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TV Character Deaths We’re Still Not Over

While shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead pride themselves on a “no one is safe” approach to our favorite characters, that doesn’t make truly devastating TV deaths any more bearable.

Let’s take a look back on the deaths of beloved TV show characters we still can’t quite move on from. Consider yourself spoiler alerted.

Zeek Braverman | Parenthood: The beloved patriarch’s death in the series finale shocked fans, but his last words — “Boy, we did good, didn’t we, Camille?” — rang true.

Omar Little | The Wire: Of all the show’s deaths, none was as shocking — or frightening — as that of the seemingly invincible Omar Little, who was shot by a young drug dealer named Kenard.

Joyce summers | buffy the vampire slayer: in this supernatural show, buffy’s life is marked by death. but when joyce has a brain aneurysm, and buffy finds her mom’s lifeless body on the couch, the show underscores the devastation of real-life tragedy., coach ernie pantusso | cheers: after actor nicholas colasanto passed away suddenly due to a heart attack, showrunners wrote his character out of the show. nonetheless, characters often recall coach fondly., mr. hooper | sesame street: when actor will lee passed away, the show’s producers didn’t want to avoid the subject, seeing it as an opportunity to educate young viewers., michael cordero | jane the virgin: just when jane and michael had finally tied the knot, our leading man died from gunshot-related complications. well, until the final season, which saw him “resurrected” in true telenovela style., rayna james | nashville: actress connie britton felt it was time to move on, but fans were still shocked when the show’s main character survived her stalker only to die in a tragic car accident., lexa | the 100: following in buffy the vampire slayer’s footsteps, the 100 killed off commander lexa, a queer woman and fan favorite, moments after she and gal pal clarke finally got together. yet again, a stray bullet took down this seemingly invincible warrior., teri bauer | 24: honestly, after teri’s bout with soap opera-level amnesia, we didn’t think things could get worse. that is, until jack, having left his wife with a trusted friend, returned to find her lifeless body., ned stark | game of thrones: of all the show’s brutal deaths, perhaps none was quite as shocking as the first. although ned seemed to be our protagonist, we should have seen a sean bean death coming., poussey washington | orange is the new black: while trying to de-escalate a situation that erupts during a peaceful protest, poussey is restrained and subsequently suffocated by a correctional officer. heartbreaking and shocking, poussey’s death cast a spotlight on police brutality and reiterated the importance of the black lives matter movement., keith scott | one tree hill: although this cw show is all about teen drama, fans could rely on this father figure. in a heartbreaking school shooting episode, keith dies at the hands of his vengeful brother., rita morgan | dexter: dexter thinks he’s saved his wife from the trinity killer by telling her to skip town. but a voice message reveals rita ran home to grab her id — and when dexter finds her lifeless body in the bathtub, it’s heartbreaking., dr. romano | er: after a helicopter accident severed his arm in the show’s ninth season, a second (shockingly coincidental) helicopter incident ultimately led to dr. romano’s death in season 10., fred andrews | riverdale: after actor luke perry’s tragic passing in 2019, his character, archie andrews’ father, was given a touching on-screen sendoff. although the show is full of mystery and murder, fred’s death was more commonplace, underscoring the very real loss of perry., matthew crawley | downton abbey: beloved characters need to stay away from moving vehicles. after surviving world war i and the spanish influenza, matthew crawley died in a car accident — just after the birth of his son., jin & sun kwon | lost: in a show full of tragic, shocking deaths, the joint death of jin and sun might be the most devastating. the lovers promise to never leave each other — bad sign — and then drown together, holding hands., chet hunter | boy meets world: after owning up to his mistakes as a father and deciding to stay with his sons for good, chet hunter has a sudden heart attack and dies, leaving shawn and jack fatherless again., will gardner | the good wife: in a shocking twist, will’s distraught client grabs a courtroom cop’s weapon and initiates a panicked shootout. will tries to intervene — and takes a fatal bullet to the neck., tara maclay | buffy the vampire slayer: after witches-turned-lovers tara and willow (finally) get back together, tara is hit by a stray bullet. so stray that it just comes through the bedroom window — thus launching the frustrating trope of queer characters dying just after a moment of happiness., catelyn & robb stark | game of thrones: again, this show has a lot of brutal deaths, but the red wedding massacre potentially outdid the shock of ned’s season one death — upping the ante from a single stark death to two., george o’malley | grey’s anatomy: when an unidentifiable patient is hit by a bus, meredith grey only realizes it’s george when he writes “007” (his nickname) on her palm — just before dying., jack pearson | this is us: it wasn’t a matter of if jack would pass away, it was when — and how. after saving his family from a fire, jack seems okay, but then dies suddenly of cardiac arrest while his wife (mandy moore) is grabbing him a candy bar. truly brutal., william hill | this is us: to reconnect with his son randall (sterling k. brown), william embarks on a father-son road trip to his hometown. randall tells a cancer-stricken william “breathe with me” — and he does, until the end., jen lindley | dawson’s creek: the series finale flashes forward a few years, revealing that jen, a new mother, has a fatal heart condition. after she records a tearful video message for her young daughter, jen dies with grams by her side., dan conner | roseanne: in the series finale, roseanne revealed the series was a book she’d written about her life — with a few changes. namely, her husband dan actually died from his heart attack in season eight. evidently, the reboot ignored this tragic turn., lori grimes | the walking dead: even in a show where no one is safe, lori’s death is haunting. after an emergency c-section, she loses too much blood and her older son, carl, has to (literally) pull the trigger before she turns into a zombie., tara thornton | true blood: when tara is turned into a vampire — at the request of people she cares about — she’s understandably upset. once she acclimates to her vampiric lifestyle, this fan-favorite character is killed by — of course — yet another vamp., lane pryce | mad men: don draper’s world is seemingly one of little (to no) consequence — that is, until lane, the ad firm’s british partner, forges don’s signature. late at night, lane hangs himself in his office, which irrevocably changed the show and characters., adriana la cerva | the sopranos: if the godfather taught us anything, it’s that you never go against the family — especially if your family, chosen or blood, is the mob. when tony soprano discovers adriana’s double life as an fbi informant, he orders her death., delores landingham | the west wing: the wisecracking yet caring mrs. landingham was a true gem, and her loss still devastates viewers to this day. on her way to show president bartlet her new car, she’s struck and killed by a drunk driver., mitch leery | dawson’s creek: quintessential “good guy” mitch just wanted to enjoy a rousing chorus of “drift away” and an ice cream cone on his drive home. his fatal accident was a shock to fans., glenn rhee | the walking dead: we could pour one out for herschel, andrea, t-dog — so many early season favorites. glenn’s death — at the hands of a psycho playing russian roulette with a baseball bat — was the show’s last truly shocking moment., hale santiago | lost girl: this urban fantasy centers on a succubus named bo, but her friends, like hale, are equally important. shortly after proposing to kenzi (pictured), hale sacrifices himself to protect her. kenzi begs bo to take some of her life-force (chi) to revive hale, but bo refuses the life-threatening request., tenth doctor | doctor who: before his david tennant form vanishes, the doctor visits people important to him. he travels to the moments just before he met rose and, as he regenerates, says the heartbreaking words “i don’t want to go.”, edith bunker | archie bunker’s place: edith bunker (jean stapleton) became a beloved television show character in the 1970’s sitcom all in the family, but stapleton tragically suffered a fatal stroke prior to the spinoff, leaving archie to deliver a memorable speech., derek shepherd | grey’s anatomy: after 11 seasons of watching derek and meredith grey’s relationship grow, dr. mcdreamy dies from complications in the wake of — you guessed it — a car crash. in the end, meredith is tasked with pulling the plug., james evans | good times: at a time when shocking character deaths weren’t the norm, james’ passing was the most devastating in tv history. out of the blue, florida evans receives a telegram, which says james was killed in a car crash. no one got the chance to say goodbye, including fans., lt. col. henry blake | m*a*s*h: finally on his way home from war, henry’s plane is shot down. radar announces his death to hospital staff, who just have to keep working. this shocking moment served as a reminder: m*a*s*h is about the toll of war., nate fisher | six feet under: previously, nate had escaped death a few times, but he ultimately dies unexpectedly in the hospital following a brain hemorrhage. sure, the family business is a funeral home, but the characters’ reactions to his death are truly gut-wrenching., siobhan sadler | orphan black: battle-hardened siobhan — also known as mrs. s — always put family first, which is why she ultimately goes down in a fire fight after trying to help her loved ones. bleeding out, mrs. s clutches a photo of sarah and felix, her foster kids., barb holland | stranger things: it seems like there will never be #justiceforbarb, who was brutally slain in the upside down after her supposed best friend let her down — yet again. pro tip: if there’s a demogorgon on the loose, don’t try to shotgun a beer., seymour | futurama: when fry was accidentally cryogenically frozen, his canine pal seymour waits 12 years for fry in the spot they last saw one another. fry discovers seymour’s fossilized body a millennium later. woof..

