#bbc ghosts christmas special

[bookshopcrow]

Ghosts prints available here

"In the bleak midwinter

Frosty wind made moan

Earth stood hard as iron

Water like a stone

Snow had fallen

Snow on snow on snow

In the bleak midwinter

Long, long ago"

I really wanted to post a Christmas illustration so here's my favourite scene from the entirety of BBC Ghosts in honour of its last ever episode today!

It makes me cry so much every time I watch it and it sums up Christmas so perfectly ❤️

[fairer-tales]

i love that the two things the vicar does in ghosts are:

- ordain a lesbian wedding

- perform an exorcism

[nortism]

brand new photos from the christmas special guys!!!!!!!

[ghostsanddolls]

I love the ending of ghosts Because Alison and Mike leave.

Ghosts has always been about a set of unlikely characters being trapped in a house and forced to spend time with each other. In season one the only reason Alison didn't leave and never look back was because she couldn't, the loan, the captain's trickery etc. As time goes on they become a family who genuinely love and care about each other, but they are still trapped together.

By the time of the finale, the ghosts have matured enough to let Alison go for the sake of her wellbeing. Their afterlives probably will be worse without her around, but they're willing to put that aside and sacrifice their own happiness so that Alison can live an easier, more normal life with the rest of her family.

And the fact that Alison returns to Button House to see the ghosts on a regular basis for decades after, solidifies that their relationship is no longer just circumstance, but genuine love for each other. Alison's grown enough from season one that she doesn't just abandon and forget about them after moving, but keeps coming back time and time again to catch up.

I understand why someone might not like the ending, but the fact that the characters make the choices that they do is incredibly meaningful to me.

[roseofithaca]

Right! Here we go. Ghosts Finale Positivity Post as I rewatch.

- Robin being an excited little kid for Christmas is the cutest thing, even if it's Halloween.

- Alison's face when she's showing the ghosts Mia before she has to put the mask on. Also the fact one of her first priorities after giving birth was for Mike to call them and reassure her they're OK.

- "Since Alison come, it been my favorite time of year." I love you Robin, I love you, I love you.

- Nana Fanny is surprisingly sweet? I never imagined her being that maternal before, she never spoke of her children.

- "Robin want more." 🥺 HE IS SO BABY.

- "Think of the child, Alison!" Thomas just kills it with that line. 😂

- Julian caring about putting Robin in the Christmas mood. Chess Husbands are the Joey and Chandler of this show for me.

- Mike was fully about to reveal the truth to Betty but his wife said Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss. It's just so on point for them.

- "She doesn't want to see Fanny on camera." Has someone compiled all these jokes yet?

- Alison's little thumbs up to Julian, they are just chaos buddies.

- Mike being a terrible liar is hilarious.

- Mike warning the ghosts to leave! Like he has no real connection to these guys except through Alison but doesn't want any of them in danger. 🥺

- "Betty's bought the pastor!" "Pasta? That not very Christmassy." Robin I swear to god.

- That close in shot of Julian is the funniest scene in the episode. Also Robin "I think we should go-" chess husbands stick together.

- Kitty remembering Humphrey! She's always seemed to be the one who is most concerned for him. <3

- This. Just this.

- Thomas, normally the most self-obsessed git, being the one to jump into the line of fire to rescue Humphrey is also <3 <3

- This expression on Alison broke my heart and had me going "babygirl oh babygirl!" at my TV.

- But then.... 😁🥰😁

- CHESS HUSBANDS SHOULDER TOUCH

- As chaotic as the scene is, Kitty wanting to sing Mia a lullaby is cute and shows she's trying to move past her jealousy...I think.

- Fanny calling Alison her daughter. I'm not OK.

- This had me howling. 😂

- Mike saying "thanks guys." There's as many Mike / ghosts moments as Alison ones here.

- Julian being so happy Robin feels Christmassy!

- This could be an oil painting. My girl. 😭

- Best use of a song and lyrics timed with what's happening.

- THE PORTRAITS! Such a tiny detail but tells you Alison had her input into how the hotel was set up. She made it for her and Mike but she left it for THEM!

- The last we hear from Alison is her laughter. All these years. All these years and they are loving and LAUGHING together.

- Plague Ghosts always had to be the ones to bow us out. Again, while she wasn't super close to them, I like to think Alison suggested the pit as a good place for the spa, for them. 🥰

.....Okay that was a little better on second viewing ngl.

(For anyone wondering why I don't mention any of the PatCap moments, sorry I'm just not a big fan of baby scenes and babytalk etc.)

[chronicowboy]

i think i've seen this film before...

[pastryjay]

I'm really surprised that a lot of people didn't like how Ghosts ended and consider it to be a sad ending. I loved it.

It was just not practical for the family to stay in Button house. It was falling apart and neither Alison or Mike had the funds to fix it or keep up with the costs of running the place. They made that clear many times throughout the show. The heating bill alone would be astronomical. The charm of living in an expensive, falling apart, old house would not last. Even if they wanted to stay there, the family would get to a point where they would have to move if they wanted to afford food and other basic needs, especially with the new costs of raising a child.

The family haven't permanently left the the Ghosts behind. They could stay at the hotel every year, multiple times a year if they wanted. The place has a sauna, probably other leisure facilities like a gym and a pool now too. Many hotels double up as a leisure club so it wouldn't be weird for them to visit as often as they like. Especially as they would have a lot of money from selling the house.

The ghosts are right too, them being there 24/7 could easily become too much. I know i'd feel unable to relax and feel like i'd have no privacy if I lived with that many people who literally can not leave, ever.

