Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4 Review: ‘The Work Retreat’

Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4, “The Work Retreat” Spoilers Ahead

Ghosts‘ “The Work Retreat” should’ve been called “Trevor’s Legacy” because the episode gorgeously honors our favorite pantless finance bro in the way he deserves. It’s clever, hilarious, and unsurprisingly heartfelt, making it what might be the best episode of Season 4 so far.

With a clever narrative to balance two different storylines and then bring them together to showcase the episode’s thematic focus on acts of service, Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4, “The Work Retreat” nails every arc it presents. The writers finally give us a great team-up with Hetty and Sas as they spread a rumor about Pete because they’re tired of him bragging about his travels. We also learn that Trevor has a job he now has to quit because he can’t physically attend the work retreat, but to save the day, Jay pretends to be him, and it turns into a wholesome love letter to the character’s legacy.

Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4 Honors Trevor’s Legacy

We know that Trevor is a great guy because of everything we see in “Trevor’s Pants,” but the latest episode takes it one step further to humanize him in a profoundly relatable way. All most people really want is to be remembered after they’re gone. No one wants to be forgotten and six feet under, especially if, like Trevor, they die young. There’s still so much he could’ve accomplished, but he doesn’t get that chance until now. Upon realizing that his new coworkers like Jay’s version of him better than the real version, Trevor falls into a state of despondency and opens up to Sam and the ghosts about his feelings. 

After hearing this, Jay gets a great idea and decides to keep Trevor’s legacy alive by the finance folks that everything he learned came from Trevor Lefkowitz. It turns out that T-Money is a legend in the finance world because even while Trevor took his heroism to the grave, Pinkus didn’t forget it. He told everyone about Trevor’s actions and passed an act to rid the finance world of the hazing ritual. 

Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4, “The Work Retreat,” then gives viewers a scene equivalent to the joy in “Trevor’s Pants,” where Ari gets what he deserves. This time, they all do the run of fun at the Woodstone property, with both Jay and Trevor taking part in it while all the other ghosts excitedly watch. The show’s wholesome means of allowing each ghost to have continuous moments of closure never fails to floor me.

Every time we touch on the delicate string that shows us why this purgatory is actually a blessing for the ghosts, my heart somersaults a little (a lot). It’s an earnest reminder of the fact that these characters are now surrounded by people who care deeply for them, even when they consistently get on each other’s nerves. Trevor’s agony and fear are deeply relatable, and Asher Grodman delivers a perfect performance while he finally vocalizes his pain aloud, but it’s the growth that comes afterward that truly stands out. It’s the look on his face when he realizes that he didn’t fail and that seemingly small act was actually monumental.

Pete’s Girlfriend Might Not Be Fake, But…

Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4, “The Work Retreat,” drops another bombshell like last week’s Halloween episode, and this time, it’s about Pete’s girlfriend. While we know that she’s real because we met her in “The Traveling Agent,” it’s through Sam’s research that we find out she killed her husband. Granted, she can’t kill Pete twice, but it begs the question of whether he’d see her again or not. It also probably and hopefully allows the Pete and Alberta train to sail, even while it leaves Isaac more confused about love than he was before.

Still, what matters here is that Pete realizes he shouldn’t gloat to his fellow ghosts about all his travels. And sure, he wasn’t doing it to rub it in their faces, but more so, to feel a bit cooler, and yet, it still got irritating. Additionally, it’s beyond entertaining to see Sas and Hetty team up to cause chaos because they’re two characters we should be seeing more of in the show. Their dynamic works exceptionally well as their brands of humor expertly co-exist, making it easy to want more of their friendship. 

With a full season ahead of us, there’s still plenty Ghosts will explore, but the slow establishment of character relationships and allowing them each to grow individually ensures that Season 4 is off to a great start. There are countless moments in this episode that stand out and make room for the stories that’ll continue to unfold, and if that’s not a sign of excellent, thoughtfully written television, then I don’t know what is.

Stray Thoughts

• ISAAC’S HAIR. I know I didn’t work this into the review, but like!?!?!? Hello, Maybelline!?!?!! Get in contact with him. Though I really can’t wait to see how the revelation about Pete’s girlfriend inspires or fuels him.
• You can just tell that Rose McIver had an absolute blast with the accents this week. It was so much fun watching her.
• I never want to see Jay with slicked-back hair ever again. His hair is perfect as it.
• How many times did this episode make you cry because I basically couldn’t stop once I started.
• The way that Hetty was so excited for Trevor is EVERYTHING TO ME. She was so giddy for him! They all were! But Hetty in particular!
• No, but truly, I could’ve gone on and on and on about this episode.

Now streaming on Paramount Plus: What are your thoughts on Ghosts Season 4, Episode 4, “The Work Retreat?” Let us know in the comments below.
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