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Ghosts (TV Show)

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Ghosts is an American television sitcom. It was adapted to American television for CBS by Joe Port and Joe Wiseman from the British series of the same name. The series premiered on October 7, 2021 and still runs to this day.

It stars Rose McIver, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Brandon Scott Jones, Danielle Pinnock, Richie Moriarty, Asher Grodman, Sheila Carrasco, Devan Chandler Long, Rebecca Wisocky, and Román Zaragoza.

• 1.1 Before the Series
• 1.2.1 Pilot
• 1.2.2 Hello!
• 1.2.3 Viking Funeral
• 1.2.4 Dinner Party
• 1.2.5 Halloween
• 1.2.6 Pete's Wife
• 1.2.7 Flower's Article
• 1.2.8 D&D
• 1.2.9 Alberta's Fan
• 1.2.10 Possession
• 1.2.11 Sam's Mom
• 1.2.12 Jay's Sister
• 1.2.13 The Vault
• 1.2.14 Ghostwriter
• 1.2.15 Thorapy
• 1.2.16 Trevor's Pants
• 1.2.17 Attic Girl
• 1.2.18 Farnsby & B
• 1.3 Season 2
• 1.4 Season 3
• 3 Kill Counts
• 4.1 In General
• 4.2 Season 1

Victims [ ]

Before the series [ ].

• Thorfinn "Thor" - Struck on the head by a bolt of lighting while wearing a metal helmet in 1007.
• Sasappis "Sas" - Died of unknown causes in 1513. Revived as a ghost.
• Lieutenant Colonel Nigel Chessum - Accidentally shot in the chest by Isaac Higgintoot with Eyesaac in 1777. Revived as a ghost.
• Lieutenant Baxter - Stabbed in the stomach by an American soldier with a knife during a charge led by Isaac Higgintoot in 1777. Revived as a ghost.
• Jenkins - Killed by an American soldier in an unknown manner during a charge led by Isaac Higgintoot in 1777. Revived as a ghost.
• Captain Isaac Higgintoot - Died of dysentery sometime in 1777. Revived as a ghost.
• Nancy - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• Stuart - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• "Creepy" Dirk - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• Cody - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• Nigel - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• Catherine - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• Ralph - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as a ghost.
• At Least Four Unnamed People - Died of cholera sometime between 1832 and 1870. Revived as ghosts.
• Elias Woodstone - Suffocated to death in a vault after being locked inside it by its designer sometime before 1891. Revived as a ghost.
• Henrietta "Hetty" Woodstone - Died of unknown causes sometime around 1891. Revived as a ghost.
• Alberta Haynes - Poisoned with a bottle of strychnine-laced moonshine given to her by an unknown person in 1928. Revived as a ghost.
• Dr. Fred - Died of unknown causes in 1936. Revived as a ghost.
• Crash - Decapitated by either an unknown person or an unknown item sometime around 1950. Revived as a ghost.
• Susan “Flower” Montero - Mauled to death by a bear in 1969. Revived as a ghost.
• Peggy Sue - Accidentally committed suicide by impaling herself on a metal beam while wearing roller skates sometime around the 1960s. Revived as a ghost.
• Peter "Pete" Martino - Died of his injuries after accidentally being shot through the side of the neck by one of his scouts with an arrow in 1985. Revived as a ghost.
• Trevor Lefkowitz - Died of a heart attack after accidentally committing suicide by overdosing on alcohol and several unknown pills in 2000. Revived as a ghost.
• David Woodstone - Died of a brain aneurysm sometime between 2000 and 2010.

Season 1 [ ]

• Sophie Woodstone - Died of old age. Revived as a ghost.
• Unnamed Construction Worker - Impaled through the chest with a steel beam off-screen sometime prior to the events of the series, shown as a ghost. Revived as a ghost.
• Unnamed Man - Died of unknown causes off-screen sometime prior to the events of the series, shown as a ghost. Revived as a ghost.

Viking Funeral [ ]

• Gunnar - Died of unknown causes off-screen sometime after 1007, mentioned.
• Ivar - Died of unknown causes off-screen sometime after 1007, mentioned.

Dinner Party [ ]

Halloween [ ], pete's wife [ ], flower's article [ ].

• Winky - Trampled by a horse off-screen sometime between the mid to late 1800s, shown as a ghost. Revived as a ghost.
• Skiki - Died of unknown causes off-screen sometime around the 1500s, shown as a ghost. Revived as a ghost.

D&D [ ]

Alberta's fan [ ], possession [ ], sam's mom [ ].

• Sondra - Heart exploded after eating the cheese hurricane off-screen sometime prior to the events of the series, shown as a ghost. Revived as a ghost.

Jay's Sister [ ]

The vault [ ].

• Unnamed Maid - Died of unknown causes off-screen hundreds of years prior to the events of the series, mentioned.

Ghostwriter [ ]

Thorapy [ ], trevor's pants [ ], attic girl [ ], farnsby & b [ ], season 2 [ ], season 3 [ ].

Coming Soon...

• Before the Series - 28 (So Far)
• Season 1 - 23 (So Far)
• Season 2 - TBA
• Season 3 - Coming Soon...

