Ghosts France: Historian analyses what we know about the new sitcom adaptation so far

[@TheCharmanderMaster]

Now i must live long enough to see every nation get their own version of Ghosts . What a fun way to learn history!

[@stoverboo]

I do hope they'll be subtitled in English.

[@bobemmerson1580]

I will say zis only once. French uniforms for WWI were horizon blue, so it's almost certainly (trying to be) a WWII uniform.

[@classicaljg]

Good point - I should have remembered that from two of my favourite French films! (Joyeux Noel, in which they wear older uniforms from 1914, and A Very Long Engagement)

[@CAP198462]

@@bobemmerson1580 even sporting a de Gaulle moustache.

[@Marzbar90]

I’m glad they brought back the ww2 solider they can’t do it for the German one for obvious reasons

[@Sarge1886]

@Marzbar90I kinda wish the German version did have a WW2 ghost. He could have been a politician that, while he was a party member, was very much trying to undermine the party. Hell, he could’ve been the show’s punching bag while only being problematic in name only

[@Marzbar90]

@ so many people may take it the wrong way it’s better to play it safe

[@RPG_Angie]

After seeing your first video, me and my mom discussed what a Czech adaptation could look like. Here's what we came up with: PLACE: Our most haunted places are castles and we have tons of them. Many have restaurants ("zámecká restaurace") in the outer courtyards, so that would be the perfect setting. CZECH GHOSTS: Our most famous ghosts are the White Lady (dressed in white with a hennin - a conic white hat), the Lady in Black (most likely a widow), and the headless knight (not a horseman). THE POLITICIAN (1960s) = A corrupt communist politician who had a scandalous affair during the Prague Spring and then died a stupid death during the invasion of 1968. Has nothing but stupid excuses for his behavior. THE LADY OF THE HOUSE = THE LADY IN BLACK (1920s) = The last noble of the castle, the widowed wife of a Czech lord who lost his title and some of his lands in 1918 as our First Republic was formed. She constantly bemoans the loss of her husband, of her status, of her insane wealth, etc, sounding like a "meluzína" (wind ghost). THE POET (1840s) = A Jewish Romantic whose mother tongue is German but who was doing his gosh-darn best to join the Czech National Revival but who was always disappointed with his clumsy Czech poetry. Visited Czech castles while looking for inspiration, then died at one. Refuses to speak German to the White Lady because it took her too long (almost 100 years) to get over her antisemitism and start talking to him. Has romanced a few of the male and female ghosts around here. THE MEDIEVAL WOMAN = THE WHITE LADY (1430s) = A German noblewoman who had a famously miserable marriage with a husband who fortunately died during the Hussite Wars, but she only outlived him by a year. Has a forbidden romance with the Hussite captain who killed her husband. Trapped by her own definition of propriety. THE CAPTAIN (1430s) = a lowborn Hussite rebel who made it to the position of captain on merit. Was radically progressive for his time and he's been keeping up with social justice issues ever since - with a few very specific hills he's willing to die on. THE CAVEMAN (25 000 BCE): A mammoth hunter. SEMI-REGULAR: THE PAGAN (7th century) = An early Slavic settler who preys to Perun and believes in Slavic folklore creatures, especially now that she's discovered neopaganism on the internet. SEMI-REGULAR: THE PEASANT (mid-18th century) A Romani migrant who was accused of witchcraft but talked her way out of it, then landed a job in the castle kitchens and lived the rest of her life in relative comfort. SEMI-REGULAR: THE HEADLESS KNIGHT (12th century), a traveling templar knight who was murdered for his gold while spending the night. Pretends to hide all sorts of templar secrets. SEMI-REGULAR: THE BLACK PLAGUE GHOSTS (1350-1380)

[@classicaljg]

@@RPG_Angie This is absolutely brilliant! I love it and wish I could watch it! Also I need to find some Czech ghost stories as Czech ghost folklore sounds very cool :)

[@lisahoshowsky4251]

How delightful! That’s so cool to think about and this was an amazing breakdown, thank you so much for sharing! I’m Canadian and I think we’d end up a little too similar to the US to really have fun trying to guess who might be included, not the mention the US actually films in Canada so even the setting would be strikingly similar😆. The biggest difference is I think is we’d probably have a voyageur -French Canadians who were in the fur trade, ooh and maybe a RCMP officer instead of Issac and their horse somehow killed them (they’re the Royal Canadian Mounted (as in horseback) Police).

