# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/81 "2023-04-04T21:12:33Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > _Horrible Histories_ could have ended after season one. It was the same gags redone over. And over. And over. Hmm. My favourite song in the series is the one about Marcus Licinius Crassus, and that didn’t air until series 5. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2023, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/82 "2023-04-05T11:24:18Z")
Of course 🤦🏾‍♀️ Thanks, @GuanoLad ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/83 "2023-04-10T02:52:17Z")
My wife and I are watching this show now and just watched the one where they have to communicate with her husband about intruders. Much laughter. The blinking baby doll killed us. A very funny episode in a very funny show. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/84 "2023-04-10T12:21:38Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > _Horrible Histories_ could have ended after season one. It was the same gags redone over. And over. And over. To be fair, it was a kid’s shows and that’s pretty much what appeals. Same themes, same jokes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/85 "2023-04-10T12:54:18Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Did you notice in the Brit version the basement ghosts are all played by the same actors that play the ghosts? Well except the little girl ghost. This is SOP for the Horrible Histories crowd in a similar way that Monty Python performed. Also, in case people didn’t know, Robin and Humphrey’s head are played by the same actor. ---
**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:** [April 10, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/86 "2023-04-10T13:01:13Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Also, in case people didn’t know, Robin and Humphrey’s head are played by the same actor. Impressive, I never realized that. ---
**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:** [April 10, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/87 "2023-04-10T13:44:15Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > To be fair, it was a kid’s shows and that’s pretty much what appeals. Same themes, same jokes, etc. Same themes and same jokes about the same subjects in the same place in the same period told several times. How many different ways do you need to say “George IV was fat”? As Inspector Spacetime said, “We can go anywhere and any time in the universe! But it’ll probably be London during the blitz.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/88 "2023-04-10T17:01:36Z")
It is an educationa children’s program, repetition is the key. How many times do Sesame Street have to recite the alphabet? ---
**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:** [April 10, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/89 "2023-04-10T17:12:09Z")
It is low-brow entertainment disguised as educational. If they wanted to be educational, they could, for instance, after one of their 14,872 “people from the past _did things with pee_!” skits, explained something about why urine was so useful in things like tanning, cleaning, and dyeing. Or explain any reasoning behind anything done in the past. Instead they choose to be 100% “lol people from the past were dirty and dumb”. The show was much, much more Beevis and Butthead than Bill Nye and left a really bad taste in my mouth. ---
**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:** [April 10, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/90 "2023-04-10T17:20:59Z")
**Modnote** : OK, I think you both successfully made your points and as this thread is **about Ghosts** and **not Horrible Histories** , please drop the Horrible Histories argument. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/91 "2023-06-09T14:32:17Z")
Am wondering if our Dopers across the pond can point out / explain some things that might go over an American viewer’s head? Are any of the guest players particularly famous? For instance, the actor who plays Toby Nightingale in “Free Pass”; is he really a famous heartthrob? Or Gwen, the ghost hunter in “The Grey Lady” (pop into Pagham to purchase a pig)? She seems like a “serious” actress who is just having fun with the part. Maybe I’m just thinking along the lines of popular American shows where a lot of famous people are keen to guest, like on _Friends_ or something. There’s also a brief shot down in the basement where the Captain is trying to rally the cholera ghosts and they reject him. As he’s leaving he comes face to face with a female ghost who is not one of the regular cast. He shudders when sees her and the camera lingers on her for a bit. It seems kind of incongruous and I always wonder if she’s famous or a relative of someone or some other kind of stunt casting. I’m sure I’ll think of more. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/92 "2023-06-09T21:49:55Z")
No, the guest actors in _Ghosts_ haven’t been particularly well known at all. They’re not even known character actors, they’re just regular bit players like from any show. Unless you count the Red Nose Day sketch they did earlier this year, with Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, but those are deliberate stunt casting sequences. Not sure about who the Captain saw, which episode was it? ---
**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:** [June 12, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/93 "2023-06-12T11:59:46Z")
Thanks, @GuanoLad The ep with the unknown ghost is S1., ep 6 "Getting Out @ 15:52 > **[Ghosts (2019) - Se1 - Ep6- Getting Out - Dailymotion Video](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7yxotr)** > > Ghosts (2019) All Ep.---\> https://dailymotion.com/playlist/x7636j Ghosts (2019) All Ep.---\> https://dailymotion.com/playlist/x7636j Ghosts (2019) - Se1 - Ep6- Getting Out ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/94 "2023-06-12T12:10:14Z")
So on what streaming service can one find the latest season of the Brit version of Ghosts? We re-upped on HBO Max (um, I mean, just Max) to catch up on some stuff and I was hoping to see some new Brit Ghosts, but it looks like the latest season has not been picked up by Max- at least not yet. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2023, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/95 "2023-06-12T12:21:10Z")
Season 4 is not streaming anywhere in the US yet. I suspect the Max bosses are quietly cheaping out again. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/96 "2023-06-12T13:49:49Z")
Thanks for the info, What\_Exit. Yeah, I don’t like some of the calls that the Max bosses have been making, but it does still have some decent content. Hopefully they or some other streaming channel eventually picks up S.4 of the Brit Ghosts. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/97 "2023-06-12T13:54:11Z")
I have a question…How did Robin get his name? I’m guessing the caveman didn’t have the name Robin when he was alive! ---
**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:** [June 12, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/98 "2023-06-12T14:18:17Z")
I don’t recall them saying, but maybe that was the translation of his name once he learned English? ---
**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 12, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/99 "2023-06-12T17:19:27Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Robin His real name is Rogh according to [this](https://ghosts-bbc.fandom.com/wiki/Robin). There was a flashback episode where the only word he knew was “Ro”. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/100 "2023-06-12T20:36:29Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > The ep with the unknown ghost is S1., ep 6 "Getting Out I don’t recognise her. I think she just surprises him by being behind him. Perhaps she was placed there as an inside joke. Maybe it was actor Ben Willbond’s wife? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428.md?page=6)