Summary
Although CBS’sGhostsis deservedly loved by critics and viewers alike, the hit sitcom’s success may have contributed to another rival show’s swift demise. It is always tough when two competing TV shows or movies stumble on the same central conceit. In 2015, bothScream Queensand MTV’sScreamtook a stab at reigniting the self-aware teen slasher craze of the ‘90s. A few years earlier,2 Broke GirlsandDon’t Trust The ***** In Apartment 23told the stories of young New York heroines who struggled to make ends meet with the help of a cynical, sardonic friend.
In some cases, both dueling shows can succeed alongside each other despite their similarities. However, when CBS adapted the2019 BBC sitcomGhostsfor an American audience in 2021, the show’s creators may have inadvertently doomed another series. Borrowing its premise from the British series of the same name, CBS’sGhostscenters on a young couple, Sam and Jay, who inherit a lavish period property. When Sam suffers a near-death experience, she gains the ability to communicate with the property’s plentiful population of ghosts.The ghosts ofGhostsprovide most of the hit sitcom’s biggest laughs.
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Both Sitcoms Centered On Women Who Spoke To Ghosts
However, a series that debuted less than a year later ended up exploring a jarringly similar premise. CBS’sGhostsdebuted on August 16, 2025, while the Starz seriesShining Valearrived on August 12, 2025. BothGhostsandShining Valestarred heroines who spoke to ghosts, but their peculiar similarities didn’t end there.GhostsandShining Valeboth followed married women who moved to new houses and encountered ghoststhere, only for their communication with these ghosts to fundamentally alter their lives.Shining Vale’s sense of humor was darker, but the central conceit remained unmistakably similar to that ofGhosts.
InShining Vale, Courtney Cox’s author Pat Phelps is caught cheating on her husband, Greg Kinnear’s beleaguered Terry, and this prompts a move to save their family. The discontented recovering alcoholic Pat soon finds herself possessed by the spirit of Rosemary, a sharp-witted homemaker who died in the house years earlier. AlthoughGhostschanged a lot of detailsfrom its British inspiration, one thing that stayed the same was Sam and Jay’s home playing host to numerous specters. Similarly, Rosemary is not the only ghost that Pet encounters inShining Vale’s two seasons, although she is the most prominent.
It is important to note thatShining Valeis a comedy, albeit a darker one than CBS’s largely family-friendly sitcom.
Ghosts Was More Popular With Audiences Than Shining Vale
2021’s Hit Sitcom Beat Shining Vale Among Viewers
Since Cox’s character is a frustrated author in a failing marriage who resents her children,Shining Valearguably has as much in common withThe ShiningasGhosts. However, it is important to note thatShining Valeis a comedy, albeit a darker one than CBS’s largely family-friendly sitcom. Both CBS’sGhostsandShining Valemine dark laughs from the unfortunate circumstances of their ghost’s deaths, butShining Valetakes the plight of its heroine more seriously. Sam and Jay are surprisingly open to Sam’s newfound paranormal powers, whereas Pat struggles with her and Rosemary’s shared ability to communicate.
Ghostsseason 1’s best ratings saw the series gain 6.68 million viewers, whereasShining Vale’s season 1 peak was a mere 0.228 million.
As a result, it shouldn’t be too surprising to learn thatGhostsis a bigger hit thanShining Vale.However, it is undeniably striking to see just how much the CBS sitcom outperformed its competitor.Ghostsseason 1’s best ratings saw the series gain 6.68 million viewers, whereasShining Vale’s season 1 peak was a mere 0.228 million. 6.2 million viewers tuned in to seeFlower’s return inGhostsseason 3whereas a mere 0.112 million watchedShining Valeseason 2’s highest-rated episode. Considering the involvement ofFriendsalumnus Cox, these numbers were notably low.
Ghosts’ Source Material Justified Its Critical Success
Ghosts Proved As Popular As Its British Predecessor
WhileShining Valedid manage to earn a thoroughly respectable 73% rating onRotten Tomatoes, this can’t compare to the staggering 97%Rotten Tomatoesrating that CBS’sGhostsboasts.Critics loveGhostsjust like viewers, and this wasn’t a major shock since the show benefited from the UK version of the series testing out its premise for years. In contrast,Shining Vale’s main criticism was its uneven tone.Shining Valetried to provide a witty feminist spin onThe Shining, but this ambitious goal was thwarted by an inability to balance its imperfect combination of scares, social commentary, and broad comedy.
Ghostsis more invested in parodying horror tropes than playing them straight, whereasShining Valehas an uneasy relationship with the scarier side of the horror-comedy divide.
In contrast, CBS’sGhostsdidn’t complicate its appeal by trying to play its horror elements straight. Admittedly,Ghosts’ annoying season finale cliffhanger endingsare tense, but even the most sensitive viewers would find it hard to argue that the series is authentically scary.Ghostsis more invested in parodying horror tropes than playing them straight, whereasShining Valehas an uneasy relationship with the scarier side of the horror-comedy divide. At times,Shining Vale’s horror elements were handled relatively seriously, while at other times, they were a joke. The series lacked the tonal cohesion of its competitor.
Ghostshad a confident sense of tone compared toShining Vale’s unclear style.
Why Shining Vale Was Canceled But Ghosts Was Renewed
Shining Vale Never Won Over Viewers Despite Its Acclaim
WhileShining Valefared relatively well with reviewers, the show was never singled out as a must-watch. In contrast,Ghostsquickly built a sizable audience. This is a must in the age of streaming services when there are more options than ever for viewers and entertainment has to work harder to garner attention and buzz.Shining Vale’s main failure was its inability to balance comedy and horror, whileGhostsborrowed one of the original UK show’s best tricks when the series dropped any horror elements early on.Ghostshad a confident sense of tone compared toShining Vale’s unclear style.
It is also worth noting that, when divorced from the context ofGhosts’ success,Shining Valedidn’t fare too badly. 2017’sGhosted, another paranormal sitcom, lasted only one season compared toShining Vale’s two outings. AlthoughShining Valeseason 3won’t happen, the show did garner impressive reviewers and remains fondly remembered among its limited audience judging by its online presence. WhileShining Valemight have fared better if the series didn’t arrive so soon after the superficially similarGhosts, it is still fair to say that both shows succeeded on their own merits despite their differences.
