Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Ghosts season 4, episode 20, “I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago.”
WhileGhostsseason 4, episode 20’s plot could have been annoyingly predictable, the storyline was elevated by some clever guest star casting.The ghosts of CBS’Ghostsmight be the sitcom’s real heroes, but that has not stopped the show from investing in some impressive guest stars. FromBrooklyn 99’s Joe Lo Truglio toHappiest Season’s Mary Holland, to Dean Norris ofBreaking Badfame,Ghostsseason 4 has included a diverse range of guest stars.
Fortunately, these famous faces provide more than mere novelty value in the sitcom.Ghostsseason 4’s Trevor storysaw him meet a living daughter he never knew he had, and his reunion with Gideon Adlon’s Abby was heartwarming and poignant thanks to the guest star’s stellar performance. Similarly,Until Dawnstar Odessa A’Zion’s return as the murdered prom queen ghost Stephanie was a comedic triumph, although it was a new character whose guest appearance elevated season 4, episode 20, “I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago.”
Stephanie’s Twist Death Reveal In Ghosts Season 4 Explained
Ghosts Season 4 Episode 20 Featured Justin Kirk As Mayor Tad
Angels in Americastar Justin Kirk appeared as local politician and Stephanie’s prom date, Mayor Tad, in “I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago.” The actor’s casting is an ingenious way to throw viewers off the scent of where Stephanie’s story is going, since Kirk is famous for playing villainous public figures. FromTyranttoPerry Masonto his most famous recent role as the fascist politician Jeered Mencken inSuccession, Kirk has repeatedly proven great at embodying odious, corrupt public figures with good PR.
Viewers were primed to believe A’Zion’s Stephanie when she claims that Tad abandoned her to die at the hands of a chainsaw-wielding lunatic years earlier, thanks to Kirk’s most iconic roles.
As such, compared to the unpredictableDonna mystery fromGhostsseason 4 episode 19, viewers were primed to believe A’Zion’s Stephanie when she claims that Tad abandoned her to die at the hands of a chainsaw-wielding lunatic years earlier. Thanks to Kirk’s most iconic roles, the twist ending of “I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago” is genuinely surprising. Both of Tad’s big failings turned out to be misnomers, as Nancy revealed that Tad stood up to the killer and almost defeated him, risking his life to defend Stephanie.
Justin Kirk’s Prominent Villainous Roles Helped Sell Stephanie’s Lie In Ghosts Season 4, Episode 2
Kirk Played Public Officials In Succession Perry Mason and Tyrant
When the petulant prom queen admitted that she straight up lied about her date’s cowardice, she insisted he was still scummy for immediately moving on after her death and hooking up with her best friend. Likeseason 4, episode 18’s Flower plot twist, this revelation turned out to be more complicated than it initially appeared. Tad did indeed hook up with Stephanie’s best friend, but this was surprisingly justifiable.
It turned out that Tad was genuinely just a great guy as he revealed that, not only did he actually love Stephanie, but it was their shared loss that brought the couple together. They even named their daughter after the ghost, proving that Kirk’s character was an absurdly kind-hearted character after all. The twist was clever in its own right, but it was Kirk’s casting inGhostsseason 4, episode 20 that made this surprise so effective thanks to his many earlier villain roles.