Kill Counts [ ]

• Samantha "Sam" Arondekar - 5 (So Far)
• Jay Arondekar - 5 (So Far)
• Murphy "Murph" - 5 (So Far)
• Captain Isaac Higgintoot - 3 (Ghost) (So Far)
• Trevor Lefkowitz - 1 (Ghost) (So Far)
• Sasappis "Sas" - 1 (Ghost) (So Far)
• Elias Woodstone - 1 (Deceased)

In General [ ]

• All Ghosts that eventually ascend to Heaven or descend to Hell will not be listed a second time, as this doesn't really count as dying, though their title in the kill counts section if they get a kill will officially be changed to "Deceased" rather that "Ghost".
• In the episode "Pilot", Sophie Woodstone ascends to Heaven after dying of old age, but since this doesn't really count as dying, a second death for her won't be counted.
• Later in the episode, Sheryl ascends to Heaven after finally connecting with Sam again, but since this doesn't really count as dying, a second death for her won't be counted.
• In the episode "Jay's Sister", Isaac mentions that all of his sister died before reaching the age of two, so since it's unknown exactly how many sisters he had, only two will be counted for the minimum.
• In the episode "The Vault", Elias Woodstone descends to Hell after admitting that he will never become a better person, but since this doesn't really count as dying, a second death for him won't be counted.
• 1 Chucky (TV Series)
• 2 My Hero Academia
• 3 Scream (Film Series)

Screen Rant

Cbs' ghosts: every ghost time period & backstory explained.

The CBS sitcom Ghosts features eight characters who died during different historical periods. Here's a guide to each one's backstory and death.

• Ghosts on CBS' Ghosts come from various time periods, forming a unique family. Their deaths range from lightning strikes to diseases.
• Thorfinn, the oldest ghost, is a Viking who died around the 1020s. Sasappis, a Lenape man, died in the 1520s and loves discussing deaths.
• Alberta, a jazz singer from the 1920s, was poisoned by her bootlegger boyfriend. Pete, who died in 1985, is a chipper ghost with no unique powers.

CBS' Ghosts features a cast full of spectral characters that each hail from a distinct time period, making fans wonder what order did the ghosts die in Ghosts ? Each ghost comes with its own unique backstory and death. Though each of the eight ghosts has a wildly different perspective based on their experiences throughout history, they nonetheless form a sort of family, which is one of the show's greatest charms. After all, being stuck with the same people for all eternity allows for plenty of time to get to know each other. Ghosts stars Utkarsh Ambudkar and Rose McIver as Jay and Sam, a young couple who inherit a mansion in upstate New York.

In an adaptation of a BBC show of the same name, the couple discovers the house also comes with several ghostly inhabitants, who Sam is able to see after a near-death experience. These are Thorfinn (Devan Long), Sasappis (Román Zaragoza), Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones), Hetty (Rebecca Wisocky), Alberta (Danielle Pinnock), Flower (Sheila Carrasco), Pete (Richie Moriarty), and Trevor (Asher Grodman). Although other ghosts feature in the show, such as those in the basement " cholera pit ," the British soldiers from the shed outside, and even Hetty's nefarious husband Elias, the main eight are the most fully fleshed-out and will continue to be in Ghosts season 3 .

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Unlike Marvel's Thor from the MCU , with whom he shares a name, Thorfinn is not a god, although he does have some pseudo-lightning powers. The oldest ghost in the show, Thorfinn is a Viking who traveled to North America but was accidentally left behind by his compatriots. The Vikings' historical voyage was about 1000 years ago, meaning Thorfinn died around the 1020s. He died on the land that would one day hold Sam and Jay's house after being struck by lightning, which leaves him with the ghostly ability to make lights flicker. Never one to pass up a good discussion about fishing or fighting wild animals, Thorfinn is a Viking through and through.

When it comes to what order the ghosts died in Ghosts , Sasappis is about 500 years younger than Thorfinn, dying in the 1520s. He's a Lenape man, an indigenous group from the Hudson Valley in New York as well as parts of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Unlike most of the other specters in Ghosts , Sasappis has yet to reveal how he died, but one of his favorite pastimes is reminding all the others of how they met their ends, most of which he was there for.

While this ghost's backstory remains unknown, it is revealed in Ghosts season 1, episode 7 that a woman Sass loved in life, Shiki, is also a ghost, and he tries to get in touch with her. Sasappis is also a big fan of watching TV and often asks Sam and Jay to cook junk food, so he can smell it.

A Revolutionary War captain who knew the likes of real-life figures Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr , Isaac Higgentoot unfortunately died of dysentery before he could make any lasting historical mark of his own. Killed by the disease sometime between 1775 and 1783, when the American Revolutionary War was taking place, Isaac now has the ghost power to make people smell sewage any time they walk through him.

Despite these circumstances, however, Isaac always maintains his pride, as evidenced when he has to negotiate with the Redcoats who also died on the property back in the day, including British officer Nigel, who Isaac has an obvious crush on despite having accidentally shot him.

Sam and Jay's house, Woodstone Manor, was built in the late 1800s by a family of robber barons, and it's this lineage and time period that Hetty hails from. But Hetty has started to gradually let go of her antiquated notions and bigotries as Ghosts goes on. As with Sasappis, Hetty's death is also still a mystery, but given the corruption she was a part of during her life and the vile nature of her husband Elias, she certainly had no shortage of enemies who might have wanted to off her.

There was only one thing known about her death. Hetty was wearing dry clothes and died in heels. As for ghost powers, Hetty hasn't displayed any unique abilities yet but does manage to possess Jay in season 1, episode 10, which is something all ghosts seem capable of.

A jazz singer from the 1920s, Alberta finally confirms her suspicions in Ghosts episode 9 that she was poisoned by her no-good bootlegger boyfriend. But while Alberta has an unfortunate Great Gatsby -style death, she also embodies a lot of what made the 20s roaring, as well. From her tasseled flapper attire to her lively vocabulary, and from her confident singing voice to her fiery passion for women's rights, Alberta is one of Ghosts ' most engaging and fun characters.

Fittingly, her special ghostly ability is that she can be heard humming by the living when she so chooses. And although Alberta offers constant reminders of all the low lives and two-timers she's dated, she may have a romance arc with Pete in store later on.

As her name suggests, Flower is a hippie from the 1960s who was killed by a bear on the Woodstone property after leaving a nearby music festival. If she looks familiar to some viewers, it's because Sheila Carrasco, who plays her, has had brief appearances on other shows like The Good Place and Jane the Virgin . Flower's ghost power is that people who walk through her get high for about an hour, and she herself is often forgetful and off chasing butterflies. But Flower has interesting depth to her character as well, as she was involved in multiple cults and cult-like organizations in her life, and even helped one such group rob a bank.

