BOO!

How CBS’ ‘Ghosts’ Brought Network Comedy Back From the Dead

Out of nowhere—almost like a haunting—CBS’ charming sitcom became TV’s most-watched comedy. So we did a little ghost hunting to figure out what was behind its miraculous rise.

Culturally speaking, we’re all being haunted. Things we thought were long dead are not only back, but making their presences known. Not only can we see them, but we’re also interacting with them. We even, much to our surprise, love them. It’s thrilling. It’s unexpected. It’s basically the plot of Ghosts.

The CBS comedy series, whose second season debuts on Thursday, is a driving force in what might be considered a television séance: Despite a decade-long trend that saw it maligned as antiquated, corny, and lacking in the quality and edge that series on streaming services and cable could provide, the broadcast comedy is popular again. It’s also actually good and—dare we say it—even cool.

Kevin FallonSenior Editor, Obsessed

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.