Ghosts Season 2 Episode 21 Review: Whodunnit
Justin Carreiro
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Did you correctly guess the killer, Ghosts fans?
Everything has led to this moment. The ongoing murder mystery finally revealed its big twist on Ghosts Season 2 Episode 21.
We had the clues and the suspects, but now we have the answer. It was a shocking finish to the case and an exciting start to where Ghosts could go.
"Whodunnit" was a fast-paced end to wrap up the long-awaited mystery. We got a lot of information quickly, and unlike Jay, we didn't have a cool red string murder board to put the pieces together.
The flashbacks and clues were all we had to work with. However, it seems like a left-turn twist made it unnecessary.
Don't get me wrong, I love a surprising twist!
Agatha Christie has hooked me plenty of times with the big reveals. In those stories, I've looked back at the clues and see where the story led to the truth.
In the case of "Whodunnit," the answer seemed a bit out of left field as we hadn't gotten any clues about the actual killer.
In other stories, Thomas, Hetty's son, had been mentioned in passing, but he wasn't a player in the murder mystery. Sure, the party was at his manor, and he was there, but he wasn't in the narrative until now.
Up until the reveal, Earl seemed like the strongest possibility.
He was Alberta's lover and eventually ended up with Theresa, Alberta's sister. If the Scream movies have taught us anything, you can't ever trust the love interest.
Clara seemed like the obvious suspect, especially since she was Alberta's singing rival.
The theory of her cutting a deal with the police to take down Earl and Alberta was a chef's kiss moment. It's the type of plot twist that fills in plenty of gaps and makes a suspect look so suspicious. And Clara didn't need any extra help to look guilty.
Theresa gave off major red herring vibes.
All of the clues were pointing at her. Every red string seemed to connect in her direction, so it would've been an easy answer. And like the Earl romance, she had a reason to want Alberta out of the way.
But I loved how Alberta fought for her sister's innocence.
It would've been sad to know her sister had killed her. Earl or Clara would be easier to accept in the long-term for her; Theresa as the killer has a heavier emotional weight to it that Alberta didn't need in the afterlife.
The conclusion would've benefited more if there had been another episode to fill out the story.
Much of what we got about Alberta's final day was in this chapter. The flashbacks, how the characters interacted with her, and potential other suspects who had been floated around -- like the inclusion of Al Capone. His appearance in the story would've been a great twist in an earlier episode.
Jay: This is the murder board!
Isaac: This is what he’s been doing all day?
Sam: So, this took 8 hours, Jay?
Jay: It took a long time to find red string. Target was closed, Michael’s was all out, and honestly, I kinda lost track of time in Yarn Barn. That place is amazing!
The Woodstone Manor crew would've had to determine if the mob killed Alberta. The extra episode could've teased Thomas, including his earlier fight with Earl.
That padding would've helped to add more layers to the mystery and set us up for rounding all the suspects together.
Now, let's get to the big reveal of Thomas. If we look past his quick introduction, it's a pretty shocking killer.
The theory of a jealous lover getting revenge against Alberta was a top possibility for why Alberta died.
Hetty: Your killer was my son, Thomas.
Alberta: But why would he want to kill me? I didn’t even know the man.
Thorfinn: Actually, much harder to kill person you know. Sometimes not even fun.
Hetty: Well, you might not have known the man, but he knew your man. The note, the “T” stands for Thomas. My son and your bootlegger boyfriend were lovers!
A love triangle with Earl, Thomas, and Alberta? Shocking. I didn't see that twist coming at all.
Earl being secretly gay and in a relationship with Thomas opened up many possibilities for Alberta's story.
Like, did she ever notice anything between them? What did Earl's life look like with Theresa? And how will Alberta react to this? There is so much potential for future plots.
Hetty's part in the murder mystery was another big surprise. Her betrayal was the absolute heartbreak of the chapter, not Alberta finding the truth about her killer.
Alberta and Hetty have lived together for nearly a decade at this point.
They've become family, so for Hetty to keep this secret all these years would be a tough pill for anyone to swallow. Add the fact Hetty was protecting her son, and it showed Hetty cared a little too much about her family's reputation.
Alberta: And now I’m stuck with this pain for eternity.
Hetty: Your sister didn’t kill you!
Alberta: Yeah, I don’t want to believe it either, but the facts are what they are.
Hetty: No, I am saying your sister didn’t kill you because I actually know who did. I’ve always known.
Hopefully, Alberta and Hetty will make amends and move past this. However, I wouldn't blame Alberta if she held onto this hurt for a long time.
She's earned her grief, and this betrayal was a bad look on Hetty.
Elsewhere at Woodstone Manor, the Nigerian Prince scam with Flower, Trevor, and Pete was nothing more than filler.
The conclusion of the murder mystery was such a crucial moment for Ghosts Season 2 that it could've taken the entirety of the episode. As mentioned above, extra scenes from the party and suspects would've helped the climax greatly.
Thorfinn: Hetty, your son throw better party than you used to.
Hetty: Of course! Everyone’s in the mood to celebrate. The stock market is roaring and there’s no end in sight.
Thomas: 1929 is sure to be the greatest year yet!
[He cheers glasses with a guest]
The misadventure of the ghosts falling for the online scam was funny, but this B-plot could've been in any episode of Ghosts.
I'd much rather have Pete, Flower, and Trevor be involved in the A-plot to help solve the case. That way, the main storyline would've involved the entire manor, and there would be more time to round out the climax.
Last Thoughts From Woodstone Manor:
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Who knew Al Capone was such a romantic and softy for Alberta?
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For a moment, the plot seemed like it was heading toward Alberta's death being accidental (i.e., Theresa not knowing the bottle was poisonous). I'm glad it didn't go that way; we needed a murderer after two seasons of this mystery.
- Nancy and the basement ghosts saved the day yet again. This is another win in their books, like Ghosts Season 2 Episode 20.
Now, over to you, Ghosts fans.
What did you think of "Whodunnit"?
Were you surprised by the killer's reveal? Was your guess correct? Did you scream for the ghosts to avoid the scam?
If you missed the latest episode of Ghosts, you can watch Ghosts online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