Of all the eponymous characters in Ghosts , Pete's death is the most apparent. Shot in the neck by one of the Scouts from the troop he was leading, Pete met his untimely demise in 1985 and still has the arrow in his neck to prove it. Despite the tragedy of his passing, however, and the later revelation in Ghosts episode 6 that his wife was cheating on him in life, Pete is perpetually chipper in Ghosts . What is Pete's ghost power? While he doesn't possess a unique ghostly ability, Pete's affinity for compromise and teambuilding makes him a crucial member of the ghosts' de facto family and could earn him a shot at romance with Alberta later on.

Trevor is the youngest of the ghosts, whose special power is touching or moving solid objects (with great effort). A spoiled yuppie party boy who died in the late 1990s, Trevor is all about popularity and scoring attractive women. Trevor died when he and his colleagues went to stay in the Woodstone Mansion, and he took some pills with some alcohol while partying. This caused him to overdose, and he died of a heart attack. His friends just dumped his body in the lake and never talked about it again. Only Sasappis originally knew the truth of his death, but Jake fished his head out of the late in "Trevor's Body."

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Most of the ghosts in Ghosts are kind, funny, and often helpful. However, there is one ghost who was mostly only had a short stint on the show and is none of those things. Elias Woodstone is Hetty's husband (and cousin). While he was alive, his marriage was not good because he was controlling and had several mistresses. His death came when he ended up locked in his vault by its designer after Elias slept with his wife. He died in the vault and his ghost reminded bound to the house. He was trapped in there for a century until Sam and Jay found the vault and opened it, freeing him.

However, something terrifying happened to Elias. He was the only ghost in this house that ever ended up sent to Hell . Hetty gave her dead husband a chance to redeem himself from his past sins, and he refused, saying there is no such thing as good and evil. As a result, she told him to "go to Hell" and he did. Humorously, she made the other ghosts think that was her special power after that.

There are also some recurring ghosts on the show, and when it comes to Crash and the answer to what order did the ghosts die in Ghosts , it is hard to tell here. From his look, he appears to be from the 1950s, but he could also be younger and just dressed the part. Crash wears a black leather jacket, white t-shirt, and blue jeans, and looks like a James Dean-styled character, which explains the possible era where he died. It is unknown how Crash died, but he was decapitated, so it is possible he was in a vehicular accident. He only appeared in the pilot and later in the episode "Ghost Father of the Bride" in season 2.

Like Crash, Stephanie is another ghost from Ghosts who only appeared a few times as a recurring specter. She died in the 1980s, and while she was born in the same year as Trevor, she still looks like a teenager since he died a decade later. She was an '80s mean girl who died on Prom Night. Stephanie was the victim of a slasher killer. She and her boyfriend were parking at Woodstone Mansion and were about to hook up when an escaped chainsaw murderer showed up and attacked and killed her. She also has a nickname from the other ghosts, who refer to her as "Attic Girl." She ends up dating one of the Chlorea ghosts.

The Cholera Ghosts

In the original British version of Ghosts , there were ghosts who lived off by themselves in the mansion known as the Plague Ghosts. The U.S. version of the comedy series has a similar group, known collectively as the Cholera Ghosts. As their name mentions, they died of cholera, and they all live in the basement of the mansion. There is no telling how many of them there are, but there are three named on the show (Stuart, Nancy, and Creepy Dirk) and three more named in the credits (Nigel, Catherine, and Cody).

These were all people infected with cholera who were placed in the pest house, where they were supposed to get treated, but were left to die by starvation, illness, or suffocation from living in the basement. While not trapped in the basement as ghosts, that is still where they live as it is where they feel most comfortable. These ghosts died sometime between 1832 and 1870, which puts their deaths between Isaac and Hetty.

The British Ghosts

Finally, the British Ghosts don't live in the house. Instead, they live in a shed on the property based on an agreement made after they died in the Revolutionary War. Since they died then, they know Isaac, but they mostly keep in the shed and to themselves. Every few years, they come back up to the main house to redraw the boundary lines, although some ghosts feel it is because British Ghost Nigel does it to flirt with Isaac. Outside of Nigel, the other two known British Ghosts are Baxter and Jenkins.

Nigel is a lieutenant colonel while Baxter and Jenkins are his two officers. As for how these ghosts died in Ghosts , Nigel's death was a terrible accident. Isaac was admiring Nigel from the telescope on his rifle when he accidentally sneezed, pulled the trigger, and killed Nigel, who was reading a book at the time. Isaac later apologized as a ghost 133 years later, and Nigel accepted the apology. In season 2, the two start a romantic ghostly relationship. As for Baxter and Jenkins, they led the fight against the Americans after Nigel's death and died when their army fell in battle.

BBC Ghosts Death Stories: How Pat, Thomas, Fanny & The Other Ghosts Died

Catch up on the death stories of the characters in Ghosts series one to five. Spoilers!

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WARNING: this article contains major SPOILERS for all five series of Ghosts

So the fifth and final series of critically acclaimed BBC sitcom Ghosts is out, and it’s the end of an era, but thankfully the show has bowed out with a flurry of important questions being answered.

This comedy, created by and starring many of the team behind Horrible Histories , has earned itself a dedicated and enthusiastic fandom (as well as an American remake on CBS) thanks largely to its heartwarming ensemble performance.

The majority of the characters are ghosts from various eras, but at first it wasn’t clear how any of them had died. One of the show’s many charms is that over the five series it gradually drip-fed us the hilarious and often lowkey heartbreaking back-stories of these lovable ghosts one by one, but we went into series five with the fate of two ghosts – wartime veteran The Captain and naive Georgian noblewoman Kitty – still a mystery.

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Series five delivered on these long-awaited final death stories, giving the show’s many fans the closure they were craving.

So what do we know about how the ghosts died? Here’s a recap:

Pat Butcher

The tragic fate of Jim Howick ‘s scoutmaster Pat was the first ‘ghost story’ to be revealed back in series one. Episode three (‘Happy Death Day’) opens with a flashback to 1984, when a very-much-alive Pat is using the grounds of Button House to teach his scouts about archery. 

Perhaps unwisely, he allows the boys to pass around the bows and arrows while he doles out instructions, only to be interrupted mid-sentence as an arrow shoots clean through his neck. A scene equal parts funny and horrifying ensues, where he tries to get the stunned boys to help him, while attempting to remain calm, as he makes a doomed effort to drive himself to hospital on the scout bus before crashing into a tree. 

Later in the episode, we see Pat’s family visiting Button House on the anniversary of his death, and discover his son Daley is now happily grown up with a son of his own, who he has named after his late father. No, YOU’RE crying.

Thomas Thorne

One of Ghost ’s most beloved and ridiculous characters, Mathew Baynton ‘s Thomas is a poet and hopeless romantic from the Regency era. We learn of his fate in episode four of series two, ‘The Thomas Thorne Affair’, in which we also learn where Button House gets its name. 

Thomas arrived at the then-named Higham House with the intention of wooing its owner’s daughter, Isabelle, by performing one of his (frankly awful, two-hour long) poems. He is sabotaged by his cousin Francis Button, who first gives Thomas a fake letter he wrote from Isabelle denying her feelings for him, then leads Thomas to believe Isabelle’s honour has been insulted by a military man, which prompts Thomas to challenge him to a duel. 

