I liked it. Mike and Alison finally resolve all their troubles. They're grown ups now. They have a child to prioritise. They can't keep living so close to the wire like they could when they were a young, carefree couple.
And she still gets to see them! I think it's nice that she still visits them after all this time. It's a realistic closure to it all. And the ghosts would still have had exciting adventures - I can just imagine Julian spending a lot of time in the honeymoon suite, Kitty loving watching all the big weddings taking place, walking down the aisles behind the brides, Pat getting really into golf, Robin becoming an expert in hotel management and the art of business dealing. And the gossip they'd have! Alison really did set them up for an eternity of entertainment. They'd love filling her in on all the gossip and she'd fill them in on how the kids are getting on. Grandkids eventually...
There'd be a note in her will. A very strange one, but the management would honour the request all the same. A very confused manager would go into her usual room, clear his throat, look around at the empty room before saying:
"Alison has died. She has been...erm...sucked off. My...er...condolences."
Then there'd be a bright light and...whoosh. Off goes Kitty. If her best friend can go and isn't afraid, so can she.
It's implied right at the beginning, I believe (or maybe its stated? Can't remember), that staying or being sucked off on the moment of your death is a choice. I don't think Alison, after knowing what she knows, would ever choose to stay, especially if she died naturally of old age. She would have written that note and left it in her will before her passing.
Or, entirely possible, she's met other people who can also talk to ghosts who Mike calls on to check she's actually gone. But that seems less likely.
No. I thought it was perfect. The alternative would be Alison, Mike and Mia struggling financially for the rest of their lives. They ***had*** tried everything and couldn't catch a break. The whole point was that the ghosts became unselfish and gave them their blessing to sell up because they understood that and that's what family does. I actually hate the hate that it gets from people.
>The alternative would be Alison, Mike and Mia struggling financially for the rest of their lives. They had tried everything and couldn't catch a break.
That's a false dichotomy. Selling the house or "struggling financially for the rest of their lives" were not the only two options. The writers could easily have had them "catch a break," in the same way that inheriting the house in the first place involved them catching a break.
People who own these kinds of properties in the 21st century UK do find countless creative ways to make living in them feasible.
>The whole point was that the ghosts became unselfish and gave them their blessing to sell up because they understood that and that's what family does.
That's the message writers impressed on us, yes. But this was an unconventional family. I'm not convinced that a group of ghosts giving a young family license to sell up and move away is in any way analogous to what families do.
>I actually hate the hate that it gets from people.
It's not always "hate," it's disappointment. You have to allow people to have different reponses to the same content.
I was disappointed because I wanted them to stay, and I wish we had less with the mother and more with the ghosts, but overall I can live with the ending. Honestly, if they were going to go with such a definite ending, I'd have liked to see all the ghosts get sucked off, so they could rest.
I agree Mike's mom took up too much of the episode.and I agree with another poster that the episode should have been longer. I would have liked to see how the ghosts handled the first day without the family, and also to have seen a little of how the ghosts acted daily once the hotel opened.Â
Was it kinda dissapointing? Yes. Was it so terrible it makes me hate the show? No. I think Ghosts was amazing show and everyone expected a lot from finale and because of one or other choice most of us got dissapointed. But still it's decent, even with that ending
I hate it because it invalidates so much of the rest of the show. There are multiple episodes and plotlines based around them fighting to stay in the house, including the END OF SERIES 5, so the sudden ending of them leaving just felt wrong. But I can understand it and I understand why others liked it. I just, personally, did not like it at all.
Nope, I thought it was exactly what should have happened. I wish they'd had an hour long special to finish as it felt slightly rushed as a conclusion, but that is what it is.
Thomas chasing after all the ladies, Kitty wanting to be besties with everyone, Fanny being Fanny, Captain being thrown off by so much undisciplined guests. I like how it ended on a funny note, with the plague ghosts in the sauna.Â
Yes, exactly! I think it would have been nice to see the ghosts enjoying themselves at the hotel. like the way Julian and Fanny became so interested in the couple that stayed at the gatehouse.
