How Ghosts' Rose McIver Makes Her Character Different From The Original UK Version
Rose McIver has some experience with acting with the undead. Her "iZombie" character — cleverly named Liv Moore —has a lust for brains which coincidentally gives her a unique gift of being able to solve murders. After the conclusion of the CW series, she traded in zombies for ghosts. Adapted from the BBC series of the same name, "Ghosts" takes a decidedly more upbeat look at the world of the dead. This time, McIver plays one of the living as her character Sam inherits what turns out to be a haunted estate. But if that weren't enough, she endures a near-death experience, allowing her to see all of the spirits in the house.
At first, the ghosts are desperately adverse to her and her husband's plans to turn it into a luxury hotel before eventually welcoming the couple with open arms. Now in Season 2, the series is a CBS favorite, combining the macabre with the humorous. But McIver doesn't want to forget where the series originated from. She wants to be as respectful as possible while blazing her own trail with the familiar source material.
Ghosts are cathartic for Sam
There has been a collection of British television adapted for the other side of the pond. Some have become resounding successes, but that doesn't make the pressure any less severe. Television series such as "Ghosts" needs to find their way, and it does with Rose McIver's help. Instead of Alison, played by Charlotte Ritchie, the American version of the character is named Sam and has many traits that McIver finds relatable.
"Sam is desperate to be liked," McIver explained to Variety. "She's a total people pleaser and wants to get it right — and doesn't always get it right. I can completely identify with those qualities." Sam's desperation is not the only emotional resonance that "Ghosts" delves into in the series. Sam also gets a troubling backstory that reinforces why she is the way she is.
"We understand that between not having a very strong family — her relationship with her mother was pretty fractured — and not being one of the cool girls at school, she's been really longing for kindred spirits, for want of a better word." Sam's bullying backstory was explored in an episode that even surprised costar Sheila Carrasco. A nightmare for any teenager, we learn that Sam was catfished at the worst prom in history, which cemented her feeling of inadequacy. These stories show that the U.S. version of "Ghosts" is not just a quirky sitcom about the dead but about finding where you belong.