Ghosts – Gorilla War Review

Following a fairly uninspired opening episode, “Gorilla War” is a much stronger offering for Ghosts.

After being pushed off a window ledge and waking from a coma’ Alison has gained the ability to see the dead. Thinking she has a concussion Alison tries to ignore the ghosts who attempt to drive her and her partner out the house.

The first episode was basically the introductory episode that needed to happen. “Gorilla War” jumped straight into the action and the main conceit of the series. Alison obviously thinks she’s going mad with the ghosts launching a constant assault. The Captain (Ben Willbond) describes it as a battle of attrition. This episode is The Sixth Sense  – if it was a comedy.

The main reason why “Gorilla War” was a better episode was simple: it was funnier. Charlotte Ritchie is a natural comedic talent, she has a number of credits in comedy. Her key moment was when she finally snaps at the ghosts and looks like she was having a mental breakdown. It was funny and a little tragic. The dialogue and timing were so sharp.

Whilst Ritchie has excellent comic timing she was the straight woman to the ghosts who are broader and wackier characters which she’s reacting to. Some of the characters were better than others. The Captain was the serious, World War Two officer, Julian Fawcett MP (Simon Farnaby) wanted to prove his legacy is more than dying in an embarrassing way, and Martha Howe-Douglas played a bossy Downton Abbey like lady. Lolly Adefope was delightful as the friendly Kitty. This troupe of actors have been working together for years and clearly have chemistry together.

The camerawork was also worthy of note. The key scene was when the ghosts all gang up on Alison and camera follows around in a continuous shot. Just like the previous episode there was some cross-cutting to the ghosts being in scenes and being invisible.

The second episode is showing that Ghosts might be entering its stride.