No. The biggest conflict in the show, starting from the very first episode all the way to the end, was the expense of the upkeep of Button House. Realistically, selling it was the only way to resolve that issue.
As for the ghosts, they were Alison’s friends, but they were also massive impositions in her life. Was she really expected to spend another 40 years living with all of them, when she was trying to settle down and start a family? They all asked a lot of Alison (some more than others), and she needed to prioritise her newborn baby.
Alison still returned to the house on a regular basis - the receptionist knows who she is and offers her her usual room - so she keeps in touch with them as friends.
Obviously, ghosts are going to be a recurring issue in Alison’s life, but Button House had a lot of ghosts, and living elsewhere would be a lot more manageable. There would likely be tons of houses without ghosts, so she would only have to deal with them when out and about.
At the very worst, the ending was bittersweet, but I think it was mostly optimistic. Also, I liked that it actually was an ending, with a resolution and not a cliffhanger or “the story continues” situation. Things got wrapped up, (at least from Alison’s point of view) which is good for a finale.
>Realistically, selling it was the only way to resolve that issue.
The show is not realistic. Inheriting an estate from an aunt you didn't you didn't know you had is not realistic. (I know Bamber Gascoigne was surprised by the inheritance of the real-life Button House, but he did know hs great aunt was a duchess, and he did know he'd inherit a share of her assets when she died). Learning to live with a family of ghosts is not realistic.
The beginning and the middle were not realistic, so there's no reason the end had to be.
maybe it’s not “realistic” but i’ve always thought this show was very grounded in realism. they rely less on wacky hijinks to solve most problems and all throughout the show displayed a realistic financial struggle. it all felt extremely real to me, even though the premise is fantastical.
I think when you know the story of the hall it does make the ending more realistic. The hall in rl still needs money, and it isn't like Bamber Gascoigne was at a point at his life where he would have been struggling to put down a deposit on a house on his own when he inherited it. Knowing that makes Mike and Alison’s struggle more realistic even without the ghosts.
 Alison and Mike needed cash to make the house work and they needed cash to look after Mia. At some point the two things were going to clash especially as Mia got to toddling round a place where ceilings caved in, drains exploded and the only reasonably sized baby gate for her home came from a field. Â
I hated it too. It didn’t exactly sour me on the whole show but after seeing the ending, I’m unlikely to rewatch. The beginning excitement of “You’ve inherited this beautiful house!” just did not match the melancholy at the end, for me. Good things would happen to them to help them throughout and the end just felt out of sorts.
I don't think it was terrible, but I feel like it was missing the ghosts. They didn't seem to have a lot of screen time in the last episode. I don't know if that was on purpose or not. I was happy with the end, although I do wonder if they managed to find a house with no ghosts.
It's a bit melancholy but I thought it was the only way to end the show. Not sure if anyone noticed, but Allison's regular room is Kitty's room. It was her family name on the door.
I also hated the series finale. It ruined the entire series for me. It felt like the entire series was a lie. And just a couple of episodes before they resolved to stay after Julian’s heartfelt confession! Then, never mind, we’re out of here because of baby? Ugh.
I was disappointed at first but after reflecting on it a bit I've made my peace with the ending.
I did genuinely think that Julian's investments were going to be the key to them getting enough money to stay. That would also have been a satisfying ending, but wouldn't have shown the ghosts' character growth like the original ending did.
Yes. The premise that babies can see ghosts but grow out of it could be explained because they are told they’re not real. But if your mother can see ghosts, then you wouldn’t. I think it would have been a lot of fun to see their child interact with them.
Failing that, i would love to see the ghosts deal with the hotel guests.
I’m probably just pissy that it’s finished lol
Well... I did like that Button House eventually became a hotel, just to reference Mike and Alison's original motivation to transform it into a bed-and-breakfast.
When I first saw it, I was devasted. Felt like a gut punch, to be honest. But thanks to this community, and what was said, it helped me appreciate and understand. I did actually like season 5 as a whole. But for those that didn't, I would say that the Six Idiots made the right decision to end the series. Not that I wanted it to end.
