It’s no surprise that here at Lady Geeks, we’re romance fans first, everything else second. Thankfully, romance isn’t rare on our TV screens, but steady depictions of healthy marriages are. One of the few instances we get solid representation is through shows like Madam Secretary and The Gilded Age. In some cases, when a show goes on long enough, we eventually see the post-happily-ever-after stage. Still, we infrequently witness content that centers around an already-established couple going through day-to-day challenges together. This is where CBS’ Ghosts and the original BBC version stand out by placing a healthy portrayal of marriage throughout the show’s run. With this decision, couples like Sam and Jay Arondekar prove that established romances are far from boring and deeply refreshing.
At no point in the series do viewers need to worry about some dramatic hurdle throwing a massive wrench in their relationship. Ghosts isn’t that kind of show, and Sam and Jay aren’t that couple. In many cases, writers tend to believe that such arcs can be tedious to the viewer, but the series proves that when the premise is intriguing and well-written, there’s no such thing as dull or tiring. Couples don’t need to pass from one challenge to another for viewers to continue returning. They can just be.
Sam and Jay Arondekar’s Commitment Alone Is Exciting
The series finds a way to keep viewers entertained consistently, and a significant reason behind that is the fact that even while Sam and Jay are on the same page, they’re reading different books. She can see the ghosts; he can’t. She’s an introvert who likes being home; he clearly prefers the big city dynamism. However, the sole fact that Jay is willing to upend his entire life for her gives viewers everything we need to root for them. It’s refreshing and exciting to know that we don’t have to concern ourselves with the two of them engaging in petty arguments because the love between them is more substantial than that. Their journey can instead center around their growth in opening the B&B.
At the same time, even while the show’s concept is far-fetched and fantastical, their relationship is the grounding force that ensures something feels natural to the viewers. It’s a bold move, frankly, to allow their relationship to consistently take center stage even when they aren’t the focus. Sam and Jay are always there, always present, and always loyal to each other.
It’s exciting when we have little moments, such as their inability to celebrate Valentine’s Day because Thor needs to focus on impressing Flower. It’s charming that Jay goes along with every little thing Sam says and does because that’s how much he adores her. The romance girlies consistently applaud “wife men,” and Jay Arondekar is a peak wife man. There’s absolutely nothing he won’t do for her, even while it’s the most bonkers thing in existence, like taking a ghost he can’t see grocery shopping or cooking for ghosts so that they could smell the food.
There’s also something to be said about how refreshing it is not to have petty drama. Yes, couples fight. Yes, there are often real, horrible forms of miscommunication in romantic relationships, but on TV, that’s the norm. That’s what’s constantly happening, and we barely ever get a chance to believe that the two people we’re rooting for are actually going to fight for each other.
The writers’ presentation of Sam and Jay’s marriage, as well as Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar’s performances, tells us that whatever comes their way, they’re going to handle it maturely. The writers won’t destroy the characters by throwing in a random curveball that makes no sense, but even when something does come up, how they handle it will be part of the story.
In a sea of too much drama, Ghosts focuses on humor, heart, and loyalty. It dives deep into showcasing the fact that everyday adventures can be just as exciting as the seemingly more expansive moments we tend to focus on. A little touch here, a new change there, a compliment, a longing look—everything we see with them emphasizes the importance of magic in ordinary days. (Granted, they might not be ordinary for Sam, but Jay’s endurance essentially defines the word.)
Ghosts Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Paramount Plus.
First Featured Image Credit: Photo: Bertrand Calmeau/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.