Ghosts 3×09 “The Traveling Agent” Spoilers Ahead
Directed by Christine Gernon with dual writing from Skander Halim and Emily Schmidt, Ghosts Season 3, Episode 9, “The Traveling Agent,” is an exciting penultimate that detonates through multiple big changes in an organic manner. As mentioned last week, the show continues to excel at threading heart and humor, so much so that even when we should be upset, there’s hope still.
As the episode’s title guarantees, the episode is primarily a fitting love letter to Pete. Yet, it’s also a riveting showcase of what it means to be a friend as it continues to put Flower in positions where it’s abundantly clear the show wouldn’t be the same without her. (Ultimately, the show wouldn’t be the same without any of these ghosts.) Still, it’s a good one.
Pete Martino Rightfully Shines in Ghosts 3×09 “The Traveling Agent”
One of the most admirable attributes about Pete is his quiet bravery. It’s his kindness and empathy despite the mockery and heartaches he’s known. It’s his determination to consistently forgive and see the sun in everything, even when there seems to be no daybreak in sight. Thus, to have his ghost power be the ability to step out of the mansion’s parameters is fittingly perfect for him.
What’s imperfect (and wild) is that Sam and the ghosts trusted Jay to take him out on errands. How did everyone casually and collectively forget that the man can’t see the ghosts? How on earth is he supposed to confirm if Pete is next to him at all times? Nevertheless, it’s an outright hilarious maneuver to see cast members from NBC’s Superstore resurface in a supermarket again.
At the very least, despite his justified anger and frustration, it’s exciting that Pete is taking a giant leap of faith to visit Saint Lucia. He’s finally choosing himself, following his wants, and, more importantly, believing in himself even while acutely terrified. The world looks vastly dissimilar from the one Pete knows, but Ghosts 3×09 “The Traveling Agent,” cementing his expansive understanding of his whereabouts, is a lovely narrative to follow through with.
The episode gives Richie Moriarty a good chunk of material to work with, all of which he approaches with astute comedic timing and careful vulnerability. Pete’s joy is always deeply transcendent and it’s no exception here. Whether we see more of his adventures or not, we can safely assume that even when he recounts his time away, the details will be glowing with prodigious heart.
New Relationship Changes at Woodstone Mansion
One bonus in Ghosts 3×09, “The Traveling Agent,” is that the series isn’t dragging Thor’s secret liaisons out longer than necessary. It’s out in the open now and even though things change, it might actually be better for Thor and Flower’s relationship in the long run. The ghosts and viewers alike were all mad at Thor for sleeping with Carol when the sole mission was to seduce her. But he holds another secret, which is that he also slept with Nancy while Flower was stuck in the well.
Fundamentally, all of this confirms that Flower, like Pete, is one of the biggest-hearted characters. It’s not so much that she’s angry at what Thor did but more so that his treatment of Nancy is far from kind afterward. Thereby, her proposition of a throuple not only makes sense but the overt refusal to engage in a twosome with Thor does, too. As much as he needs to learn how to control his anger, he also needs to understand self-control in general. So often, Thor merely acts on all his emotions without sitting with them, and while we have the whole therapy plot point, everyone and their mothers know that it doesn’t change circumstances overnight. You don’t have one session, then completely master cognitive behavioral therapy. So, this could someday lead to some intriguing areas of character growth for Thor, and knowing the showrunners they’d work through it in a form that feels refreshing and rewarding.
Ghosts 3×09, “The Traveling Agent,” is a subtle gem that answers questions and leaves us at the precipice of what’ll likely be a gorgeous wedding next week. There are still so many character arcs and rounds of growth to explore, and the fact that the show is returning for a fourth season is a solid guarantee that we’ll get there with the seeds that are planted.
Stray Thoughts
- We could give Isaac and Nigel a star-gazing camping delight on the grounds, can’t we?
- The way Hetty looked at Trevor this week? The positions they sat in? How am I supposed to just go off and do other things when that’s all I can think about? Oh, right, I can still hope we get actual conversations or something soon. But still, this synchronicity and the vibes are immaculate.
- Jay calling Pete with keys!!?!?!?!
- At least we know where Carol is now.
- “This is like JC Penny on steroids.” I adore Pete with my whole heart.
- I so appreciate this show making it very clear how scary it is to lose people in a supermarket. We’ve all been there, Pete. We’ve all been there.
- How have Sam and Jay not told Pete about Obama?!?!?
- “Stop following me you R2-D2 from hell!”
- Sas: C’mon, man! Context clothes. / Hetty: Sometimes I don’t even think he tries.
- Nigel thinking he should be the one to travel when he doesn’t even know the difference between a firetruck and a bus is gold.
Now streaming on Paramount Plus: What are your thoughts on Ghosts 3×09 “The Traveling Agent?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Photo: Philippe Bosse/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.