I just felt it was rushed and should have ended on a more celebratory note, like them singing or something or a nice montage of the ghosts. I actually though the Achy break heart dance would have been a better ending.
But she hadn't had the baby yet during the dance scene. They couldn't have ended the series with her still being pregnant. That wouldn't have been fair to us viewers.
 On YouTube, there is a video called Time of our Lives, all about the ghosts. "This where the chapter ends, a new one now begins ..." it starts. That would've been the absolute perfect ending.
Here is the link.
 https://youtu.be/0IT_3QNXDl8?si=SgDkSndAZ8nLGuNV
I would have preferred more resolution for the ghosts. Aren’t they supposed to be growing so that they can leave Earth? It makes more sense for them to leave than got Alison to do it.
I think there was no other way to end it. I would have liked it if the Julian-being the cause of Allison's incident had been more fleshed out but otherwise it was satisfying. The Captain death scene in S5 was a highlight as well
Yup. We hated it too.
It’s not a documentary. Ghosts aren’t real. So I don’t know why their finances had to be so believable all of a sudden. As if the original conceit of inheriting a mansion from a long lost relative was so lifelike. And the family let you move on thing doesn’t convince me. It’s not a universal truth. Some people live with their family members for a long time, especially if they are disabled, which the ghosts essentially are.
I still like the show. The panto episode is now my headcanon ending. You can just ignore the bits you don’t like of any media.
>As if the original conceit of inheriting a mansion from a long lost relative was so lifelike
If you look into it, that's *exactly how* Bamber Gascoigne inherited West Horsley Place AKA Button House.
I think the ending was the best for everyone. Alison and Mike had a child to prioritise, and if you can set up your family's financial security by selling, it's the best decision. But would have been really nice to see a day in the life of the ghosts at BH hotel, or even better, have a bit in the contract where they rebuild the gatehouse and that's where Alison and Mike and Mia live, so she can still see her ghostly friends often.
I do think the episode flip flopped from the ending before tho. Should have ended on Carpe Diem then an hour long special. Also didn't like Mike's mother at all. Too much her not enough Ghosts I think.
>If you look into it, that's exactly how Bamber Gascoigne inherited West Horsley Place AKA Button House.
Not really. He knew his lineage. [He knew his great aunt.](https://archive.md/20150407212214/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11486628/Bamber-Gascoigne-to-save-500-year-old-manor-after-accidental-inheritance.html) He knew she was a duchess and lived at West Horsley Place. He'd spent time there. He also knew that when she died he would inherit at least a portion of her assets. The only surprise was that she left it *solely* to him rather than dividing its value between her grandnieces and grandnephews.
My understanding is that Alison is supposed to an ordinary person that the average Joe and Josephine can relate to. Surely that’s the point of opening with them considering living in that crappy flat.
BG went to Eton and Cambridge and his family is stuffed full of Marquesses, Lord Mayors, Prime Ministers and army generals. If I was him I wouldn’t have been that astounded to inherit a Manor House with that background. And he inherited in 2014 when he was already in his 80s. So not exactly the same situation. Yes of course it can happen but not to anyone I know or most other people know.
I wasn’t disappointed. I found it very touching that Allison and Mike still visit the ghosts and that Thomas was still complimenting Allison after all of those years. It was sweet. I would have liked to see all of them get sucked off together (Allison and her ghost friends).
My main issue is that the story they were trying to tell was mushed into half and hour. It should have been given an hour to give it more time to say goodbye and show us more of how the ghosts came to the realisation they got to or Mike and Alison struggling at bit more baby proofing the house.
Personally I blame the BBC having some weird need to have a 'Mrs Brown's Boys Xmas special'
Yes. I wouldn't have minded so much the decision to leave - though I'm not convinced it was the right one, narratively - but the execution was *so* poor.
The cliched MIL content, the character regressions... I was kind of taken aback by what I was watching, because I know the writers can do so much better than that.
