The BBC has announced Ghost's fifth season will be its last which is the right move for the hit show. First airing in April 2019, Ghosts was a hit with critics and audiences alike, with people praising the lighthearted, campy tone. Following the absurd premise of a woman being able to see ghosts after a head injury, BBC's Ghosts is an original and delightful ensemble piece that fleshes out all the ghosts in ways that some dramas could take notes from. However, like all successful television shows, there is a fear that the show will become stale, which happens to many series that go past their natural expiration date.

The fourth season of Ghosts premiered on BBC in September 2022 and ended in October 2022. In Ghosts season 4, Alison and her husband Mike rent out their Gatehouse as a bed and breakfast and follows Alison as she tries to get a 5-star review for the new venture. Growing annoyed with the ghosts' demands, Ghosts season 4 also shows Alison distance herself from the ghosts in order to focus on the bed and breakfast. This leads to some interesting backstories and B-story lines from the Ghosts that further build the world of Button House.

Ghosts Season 5 Ending The Show Avoids Two Potential Issues

The ghosts run out side in BBC Ghosts

Despite the popularity of Ghosts, the BBC is smart to end it before it begins to run out of steam. Not only is five seasons a nice length for a show to let the cast shine without having to artificially extend any storylines, but it also means that the series end before some big BBC budget cuts. BBC recently announced some budget cuts in BBC's Annual Plan, including an annual reduction of 1,000 hours in commissions "across portfolio." Director General Tim Davie has emphasized a "fewer, bigger better" approach to commissioning with a specialized focus on some new changes in their online services.

BBC's decision to focus on their online services to match the streaming craze means some budget cuts to successful shows. These changes could've negatively impacted Ghosts' ending if it had continued beyond a fifth season. With Ghosts seasons 3 and 4 treading a lot of similar storylines, including Thomas' infatuation with Alison and various Kitty shenanigans, Ghosts was already starting to overstay its welcome. Since the ghosts cannot leave Button House, the show is naturally limited by location which can eventually become boring to the viewer.

Why Ghosts Needed To End With Season 5

Alison and Mike look around their house in Ghosts

After Ghosts' season 4 finale, which ended with Gatehouse burning down, it seems the show is going in a new direction. Since the Gatehouse is destroyed, Alison's hard work from the fourth season has been completely erased. This also provides a soft reset for the show in season 5, Alison must now find a new way to make money or possibly rebuild the B&B. If she does decide to continue the B&B, there is a good opportunity for character growth. Despite the ghosts' star performances, Alison is the protagonist of her show and Ghosts needs to end with resolving some sort of character arc for our main character.

With BBC's budget cuts and Ghosts' storylines becoming slightly tired, Ghosts' fifth season is the perfect place to end the series. Ending with Alison finding some sort of peace, she may choose to move away from Button House, or perhaps she will find another way to make money that is personally fulfilling for her. Whatever Ghosts season 5 decides to do, it may be a while before Ghosts returns to BBC and later to stream on HBO Max.