Ghosts Season 5 Proves A Harsh Reality About Woodstone’s Spirits

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Be warned – this article contains significant spoilers for the season 5 finale of Ghosts, specifically episode 17, “The Investor.” Throughout season 5 of Ghosts, the spirits of Woodstone faced a difficult truth, and that truth was officially confirmed in the finale. A central conflict of the show revolves around Sam (Rose McIver) and the ghosts who live with her, as she’s the only one who can see and interact with them – and they frequently ask a lot of her! It’s amazing that her husband, Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), remains so patient, especially since he can’t see or hear the spirits at all.

Despite knowing it often backfires, Sam and Jay keep trying to please the ghosts. They’re easily tricked, and their feelings of guilt usually lead them to give the spirits whatever they want. As shown in Ghosts season 5, episode 17, the ghosts behave this way because they haven’t learned from past mistakes, and keep repeating their selfish patterns.

Ghosts Season 5 Proves The Spirits Never Learn

As a big fan of Ghosts, I’m really invested in Sam and Jay’s journey! In season 5, things are particularly tricky for them as they’re still working hard to make their bed and breakfast and restaurant a success. Sam’s also trying to get the word out about her book focusing on Isaac, but honestly, the ghosts are making everything incredibly difficult – they’ve almost ruined it all!

Whether it’s Thorfinn assisting Flower in possessing Sam right before a crucial book interview just to let her experience the taste of food for Christmas, or Isaac attempting to delay a water heater repair until after the ghost election to gain votes, it’s evident that these ghosts repeatedly fail to learn from their errors. They’re so focused on their own desires that they don’t recognize Sam and Jay as individuals whose lives they consistently complicate.

In season 5 of Ghosts, Trevor made a big mistake when he gave his boss a really inappropriate birthday gift. This led to a meeting with H.R., which Trevor couldn’t attend, so Jay had to go in his place, pretending to be Michael Jackson. Jay was reluctant, but he and Sam relied on the money Trevor earned, leaving him with no other option.

Michael lost his job after being caught committing identity fraud. But the bigger problem was Trevor, who hadn’t paid taxes on his income and now owed the IRS $220,000. While he later apologized, Trevor initially claimed he was a ghost and therefore didn’t benefit from government services – a surprising excuse considering his financial background when he was alive.

The Ghosts Don’t Change Because They Only Care About Themselves

It’s surprising the ghosts haven’t changed over time, considering some have existed for centuries and had plenty of opportunity to learn. The reason they remain the same is simple: they’re entirely self-centered, focused only on what they want and need, much like very young children.

The ghosts’ affection for Kyle was particularly clear in a season 5 episode of Ghosts. Hetty worried that Sam and Jay might have to sell Woodstone due to money troubles, and her first idea was to sell it to Kyle. Trevor and Pete both enthusiastically agreed, while Alberta praised Kyle’s magazine-turning skills, though she quickly added, with a hint of exasperation, that they would certainly miss Sam.

The scene felt unsettling because it became clear the ghosts don’t see Sam as a person, but simply as a tool to achieve their goals. They treat her as if she’s unimportant, and their willingness to replace her with Kyle shows they only care about getting what they want. Kyle is equally compliant, happily doing whatever the ghosts ask.

Flower demonstrated this behavior when, after being elected to represent the ghosts, she pressured Sam into buying a popcorn machine for them. She wouldn’t allow the ghosts to prove they were real to Mark (Tristan D. Lalla) unless Sam complied with her demand.

Honestly, after everything Flower’s put Sam through, I really expected her to try and fix things. But no, she just kept digging the hole deeper, making Sam spend more money! She claims she’s forgetful because she died high, which… okay, but the other ghosts were right there! Isaac even said she’s usually good at what she does. It’s frustrating because while some ghosts, like Nancy in the basement, are pretty cold, most of them are supposed to be sympathetic. But it’s hard to feel bad for any of them when they just keep repeating the same mistakes, knowing full well what they’re doing. It’s like they never learn!

It’s possible the Woodstone ghosts haven’t moved on because they’re so self-centered. They constantly cause trouble for Sam and Jay, and while they often apologize, they don’t seem to change. Maybe their chance at peace isn’t about fixing their own pasts, but about understanding that Sam and Jay deserve to live their own lives without everything revolving around the ghosts. As season 5 of Ghosts shows, these spirits still have a long way to go.

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2026-04-24 22:41