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Francis then seals Thomas’ fate by telling him to take twenty paces at the start of the duel instead of the required ten, leading to him being shot fatally in the back. In one final cruel blow, a dying Thomas asks for Isabelle, and Francis promises he’ll fetch her but doesn’t, leaving Thomas to die alone. Cheery stuff. Anyway, Francis Button marries Isabelle and the house is renamed Button House after him, so there we have it.

Lady Fanny Button

The way Lady Button died was revealed in the very first episode of Ghosts : she was pushed out of the bedroom window by her husband George after discovering him having a threesome with their groundsman and butler. Quite the scandal! In the 2021 Christmas special we found out their marriage was somewhat forced both ways, as Fanny’s father had bankrupted the family through gambling and George was a wealthy, ‘wayward’ (presumably secretly gay) bachelor. 

Humphrey Bone

Like Scoutmaster Pat, who is doomed to spend eternity with an arrow through his neck, Humphrey’s death is obvious from his appearance, considering his body spends most of its time wandering around trying to find his head. We discover the details of his comically tragic Elizabethan fate at the beginning of series three of Ghosts , in the episode called ‘The Bone Plot’. 

Like Fanny, Humphrey’s marriage is one of convenience rather than love, and he and his French wife Sophie live separate lives, him trying and failing to keep her entertained, even though neither of them speaks the other’s language. Or so we think. Sophie turns out to have much better English than she’d been letting on, when we discover she and the ‘book group’ Humphrey arranged for her have actually been plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I. 

When Her Majesty’s Guard arrive to apprehend the plotters, Humphrey nobly blocks the door to give his wife time to escape, and then hides from the guards in a fireplace. When the coast is clear, he steps out and pats the fireplace in delight, only for two decorative swords hanging above it to fall and decapitate him. The guards then find him and claim it was they who killed him, and he’s falsely remembered as the mastermind behind the deadly plot.

Julian Fawcett

Although it seemed fairly obvious from his state of half-dress and sleazy politician vibe, it isn’t until the series three episode ‘A Lot to Take In’ that we find out for sure that Julian has died in a sex scandal. He has a suspected heart attack mid-intercourse while having one of his many affairs (this time with another politician called Lindsay) during a Champagne-fuelled fundraiser being held at Button House. In the words of Julian “It was the dream death – booze, bit of rumpy-pumpy, and out. There are worse ways to go.”

We never got a flashback of Mary’s death, but that’s probably just as well, considering it’s revealed early on that she was accused of withcraft and burned to death at some point in the 17th century. This gives her the disturbing ability to make people smell burning when they are around her. Mary was still understandably traumatized by her horrific death, and hadn’t spoken about it in 400 years, until during series two episode Redding Weddy she began to open up about what happened to her. Sadly, the Captain’s bomb detonates causing a fire in the garden, and the sight of this was enough to clam Mary up again.

We never did get to hear more from Mary, and in a shocking series four twist her character was the first and only ghost to leave, ascending forever to whatever comes next (or getting “sucked off” as the ghosts insist on calling it).

Robin the Caveman

The prehistoric death of lovably silly caveman Robin was revealed in the season four finale “Not Again.” At first, everything points to a pretty grim Death by Bear: when Mike brings a giant stuffed bear home, we discover Robin has a huge phobia of them, and we then see via flashbacks that he witnessed two of his caveman pals meet grisly (pun intended) ends at the hands of a hungry bear. We then see Robin had climbed a tree to hide, jumping down with a sigh of relief when the coast was clear and leaning up against the tree trunk to relax… only for the tree to get struck by lightning and electrocute him. Which also explains why Robin has the strange power to make the lights flicker on and off.

Lolly Adefope’s Georgian noblewoman Kitty is one of Ghosts ’ most beloved characters thanks to her cheerful naivety and childlike innocence. In series three episode Something to Share? we learned that she was adopted and had one sister, her parents’ biological child, who resented and bullied her while Kitty remained blissfully ignorant. Many fans assumed her sister must have been behind her death, until series five episode Pineapple Day revealed the truth.

Via a flashback, we see that on the day of Kitty’s death a visiting nobleman called Lord Bummenbach arrives full of stories from his recent trip to exotic foreign lands, and he graces the assembled guests with a gift: their very first time seeing and eating a pineapple. Kitty is thrilled and grabs it for a closer look, only to exclaim in pain because the skin is so sharp. Hours later, she’s at her deathbed, and can’t be saved. The ghosts assume she was somehow poisoned and play detective, unpicking the events of the day to work out what happened, before coming to the sad realisation that there was a venomous spider on the pineapple which gave Kitty a fatal bite. We also got a moving moment where her sister Eleanor regrets her earlier jealous behaviour and begs Kitty to stay alive.

When the ghosts break the news to Kitty, she reacts in textbook Kitty style, firstly thinking this must mean she’s got Spiderman-like powers, and then saying she feels lucky she was the one who was bitten, because if it had killed Eleanor instead it would have been the end of the family’s bloodline and her beloved Alison would never have existed. Oh, Kitty.

The Captain

During season two of Ghosts , in the episode Redding Weddy, we learned via flashback that the Captain was stationed at Button House as commanding officer of a troop during World War Two. It’s hinted that he was researching a new landmine (one of which is found and exploded in the gardens in the present day) and we also learned he was in love with his second-in-command, Lieutenant Havers, but fails to admit his feelings before Havers leaves for the front.

But it wasn’t until the season five episode “ Carpe Diem ” that we discovered how The Captain actually died. We see (via another flashback) that he returned to Button House after the war for an event celebrating the war’s front-line veterans. The Captain is refused entry, so he breaks in via a back window, and we quickly learn he’s there to see his beloved Anthony Havers. The two lock eyes across a crowded room, but before they can reunite, he’s accosted by his old army colleague Cartwright, who quickly realises The Captain is there under false pretences. The barrage of shameful accusations in front of a room of his peers causes The Captain to have a heart attack. While Havers runs to him and holds his hand, The Captain desperately tries and fails to get the words out to tell him he loves him, but Havers softly whispers “I know.” And that’s why we all need therapy.

Series 1-5 of Ghosts is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer

Laura Vickers-Green

Laura is a freelance writer and social media pro specialising in entertainment, food and drink and charities. She also writes novels, sometimes badly. She's a huge…

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How Did Death Become the Ghosts From CBS's 'Ghosts'? Let's Dig up What Killed Them

It's the 'Real World' of the after life — a house filled with ghosts. So, how did the ghosts in 'Ghosts' die? Here's what we know about their demise.

Dec. 27 2021, Published 3:56 p.m. ET

If MTV's The Real World had an afterlife edition, CBS's Ghosts would fit the bill perfectly! Adapted from a British show of the same name, it follows eight ghosts all trapped inside a house together. When new owners move in, one has a near-death experience that allows her to see the ghosts. If we could see them, our first question would be, how did you die? Let's unearth that secret.

