Brandon Scott Jones Knows That Ghosts’ Success Is The Balance Between Comedy And Drama – Looper

You’d think that after some 250 years of life (well, death), someone like Isaac Higgintoot might have learned more about himself — but no. Whether these ghosts have been around for centuries or only decades, they’re still discovering new, important details about themselves, such as Isaac admitting that he’s gay. Their new discoveries create both comedic and dramatic situations, and Brandon Scott Jones claims that striking that balance is what brings audiences back week after week.

“The top priority was … hoping that the performance wouldn’t give you whiplash,” Jones told Collider when asked how to address serious subjects in a half-hour comedy. “You might be in six minutes of screen time trying to tell this full arc, and you hope that it doesn’t go too hard in one direction.” He also explained what’s most important to him in hard-hitting scenes: “Let’s not lean too hard into the drama of it. Let’s lean as hard as we can to the truth of what’s coming out right there,” he said. “You don’t want to go full tears and then full comedy, because it might feel a little bit jarring.”

Jones, who identifies as queer, also appreciates storylines like Isaac’s coming out as relevant for modern audiences while still showing new perspectives. “What’s really interesting is this kind of story is usually reserved for younger people — the idea of identity and figuring out who you are,” he told USA Today. “But all this is happening to someone 300 years old.”