Ghosts UK Season 2 Episode 5 Review: The Thomas Thorne Affair

Ghosts UK Season 2 Episode 5, “The Thomas Thorne Affair,” has everything — romance, murder, and betrayal.

In the spirit of spinning a biased story, Ghosts UK looks at Thomas Thorne’s death by duel from conflicting accounts as the group tries to piece together the truth of that fateful day.

Not only do we get our first in-depth look at a ghost’s backstory, but nothing could prepare us for the hidden stakes of the poet’s tale.

The Art of Spin

“The Thomas Thorne Affair” is the appropriate period piece for this occasion because so much of that posh, over-the-top social setting is where Thomas thrives.

Plus, witnessing the other ghosts interfere with his version of events is a fun way to reintroduce the same scenes repeatedly without having them feel repetitive. Additionally, having each account cater to the character’s blatant biases is a creative way to frame this concept.

Highlights include Mary imagining the people floating around the room or Kitty oddly having the most accurate account of the events by mentioning how funny everyone found Thomas’ poetry.

My favorite deviation from the truth is when Thomas busts out two pistols and a grenade during his duel because that’s what the Captain would do in close-quarters combat.

Thomas Finds His Audience

Ultimately, Thomas’ cause of death is quite depressing, so the ghosts trying to butt in and tell the story keep spirits high.

More importantly, it gives the sense the ghosts are rallying around Thomas more than they are just there to make fun of him — although they are there for that, too.

Thomas was a weak point of the ensemble in Season 1, thanks to the little interaction he had with the rest of the ensemble.

He kept to himself and fixated on Alison. Now, he still does those things, but he participates in movie nights, physically fights Julian, and lets go of telling this story to impress Alison. Instead, he embraces the realization that he isn’t alone in his final moments.

And Thomas gets to hear the group talk about him for a whole episode, something the narcissist indeed loves. However, we also see everyone engage in his world of high society and poetry; Julian even sheds a tear. It is a huge bonding moment for the poet.

A Traitor in Our Midst

Ghosts UK crafts a masterclass mystery with Thomas’s death.

The most cunning element of this mystery? The episode doesn’t tell us there is one. All we know is Thomas is an unreliable narrator, as are his fellow ghosts. But amongst all their varied accounts, one thread of truth is crucially overlooked.

When Thomas’ cousin lays eyes on Isabelle, I immediately get a bad vibe. Additionally, when he delivers the news to Thomas that she does not love him, that feeling intensifies. However, unless you notice that no correspondence takes place without the cousin relaying the information, there’s nowhere to take these feelings.

Until that epic reveal from Humphrey that lends such delicious depth and poetic tragedy to Thomas’ failed duel while finding a way to utilize the one ghost whose perspective is always overlooked.

A Thing of Backstory Beauty

All in all, this perfect episode incorporates the ghosts into an episode about one of their backstories rather than trying to fit a backstory into an episode focused on the ensemble.

By making Thomas and his flashbacks the main storyline, with a very subtle b-storyline for Mike in the other room, the installment gives us everything this premise can in one go instead of bits and pieces scattered throughout an episode.

Thomas might have missed his shot, but this episode certainly did not. Indeed, this is Ghosts UK firing on all cylinders.

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Back-to-back episodes of Ghosts UK air Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

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