ghosts have paired off since the show started - I mean, some of them have been living together for centuries, and most for decades at the least and NOW everyone decides to get a partner? I can see that it took that long for Isaac and Nigel to admit their feelings, being enemies for so long and Isaac in the closet since before death. Hetty and Trevor make sense because he hasn't been there that long and I'm sure she thought he was beneath her until she discovered the "washing machine" and circumstances showed her that she could relate to his ruthless business side. But Thor and Flower - no idea, and ditto Pete and Alberta. I actually preferred Sass's car ghost and Alberta's baseball player.

[Chalby]

2 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I think it's dumb that all of the ghosts have paired off since the show started - I mean, some of them have been living together for centuries, and most for decades at the least and NOW everyone decides to get a partner? I he was beneath her until she discovered the "washing machine" and circumstances showed her that she could relate to his ruthless business side. But Thor and Flower.

I have to agree with you, especially re: Pete/Alberta and Thor/Flower. I do like when more ghosts are introduced cuz that's interesting, but I would prefer this Ghosts' series stayed more in line with the British "Ghosts." They had the matriarch sneaking around with the headless guy, which was funny.

The idea of reintroducing Pete's wife was not great because she seems to be leaning into her "cheating" persona.

[Chalby]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:47 PM, Annber03 said:

I actually was like, "Awwwwww, yay!" at that promo :D. Can't wait to see how they'll get her out of there. 

Does anyone else think Sam is pregnant(in real life)? I've noticed all the shots of her she has something in her hands or she's behind the desk but you can never seem to see her waistline.

[Bastet]

6 minutes ago, Chalby said:

Does anyone else think Sam is pregnant(in real life)?

She is, yes; she premiered her "baby bump" at the Golden Globes.

[Chalby]

On 4/21/2024 at 6:18 PM, Chit Chat said:

Sorry about that, but because it was at the end of this episode, I thought it was fair game for discussion.  I'm surprised that you missed it!  ;)

I'll be sure and hide any info like that in the future.  

If it was shown on tv, it can be discussed, or speculated on, etc. We are all watching the same episode, and if a viewer happens to successfully guess the next plot line that's fine as well.

[Neptune]

https://www.tvinsider.com/1132634/ask-matt-so-help-me-todd-canceled-ghosts-flower-returns-blue-bloods-ending/

[Chit Chat]

On 4/22/2024 at 8:35 AM, Snow Apple said:

I was disappointed the commercial spoiled Pete's ghost power too, but thought they also spoiled Flower being found but it turned out the episode was so much more than about Flower. So I'm hopeful they will surprise us once again.

I think it was a great teaser for the next episode.  Now I can't wait to find out the 'who, what, when & where' of Pete's ability!! 

[SoMuchTV]

4 hours ago, Chalby said:

If it was shown on tv, it can be discussed, or speculated on, etc. We are all watching the same episode, and if a viewer happens to successfully guess the next plot line that's fine as well.

I think the point of the original complaint (substantiated by the quote from site rules, above) was that it shouldn’t be discussed in a thread for an earlier episode. There are definitely other threads where it’s fair game to discuss. 

[Lugal]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:46 PM, Chit Chat said:

In a previous episode, Thor kept talking about a "land ship" in the driveway. One of the ghosts pointed out to him that he knows what a car is, but he insists on calling it a land ship anyway.  So yes, I think he's screwing with us!! 

I think Thor's definitely screwing with us, but kennings were a common feature of Norse poetry (like using sail road for the sea) and land ship is a kenning for car.

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, Chalby said:

If it was shown on tv, it can be discussed, or speculated on, etc. We are all watching the same episode, and if a viewer happens to successfully guess the next plot line that's fine as well.

Yes, but, for example:

• Here on the "S03.E08: Holes Are Bad" thread,
  previews for "S03.E09: The Travelling Agent" are spoilers.
   
• But feel free to discuss them on the S03.E09: The Travelling Agent thread,
  where they are not spoilers.

Here's the Spoiler Policy

 

 

Edited April 24 by shapeshifter

[chaifan]

12 hours ago, SoMuchTV said:

I think the point of the original complaint (substantiated by the quote from site rules, above) was that it shouldn’t be discussed in a thread for an earlier episode. There are definitely other threads where it’s fair game to discuss. 

Yep.  That was me, and that was my exact point.  Thanks for bringing us back to it.

 

[iMonrey]

22 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I think it's dumb that all of the ghosts have paired off since the show started - I mean, some of them have been living together for centuries, and most for decades at the least and NOW everyone decides to get a partner?

I mostly agree, and I think it's peculiar to American sitcoms that there has to be romantic pairings. You can look at just about any ensemble sitcom in America and find the same thing. I guess networks and/or American sitcom writers think American audiences expect and demand it.

But if I were to rationalize, I'd point out that through most of the history we know about, Jay and Sam are the first romantic couple to own Woodstone. Previous owners were single or in unhappy marriages. So having a young couple actually in love might have given the ghosts ideas - especially since they are able to communicate with a living for the first time in their ghostly existence.

