Every season, you come across an episode in the series that you wish you didn’t see. You wish the writers considered writing again. You just straight up wish didn’t exist. But they happen. And, in my opinion, Ghosted just aired theirs. We have episode 3 ended with Marc Cohn’s long piano and voice singing about Memphis while Max’s wife, someone who has been missing for an extended of time and his main driving point in investigating the paranormal, knocking him out and escaping.
©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Scott Council/Fox
Episode 4 starts with the whole group sitting at a table laughing. The whiplash still sends my mind reeling. No mention of Max’s mental state, no Leroy busting in to check on his partner, nothing. Just a guy busting in saying how he bought too many donuts and all the group chanting Bob’s name like we have known him since episode 1. Don’t worry- He doesn’t make it to episode 5.
The monster’s concept is quite cool, the design reminds me of Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. Interesting, but not really as thrilling as the other monsters they faced. And the death scenes and shadow deaths made me sigh. It seemed poorly budgeted and with gimmick attacks. I mean, I am not expecting blockbuster special effects, but the monster destroying Bob looked like something I could create at home. Not on a studio floor. Did I mention their is a gigantic timer set for 30 minutes before the whole bureau becomes incinerated?
The group splits, Barry with Max to figure out what the monster is, Annie with Leroy. And Leroy starts grilling her about her feelings for Max. Except, maybe in episode 2, there hasn’t really been any flirting, and it was Max asking her for to buy him a drink. The chemistry, if they will continue on this path, will be completely forced. I love when you see it blossom in the between the lines in looks and smiles. This was just a BAM LETS ADD A LOVE PLOT. No rhyme, no reason. Oh, and the director has a crush on the water boy.
The monster is a thirsty sonofa, and it takes a split coffee and another man who we never met before peeing himself. Seriously. He peed himself, ran off scene, and we see the monster kill him in the shadows. So, the waterboy gathers all the water in one room, and Max and Barry make a machine that will zap all the moisture in the area, like a microwave, and kill the monster. Everything is in place, Barry hits the button… and it turns out he forgot the turn on the machine. Super genius. Forgets to flip on the only way to save themselves. So Max offers to enter the room to turn on the machine. Leroy won’t allow it, saying they are going in together. Again, all for the once hated pair now close partners, but the episode forces it, not letting it happen over time. Annie said it best- “This is a one person job.”
©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Scott Council/Fox
Coated in Baby powder, why because it will add drama? The claim is to shield their moisture from the monster’s senses, but we saw earlier in the episode it abandon nomming on Leroy for a guy who peed himself. I am sure the monster would rather focus on the jugs of accessible water than the two people walking in. But then, why would Max almost sneeze, and then Leroy actually sneeze and draw the monster towards them?
But, the timer, which can automatically sense danger, even though no one has ever seen this monster before, is still counting down. It turns out the monster can spawn a new one if it is injured and is bleeding. And even though Leroy is an excellent shot, he only shot it once, and created an Alien-like baby creature who hid in the donuts. The director grabs it and instantly tosses it in the microwave, hitting 10 seconds, the same amount of time on the doomsday, and we see the whole squad looking at the timer, microwave, back to timer. No worries, they survive with no seconds to spare. Everyone leaves early, and we meet Annie’s boyfriend, who seems like a complete tool. And we see a spark between Annie and Max, though would it be there if Leroy ever mentioned the attraction between the two? Who knows.