1. Thorfinn

Thorfinn (Devan Chandler Long) was a Viking in the early 1000's, a pretty treacherous time to be anything. While he and his men were sailing down the coast of Canada on the hunt for furs, he was accidentally left there. We have no idea if he was able to successfully fashion a friend out of a volleyball before his helmet was struck by lightning, killing him. According to the National Weather Service , from 1989-2018 there were 43 lighting-related fatalities in the U.S., so Thorfinn died a rare and noble death!

2. Alberta Haynes

If you're a jazz singer during prohibition, there is truly only one way to die, and that's from accidentally drinking poisoned moonshine. This is precisely what happened to Alberta Haynes (Danielle Pinnock), the singer of the bunch. In all likelihood, this particular batch was made from methanol, which can be converted to formaldehyde then formic acid in the human body, says Live Science . Believe it or not, the thing used to embalm dead bodies is bad for the living!

We love a hard partier, unless you party yourself to death, literally. Trevor (Asher Grodman) is the most recent ghost in the group, and possibly because of that, has more of a connection to the living. He is able to move objects with great effort — except for a pair of pants, apparently. Trevor is without trousers, which could indicate how he died. His British counterpart in the original show, died of a heart attack because of a sex scandal, presumably doing the no pants dance.

4. Pete Martino

Dying by way of an arrow though the neck could be a dramatic story ripped from the time of war, unless it was 1985 and the killer was a member of the Boy Scout troop you were leading. Sadly, that's how Peter Martino (Richie Moriarty) went. At least the Boy Scout hit something?

5. Captain Isaac Higgintoot

Imagine going to war, to fight for the freedom of your fledgling country, only to die of dysentery. Dysentery is an infection in your intestines that causes bloody diarrhea and can lead to death, of course. Poor Captain Isaac Higgintoot (Brandon Scott Jonas), quite literally shat himself to death during the American Revolution. To make matters worse, he was a closeted gay man, who never had the chance to be his authentic self. Perhaps in death he will find what he could not in life!

6. Susan Montero a.k.a Flower

The 60's were a radical time, full of peace, love, and hippies. Susan Montero (Sheila Carrasco) was riding the love train a little too hard, when she was mauled to death by a bear while attempting to befriend him. Guess the bear didn't get the "make love not war" memo. Susan, like Trevor, has a special power. When people move through her, they go into a trance. Sounds groovy, baby!

7. Sasappis

Sasappis (Roman Zaragoza) was member of the Lenape Tribe, an indigenous who occupied much of the Northeastern part of the U.S. He is the second oldgest ghost, after Thorafinn, and his cause of death is unknown. Many of this tribe were driven west, under threat of violence, it's possible Sasappis stayed to fight. Something he loves to do to pass the neverending time is remind the other ghosts how they died.

8. Hetty Woodstone

Technically, Hetty (Rebecca Wisocky) is the lady of the house, depending on one's definition of ownership. While her cause of death remains a mystery, we do know that the character she was based on in the British show was murdered by her husband when she discovered him in a threesome with the butler and the groundsman.

Thorfinn the Viking's Backstory on 'Ghosts' Will Tug At Your Heartstrings

'Ghosts' Star Asher Grodman Discusses His Character's Lack of Pants, Season 1 Spoilers, and More (EXCLUSIVE)

Where's Rebecca Wisocky? Hetty Woodstone's Absence Raises Concern in Season 1 of 'Ghosts'

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How did all the Ghosts die in the BBC series?

The puzzle is finally complete.

• David Craig
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Fans of the BBC's smash-hit sitcom Ghosts love nothing more than uncovering nuggets of information about the former lives of Button House's paranormal inhabitants.

Some of the most famous episodes of the series reveal the often poignant (occasionally daft) death stories that flung them into the purgatorial plane, with some being more surprising than others.

For example, characters like Pat (Jim Howick) and Sir Humphrey (Laurence Rickard) have obvious visual answers to what killed them, although the exact circumstances can still prove unexpected.

Meanwhile, other fan favourites like The Captain (Ben Willbond) and Kitty (Lolly Adefope) have no costume clues, with the answers to their fates being withheld until season 5 – the final entry, now streaming on BBC iPlayer.

With all the answers now before us, we thought this would be a good time to round up the details on how all the Ghosts died in BBC One's acclaimed sitcom. Read on for the gory details.

How did Robin die in Ghosts?

Death year: unknown

Robin's death was finally unveiled in the chaotic season 4 finale, with the Ghosts writers rolling out one of their trademark misdirects to throw fans off the scent.

Indeed, all through the episode, it appears that Robin is doomed to meet his fate at the sharp claws of an enormous bear, but he avoids that grisly fate by hiding in a tree until the predator passes.

Alas, when he descends, the tree is struck by lightning, which kills Robin by electrocution, bringing a long-awaited answer to why he's able to manipulate electric bulbs.

Although the bear didn't catch him, Robin has retained a fear of the animals, as shown when Mike unwisely brings a taxidermy one home.

How did Sir Humphrey Bone die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1575

The Tudor era is infamous for its regular beheadings, with vile monarch King Henry VIII having a particular interest in the gruesome method of execution.

You might expect headless Sir Humphrey Bone to have been led grimly to the chopping block in a public event, as was the tendency at the time, but the nobleman actually met a far more unexpected fate.

His origin episode chronicles his marriage to a French woman and devout Catholic named Sophie, who was secretly plotting against the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I.

Humphrey was oblivious to this, as Sophie rarely spoke to him in English and displayed little interest in getting to know him, although privately to her conspirators she referred to him as a decent enough man.

He stepped up to the plate when the royal guard came to Button House to arrest Sophie for treason, staying behind to stall the soldiers and give her ample time to escape.

It looks for a moment as if Humphrey too would evade justice, as he tucks himself away in an empty fireplace, going undetected in an initial search of the room.

However, after emerging from his hiding place, two swords mounted above the fireplace come off the wall and behead him in a freak accident. One of the guards on the scene takes credit for the killing.

As a ghost, his head regularly detaches from his body, which never fails to amuse the other Button House spooks.

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How did Mary die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1612

Mary was burned at the stake after being deemed a witch in the 1600s, hence why her skin is covered in ash and she emits a smell of smoke when walked through.

Shortly before she was "sucked off" – the laughable term Mary coins for being transported to the next stage of the afterlife – we learned more about what led Mary's village to suspect her of witchcraft.

She reveals that she was married in life, but her husband passed away a mere three years after they wed following a catastrophic farming accident.

The loss clearly left her shaken and lonely as Mary developed a habit of talking to herself, which the other villagers found annoying. When the crops failed, that irritation evolved into suspicion that she could be casting spells.

Of course, Mary was completely innocent, with her accusers simply using her to avoid accountability for their own failings.

In season 4, it was revealed that she had a close friend in the afterlife called Annie (Bridget Christie), who died after choking on food and spent about a century teaching Mary how to express her opinions, before moving on.

Mary was "sucked off" herself many decades later, in a moment that left Button House in a state of grief .

How did Kitty die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1780

Kitty's death was kept under wraps until late in the series, with no visible wounds pointing fans in the right direction – or at least, that's what we thought.