I know it's a comedy show that hinges on being somewhat unrealistic! However, these characters are expected to behave at least somewhat how real people would. Alison and Mike are sensible people and react to situations in the way normal, sensible people would. To me, there is no way they'd be able to stay happy living in that house for the rest of their lives.

[ghostsbestepisodetournament]

The official best episode of Ghosts, as voted by you, is It’s Behind You!!

Congrats to Redding Weddy for placing second, and The Thomas Thorne Affair for placing third!! Thanks to everyone that voted!! <3

[jimjimenezzz]

button house turned into a hotel, yes, but it's still called button house. it still has all the paintings and the decor didn't change, it just improved. there's a room called the higham suite. mike and alison might have sold the house but they made sure its spirit wouldn't disappear. they made sure the ghosts still felt at home in the place

[obeythefloof]

Not gonna lie, the BBC Ghosts finale was disappointing and underwhelming. Not because the Coopers moved out, I don’t take issue with that. Besides, it’s implied that they stayed in touch. They just don’t live there anymore.

But like, it felt so rushed, you know? That plot line should’ve been split up over another season. They shouldn’t have tried to cram all that into one episode. As seasoned writers, they really should’ve known better, that not only was that too much for one 30-minute episode, but the ending directly contradicts the ending of literally the previous episode. If it was spread out over six more episodes, where Mike an Alison attempt to make everything work with the baby in the house, it would’ve been more impactful. I would understand it if the show had poor ratings or something, but if they had a sixth season planned, it definitely would’ve been renewed.

Honestly, it kind of just feels like they didn’t know where to go after all the ghosts’ backstories were revealed. As if there’s no more story to tell after we know the backstories of each ghost.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate it. And I don’t mean to be too harsh about it. It was still a decent episode with good moments. But it’s probably the worst episode, in my opinion. Ghosts is a great show that deserved a much better finale.

[half-an-hour-hence]

‘But I’ve come to think of you as my own daughter’ Stephanie Button what if I killed myself

[mooncalf87]

Mia Cooper headcannons (they don't leave AU):

She was able to see Ghosts even past the age of learning to walk, no one knows why, but they suspect it might somehow be genetic due to Alison's rare ability.

She is homeschooled all the way up until college. She uses a program that doesn't require Alison and Mike to be her teachers, and if she ever ends up needing help, she goes to the Ghosts. Thomas is a wizz with English obviously, and The Captain is her tudor for History class. Fanny helps in. . . Interesting ways, usually bossing Mia about until she gets the anwser what Fanny assumes to be correct.

One term in Mias secondary school English class, they are focusing on poems. One of the required stories they have to read is Hermione and Rodger, written by Francis Button. Mia is furious, Thomas died the day of the poems premiere, so it was just obviously another way for Francis to steal something that was rightfully his, taking the un-published poem. Thomas is absolutely devastated.

Mia sits out by the old well some nights, looking up at the sky, talking to her Auntie Mary.

Mia, growing up so remotely, doesn't have many friends. She has Kitty, of course, who is optimistic enough to understand a child under the age if ten, but its not exactly the same. One night, while up late sitting in the living room, she happens across Jemima. They hit it off, and much to the upstairs ghosts original apprehension, she becomes quite special to them all.

History is her obsession. Especially the Tudor Era royal family. When she learns that Humphreys wife (and Humphrey himself, in some way) was involved in a catholic plot to MURDER the actual queen, she nearly goes ballistic. She asks so many questions that Humphrey nearly can't keep up.

She calls Fanny 'Grandmother' and Captain 'Grandcap', but otherwise everyone else is her Aunts and Uncles.

She enjoys the Plauge Ghosts company. Despite their. . Unsettling appearance, they are very sweet and understanding, especially Nigel, who often offers her a glass of milk.

[spineless-lobster]

OH MY GOD OKAY SO PATCAP REAL PATCAP TRUE Y’ALL SAW THAT RIGHT??? THEY WAY THEY WERE GAY DADS WITH MIA??? YOU SAW THAT YOU I UNDERSTAND!!!! THEY’RE SO MARRIED!!!!!

[nortism]

my personal head canon is that thanks to all the stories about the ghosts her mum told her growing up, mia cooper ends up becoming a massive history nerd with a particular interest in the lives of ordinary individuals in the past. and she definitely goes to her ghost family for help with homework even though she can’t cite any of the stuff they say

[tastethevision]

Psss, guys

💚

[roseofithaca]

What we need is a Comic Relief special in about four or five years time where Mia is starting school or hanging out at her friends and Alison has a lot more free time on her hands and she starts to get bored as fuck because she's not great at making friends with other mums, so she tries calling up the ghosts room (as Julian can answer) for a chat, except no one answers. She keeps trying but will only sometimes reach one of the cleaners who she immediately hangs up on.

Panicking she goes to the hotel to check they've not been sucked off but finds they're all just really busy, having found entertainment in the hotel with various clubs or spying on favorite guests or staff. It's kind of like in Speak As Ye Choose where she realises she actually wants to hang out with them, not just be needed, and feels miffed when none of them are actually keen to spend time with her as they've already got plans.

So Chaos Queen does what she would do and starts sabotaging things in the hotel to turn the power off in club rooms or make certain guests leave until the ghosts have nothing else to do but go back to the Suite and Alison is there like "oh hey guys, what a surprise! You look bored. Well look I have Twister!"

Of course they all realise what she's been up to but say nothing. For once they'll let her be the needy gremlin.