# In Praise of 'Ghosts' (British TV Series That Inspired The American One) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [December 31, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428 "2022-12-31T21:09:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/243 "2024-02-09T02:59:28Z")
I think that’s just the difference between British and American sitcoms. To me Alison and Mike’s relationship feels like a perfectly normal and even realistic portrayal. It’s a cosy chemistry, not a vibrant one. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/244 "2024-02-09T04:02:03Z")
I’ve seen a hell of a lot of British sitcoms going back decades. I feel zero chemistry between Alison and Mike, cosy or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/245 "2024-02-09T04:27:11Z")
Agreed, I think I mentioned something very similar awhile ago in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/246 "2024-02-09T08:59:49Z")
It’s interesting that the US Dopers here don’t see Mile and Alison as a believable couple, but the UK dopers generally do. Perhaps British people are less expressive in their relationships, or we’re used to that style of more understated acting. I don’t have any issue with Mile and Alison’s relationship. I also think Alison is the stand out actor across both series. She plays suppressed despair mingled with exasperated, kind motherliness quite brilliantly. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/247 "2024-03-08T20:38:52Z")
Ghosts enthusiasts might not be aware of the Button House Archives, produced by the cast with new material. Released late last year - I got the audio book version, which I enjoyed immensely. Have not seen the hard print book so not sure how much visual material didn’t come across. > **[GHOSTS: The Button House Archives](https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/ghosts-the-button-house-archives-9781526669933/)** > > The comic companion to the BBC sitcom GHOSTS, perfect for all the family.Everybody leaves a trace. The ghosts of Button House may have been dead a long time - s… The material is all read in-character, and extends the running jokes and themes in the series. My personal favourites are Robin’s 2 minute history of the world as he’s experienced it, the Captain’s physical fitness program and Thomas’s letter exchange with yet another hapless woman who has stolen his heart. And, like the series, completely suitable for all the family, but with a few things chucked in for mums and dads. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/248 "2024-03-19T16:51:00Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > Ghosts enthusiasts might not be aware of the Button House Archives, produced by the cast with new material. Released late last year - I got the audio book version, which I enjoyed immensely. Have not seen the hard print book so not sure how much visual material didn’t come across. I purchased it as soon as it was available in the US. I second the recommendation; it is delightful. You can also find clips on Youtube of the actors reading from it - in character, naturally. On a sort of related note, I saw a wild bunny the other day and immediately, involuntarily said “there’s a hare. pom pom”. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/249 "2024-09-27T21:27:29Z")
Bumping this thread to note that I just bought from Amazon a five-DVD set of the entire original UK series, for about $23. They also have individual seasons for download for about ten bucks per season, so this seemed a better bet. Edited to add that I had to dig the DVD player remote out of cold storage and put fresh batteries in it. It’s been _that_ long since I tried to watch a DVD or Blu-ray title. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/250 "2024-09-27T23:06:59Z")
We watched this fairly recently. **Mrs. FtG** really got into it. I only liked certain bits. E.g., Robin was great but the headless guy was a useless fun suck. Despite both being played by the same guy. The arrow guy quickly ran out of material. Etc. Just plain too big of a cast. A problem for a show developed by a large comedy troupe. I think I mentioned it elsewhere but it suffers from a core problem with other ghost programs. How can the ghosts walk on the floor, go up stairs and yet walk thru walls? ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/251 "2024-09-27T23:24:49Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > > [@SanVito](#): > > > > Flower has no such excuse! > > A lot of pot is her excuse. She used to be smart, then she got high. I just realized – IIRC one of the ghost “rules” is that your ghost is stuck in whatever state you were in when you die. Flower was high when she died, therefore her ghost is constantly high. And that explains a lot! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2024, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/252 "2024-09-28T13:43:39Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I think I mentioned it elsewhere but it suffers from a core problem with other ghost programs. How can the ghosts walk on the floor, go up stairs and yet walk thru walls? In the U.S. version, the whole cast is kind-of self-aware about how the ghost rules are arbitrary and somewhat nonsensical, and it’s best to just not think about it. A sort of Jedi hand-wave to the audience, if you will. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/253 "2024-10-21T23:49:04Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Bumping this thread to note that I just bought from Amazon a five-DVD set of the entire original UK series, for about $23. They also have individual seasons for download for about ten bucks per season, so this seemed a better bet. > > Edited to add that I had to dig the DVD player remote out of cold storage and put fresh batteries in it. It’s been _that_ long since I tried to watch a DVD or Blu-ray title. Just to add to this, it appears that Paramount+ has the first four seasons available. I believe they previously only had the first two seasons available. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/254 "2024-10-22T16:56:51Z")
Thank you! I know I’ve watched through at least S3 (somehow, a while back; it’s been available on varying services), but I don’t _think_ I’ve seen any of S4 yet. I still have access to a DVD player (a portable one that I’d have to connect to the TV), but I might be willing to buy S5 from Amazon/iTunes… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/255 "2024-10-22T17:09:57Z")
As I said, $23 bought me all five seasons on actual DVD from Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/256 "2024-10-22T17:20:05Z")
Yep, that’s why I mentioned having a DVD player. But if I can watch S1-S4 online, I might be willing to pay $10 for just S5. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/257 "2024-10-22T21:14:37Z")
_Ghosts_ soon to be covered in Greece > **[BBC Studios Global Entertainment Licenses ‘Doctor Foster,’ ‘Ghosts’ for Greek...](https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/bbc-studios-licenses-doctor-foster-ghosts-in-greece-1236184947/)** > > Fiction formats 'Doctor Foster' and 'Ghosts' will get Greek adaptations, while documentaries 'Asia' and 'Solar System' have sold in several markets. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/258 "2024-10-22T21:20:44Z")
The Wikipedia article mentions German, French and Australian adaptations as well. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/259 "2024-10-22T21:30:17Z")
Australian would be “interesting” if it followed the actual history of Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/260 "2024-10-22T21:31:38Z")
Presumably one ghost would be aboriginal and another might be someone transported to Australia from Britain. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/261 "2024-10-22T21:32:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Australian would be “interesting” if it followed the actual history of Australia. I’m seeing: A con A sex worker A dour cleric An aboriginal …that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/262 "2024-10-22T21:48:34Z")
Considering that Australia has been occupied for more than 50,000 years, it should be one con and a dozen Aboriginals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428.md?page=14)