[@classicaljg]

@ Some of my Irish relatives emigrated to Canada and worked building railways and as early car mechanics so I would include that :)

[@RPG_Angie]

@@lisahoshowsky4251 Thanks! The fur trade sounds fascinating to me. I once ran a Pride-and-Prejudice-themed RPG game but I set it in Canada. We imagined an Austen-like society in a territory ruled by Hudson Bay Company, and Austen-like dresses (especially with the useless shoes) with the weather howling outside, and Austen-like gentlemen except they're all nouveau-riche fur traders. It was pretty challenging but I liked the contrast.

[@RPG_Angie]

@@classicaljg Aww, thanks. I do admit we chose some of the most interesting moments of Czech history to make the show interesting. As for folklore, we didn't get to enjoy our pagan culture for long because we settled in the Czech lands in the 6th century and our conversion to Christianity started in the 9th. Researching this (specifically pagan Bohemian Slavs) for an RPG was difficult because there's very little written record about us from those times. I kept finding very brief mentions of Slavic gods and they kept getting mixed in with what I considered folklore (belief in fairies and water creatures and domestic spirits) and superstition (doing things for good luck). But then I realized that the books were right, all three were religious practices. After all, there's little difference between leaving food at the altar of Perun, leaving food to appease the fairies that rule the forest, or leaving food for the ancestor spirit (or a gnome or a magic snake or a fire chicken) that's supposed to protect your household and bring it luck. The fairies and drowners and howlers and hags and demons-flavored-as-devils we now know from fairy tales used to be considered terrifying and awe-inspiring demigods who ruled forests and mountains and bodies of water. The natural landscape outside of the hillfort was their domain, and we were lucky to be allowed to pass through.

[@mossandfrogs]

it’s incredible how adaptable this story is. i can even imagine a group of teens making a version about their school for a project, and even that would probably be interesting to me lol

[@piperks_]

There’s a show similar to what you’re describing called School Spirits. Except in this show the main character mysteriously dies on school grounds. In the afterlife she’s met with other ghosts who inhabit the school and they all try to solve the mystery of how she died. I believe there is one character who can see her as a ghost, but I’m not sure what the circumstances are involving that.

[@sandpiperr]

I imagine that'd be a really good teen comedy show!

[@goblin-teeth]

Just came here from your previous Ghosts video. Can't believe there's going to be a French version, that's so exciting!

[@jimg9820]

I got the impression that the Button house plague pit victims were living (and died) in a village that was on the future site of Button House - the plague killed so many (or all) of the villagers that it was abandoned , so was available for Humphrey Bone to build his pad on.

[@lloydcollins6337]

Not that not being available would stop a lot of nobles from destroying a village they own.

[@AtomicAus]

yep, I believe that is shown in the book.

[@WyattRyeSway]

Yeah….i think that’s what happened

[@spongebakesquarepansgaming]

@@AtomicAus what book?

[@AtomicAus]

@spongebakesquarepansgaming Ghosts: The Button House Archives

[@SimplyMe514]

In Mary's dedicated flashback in the British version, the men plotting to have her accused of witchcraft initially talk about blaming her for a bad harvest, then realize that her husband conveniently died in a farming accident and they can pile that onto the list of bogus charges as well, so yes, if the local authorities believed them on that point, there's a decent possibility that she would have been burned for "treason by witchcraft", as you said, and those complaining that it's inaccurate are incorrect.

[@classicaljg]

That makes total sense! And the writers of the British series used to work on Horrible Histories, so they do know their stuff

[@awaywiththetheories1833]

Yes! They’re plotting to blame her for the crop failure, then one of them mentions the husband dying recently and then the camera swoops ominously over her humming in the field.

[@Damonicus1]

Not sure if you have seen this, but here is a small part of the plot for the Australian version, scheduled to air on Channel 10, as well as Paramount+ in 2025; "New lovebirds Kate and Sean are about to jump into the hellscape that is the inner-city rental market, until Kate inherits a huge mansion in the country. Moving in together for the first time the young couple are attempting domestic bliss, but unbeknown to them, the house is haunted by a collection of needy spirits who carked it in Ramshead Manor over the past 200 years. Optimistic go-getter Kate wants to revamp the manor into a boutique hotel, but loveable city boy Sean isn’t so sure, he isn’t built for country living. When a near-death experience gives Kate the power to see the ghosts, all their lives (and afterlives) will change forever. As Kate and Sean navigate the milestones of a new relationship, building a business and dealing with the emotional needs of six neurotic ghosts, will their relationship survive or end up as dead as their new housemates?" It's slated to be an 8 episode series.