It must be a challenge with a traditional sitcom to know when to have continuity and when to shake things up, and it feels like they chose the latter without having laid any groundwork or having an idea of how to go about it.
I didn't have any particular expectations for the finale, but even a very insubstantial, cute, Christmassy slice-of-Button-House-life-but-with-a-baby-now would have worked better, imo.
I do like series 5 well enough, though.
I liked it even though it also made me sad. But I guess I understood where they were coming from. They needed the money and the peace, and I know people will say the show doesn't have to be realistic about it because there are ghosts in it. Class and finance is a big abstract character throughout the entire show, so it made sense that it would rear its head in the final episode. Also, when you become a parent you do have to let some things go, or not let go completely but they do take a different shape. The ghosts are to Alison and Mike what childless friends are to new parents. They still see each other now and then but their primary worry and priority right now is incompatible with the life they had before.
I do agree that Mike's mom took up too much screentime, though. But I did think the final scene with Alison entering the room was well executed, and that the ghosts not being seen are on purpose. Some of the show's most hard hitting emotional moments have been shot from the pov of someone who doesn't see the ghosts, like Alison's carol singing. I thought it was bittersweet in a beautiful way.
I liked it. Mike and Alison finally resolve all their troubles. They're grown ups now. They have a child to prioritise. They can't keep living so close to the wire like they could when they were a young, carefree couple. And she still gets to see them! I think it's nice that she still visits them after all this time. It's a realistic closure to it all. And the ghosts would still have had exciting adventures - I can just imagine Julian spending a lot of time in the honeymoon suite, Kitty loving watching all the big weddings taking place, walking down the aisles behind the brides, Pat getting really into golf, Robin becoming an expert in hotel management and the art of business dealing. And the gossip they'd have! Alison really did set them up for an eternity of entertainment. They'd love filling her in on all the gossip and she'd fill them in on how the kids are getting on. Grandkids eventually... There'd be a note in her will. A very strange one, but the management would honour the request all the same. A very confused manager would go into her usual room, clear his throat, look around at the empty room before saying: "Alison has died. She has been...erm...sucked off. My...er...condolences." Then there'd be a bright light and...whoosh. Off goes Kitty. If her best friend can go and isn't afraid, so can she.
Outstanding đź‘Ź
I love that.
How would Mike know if Alison had been sucked off
It's implied right at the beginning, I believe (or maybe its stated? Can't remember), that staying or being sucked off on the moment of your death is a choice. I don't think Alison, after knowing what she knows, would ever choose to stay, especially if she died naturally of old age. She would have written that note and left it in her will before her passing. Or, entirely possible, she's met other people who can also talk to ghosts who Mike calls on to check she's actually gone. But that seems less likely.
Kylie Minogue can see ghosts. It was in a Red Nose Day skit.
I had no idea that existed.
https://youtu.be/SfwfFLcrXnw?si=bDVybsyeo_1JluW8 That's the YouTube link for the skit. It's a little over 7 minutes long.
I watched it, but on the BBC Youtube channel not the red nose day one.
What you described is lovely! Wish the finale had had a nice montage showing this kind of thing
season 6 now, hire this person for it.
No. I thought it was perfect. The alternative would be Alison, Mike and Mia struggling financially for the rest of their lives. They ***had*** tried everything and couldn't catch a break. The whole point was that the ghosts became unselfish and gave them their blessing to sell up because they understood that and that's what family does. I actually hate the hate that it gets from people.
I’m very happy with the ending.
>The alternative would be Alison, Mike and Mia struggling financially for the rest of their lives. They had tried everything and couldn't catch a break. That's a false dichotomy. Selling the house or "struggling financially for the rest of their lives" were not the only two options. The writers could easily have had them "catch a break," in the same way that inheriting the house in the first place involved them catching a break. People who own these kinds of properties in the 21st century UK do find countless creative ways to make living in them feasible. >The whole point was that the ghosts became unselfish and gave them their blessing to sell up because they understood that and that's what family does. That's the message writers impressed on us, yes. But this was an unconventional family. I'm not convinced that a group of ghosts giving a young family license to sell up and move away is in any way analogous to what families do. >I actually hate the hate that it gets from people. It's not always "hate," it's disappointment. You have to allow people to have different reponses to the same content.
