Country houses in the UK have a long tradition of being haunted, so it's no surprise that the trope is ripe for the ensemble comedy treatment. If you have an aversion to spooky stuff, don't worry too much. While this delightful series revolves around spectres, it isn't at all accurate to call this a horror-comedy show; there's nothing very scary to speak of. What it does have is an incredible cast, great writing, and a fine mix of humor and occasional drama.
Alison and Mike Cooper (Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe) discover they've inherited a crumbling estate from distant family and make the difficult decision to attempt a live-in renovation rather than a sale. It isn't long after they're settled that the phantom inhabitants of the house make their prescence known, though rather unintentionally. Being bound to the property until a proper ascension into the hereafter can be achieved, the ghost entourage includes individuals from various time periods in the land's history, all trying to coexist with each other, year after year, and now finding themselves forced to abide a shared space arrangement with actual, still-living people. They don't love it.
One of the major advantages this series had going for it was that most of the main ghost cast was made up of the show's creators and writers. But everyone involved is fantastic. Across five seasons, the various relationships evolve, individual histories surface, and the Coopers repeatedly attempt to turn their home into a functioning hotel while - often hilariously - dealing with the frequently disagreeable occupants. There's quite a bit of heart to go along with the comedy, and if you enjoy the show and see it through to the end, I doubt you'll be dissatisfied with how things wrap up. The American television version of this concept is also good, though perhaps less remarkable overall, and worth checking out if you're ready for a much more sitcom-ish feel to the premise. Incredibly, there are Australian, German, Greek, and French versions of the show as well, which attests to the sturdy comedy structure of the idea. Each season is only six or seven 30 minute episodes, so there's no reason not to dig in to this outstanding show.
