# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 16
**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:** [June 25, 2026, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/303 "2026-06-25T23:13:26Z")
The _first_ Downton Abbey movie grossed $97 million domestically and $195 million worldwide. Enough that _two_ additional movies were released. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/304 "2026-06-25T23:25:53Z")
Who knows? Does Prime have the penetration of a broadcast network like PBS let alone the prestige of _Masterpiece Theater_? Also, it took a writer’s strike to finally get the last season of UK _Ghosts_ available in the US. I’m not holding my breath. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/305 "2026-07-25T10:08:04Z")
Checking Iplayer (BBC online portal) today for Ann Droid, the new Diane Morgan comedy, I see that they are providing Ghosts Australia. Anyone have any idea if worth it? It’s been a while since watched Ghosts UK, and currently doing the US version, and seeing that it does the 20ish episodes per season vs the UK, and that’s fine, but it appears to be “the ghosts hook up” version though. Which I’m thinking isn’t quite what in the originals “spirit” but what the hey? ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/306 "2026-07-25T10:42:45Z")
Oops I posted that before being up to date on the thread. I think with the aboriginal thing, it’s no different from native american (more so, apparently there was 20 million Native Americans in the current US at the civilisation peak, a lot more than Oz). But the premise is that they died a violent death on the property, which means they can do what they want with it, really. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2026, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/307 "2026-07-28T13:44:40Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > So it’s to take place in the time frame between when Mike and Alison moved out and when the developer turned it into a tourist attraction? Woah, what did I miss? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/308 "2026-07-28T20:57:02Z")
A whole season, perhaps. But this info is only revealed at the very end. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/309 "2026-07-28T21:40:17Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Woah, what did I miss? In the final season, the Ghosts realize that they’ve been up in Mike & Alison’s business, and their new baby drove the point home. So they tell the Livings that they (the Ghosts) want them to leave Button House so they can raise their baby in a Ghost-free place. In the last few minutes of the last episode, it’s revealed that at some point in the future (Alison is seen from behind, with gray hair). Button House is now a luxury golf resort (the Basement Ghosts are seen with some Livings, enjoying the sauna). We see Alison go into a private room, and she’s greeted with friendly cheers by the Ghosts. Makes it seem like it’s a regular thing: Alison has a standing reservation for that room and at regular intervals (weeks, months, years?) she is given that room and therein she visits her old friends. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/310 "2026-07-29T07:41:08Z")
I need to go back and rewatch the finale. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2026, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/311 "2026-09-15T11:20:37Z")
New trailer, with more storyline revealed! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iLKGXt5JHKk/maxresdefault.jpg "Ghosts: The Possession of Button House - Official Trailer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLKGXt5JHKk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428.md?page=15)