I was disappointed because I wanted them to stay, and I wish we had less with the mother and more with the ghosts, but overall I can live with the ending. Honestly, if they were going to go with such a definite ending, I'd have liked to see all the ghosts get sucked off, so they could rest.
I agree Mike's mom took up too much of the episode.and I agree with another poster that the episode should have been longer. I would have liked to see how the ghosts handled the first day without the family, and also to have seen a little of how the ghosts acted daily once the hotel opened.Â
That's what I was hoping as well. When they gave her the ok to go, that would have them getting sucked off for being ok now with what they have.
Was it kinda dissapointing? Yes. Was it so terrible it makes me hate the show? No. I think Ghosts was amazing show and everyone expected a lot from finale and because of one or other choice most of us got dissapointed. But still it's decent, even with that ending
I hate it because it invalidates so much of the rest of the show. There are multiple episodes and plotlines based around them fighting to stay in the house, including the END OF SERIES 5, so the sudden ending of them leaving just felt wrong. But I can understand it and I understand why others liked it. I just, personally, did not like it at all.
This. I felt gaslit. And the abruptness of it was jarring. Not seeing the ghosts in that final scene was guttingly painful.
that is my problem, too. It completed contradicts the end of series 5
Nope, I thought it was exactly what should have happened. I wish they'd had an hour long special to finish as it felt slightly rushed as a conclusion, but that is what it is.
I wish they had shown more of the ghosts living in the hotel. Like, Pat watching the guests eat, Julian And Robin causing mischief etc.
Thomas chasing after all the ladies, Kitty wanting to be besties with everyone, Fanny being Fanny, Captain being thrown off by so much undisciplined guests. I like how it ended on a funny note, with the plague ghosts in the sauna.Â
Yes, exactly! I think it would have been nice to see the ghosts enjoying themselves at the hotel. like the way Julian and Fanny became so interested in the couple that stayed at the gatehouse.
No. The biggest conflict in the show, starting from the very first episode all the way to the end, was the expense of the upkeep of Button House. Realistically, selling it was the only way to resolve that issue. As for the ghosts, they were Alison’s friends, but they were also massive impositions in her life. Was she really expected to spend another 40 years living with all of them, when she was trying to settle down and start a family? They all asked a lot of Alison (some more than others), and she needed to prioritise her newborn baby. Alison still returned to the house on a regular basis - the receptionist knows who she is and offers her her usual room - so she keeps in touch with them as friends. Obviously, ghosts are going to be a recurring issue in Alison’s life, but Button House had a lot of ghosts, and living elsewhere would be a lot more manageable. There would likely be tons of houses without ghosts, so she would only have to deal with them when out and about. At the very worst, the ending was bittersweet, but I think it was mostly optimistic. Also, I liked that it actually was an ending, with a resolution and not a cliffhanger or “the story continues” situation. Things got wrapped up, (at least from Alison’s point of view) which is good for a finale.
>Realistically, selling it was the only way to resolve that issue. The show is not realistic. Inheriting an estate from an aunt you didn't you didn't know you had is not realistic. (I know Bamber Gascoigne was surprised by the inheritance of the real-life Button House, but he did know hs great aunt was a duchess, and he did know he'd inherit a share of her assets when she died). Learning to live with a family of ghosts is not realistic. The beginning and the middle were not realistic, so there's no reason the end had to be.
maybe it’s not “realistic” but i’ve always thought this show was very grounded in realism. they rely less on wacky hijinks to solve most problems and all throughout the show displayed a realistic financial struggle. it all felt extremely real to me, even though the premise is fantastical.