[@Michelle-s4z]

I'm just hearing about it in this video and very much looking forward to it. I'm in Sydney.

[@andrewcomerford9411]

In the UK version, there was a medieval village on the site - which was wiped out by the plague. Somebody cleared the site to build Button House. The Khaki would suggest he is French (he looks like he's carrying a Kepi - a distinctly French type of headgear) it's certainly not WWI (a distinctive blue) or German (blue/grey), so WW2 - or slightly after - French is a distinct possibility.

[@timsmith5339]

I never would have thought, when watching the original Ghosts, that there would be other versions made. I've been watching and enjoying Ghosts US and am waiting patiently for series four to become available here. I do hope that all these others become available too. Thanks for the heads up.

[@Seal0626]

Given the way the various remakes like to shuffle the ghosts' traits around, they could totally have the lady of the manor being the one who's trying to find her head all the time.

[@OnlyWaterInTheForest]

I'm so excited for all the new versions of Ghosts!

[@UnionYes1021]

Thank you for covering this important topic. Seriously, I absolutely love that you enjoy this silly show as much as I do! It is especially welcome that you are able to share your specialized knowledge of ghost stories in different countries and thereby analyze the show writers choice in this cultural light. You have given me the joy of an even deeper understanding of this show. You have my gratitude. -An American viewer

[@classicaljg]

Thank you!

[@benllewellyn297]

My guess is that the Vichy collaborator will be the equivalent of Nigel, the Redcoat in the American version, in a star-crossed romance with the Commondant

[@zclindy]

That's also my thought process, and while I totally see the possible parallels like those between Isaac and Nigel, I have to assume French feelings about the Vichy are significantly less forgiving than American feelings about the Brits. I mean, WWII as 80 years ago vs 250+ for the revolution. Is the whole Nazi thing going to be laughed off, or are there going to be real feelings?

[@lisahoshowsky4251]

If the photo is real I kind of wonder if the lady is using her fan to hide her neck intentionally? They might not do the headless ghost exactly the same way as the UK version, and I know it’d potentially odd for her to be beheaded at her own property, but I can’t help but wonder! I hope they do a dubbed or subbed version of this one since my French is paltry at best but I’d love to catch another version.

[@rosariocastro6386]

I don't know if you would care, but there was this TV show from Spain a few years ago, that may be right up your alley (and that I, at one time saw on Netflix). It's called The Ministry of Time or The Time Ministry, and It's about a secret ministry that in the show exists since the times of queen Isabel I. This ministry operates on a site that has an unknown amount of doors, all connecting to different periods of Spanish history (all of spanish history, there is even doors that lead to former Spanish colonies, but only from conquest to independence), and their job is to protect historical events. It is kind of awesome, because the "agents" and different workers of the ministry are from different time periods, e.g. their forensic artist is the painter Diego Velazquez. It had a portuguese adaptation that aired in 2017 and I knew there were other adaptations in the works, but I'm unsure if those ever came to be.

[@PoppyCorn144]

I’d love to watch a show like that based in the UK, (I don’t know enough about Spanish history for me to resonate with it) and given our prolific history of colonialism, doors would open into every continent. Edit: I checked and it’s not on Netflix UK - the premise was interesting enough for me to take a peek, even if I wouldn’t understand the geopolitical context of the stories.

[@rosariocastro6386]

@PoppyCorn144 I'm not Spanish and I've never lived there, but I wasn't particularly lost watching it. But I would've loved to see several adaptations from other countries and other countries histories. I think you can actually found full episodes of the spanish and portuguese adaptations in youtube, without subtitles unfortunately. It used to be in spanish and latinamerican netflix but not anymore last time I checked. It really is a great show, that really could've been adapted easily in other countries.

[@classicaljg]

That sounds like a lot of fun! :)

[@alisonbailey-c8u]

It was a good show. Like a Spanish version of Dr Who, each week there were adventures in a different part of history.

[@Michelle-s4z]

An excellent premise for an historical comedy sitcom.

[@Hellfreezer]

If Sass is a possible counterpart to Thomas we could probably consider Crash too. As Thomas writes bad poetry obsessing over a woman and Crash writes bad songs obsessing over a woman.

[@DavidHowells-d9p]

Thomas resents Byron and Nigel resents Hamilton.

[@stoverboo]

@@DavidHowells-d9p It's Isaac, the Revolutionary officer, who resents and envies Alexander Hamilton. Nigel is the British officer.

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

I expect the 'lady' will be their version of Humphrey, and the fan she's holding is hiding the line from where the guillotine bisected her vertebrae. Maybe they'll amalgamate both characters (Humphrey and Hettie) and save money.