In season 5 episode 3, we're taken back to Georgian era to witness Kitty's final day as a living human.

There are no shortage of suspects in what is assumed to be foul play, with her cruel sister Eleanor (Emma Sidi) seeming to want her out of the way, while Kitty also overheard a dangerous plot that may have put her in peril.

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The truth is far stranger! Kitty recalled that her death day was the first (and only) time she ate pineapple, which at that time was hard to come by as it was grown on the other side of the world.

She picked up the unusual-looking fruit and felt a sharp sting, which the dinner party guests assumed was caused by one of the spikes on the outer skin.

As it turned out, an exotic, venomous spider had hitched a ride to the UK on the pineapple and bit Kitty in that moment, which caused her to perish mere hours later.

Robin gave the crucial witness testimony, noting that the spider had also killed an animal roaming the Button House grounds later that same day. A small bite mark was subsequently found on Kitty's hand.

As Kitty laid unconscious on her death bed, Eleanor expressed great regret that she hadn't been kinder to her in life.

How did Thomas die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1824

Fans were given an early clue as to what befell failed poet Thomas Thorne by the ominous bloodstain on his waistcoat, but the specific details were plotted out in his very own self-titled episode in season 2.

We learn that the ever-soppy Thomas was hopelessly in love with a woman named Isabelle Higham, whose family owned the manor that would eventually become known as Button House.

He was cautious of revealing his true feelings, giving treacherous cousin Francis – who desired Isabelle only for her wealth – a chance to wreak havoc.

A romantic poem Thomas wrote for Isabelle never made it to her, with Francis swapping it out for a forged note claiming there was no love between them. He gave Thomas the same, under Isabelle's name, driving a wedge between the would-be couple.

As if that isn't bad enough, Francis goes on to tell more lies, claiming that a soldier on the grounds had insulted Isabelle's honour in a bid to delay Thomas confronting her about the forged letter.

Thomas challenged the alleged perpetrator to a duel, but was placed at a lethal disadvantage when his cousin told him he should walk 20 paces before turning to fire his pistol – the agreement with his opponent was 10.

As a result, Thomas was shot in the back on the grounds of Button House, with Isabelle never knowing his true feelings as Francis denied him the chance of a farewell.

How did Fanny die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1912

Lady Fanny Button has one of the darkest death stories of the Ghosts characters, having been murdered by her husband in a moment of panic.

The Edwardian woman was shocked to discover her uncaring spouse in bed with both the groundskeeper and butler of their vast manor, Button House.

Lord Button was terrified that she would reveal his sexuality to the world, which at that time would destroy his reputation and most likely lead to a radical loss of status.

Therefore, he pushed his wife from a high-storey window to prevent her from breathing a word to anyone.

The traumatic incident clearly left a mark on Fanny for centuries to come, as when Alison and Mike moved to Button House in 2019, she was still re-enacting the terrible crime every morning at 3am.

Since befriending Alison, it's possible this routine has been retired as Fanny has softened somewhat – although, of course, she still has a fiery temper.

How did the Captain die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1945

The Captain's death story was one of the most frequently demanded by fans across the entire run of Ghosts, with answers finally arriving in the penultimate episode of season 5.

It had previously been hinted that the Second World War-era military strategist was secretly homosexual, with a season 2 episode introducing his brief flirtation with second-in-command Lieutenant Havers (Peter Sandys-Clarke).

The storyline sent fans into a frenzy, and was finally revisited in the final season, with a flashback set in the days after World War II ended, when soldiers were called back to Button House for a celebratory reunion.

The Captain was desperate to go as he hoped that he would find Havers there, but was disappointed to discover the event was only open to soldiers who had served on the frontlines.

He snuck in, taking the stripes from another soldier's uniform as a disguise, but was soon confronted by former colleague Gerald Hatch (Neil Edmond), who saw through the deception almost immediately.

As Hatch proceeded to grill The Captain on why he was lying, Havers saw him from the other side of the room.

Of course, due again to the attitudes of the time, The Captain could not be honest about his reason for being there, with the intense pressure of the situation causing him to have a heart attack.

Havers rushed over, demanding the onlookers seek a medic, but it was too late. The Captain did at least get to hold the hand of his lost love one last time as he passed, in a heartbreaking moment which acknowledged their feelings for each other.

How did Pat die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1984

No prizes for guessing what killed Pat, we're afraid.

The former scout leader took his group of hyperactive kids to Button House for an archery session, making the mistake of wandering out into the line of fire as he gave some important health and safety tips.

One child, named Keith Darren Dean, wasn't listening closely enough and accidentally sent an arrow right into Pat's neck, causing him to die moments later outside the grand home after nobly attempting to drive himself to hospital.

Although the scene itself is rather farcical, the tragic consequences of Pat's death hit home in the 2022 Christmas special , which offers a glimpse of how dearly his wife, Carol, and son, Daley, missed him over later years.

How did Julian die in Ghosts?

Death year: 1993

The exact circumstances of Julian's death are open to interpretation, with his own account being unreliable due to a long history of compulsive lying.

What we know is that Julian was a corrupt MP, who regularly cheated on his wife. News reports of his 1993 death note that he died in the midst of a sex scandal, which explains why he wasn't wearing any trousers at the time.

He claimed to have died from a heart attack during an intimate moment with a mistress, although in a telling moment in season 5, he makes reference to having been killed by his secretary.

There's a sense that we don't have all the details on what exactly happened, probably because the nature of his death isn't befitting of a family-friendly show like Ghosts. Still, one look at Julian is enough to get the gist.

Ghosts is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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Ghosts Recap: An Egregious Misrepresentation of History

Oh, my sweet Pete. He is too good for this world! And for the afterlife, as it were. This week, the kindest Pinecone Troop leader is being forced to confront what all of our ghosts have or will have to at some point: their legacy and the fact that it is, for the most part, wildly out of their own control. Alberta’s been dealing with it as she attempts to solve the mystery of her murder, allowing her status as a onetime rat to be made public. Flower’s run-in with it had a happy ending; after Sam exposed her bank-robbing past, she learned that the money she stole was put to good use in her honor. Isaac is constantly lamenting his lack of a legacy and the way his rival Alexander Hamilton’s legacy looms large. And now ol’ Pete Martino has to face it head-on, too.

There’s only so much you can do to shore up how you’ll be remembered and not to draw the ire of Isaac Higgintoot, but that song from the musical about his rival, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” is right: The people telling your story are usually the ones who get to define it. I say usually because most people don’t become ghosts left to roam the place where they died for all eternity, and most ghosts who are left to that fate don’t have a living person around who can course-correct on their behalf. What an elite group our ghosts are part of!