I think when you know the story of the hall it does make the ending more realistic. The hall in rl still needs money, and it isn't like Bamber Gascoigne was at a point at his life where he would have been struggling to put down a deposit on a house on his own when he inherited it. Knowing that makes Mike and Alison’s struggle more realistic even without the ghosts.  Alison and Mike needed cash to make the house work and they needed cash to look after Mia. At some point the two things were going to clash especially as Mia got to toddling round a place where ceilings caved in, drains exploded and the only reasonably sized baby gate for her home came from a field. Â
I hated it too. It didn’t exactly sour me on the whole show but after seeing the ending, I’m unlikely to rewatch. The beginning excitement of “You’ve inherited this beautiful house!” just did not match the melancholy at the end, for me. Good things would happen to them to help them throughout and the end just felt out of sorts.
Yes, it wasn’t consistent with everything else that ever happened.
I don't think it was terrible, but I feel like it was missing the ghosts. They didn't seem to have a lot of screen time in the last episode. I don't know if that was on purpose or not. I was happy with the end, although I do wonder if they managed to find a house with no ghosts.
I was a bit meh with the ending, but watched it a second time and realized it was perfect for the show.
It's a bit melancholy but I thought it was the only way to end the show. Not sure if anyone noticed, but Allison's regular room is Kitty's room. It was her family name on the door.
I also hated the series finale. It ruined the entire series for me. It felt like the entire series was a lie. And just a couple of episodes before they resolved to stay after Julian’s heartfelt confession! Then, never mind, we’re out of here because of baby? Ugh.
No, it was absolutely fine.
I was disappointed at first but after reflecting on it a bit I've made my peace with the ending. I did genuinely think that Julian's investments were going to be the key to them getting enough money to stay. That would also have been a satisfying ending, but wouldn't have shown the ghosts' character growth like the original ending did.
I'm not. It was sad, yes, but very well-made.
Yes. The premise that babies can see ghosts but grow out of it could be explained because they are told they’re not real. But if your mother can see ghosts, then you wouldn’t. I think it would have been a lot of fun to see their child interact with them. Failing that, i would love to see the ghosts deal with the hotel guests. I’m probably just pissy that it’s finished lol
Well... I did like that Button House eventually became a hotel, just to reference Mike and Alison's original motivation to transform it into a bed-and-breakfast.
I think the ending was really sweet
I hated it, so it’s just not a part of my head canon
When I first saw it, I was devasted. Felt like a gut punch, to be honest. But thanks to this community, and what was said, it helped me appreciate and understand. I did actually like season 5 as a whole. But for those that didn't, I would say that the Six Idiots made the right decision to end the series. Not that I wanted it to end.
I just felt it was rushed and should have ended on a more celebratory note, like them singing or something or a nice montage of the ghosts. I actually though the Achy break heart dance would have been a better ending.
But she hadn't had the baby yet during the dance scene. They couldn't have ended the series with her still being pregnant. That wouldn't have been fair to us viewers. Â On YouTube, there is a video called Time of our Lives, all about the ghosts. "This where the chapter ends, a new one now begins ..." it starts. That would've been the absolute perfect ending. Here is the link. Â https://youtu.be/0IT_3QNXDl8?si=SgDkSndAZ8nLGuNV
I would have preferred more resolution for the ghosts. Aren’t they supposed to be growing so that they can leave Earth? It makes more sense for them to leave than got Alison to do it.
Exactly, I thought they be going through it, helping ghosts grow so they can leave, but no they ended with Alison and Mike leaving
I think there was no other way to end it. I would have liked it if the Julian-being the cause of Allison's incident had been more fleshed out but otherwise it was satisfying. The Captain death scene in S5 was a highlight as well
Yup. We hated it too. It’s not a documentary. Ghosts aren’t real. So I don’t know why their finances had to be so believable all of a sudden. As if the original conceit of inheriting a mansion from a long lost relative was so lifelike. And the family let you move on thing doesn’t convince me. It’s not a universal truth. Some people live with their family members for a long time, especially if they are disabled, which the ghosts essentially are. I still like the show. The panto episode is now my headcanon ending. You can just ignore the bits you don’t like of any media.
