Who Do You Think You Are?: Ghosts BBC (S1, E1) REVIEW

Ghosts BBC is a firm favourite among Spooky Isles readers. GEMMA JOHNSON takes us back to look over the series, starting from episode one, titled Who Do You Think You Are?

As you know by now, I am a huge fan of BBC Ghosts having reviewed Series 5 and all of the Christmas Specials along with sharing my Top 10 Episodes. 

When Spooky Isles asked me to review the episodes from series 1 – 4, I jumped at the opportunity, but I want to do this a little differently.

By now, most people have seen the programme and there have been lots of reviews published.  With this in mind, I have opted to approach this as a commentary and with that drawing life lessons from each of the episodes. 

Get comfortable and let’s get nostalgic as I take you back to the first episode of series 1.

Episode 1 Series 1: Who Do You Think You Are? Aired on 15 April 2019 and is number 10 in my Top 10 list of episodes.

We don’t immediately meet the Ghosts of Button Hall instead the focus is upon Mike and Alison as they struggle to find somewhere to live that is: 1. Affordable and 2. Inhabitable. They become increasingly disheartened with the rapidly declining standard of options that are being presented to them by the less than competent estate agent.

Alison receives what she thinks is a telephone sales call, who can blame her because most random numbers generally are today.  She does handle it with more grace, and less swearing, than I do though so brownie points for that Alison. 

But it is not a telephone sales call, it is a probate solicitor with important news regarding an inheritance. Life lesson Number 1:  Don’t be so quick to shut down a phone call from an unfamiliar number. 

I need to clarify; I am not wishing anyone’s passing but…. I would love to get that kind of phone call regarding the sprawling, old, dusty estate of a very distant relative.  Alison and Mike react much the way that I would – oh my gosh we are rich! we are landowners and… do we have titles now too? Cue a quick pack up of their belongings and a car ride to their new property – I wouldn’t hang around either! 

One of my favourite scenes here is the car ride where Alison and Mike are singing along, loudly, badly and getting all the words wrong, but isn’t that the best way to do a bit of car karaoke?  Life Lesson Number 2: ‘Sing like no-one is listening’ – who cares what people in the next car think and if you don’t know the words just make them up.

When Alison and Mike pull up to Button House, they are unaware of two things, firstly that there are a whole range of expensive problems waiting for them and secondly there are a clique of very eccentric ghosts who stake claim to the house.  We all know that the ghosts are not happy about sharing the space and we know that Julian is about to push Alison out of the window but let’s pause there for a moment.

I have watched this episode several times, as with all the others, but this time Fanny’s death struck me.  She is the only ghost who is forced to relive her death on repeat each and every day at the same time, sleepwalking out of the window and shrieking as she falls to the ground. 

There is some humour applied as Captain tries to avoid Fanny disrupting her sleep but altering the clock time.  This is to no avail, and it continues although no further attention is drawn to this within the rest of the series and beyond.  Could this be the reason that Fanny is so curt with Alison and the other spooks?  Quite possibly. 

I would be the same if I was forced to relive the moment of my death on repeat for eternity – or until I was ‘sucked off’ in Mary’s words. Life Lesson Number 3: We never really know what someone is going through.

I will leave this here by ending with one of my favourite pieces of dialogue from this episode, Fanny talks about the events leading up to her death.

Fanny:  Twas my husband, George.  I caught him ‘pon Groundskeeper with the Butler ‘pon him.
Kitty:  Like a sandwich?
Mary: A man-wich.

Even within the most difficult of conversations, a little humour goes a long way. 

Tell us your thoughts on this episode of Ghosts in the comments section below!