Ghosts Season 5: Kyle's Return Signals New Era At Woodsto...

Ghosts’ Intriguing Character Return Sets Up A New Era At Woodstone Manor Pete, Sam, and Alberta looking shocked in Ghosts

By Arielle Port Published 48 minutes ago Arielle Port started as a TV producer, developing content for Netflix (Firefly Lane, Brazen) and Hallmark (The Santa Stakeout, A Christmas Treasure) before transitioning into entertainment journalism. Her love of story went from interest to lifelong passion while at The University of Pennsylvania, where she fell in with a student-run web series, Classless TV, and it was a gateway drug. Arielle Port has been a Writer for Screen Rant since August 2024. She lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and more importantly, her cat, Boseman. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

For a supernatural show, life in Ghosts can feel surprisingly mundane, as the spirits themselves are the first to admit. Because most of the characters in Ghosts are confined to the Woodstone Manor property, there’s a natural limitation.

Over the course of five seasons, there have been a few shake-ups — like Pete’s discovery that he is a "roamer", able to leave Woodstone Manor at will, at least for a limited amount of time. Hetty’s power reveal in Ghosts season 4 was shocking, but ultimately didn’t have lasting repercussions.

However, in the most recent episode, the spirits orchestrated the return of a living character introduced in Ghosts season 4 with the potential to change life for everyone at Woodstone Manor. Kyle, the only other living character besides Sam who can see spirits, is tricked into coming back to Woodstone Manor in season 5, episode 6.

Jay & Kyle Patch Things Up In Ghosts Season 5

The Spirits’ Meddling Leads To A Thanksgiving Amends

Kyle and Sam talking on the couch in Ghosts

Kyle’s introduction in Ghosts season 4, episode 21 seemed like a perfect solution to many of Sam’s problems. She had never met another living person who could see spirits like she can, so no one understood the unique frustrations that come from living with very real but very invisible friends.

Like Sam, Kyle’s abilities come from a near-death experience, but his post-accident life has been even lonelier than Sam’s, because his girlfriend couldn’t cope and left him. However, Kyle makes a pass at Sam, which ruins his chances of staying at Woodstone Manor.

Meanwhile, Jay is always excluded in Ghosts. His discomfort underscores how psychologically taxing it is to live in a house full of unseen roommates. Even if he doesn’t want Kyle specifically, since the spirits are blackmailing him anyway, Jay could use someone who can relate to the chaos of his daily life.

Trevor’s misguided attempt to script a friendship only reinforces how important authenticity is. It’s Kyle’s unvarnished confession — his loneliness, his struggles, the emotional labor of seeing ghosts with no support system — that finally cracks Jay’s resistance. Their uneasy but genuine empathy reframes them not as rivals but as two men navigating different versions of the same burden.

Ultimately, Jay invites Kyle to stay for Thanksgiving dinner, to Sam’s pleasant surprise. This signals a new era at Woodstone Manor: one where Sam is no longer the sole intermediary between worlds, and where Jay may finally gain an ally who understands the peculiar shape of his life.

How Jay & Kyle's New Dynamic Can Begin A New Era At Woodstone

Ben Feldman Should Be Elevated To Recurring Guest Star

Ben Feldman elevates every sitcom he joins, and Ghosts is no exception. While he could have easily been a forgettable one-off guest star, Feldman’s knack for blending sincerity with heightened comedic awkwardness makes Kyle far too valuable to sideline.

Given his résumé — the affable Jonah on Superstore, the delightfully absurd Ron LaFlamme on Silicon Valley — Feldman brings an elasticity that fits perfectly within Ghosts’ tonal balance. Letting Kyle fade away would have been a missed opportunity both for the character’s narrative potential and the show’s comedic ecosystem.

Ghosts already excels at managing its sprawling ensemble, frequently weaving in background spirits and long-absent characters. Even in season 5 alone, there have been references to Chris the stripper and an incredible Ghosts callback four years in the making. The spirits reaching out to Kyle is clever, something fans have been wanting, since Kyle has so much potential as a useful character.

The biggest obstacle was Jay’s completely understandable objection to not wanting to employ the man who made a move on his wife. However, even in the moment of the near-kiss, it felt more like relief at having a real human connection than anything truly romantic. If Sam can move past it, surely Jay can as well.

Jay gains not just an extra set of living eyes at Woodstone, but a potential ally and friend if Ghosts makes Kyle a recurring character like Bela. Their new dynamic signals a fresh chapter where Ghosts can actually use Jay even better, and Woodstone Manor becomes a more interconnected, emotionally sustainable home for everyone — living or otherwise.

Kyle's Possible Increased Ghosts Appearances Can Ease The Burden On Sam

Kyle Can Be An Intermediary In Both Directions With Ghost Tasks

Hetty, Isaac, Sam, and Kyle laughing in Ghosts

Kyle and Sam occupy an extraordinarily rare and emotionally taxing position in Ghosts: they navigate daily life never fully sure whether the people around them are among the living or the dead. While the series often plays this for humor, the psychological strain is significant.

Sam at least has the grounding force of Woodstone Manor, Jay, and a community of ghosts she’s come to understand. Kyle, however, has none of that. He lacks a stable home base, a partner who can share the burden, or even friends who can tolerate the oddness of his ability. His isolation isn’t just inconvenient — it’s existentially lonely.

This episode also reinforces an ongoing truth the show often lightly skims over: the spirits rely on Sam in a way that borders on exploitative. They treat her like a butler, confidante, therapist, and administrative assistant all at once, expecting constant attention, mediation, and emotional labor.

Sam loves them, but it’s not sustainable for one person to manage both the ghosts’ needs and the pressures of running a small business like Woodstone. Introducing Kyle as a more regular presence could rebalance that dynamic.

A second living intermediary would allow the spirits another avenue of communication, easing Sam’s workload. Jay, too, would benefit. Kyle’s presence could strengthen Jay’s sense of stability by giving him someone who truly understands the day-to-day strangeness of Woodstone life. Kyle would make it impossible for Sam to keep lying to Jay in Ghosts.

Even Bela gains something here: another living person to interact with, one who shares her fascination with the supernatural. And for Kyle, who has struggled to date due to his inability to disclose his abilities, Bela offers a genuine chance at connection — one that immediately resolves Jay’s lingering anxieties about Kyle’s past misstep with Sam.

In nearly every direction, Kyle’s continued involvement enhances the emotional ecosystem of Ghosts. His presence wouldn’t just alleviate burdens — it could reshape Woodstone Manor into a healthier, more interconnected community for everyone, living or otherwise.

303 9.4/10

8/10

Ghosts (US)

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Comedy Supernatural Release Date October 7, 2021 Network CBS Directors Christine Gernon, Jaime Eliezer Karas, Katie Locke O'Brien, Nick Wong, Jude Weng, Pete Chatmon, Richie Keen, Alex Hardcastle, Kimmy Gatewood, Matthew A. Cherry, Cortney Carrillo Writers Emily Schmidt, John Timothy, Lauren Bridges, Sophia Lear, Guy Endore-Kaiser, Rishi Chitkara, Julia Harter, Skander Halim, Zora Bikangaga

Cast

See All

Rose McIver Samantha Arondekar
Utkarsh Ambudkar Jay Arondekar

Genres Comedy, Supernatural Creator(s) Joe Port, Joe Wiseman Powered by

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Network TV
Ghosts (US)

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