Based on the hit U.K. sitcom, CBS’s primetime smash Ghosts has become a haunted favorite, turning the afterlife into an audience-pleasing comedy as the series follows Sam and Jay as they try to build a normal life alongside their not-so-normal phantom roommates.
Originally based on the English version written and performed by the comedy troupe Them There, best known for Horrible Histories, the series established a template that proved both flexible and universally appealing. It became the blueprint for every subsequent international adaptation, each adding its own cultural spin to the afterlife while remaining true to the original spirit.
While each global interpretation brings its own cultural flair and historical influences, the core setup remains the same: A couple inherits a sprawling, often crumbling property only to discover it’s inhabited by ghosts from different eras, determined to make the estate part of their future — usually by converting it into a hotel, bed-and-breakfast, or similar venture.
The different series also consistently feature certain traits among their undead residents that carry over from one version to the next. For instance, there’s always a ghost who was once the lady of the manor and is distantly related to the living person who can see them; there’s always a ghost with an arrow through their neck; there always seems to be a pantless ghost; and at least one ghost is inevitably infatuated with one of the living.
Want to know the basic differences between each international version of your favorite phantom-based sitcom? Here is a rundown of each version of Ghosts, from the living couple who inherit the house to the different types of ghosts that inhabit each estate, along with a handful of quirky details that set the various adaptations apart. Please enjoy.
Ghosts, Season 5, Thursdays, 8:30/7:30c, CBS