I also like to think that their newfound ability to communicate with a living has given the ghosts a sort of "awakening." The kind that will eventually lead to them finding out what they need in order to be sucked off. That has to be the end game for a show like this.

[Ilovepie]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I also like to think that their newfound ability to communicate with a living has given the ghosts a sort of "awakening." The kind that will eventually lead to them finding out what they need in order to be sucked off. That has to be the end game for a show like this.

Maybe, but like I said in my post, I think Isaac and Nigel make sense, as does Hetty and Trevor, mostly because Hetty has experienced some kind of sexual awakening for sure, but I still cannot fathom why Thor and Flower need to be together, and I am glad they backed away from Pete and Alberta. 

And I totally agree that most of these ghosts have achieved some resolution to their life story since Sam and Jay have arrived - it doesn't fully make sense why none of them have been sucked off. I hope the show addresses that soon. If basement ghost gets sucked off from one kiss from Stephanie, why haven't Thor or Alberta, or Hetty, or Sass or Pete or Isaac who have all had major life issues revealed and resolved?

[Chit Chat]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

So having a young couple actually in love might have given the ghosts ideas - especially since they are able to communicate with a living for the first time in their ghostly existence.

Sam & Jay definitely breathed new life into the mansion!  It's nice that she can talk to the ghosts too and is a great encouragement to them.  

Since the episode where we learned that Sass can enter people's dreams, I wonder if he could pull other ghosts into his shared dreams so that Jay could see them all.  It probably doesn't work that way, but I think that would be nice for Jay.

56 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

If basement ghost gets sucked off from one kiss from Stephanie, why haven't Thor or Alberta, or Hetty, or Sass or Pete or Isaac who have all had major life issues revealed and resolved?

I chalk that up to either they haven't completely come to terms with something, or maybe they have some hesitancy about being sucked off.  Hetty could be concerned because she committed some crimes (as she said in this episode), that she might end up where Elias is, and we don't really know what things the other ghosts did in their past that they're worried about.  For Hetty, I think that her revelation is just the beginning of her coming to terms with her life.  

Edited April 24 by Chit Chat
typo

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

But if I were to rationalize, I'd point out that through most of the history we know about, Jay and Sam are the first romantic couple to own Woodstone. Previous owners were single or in unhappy marriages. So having a young couple actually in love might have given the ghosts ideas - especially since they are able to communicate with a living for the first time in their ghostly existence.

The actor who plays Trevor theoirzed as much last season when commenting on the coupling up that was going on among the ghosts :p. 

But honestly, I personally think this is not the first time any of these ghosts have either hooked up or at least considered hooking up with each other. They've all been here for a long (VERY long, in some cases) time, that's a lot of centuries/decades to go by without showing much, if any, romantic interest in anyone else. Especially given how lonely and ioslated they were for much of that time - if nothing else, I can buy that they'd seek each other out for some companionship, if not because of any romantic feelings. 

As for Thor/Flower, I think they manage to both balance each other out and have a few notable things in common. He's more aggressive where she's more chill, they've both had dark aspects of their respective pasts (he pillaged villages, she was in a cult), they both have experience with being separated from their families (Thor when he sailed to America, Flower when she became estranged from her family due to her time in the cult), they bonded over their shared history with loss last season - she lost Michael, and we learned this season about Thor having lost other romantic partners he'd had in the past, with Louella and Flat Maria. For all their belief that they don't have much in common, they actually share a lot more than I think even they fully realize. 

Quote

I also like to think that their newfound ability to communicate with a living has given the ghosts a sort of "awakening." The kind that will eventually lead to them finding out what they need in order to be sucked off. That has to be the end game for a show like this.

Eh, not necessarily. The show could just as easily end with everyone's lives/afterlives continuing on like normal, we just won't be able to pop in and see what they're up to each week anymore. That and (spoilering this in regards to the British version):

Spoiler

The British version, from what I've read, didn't end with the ghosts being sucked off. 

I honestly don't know if we'll ever fully find out just what it is that's keeping all these ghosts here, and I don't think we can be certain that any new deveopments, be they romantic or resolving some long-standing issue or whatever, will be the magic key that allows them to move on. I've said before that I think it's a combination of a lot of factors that are keeping them here. And frankly, I think the only way we'll ever actually potentially lose any of these ghosts for good is either if they do go that route of having them all sucked off in the series finale, or if one of the actors were to choose to leave for one reason or another. Barring that, I think everyone's here to stay. And I'm totally fine with that. I don't want to lose any of these characters, be they main or recurring. 

[mojito]

21 hours ago, iMonrey said:

So having a young couple actually in love might have given the ghosts ideas - especially since they are able to communicate with a living for the first time in their ghostly existence.

Plus exposure to modern TV has allowed them to see how views of sex have greatly evolved.

Also, as has been mentioned, we don't know every single ghost who is or has been on the property and the secrets the individual ghosts might be harboring. 

17 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

And I totally agree that most of these ghosts have achieved some resolution to their life story since Sam and Jay have arrived - it doesn't fully make sense why none of them have been sucked off.

I think that all that resolution stuff is paranormal "expert" guesswork, yet another example of man's need to explain things that he actually can't, and then choosing to follow that reasoning for his own comfort.

