Why Ghosts Missed an Opportunity by Not Having Jay Permanently See Spirits

In a recent two-episode Christmas special of Ghosts, Jay temporarily had the unique experience of being able to see and interact with each of the spirits haunting the house. This was a significant departure from the usual dynamic, where only Sam had the ability to see the ghosts up until that point.

The revelation came about during season 4, episode 8, when Jay found himself inadvertently possessed by Pete, a ghost with the power to cross the boundary between the living and the dead. This led to a sticky situation where Sam had to perform an exorcism to set things right, but the outcome was unexpected—instead of expelling Pete, Jay’s spirit was expelled from his own body, temporarily becoming a spirit himself.

Given that Jay technically crossed over to the afterlife during this incident, one might expect that he would be able to permanently see the other spirits after reentering his body. However, the show’s lore dictates otherwise, with Jay unable to see the ghosts despite his brief journey to the other side. The rules seem to suggest that one’s physical body must die in order to fully perceive the inhabitants of the afterlife.

This turn of events left me wishing that Jay could continue to see the spirits on a regular basis. Perhaps the fact that Pete inhabited his body for an extended period could have played a role in granting him this unique ability. Unfortunately, the rules of the Ghosts universe don’t operate in this way, leaving Jay on the outside looking in.

In the future, it will be interesting to see if Pete’s newfound understanding of Jay’s situation will lead to a more empathetic approach towards him. Could this development pave the way for Pete to engage with Jay in a new way, possibly through shared dreams or messages? Only time will tell how this dynamic between the spirits will evolve.

Ghosts is scheduled to return on Thursday, Jan. 30 on CBS, and is available for streaming on Paramount+. Stay tuned for more updates and news on your favorite TV shows with Hidden Remote.