Australian version of the hit British comedy about a house haunted by quirky ghosts
Year: 2025
Certificate: 12
Remaking the same shows in different countries is a gamble. US versions of British hits like The Office, Shameless and The Thick Of It/Veep have worked really well, but there have been plenty of flops, too – Life On Mars, The Inbetweeners and multiple attempts at Fawlty Towers. This British original already has a US version, and now the Aussie version of Ghosts is available for British viewers, too.
The format is simple – various ghosts from different time periods share a dilapidated home with a young couple, only one of whom can see and interact with the farcical spectres – and that’s something that can translate virtually anywhere. In fact, it’s part of the point of a successful remake. If you can keep the format but adapt the characters and the humour to make it more American, or Australian, then you’re more likely to score a win. Characterful ghosts hanging out in a crumbly old house works, whereas a panicky misanthrope like Basil Fawlty is just too British.
Certainly, this show worked Down Under, with some critics praising it as ‘quintessentially Australian’. And for British fans, it just gives you more of what you love – with an Aussie twist. The first series opens with the death of the manor home’s current resident. The perky couple who move in are Kate and Sean (Tamala Shelton and Rowan Witt), while, among the ghosts, look out for Irish publican Eileen – whose breath can make people drunk. (Eight episodes)