[NoReally]

18 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

Since the episode where we learned that Sass can enter people's dreams, I wonder if he could pull other ghosts into his shared dreams so that Jay could see them all. 

That would be a nicer plot than having Jay fall down the stairs and hit his head.

[Neptune]

 

[Neptune]

 

[Neptune]

https://www.newschannel5.com/talk-of-the-town/stars-of-cbs-comedy-series-ghosts-tease-final-two-episodes-of-season-3

[Ilovepie]

4 hours ago, mojito said:

I think that all that resolution stuff is paranormal "expert" guesswork, yet another example of man's need to explain things that he actually can't, and then choosing to follow that reasoning for his own comfort.

That's deep! I was mostly commenting on a silly tv show that has it's own parameters about this works, not the universe in general 😉

[Chit Chat]

Does anybody know just how big the property is surrounding the mansion?  When you think about it, there have been quite a number of people who have died on that property!  It would be interesting for Sass, Thor & Isaac to have Sam write down all of the ghosts they have encountered over the years.  

[AheadofStraight]

Anyone know why this episode is locked in the CBS app but none of the others are? I need to see it! (We ditched Paramount+ and don't have cable. Haven't had any issues just watching on the CBS app until this one. Episodes before and after it are all unlocked.)

[b4pjoe]

If I go there episodes 1 thru 5 have the padlock and says you must provide your TV provider to watch. Episodes 6 thru 10 do not have the padlock but if I try to watch them I get this message. Probably trying to force people to use Paramount+ but just a guess.

The above was trying to watch with Firefox. I then tried Chrome and episodes 6 thru 10 worked fine including episode 8.

Edited May 28 by b4pjoe
Edited to add more content.

[AheadofStraight]

Thanks for checking!

[b4pjoe]

Just dawned on m that I have an ad blocker on Firefox which is probably why episodes 6 thru 10 didn't work for me. I don't have an ad blocker on Chrome.

[AheadofStraight]

I just tried again today and the episode is unlocked now. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

[SoMuchTV]

7 hours ago, b4pjoe said:

 

The above was trying to watch with Firefox. I then tried Chrome and episodes 6 thru 10 worked fine including episode 8.

 

5 hours ago, b4pjoe said:

Just dawned on m that I have an ad blocker on Firefox which is probably why episodes 6 thru 10 didn't work for me. I don't have an ad blocker on Chrome.

Right, this may or may not be your problem, but it seems like Firefox even without an ad blocker, has more built-in “stuff” that is generally a good thing but some sites don’t like. I have to remember that if something doesn’t work in FF, I need to try it in a different browser before I give up. 

[Skooma]

On 4/24/2024 at 11:50 AM, iMonrey said:

I mostly agree, and I think it's peculiar to American sitcoms that there has to be romantic pairings. You can look at just about any ensemble sitcom in America and find the same thing. I guess networks and/or American sitcom writers think American audiences expect and demand it.

...

I agree totally.  I much preferred the early seasons of "The Big Bang Theory" before everyone except Rag get all coupled up.  It's like writers are scared that single people somehow must be coupled or the world will end.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I love "Ghosts" but I hate all the coupling here too.  Maybe it's just lazy writing.

On 4/25/2024 at 3:33 PM, Chit Chat said:

Does anybody know just how big the property is surrounding the mansion?  When you think about it, there have been quite a number of people who have died on that property!  It would be interesting for Sass, Thor & Isaac to have Sam write down all of the ghosts they have encountered over the years.  

The property was/is in a very rural area.  The cholera ghosts according to some "Ghosts" wiki would have died in a "pest house" that back then was built to get these people out of some town or village where the people there were afraid of them and for good reason I suppose. 

According to googling, chorea outbreaks happened between 1832 and the 1870's.  Not likely the Woodstones would have allowed a pest house on their property so probably an earlier date.

Then the Woodstone manor was built and traffic into the place increased but not as far as  a lot of people living there.  Maybe a couple of live-in servants at most and we met one in a past season.

Edited June 17 by Skooma

[kathyk2]

I think Thorfinn and Flower are adorable together. I hope they don't pair up Pete and Alberta they have nothing in common. The ghosts can't do much but they can show affection to each other.

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, kathyk2 said:

I hope they don't pair up Pete and Alberta they have nothing in common.

They both like D&D. And Pete mentioned being in a barbershop quartet once, so he and Alberta could connect over shared interest in music/singing in that way. 

Besides, that seems to be the case with a lot of the couples - they don't look like they have much in common on the surface, but that's also part of why they connect as they do. 

[Lugal]

8 hours ago, Skooma said:

The property was/is in a very rural area.  The cholera ghosts according to some "Ghosts" wiki would have died in a "pest house" that back then was built to get these people out of some town or village where the people there were afraid of them and for good reason I suppose. 

According to googling, chorea outbreaks happened between 1832 and the 1870's.  Not likely the Woodstones would have allowed a pest house on their property so probably an earlier date.

My headcanon is that Hetty's father or grandfather purchased the land on the cheap due to the pest house being there before.