Ghosts Season 1, Episode 16, “Trevor’s Pants,” is a perfect episode for a myriad of reasons. There’s the slow progress being made with Thor and Flower and their third party, and then there’s the story about Trevor Lefkowitz’s pants—the true story.
Everything we know about Trevor in the show up until this point shows us that he loved his bros and cared about the “bro code.” So, when we discover that they betrayed him after his death, we get another showcase of how the ghosts are each other’s family. Stuck together by chance but loyal to one another by choice. There’s also the matter that up until this moment, Trevor has lied about how he lost his pants—it wasn’t during sex; it was to help someone else.
It’s after Sas says he was there to witness the death when “Trevor’s Pants” becomes an episode that centers on the idea that friendship should be transactional. People often want to argue that it isn’t, but if we love our friends, we have to want to show up for them. And they should do the same for us. This is the first time Trevor understands that the ghosts have his back—they’re his true bros, Sam and Jay (even while he can’t see) included. When they decide to haunt Ari, they show through actions that they’ll have Trevor’s back through everything. They respect him far more than his finance bros ever did, even while they might also mock him more.
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There are a few heartwarming moments in “Trevor’s Pants,” but the way Asher Grodman touches on Trevor’s disbelief is a small but monumental detail to pay attention to. When he first realizes that his friends dumped his body in the lake, he’s fully dejected. Something in him cracks, and we see the live reaction with such nuance that it becomes legitimately haunting. But once the ghosts come through and tell him of their plan, there’s such genuine joy in his expression that it’s lovely to see. There’s also an innocence there, too, because you can tell that this is the first time that Trevor has truly felt safe among people. He feels loved and appreciated, so when he goes in for that second group hug, his giddiness is palpable, and Grodman ensures that we fully understand how much this moment means to the character.
What’s also lovely is that we get Sam fully in on it, too, and it’s further proof to him that even though he’s dead, he’s surrounded by real and true backup. The reason the show is such a hopeful and wholesome escape is because of moments like this that remind us what happens when unlikely companions find themselves under one roof. A found family through and through. They build something out of sheer terrors and heartaches, making this purgatory their home. They look out for each other and genuinely love each other for who they are, without any expectations.
Each ghost gets a moment like this throughout the first season, and Trevor’s shapes so much of who he chooses to be going forward—someone who cares and observes and continues to show up for those he loves.
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