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This must have been a very hastily put together episode with little rehearsal as it is quite obvious that the cast do not know their lines and stumble over the delivery, timing, and blocking. The near disaster of Trevor Banister's as Mr. Lucas unscripted slipping and almost falling down the stairs in his peg leg costume was left in, exemplifying that this episode was recorded in one take. The cast then breaks character and the fourth wall in a very poorly presented Christmas song dropping lines and moving out of sync with the camera and the microphone's placement. Odd that such a poorly executed work was broadcast.

Sure, the show was inspired by the British series; but after the first episode, there have been only a handful of similarities.

The ghosts are somewhat stereotypes of characters and attitudes representing the periods in which they lived and the class/genre or persons they represent. Like the characters from Gilligan's Island, they are given plots and stories allowing them to bounce off each other in a very hilarious way.

True, they lack the cruelty displayed by some of their British counterparts (a common difference between British and American comedies), but this allows the audience to like them more and to care about what they experience.

This show works. May it see many seasons!

Sure, ultra right wing conservatives may be offended that what they see is a projection of how the country could become if their beliefs were taken to absurd lengths.

The story, however is of a woman caught in a dreary, confining, and oppressive world of theological rules, class hierarchies, slavery, religious justifications, double standards, and sadism masked as "God-fearing reverence." The world is seen through her eyes as she fights to survive both mentally and emotionally. What truly is scary is that the subjects portrayed actually have happened in our world.

The pace is not that of some adventure thrills story, nor should it be. (The 1990 film tried to do that with the story, and failed miserably.) The world is bleak, and her life is not that of some Victorian heroine who is destined to overcome her hardships and retire in a happy paradise.

The series is unique and tells a tale that is both horrifying and compelling as she strives to overcome and escape her situation. No, the stories do not resolve in easy, one hour segments, so those with short attention spans may ding the series boring; but for anyone wanting to experience a dystopian world and see both its rise and decay while seeing how the world changes people into creatures who both bully and fight, this is a great series.