The actor who plays Jay in CBS’Ghosts,Utkarsh Ambudkar, perfectly explains why his character’s ability to see spirits in season 4 is a mistake. The network launched the series in 2021 as an American version of a British series of the same name. In the lore leading up toGhostsseason 4, Jay’s wife, Sam, played by Rose McIver, can see the dead. To Jay’s dismay, he doesn’t share her unique ability. Her rare gift was garnered in an accident wherein Sam fell down the stairs and awoke with the ability to greet the dead.
While Jay comically desires to see the ghosts along with his partner, there are reasons that it’s a risk the series should not take. Ambudkar added another reason to the list ahead ofGhostsseason 4, perfectly explaining why his character is needed just as he is. Jay does his best to understand theperiods and backstories of the ghostsin the CBS series, but despite his best efforts, he is often left in the dark about the paranormal goings-on at Woodstone Mansion. Sad as it is,Jay’s exclusion from Sam and the spirits' dynamic is elemental to the series.
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The TV series Ghosts uses humor to deal with the topic of the supernatural, much like these other similar shows, such as Inside No.9 and Yonderland.
Utkarsh Ambudkar Points Out That Jay Is The Viewers' Perspective In Ghosts
Utkarsh Ambudkar Said It Best
In a video posted to the officialGhostsTikTok, Ambudkar perfectly explained whyJay should stay the same inGhostsseason 4. When replying to a comment asking,“Why is Jay the most rational one?“Ambudkar answered that Jay is the most rationalGhostscharacter because he can’t see the ghosts, and as such, he reflects how most people would experience Woodstone Mansion. He added:“I’m the audience member wondering what the hell is going on all around me at all times.”
What Utkarsh Ambudkar said explains whyGhosts’Jay changecould devastate the series. He is the series' tether to reality as the only character with a conventional relationship with the dead. Sometimes,Ghostsshows the mansion from Jay’s perspective, with just Sam and him in the room with no other spirits, to show the situation as most people would view it. Jay’s lens into the scenario is crucial because it’s how most people would experience Woodstone, includingGhosts’audience, so having that audience perspective is vital.
Jay Seeing The Spirits Can Alienate The Audience In Ghost Season 4
Jay Is The Series' Connection To Reality
Once Jay can see the dead inGhostsseason 4, the series risks alienating its audience. As it is, Jay represents the vast majority of people in the world – going about their day without seeing the dead.Viewers could easily forget that the personalities surrounding Jay and Sam are invisible once. They can get caught up in the ghosts' stories without the constant and necessary reminder that they aren’t visible.
Ghostsseason 4 premieres on CBS on Thursday, October 17, at 8:30 pm Eastern.
Without Utkarsh Ambudkar’s character representing viewers on the fringe of the experience, audience members could start feeling like outsiders looking in instead of being positioned in the experience as a reflection of Jay’s role. While Sam has many involved conversations with the ghosts,Jay acts as the barrierbetween the bizarre circumstances and the reality of the situation. ByGhostsseason 4, that’s all about to change.
Ghosts (US)
Cast
Ghosts is a comedy series about Samantha and Jay, who convert a country estate into a bed-and-breakfast. Unbeknownst to them, the house is inhabited by ghosts of former residents, visible only to Samantha. The show blends humor with supernatural elements as the couple navigates their unusual challenges.