Unfortunately for Pete, the people telling his story are the creative team behind the hit TV series Dumb Deaths . There is nobody having more fun coming up with fake TV shows to populate their own TV show than the writers over at Ghosts . Their OG fake show, It’s Getting Hot in Here, even gets a shout-out in this episode (most of the crew on Dumb Deaths worked on Hot in Here ; “We walk amongst the gods!” superfan Thor yells when he learns this fun fact). Add Dumb Deaths to the list. The premise is … well, you get it. It’s a show I might have dabbled in prior to watching Ghosts . Now I can’t stop thinking about how there could be ghosts hanging out in my living room and how highly offended they might get over a show making fun of people — er, spirits — just like them. Ghosts has really ruined that for me. But it’s given me so much — like, for instance, a Revolutionary War captain flagging down a Viking to ask him to settle a dispute with his British soldier boyfriend over who was right about the Stamp Act, truly a gift of a story line. So we’re even, I guess.

And in all fairness, Flower’s death is pretty dumb. We get to watch it alongside Thor, Sas, and Alberta at the opening of the episode, and there’s really no redeeming aspect to it. The girl was high and wanted to hug a bear. There’s no denying — dumb. Still, when Flower first hears Paula’s pitch to Jay and Sam about filming at the location where that death happened, she pushes Sam to say “no,” regardless of how much good the $10,000 paycheck could do. Flower doesn’t want to be a joke. It’s Pete who steps in and reminds Flower that this could be one of the few ways they can actually help Jay and Sam, who do so much for them. I mean, Pete knows that he arguably has the dumbest death out of all of them, and he says he’d be more than happy to have his story broadcast to the world in order to help them pay some bills.

Well, Pete has a chance to prove he means it. Before they know it, Paula is announcing that the network nixed the “hippie hugs bear” story — too many animal-related deaths this season — and it found a second dumb death on the property that will work for the episode. Out of a production van steps a Pete doppelgänger; they’re doing “troop leader gets shot with an arrow by a little girl.” The concept is funny on its own, but friends, what a treat this is: Actor Pete is played by none other than Mathew Baynton. If you’re a Ghosts completist, as I hope you are, then you’ll immediately recognize Baynton from the U.K. version of the show. Baynton is not only one of the creators of the series, but he stars as one of its ghosts: Thomas Thorne, a lovelorn Romantic poet who died in 1824. Not surprisingly, he’s very game to play with his U.S. counterparts. Actor Pete is what one might call “Method”? Overzealous? A touch psychotic? Actor Pete really wants to dig into the part, regardless of the fact that it’s just five lines on a ridiculous show called Dumb Deaths . You never know, J.J. Abrams could be watching!

Actor Pete cannot fathom why this man would be so stupid as to hand out deadly weapons to children ahead of giving the safety speech. What kind of troop leader would do that? Furthermore, a man who makes his living sending other people on vacations must be miserable, right? Poor Pete has to stand there while another man dressed up in his Pinecone Troop uniform and his signature ’80s glasses trashes his life. It hurts! It hurts especially because, more than anything else, Pete prides himself on being a great, kind leader and teacher for his troop. Keep in mind, too, that he recently learned his marriage was built on lies — the Pinecones are all he has! He tries to let the whole thing slide, but then Actor Pete tosses in a new twist: Pete must have had a drinking problem. There is no other explanation for the stupidity of it all.

Pete’s upset and Sam and Jay want to help, but Paula doesn’t take notes from the people who own the location. Plus they signed a contract — they can’t even call the thing off in protest. In a last-ditch effort, they decide to find someone who was there that day who can speak to the accuracy of the portrayal — someone aside from Thor, that is, even though it’s very sweet that he wants to defend Pete’s honor. The fact that a ghost was there remains wholly unhelpful.

They find Jennifer, one of the former Pinecones who was there that fateful, surely traumatic day. Well, not surely — definitely. Both Thor and Sas confirm the whole thing was extremely traumatic; Thor says he didn’t sleep for a while after witnessing Pete’s death (and he has “chopped heads off and [drank] from open necks,” so you know it was bad). Jennifer seems well adjusted, though, when she turns up at Woodstone, willing to help Mr. Martino out any way she can. It’s pretty lovely, honestly. Also lovely? Pete still remembers her favorite flavor Ring Pop. Peeeeeeeete. I still can’t believe Alberta won’t hit that.

The first thing Jennifer does when she gets a look at Actor Pete is confirm that Pete was not a drinker. It’s a win for #TeamPete. But then, as Actor Pete looks for anything else to grasp on to to make his performance shine — he does know he could always go back to the character basics and be a “bumbling cuckold whose only friends are little children,” which is harsh but sort of true — Jennifer mentions that Pete was a little off that day. Normally, he would never hand out the arrows before the safety demonstration, but that day, she says, he seemed distracted. He was muttering something about doughnut holes. And there it is. Pete remembers (and we see via flashback to 1985) that he had a big fight with his wife about how she ate all the doughnut holes that morning even though she doesn’t like doughnuts. Don’t even get Pete started on how doughnut holes and doughnuts are “all doughnut material.” Well, folks, just when you thought Pete’s death couldn’t get any dumber, it does. It really, really does.

Now, Actor Pete wants to play the character as a sugar fiend who can’t find a fix, and he thinks it would be more authentic if he peed himself when he gets hit with the arrow. The producer and director agree. Poor Pete — the guy can’t win. But then something pretty wonderful happens: His fellow ghosts refuse to let Pete be humiliated like this. Sure, Thor using his ghost power to fry a battery stops the production for only about five seconds, but it’s the thought that counts. And the fact that Flower is in the right place at the right time for a props guy carrying the arrow to walk through her and get so high that he sends the arrow sailing … right into Jay’s ass. Sam and Jay use it to leverage a change in story content, and Dumb Deaths goes back to retelling Flower’s story (with her approval, of course).

More important, as soon as that arrow hits Jay, Jennifer flies into action. She knows exactly how to take care of the wound, and it’s all because of her time with Mr. Martino and the Pinecones. See? Pete was a great teacher. He did make a difference in his troopers’ lives. His legacy is a wholesome and important one. Anyone else have something in their eye? No? Just me? Fine, if that’s how you want to play it!

Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun

• Isaac and Nigel realize they still have a lot of issues to iron out, mostly over the fact that, you know, one is a rebel soldier and one fought to keep the monarchy in America. Even their cute little walks together become an issue when Isaac declares “no ambulation without representation.” Sam teaches Isaac about the ways of Love Actually and how today the U.S. and the U.K. have “the Special Relationship,” and it seems to work … at least for a little while.

• Oh God, I would 100 percent watch Dumb Deaths producer Paula’s other big hit, World’s Hottest Dentists . Inject that shit directly into my eyeballs.

• I know it’s early, but is Rebecca Wisocky the MVP of the season? Should we just call it now? The runner in which she follows around Paula the Producer because she admires how much power she has and how much fear she instills made me laugh every time. Even in the smallest bits, Wisocky has been killing it.

• One other stipulation of Sam and Jay not suing the production is that Sam would play Flower in the reenactment. Anyone else get some real iZombie vibes seeing Rose McIver take on a new personality?

• Baynton’s pleading that Pete’s big secret was a pill addiction was so subtle and great. He’s got to be in the running for an Emmys guest nomination, right?

• “Why would I say howdy ? Is this a western? Am I Jonathan Wayne?” I mean, for that line-reading alone.

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