Ghosts Season 4, Episode 7, “Sad Farnsby” Spoilers Ahead
Ghosts‘ “Sad Farnsby” is an unexpectedly delightful episode that delivers conversations that matter. It finally kicks more of Jay’s restaurant renovation into motion, but it also exhibits a lovely and honest moment of growth for Isaac.
This one’s all about the relationships (save for my beloveds, H-Money). It’s a fascinating examination of what it means to check in on one’s spouses (or former spouses-to-be), and it’s a key episode that could maybe be the start of the Arondekars and Farnsbys actually being better neighbors. Because, really, friends would be pushing it.
Ghosts Season 4, Episode 7 Exemplifies What It Means to Be Aware of One’s Partner
Paying attention matters, and this episode highlights this fact with both Henry Farnsby and Isaac. The whole thing starts because Sam invites Margaret over to get on her good graces so Henry can back off Jay’s renovations. There, an awkward book metaphor leads to Margaret kicking out Henry, and in his dismay, Jay turns to bro jams. This gets Henry off their backs, but when he learns that it’s basically Sam’s fault his wife left him, everything backfires. Thankfully, Thor’s son has all the tea, and it turns out that Henry forgot their anniversary. (Not the kind any of us were thinking but that’s neither here nor there.)
The point is that Henry wasn’t listening to Margaret, and until Sam’s interference, he didn’t realize how vital it was to check in on his wife. Truthfully, it’s a little hard to care about the Farnsbys, yet it’s easy to care how their hiccup leads to Jay checking in on Sam. They’re the strongest depiction of a healthy married couple on screen, and it’s something I don’t discuss nearly as much as I should.
It’s a small scene at the end of the episode, but it’s gorgeous in its means of showcasing how deeply the two of them love each other. Jay is always “husband goals,” and I can’t wait to see what the Christmas special does with his character, but this moment deserves to be highlighted.
The thing is, of all the partners within the show, Jay is aware of everything that goes on with Sam. Yet his love for her is so gorgeously evident at this moment because checking in shows us that he’s once again going the extra mile to see if there’s anything else he can do—if there’s any other way he can be good to her.
And it would’ve been great if Isaac didn’t ruin the moment, but we’re going to forgive him because in more ways than one, Ghosts Season 4, Episode 7, “Sad Farnsby” is Isaac’s episode. It’s the actual turning point for his character and the realization of how he needs to give Nigel a sincere apology. So much of Isaac’s character development is tied to Nigel, and realizing that he’s been more selfish in the relationship than he’s been selfless makes for a significantly effective scene. With exceptional performances from Brandon Scott Jones and John Hartman, we finally get a conversation between the two men that could make them better people as well as better partners in the future.
We don’t know if the possibility of a second chance romance is in the cards for the two of them yet, but I’m certain now more than ever that Isaac’s journey feels like something that’ll stick. What I thought Patience could accomplish actually lies in his confrontation with Nigel, which makes far more sense for the character and his actions. Nigel shows us that he was doing everything in his power to be a better spouse, yet Isaac wasn’t seeing any of it until this very moment when a dinosaur bed came between them.
Stray Thoughts
- “Yeah, they’re champing at the bit.” Sass always has the best lines.
- Isaac, Hetty, and Alberta making fun of Sam’s speech. “She knows no other words,” took me out!
- “You’re both civilized women. Just do cocaine.”
- Why is Thor the way that he is?
- Jay skipping a whole step in assembling the bed also took me out.
- Margaret’s reaction to the flower metaphor is so dramatic.
- HAVE YOU SEEN TED LASSO?! Oh, this was for me.
- “And this is why women should never read books.” I just know that if Hetty read romance novels, she and Trevor would be back together by now.
- “I’m dead. It’s still innocent.” Trevor, buddy. No.
- “Why are we clapping? Who’s this for?” Sas killed me during this episode.
- JAM BROS.
- The way that the camera pans away from Isaac saying the Puritan moved out? What’s going to happen with the others?!!! I’m still stressed about this!?!?!
Now streaming on Paramount Plus: What are your thoughts on Ghosts Season 4, Episode 7, “Sad Farnsby?” Let us know in the comments below.
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