[@stoverboo]

Surely they didn't move guillotines from place to place, though. The convention, so far, is that all the ghosts died on the property.

[@Rubyshiny344]

There’s also a Greek version coming too.

[@erraticonteuse]

And Australian!

[@Rubyshiny344]

@@erraticonteuse I’m aware!

[@catherinesikora8397]

Hooray for these Ghost videos They lead me to your channel and now I will watch more videos! Well done! Love them!

[@classicaljg]

@@catherinesikora8397 thank you!

[@byronsbrain]

Fantastic! I really hope I get to see the French and German versions

[@carlbirtles4518]

Germany was smart to leave out WW2 because of the atrocities.

[@davidweiser1127]

Now I am going to have learn both French and German so I can watch...

[@byronsbrain]

@@davidweiser1127 Same here!

[@MrGrimlock2099]

I love your Ghosts videos! I love history and seeing the variations between the shows are so much fun. I am definitely going to watch some of your other videos

[@classicaljg]

Thank you!

[@andreaf.6572]

There was a show here in the US called Hogan’s Heroes. It came out in the 1960’s. It took place in a WW2 German pow camp. Hogan was a pow in charge of other pow prisoners - most were US prisoners. There was at least 1 French and 1 English pow. They were always making the German soldiers look foolish!! The actor who played the French pow, Robert Clary, was actually French and a survivor of German concentration camps. If I remember correctly , he was in Auschwitz.

[@classicaljg]

@@andreaf.6572 I’ve seen repeats or references to the show once or twice but don’t know much about it, that’s really interesting

[@ridethewave-k1l]

He was also the last surviving cast member he died about two years ago❤

[@brasschick4214]

Three of the regular ‘German’ cast members were German-Austrian Jews and another semi-regular was a Jewish American. Werner Klemperer who played Colonel Klink said that it was critical to him that his character would never win, if he did he would leave the show.

[@nysunflower9439]

All the German officers including Klink and Schultz were also Jewish concentration survivors

[@Michelle-s4z]

I watched Hogan's Heroes as a child in Australia. It was fun. It's even more fun finding out most of its German soldiers were played by Jews.

[@paulflux5892]

The uniform looks to be WW2 era French army. But note that this doesn't rule out being the collaborator, because the Vichy authorities wore French uniforms not German. Look at archive photos of Marshall Pétain.

[@paulflux5892]

That said, the rank insignia on his arm does seem to indicate that this is the commandant, equivalent to a major in the British army.

[@SuzanneBlanchard]

No worries, the Hudson Valley is practically in New England! Right on the edge. Northern Ulster County is very close to the Connecticut boundary. Large swaths of upstate NY were part of very large counties. So just north of the manor was originally part of Albany County, which extended ambiguously toward New France, which in those days extended south of Lake George and through the southern Adirondacks, as well as through what is now Vermont and New Hampshire, both now part of New England. And NYS claimed what is now Vermont, which is now New England. And, though it is set on the mid Hudson, it is actually filmed in the countryside near Montreal, which is close to the NY/VT border!

[@fluorescentpink573]

hey! great video, i've been waiting for this one :) i'm really interested to see the dynamic between the soldier and the collaborator! i really like the idea of having two main cast ghosts from the same time period and who (i assume) knew each other, i think it'll make for some great plots and character development. also very interested to see how the revolution plays into the noblewoman's backstory, i think it'll be a great plot point too. also very much looking forward to announcements from the aussie version! i think (more than any other version so far) they have the best opportunity to innovate beyond the original ghost "templates". also OH MY GOD i got such a nostalgia trip hearing about allo allo!!! i loved that show, i watched it as a kid and i'm not ashamed to admit that it was my very first exposure to WW2

[@classicaljg]

@@fluorescentpink573 I’m not sure if I saw Allo Allo or Dad’s Army (repeats) first but one or the other was probably my first introduction to WW2! Though I did also grow up watching the old black and white war films - Dambusters and Reach for the Sky and so on :)

[@citrus8944]

LOVED this, this is my first introduction to your content and it was so interesting just loved it

[@classicaljg]

Thank you! :)

[@sasjhwa]

'ello 'ello is one of my all time favorite sitcoms!

[@ginamills5597]

So cool to see different versions of this show. I enjoy both the us & Brit ones. Hope I’ll be able to see the others at some point online.

