I’ve already made it abundantly clear that Ghosts is a sitcom that I believe recaptures the energy of the alternative comedy scene in the 80s and 90s, which is a time period home to some of my all time favourite comedies. As such, the Ghosts Christmas special is one that was hotly anticipated in my house (I threatened to throw any phone that rang when we were watching it out of a window). Happily, I was not disappointed – and the phone didn’t ring.
After last year’s special, I had high expectations for another warm and fuzzy 30 minutes. There are three plots: Alison is painting Thomas’ portrait as a Christmas present; there is a homeless veteran in the garden; and there is some backstory for Lady Button. Thomas’ story serves as the subplot, while the other two stories intertwine with one another. Lady Button (rather unexpectedly) sympathises with the homeless man, Nicholas, and we learn why through a series of flashbacks in which Jennifer Saunders plays Fanny’s mother. Yes, I have been resisting writing the name Fanny since I started this.
It’s a sympathetic story for Fanny, as her empathetic side emerges. Moreover, we find out she was a pretty badass mathematician who was held back by her position as a young woman. It adds an extra layer of sadness to her arc, as the bitterness the character holds from her murder at the hands of her husband is accompanied by a feeling of lost potential. Howe-Douglas plays Fanny’s uptight attitude so perfectly, it comes as a real surprise when we get these glimpses into who she was and who she could have been. Lady Button is a slow-burn character, as at first she isn’t particularly likeable but as the series have progressed she has become more complex and more interesting. ‘He Came!’ adds to this.
Moving to Alison and Mike, they debate how to deal with Nicholas’ presence, as they cannot decide whether to let him stay for a while or to report him to the police as a trespasser. Cue a good ten minutes of me yelling “let him stay!” at my television. When everyone’s favourite Tory Julian sends the report to the council, they feel so guilty they comb homeless shelters to find Nicholas and apologise. They end up hosting Christmas dinner for the homeless at Button House, sacrificing their “quiet Cooper Christmas”. It’s a nice gesture, made even sweeter by the fact that Nicholas returns and accepts the apology (and saves the dinner).
Although it’s a cliché message, it is a heartwarming story of kindness and altruism. Summed up in Kitty’s childlike joy at Nicholas’ striking similarity to Santa is the lovely, warm feeling that can only be found in a well constructed sitcom special. I only hope we get another special next year.
~ Caelum
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