One of the fall TV staples has been Ghosts, so when CBS made the decision to hold off on the return until 2027, there were many concerns. After all, Ghosts season 5 ended with one of the biggest cliffhangers yet, with Pete disappearing before Sam’s eyes.
When that originally happened, it didn’t seem too problematic. Yes, it was stressful not knowing if Richie Moriarty would return, but being a strong show for the network, the assumption was that it would return in the fall with answers. Then the lineup arrived, and instead of seeing this series, the new vampire comedy, Eternally Yours, was added to the list. The wait is going to be hard, but there’s no need to panic.
At the same time, it would mean some of the best types of episodes of the series would be skipped. Ghosts has always brought Halloween and Christmas specials, and there have often been some heartfelt Thanksgiving specials. They are a way to ground the show in reality despite the supernatural aspects, and they allow for holiday-themed hijinks. CBS and the showrunners, Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, have thought about that.
Ghosts’ Pete Cliffhanger Will Be Addressed in Its Halloween Special
There will still be two specials airing in 2026, and they are officially part of the season 6 schedule. Because they continue the storyline already happening, it means no wait for answers about Pete, and these specials will make up for the 2027 delay.
While announcing that Ghosts season 6 wouldn’t officially premiere until 2027, CBS did offer a small light of hope. There will be two holiday specials, and the first of those will air on Thursday, October 29. The Halloween special is one of those episodes every single Ghosts fan looks forward to, as it allows for familiar ghost faces to return via séances, following the rule that the veil between the living and the dead is at its weakest.
This Halloween special is going to be even more important, as it will bring much-needed answers about Pete. The friendly and happy-go-lucky ghost completely vanished after being away from Woodstone Manor for too long during the Ghosts season 5 finale, and all summer, all anyone has wanted to know is what happened to him. Fear not, as all will be revealed in the Halloween special.
Entertainment journalist Matt Mitvoch shared that Pete’s circumstances will be covered in the two-episode special. He didn’t say anything about whether Pete would return or not, but it’s a relief to know that there’s no need to wait until 2027 for answers. As Halloween specials allow for the dead to cross back over temporarily, it could open the door for some ghostly magic to fix the disappearing act. Port and Wiseman also confirmed Pete’s situation will be addressed.
That being said, the answers won’t necessarily be the ones anyone wants, and it could mean a permanent goodbye. When Ghosts season 3 ended with the cliffhanger of a character being “sucked off,” the season 4 premiere brought the answers quickly, sharing that Flower had moved on from the purgatory-style afterlife. Written in due to Sheila Carrasco’s pregnancy, the arc allowed the rest of the spirits to remember the true goal they all had, and even Flower’s return reminded everyone a Main 8 ghost could move on.
Why CBS Delayed Ghosts Season 6 To 2027
A series being moved to the midseason is usually a sign of it struggling on the network, but that couldn’t be further from the truth for this comedy series. It’s one of the most popular shows across all broadcast networks, and not just on CBS. Instead, the decision to push Ghosts season 6 to 2027 is due to another show by the same showrunners.
Port and Wiseman will bring the new sitcom Eternally Yours, which took 11 years to be greenlit, in Fall 2026. While the production of the two shows will happen at the same time, Port and Wiseman didn’t want the post-production stress. Eternally Yours has a similar vibe to Ghosts, albeit with vampires rather than spirits, and CBS wants to hit the ground running with the show, giving it a strong time slot during the best time of the year for TV.
There is more positive news when it comes to the spirited series when it does return. Ghosts will have a full 22-episode season 5, including the four episodes for the Halloween and Christmas specials, so when it does premiere in 2027, it won’t have as many breaks in the schedule. Consistency is sure to help it continue to succeed.
Ghosts will return with its Halloween special on Thursday, October 29 at 8/7c on CBS.
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- Release Date
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October 7, 2021
- Directors
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Christine Gernon, Jaime Eliezer Karas, Katie Locke O’Brien, Nick Wong, Jude Weng, Pete Chatmon, Richie Keen, Alex Hardcastle, Kimmy Gatewood, Matthew A. Cherry, Cortney Carrillo
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Rose McIver
Samantha Arondekar
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Utkarsh Ambudkar
Jay Arondekar
