After Fox decided to bring back this series at the beginning of January, but only aired one episode, all hope was lost to see at least the end and potential cliffhanger to this season. Miraculously the back seven episodes were released six months later and finally we can discuss the season (and series) as a whole. Let’s get started.
The story of season one revolves around the odd partnership between Leroy Wright (Craig Robinson), a skeptic ex-detective, and Max Jennifer (Adam Scott), a true believer professor, who are recruited by a secret organization known as The Bureau Underground. Under the leadership of Captain Lafrey (Ally Walker), Leroy and Max are tasked with investigating a series of unexplained activities that are potentially linked to the disappearance of the Bureau’s brightest agent. As they solve more and more cases, they begin to uncover links to a mysterious entity that could threaten the existence of humanity.
Initially, this paranormal sitcom seemed like it would be a little bit different in its format and style. With the leads of Craig Robinson and Adam Scott, two actors from highly successful mockumentary-style sitcoms, it appeared that Ghosted would follow that trend and play as a talking heads commentary format similar to The Office and Parks and Recreation. While it unfortunately did not head that route, it was able to mimic the style of other successful paranormal comedies like Men in Black and Ghostbusters.
However, there is a clear divide in the season that occurs at the winter hiatus, which could be due to rewriting the series to be a finished product or because of budget restraints, that sees a huge tonal shift in the show and not for the better. The first half of the season, up until episode 9, is great as it slowly builds the world and sets the style and tone for the series. The characters are developed through the writing and actors to create an interesting and fun ensemble centered around the charismatic performances and chemistry of Craig Robinson and Adam Scott.
All of the progress made in the first half was destroyed by the back half that saw a change in the show’s direction. The fun case of the week format was replaced with bottle episodes that forced the characters to try to make paranormal crime fighting entertaining while in an office setting. What was essentially a funny spoof of X-Files became a dreary, underground version of The Office. It’s quite obvious that the network lost faith in the concept of this show early on and what once looked promising turned into a mindless borefest.
This season of Ghosted is a paranormal sitcom that lives a fine line between slapstick silliness and sound science. While the season ends on a disappointing run of bottle episodes that end up destroying the fun ghostbusting adventures, the world, characters and chemistry between its leads make for a strong supernatural story. From its promising premise and fun cast of characters, this season may sabotage itself, but Craig Robinson and Adam Scott make it a little more manageable so it’s still worth the watch.
Score: 6/10
What did you think of Ghosted? Was it an enjoyable concept? Let me know in the comments!
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