Photo Courtesy of the BBC and CBC.

BBC Ghosts Season 2 Episode 2 Review: “About Last Night”

Editor’s Note: This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labour of the actors and other creatives involved in the project(s) mentioned here, Pages and Pictures would not exist. Pages and Pictures stands firmly behind SAG-AFTRA members as they fight for fair labour conditions. 

BBC Ghosts Season 2 Episode 2, “About Last Night,” further develops Button House as a character in this chaotic story. Adding in outsiders just adds to the chaos in the most charming way. Anytime outsiders are added into this mix, anarchy ensues and it’s still fun to watch. As the Coopers try to establish their future for Button House, this episode features a charming and heartwarming bump in the road. 

For starters, Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) continue to be relatable millennials, indulging over their limits and suffering for it. The fact that a single night of drinking could produce such disarray reads as incredibly authentic. The struggle to recover from this single night is character building of the most brutal kind. This makes them so easy to empathize with as they try to pick up the pieces of their night of fun. 

Additionally, this episode puts the Coopers’ relationship in the spotlight again. Watching them piece together the events of their party clearly brings them closer together. They clearly know how to have fun, and are there to support one another in the aftermath. This episode does a lot to establish these two as not just a fun couple, but a couple anyone would be lucky to have as friends. They’re clearly charming to people in their lives, which is fun to see since this series mainly focuses on the two of them on their own with the ghosts. 

BBC Ghosts Season 2 Episode 2, “About Last Night,” also spotlights Kitty (Lolly Adefope) and how sweet she is. Watching her express her sadness and frustration at being excluded is heartbreakingly relatable. In the time that she’s been introduced, it’s clear that Kitty just wants to be loved and be a best friend to Alison. Watching her try to make this a reality and failing is devastating. Hopefully, this story is the beginning of everyone realizing what a great friend Kitty really is. 

Relatedly, it feels like this episode ties up the saga of Thomas’ (Mathew Baynton) love for Alison. Hopefully, this represents a new beginning for him, and a break from his obsession. This would allow his character to grow further and be easier to root for. It’s easy to sympathize with his heartbreak. However, his obsession needs to end if he’s going to live the best version of his afterlife. Clearly, this is a complex character. This crossroads may be exactly what he needs.

Finally, this episode again demonstrates what a chaotic and delightful ensemble this group really is. Watching them thrown into disarray with the arrival of outsiders will never not be funny, it seems. It’s been established that the ghosts are creatures of routine. Any chance to see them navigate anything outside of this is nothing less than endearing to watch. 

BBC Ghosts continues its strong start to its sophomore season. There is still much to love about Button House’s residents, living and less so. The fact that they’re able to come back together and find their way back after being thrown into disarray is a testament to how well they work together. Their dysfunction is a unifying force, and it’s beautiful. Button House continues to bring out the best and most chaotic in everyone. 

BBC Ghosts Seasons 1-5 are available to Stream on CBC Gem. 

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