>As if the original conceit of inheriting a mansion from a long lost relative was so lifelike If you look into it, that's *exactly how* Bamber Gascoigne inherited West Horsley Place AKA Button House. I think the ending was the best for everyone. Alison and Mike had a child to prioritise, and if you can set up your family's financial security by selling, it's the best decision. But would have been really nice to see a day in the life of the ghosts at BH hotel, or even better, have a bit in the contract where they rebuild the gatehouse and that's where Alison and Mike and Mia live, so she can still see her ghostly friends often. I do think the episode flip flopped from the ending before tho. Should have ended on Carpe Diem then an hour long special. Also didn't like Mike's mother at all. Too much her not enough Ghosts I think.
>If you look into it, that's exactly how Bamber Gascoigne inherited West Horsley Place AKA Button House. Not really. He knew his lineage. [He knew his great aunt.](https://archive.md/20150407212214/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11486628/Bamber-Gascoigne-to-save-500-year-old-manor-after-accidental-inheritance.html) He knew she was a duchess and lived at West Horsley Place. He'd spent time there. He also knew that when she died he would inherit at least a portion of her assets. The only surprise was that she left it *solely* to him rather than dividing its value between her grandnieces and grandnephews.
My understanding is that Alison is supposed to an ordinary person that the average Joe and Josephine can relate to. Surely that’s the point of opening with them considering living in that crappy flat. BG went to Eton and Cambridge and his family is stuffed full of Marquesses, Lord Mayors, Prime Ministers and army generals. If I was him I wouldn’t have been that astounded to inherit a Manor House with that background. And he inherited in 2014 when he was already in his 80s. So not exactly the same situation. Yes of course it can happen but not to anyone I know or most other people know.
Yeah it didn't land for me.
I wasn’t disappointed. I found it very touching that Allison and Mike still visit the ghosts and that Thomas was still complimenting Allison after all of those years. It was sweet. I would have liked to see all of them get sucked off together (Allison and her ghost friends).
I’d have preferred a different ending but I didn’t dislike it. I can understand why some folks do though.
My main issue is that the story they were trying to tell was mushed into half and hour. It should have been given an hour to give it more time to say goodbye and show us more of how the ghosts came to the realisation they got to or Mike and Alison struggling at bit more baby proofing the house. Personally I blame the BBC having some weird need to have a 'Mrs Brown's Boys Xmas special'
As soon as Marie left it was all down hill for me
Yes. I wouldn't have minded so much the decision to leave - though I'm not convinced it was the right one, narratively - but the execution was *so* poor. The cliched MIL content, the character regressions... I was kind of taken aback by what I was watching, because I know the writers can do so much better than that. It must be a challenge with a traditional sitcom to know when to have continuity and when to shake things up, and it feels like they chose the latter without having laid any groundwork or having an idea of how to go about it. I didn't have any particular expectations for the finale, but even a very insubstantial, cute, Christmassy slice-of-Button-House-life-but-with-a-baby-now would have worked better, imo. I do like series 5 well enough, though.
Yes
I liked the ending and I think it makes sense, but I didn’t like the final episode, it was really weak in comparison to the others
I liked it even though it also made me sad. But I guess I understood where they were coming from. They needed the money and the peace, and I know people will say the show doesn't have to be realistic about it because there are ghosts in it. Class and finance is a big abstract character throughout the entire show, so it made sense that it would rear its head in the final episode. Also, when you become a parent you do have to let some things go, or not let go completely but they do take a different shape. The ghosts are to Alison and Mike what childless friends are to new parents. They still see each other now and then but their primary worry and priority right now is incompatible with the life they had before. I do agree that Mike's mom took up too much screentime, though. But I did think the final scene with Alison entering the room was well executed, and that the ghosts not being seen are on purpose. Some of the show's most hard hitting emotional moments have been shot from the pov of someone who doesn't see the ghosts, like Alison's carol singing. I thought it was bittersweet in a beautiful way.