[@ihopeicanchangethisnamelat7108]

this was good timing, i watched the video on the other adaptations about a month or two ago, forgot about the show completely, then randomly read a fanfic of a different fandom that used bbc ghosts as an au, which made me want to draw art of it, which made me look up when the ghosts from the original one died, which led me to this, right after it was posted

[@patbone7941]

The scout leader in the french photo is the actor Bruno Sanches, he played a detective in the excellent French police series HPI. He has great comedy timing. Also IMDb has the french cast already on their site.

[@IngriddenDigre]

I will look forward to seeing all of these. I believe they could be a great way to show a countrys history and culture. Both historical culture and present. But it will need subtitles. Hope it's something each tv-channel producing the show will prioritize.

[@TheGabygael]

What I'm afraid of is that french media tend to be way more loose with historical accuracy than British media so we might just be served the same stereotypes over and over again

[@sxgaston]

Thank you for these. I absolutely love listening to your scholarly information on one of my favorite shows. I've watched all of your videos on Ghosts. They are fabulous and very entertaining. I'm looking forward to all of these adaptations. Particularly the Australian one. I've seen a good number of Australian shows and movies and really dig the sense of humor. I self taught myself French for a few years so I'm very interested in the French version. Although I'm kind of disappointed the German and French versions don't look like they changed much. I liked the differences between the American and British versions and was interested to see what other countries would do with their history. That being said we haven't seen these of course so I'll keep my mind open. Oooo this turned out longer than I intended. I just wanted to say thank you for the videos. I really enjoyed them.

[@sandpiperr]

I guess we have to imagine that European history shares threads. However, I will say, it doesn't seem like the French version is trying very hard! I'm not going to come down on them too hard for having a fancy 18th century lady, because it actually makes even more sense for France than it did in the UK version. Plus, she's holding a fan in front of her neck, so I imagine she's probably an aristocrat who lost her head during the revolution...which makes complete sense. The caveman character also makes even more sense for France and Germany than it even did the UK. However, they really could have tried to come up with better costume. They don't all have to have that same stupid haircut! I think The Captain is my biggest disappointment when it comes to the French poster. It looks like Germany changed that character to a different time-period and I imagine they had to because of their own anti-hate symbol laws. Although even if that wasn't the reason...we all get why they'd want to! The US, however, didn't have to change the time-period, but I think it was a very good choice. It's provided so many opportunities for unique storylines for the character. France has no shortage of wars to choose from. For example, a ghost of a medieval knight in full armor would be both hilarious and eye catching on a poster.

[@jasonflay8818]

From my understanding it is the property where they died not the place. If there was a midieval village in the property then it would make sense the plague ghosts would be there. Lady Button died outside the house (below the window). Think of the Gardner neighborhood in the hedge, he moves about the property

[@classicaljg]

@@jasonflay8818 I’ve often wondered how it works as several ghosts died before the property borders were in place! They find the plague pit in the basement in S1 of the British show, but perhaps it’s meant to be on the site of the village if nearly the whole village died.

[@jasonflay8818]

@classicaljg ultimately it is just a show which is only beholden to the rules of the world they create. There is one thing I noticed that no one in the show alludes to and don't know if that was a plot point the writers did not have a chance to explore which could define boundaries/ reasons for ghosts remaining as not all who die on the property remain (ie Humphrey's wife's attendant). In the episode showing Robin's death in the background there is what appears to be a megalith. Robin stated he had walked to what is now Britain putting his death at around 10,000BP. Megaliths were not constructed until around about 5,200 BP. Who built that and what is it?

[@classicaljg]

@ My brain is concocting some weird crossover fanfiction between Ghosts and Outlander now! :)

[@jasonflay8818]

@classicaljg Ohhh. I'll mention this to my wife. I'm sure there's a writers group out there where that's a reality!! 😆

[@surferdog666]

It would be fun for all of the people who can see ghosts in this Ghosts universe to meet up with each other.

[@TheGabygael]

I really hope it's not set in Brittany though, the region has a very distinct history which very little of the show seems to reflect, the choice the make Asterix breton was to link the Gaulish character with general celtic culture as well as parallel between the advances of the Roman Empire and the rise of monolithic"french" culture across metropolitan France

[@KernowWarrior]

I always assumed the plague victims village was on the site of the house. The pit was in the village. The other ghosts have a certain amount of distance they can move from their place of death. So it makes sense that they could have died in their own homes and still be within distance of the pit. Although your theory does add a nice dark layer to the show.

[@Tim8mit]

just a small note...the USA version is actually filmed in Canada in Montreal Quebec

[@davidweiser1127]

The French version could be to similar to US characters like Isaac and Nigel the British soldier. WWII Captain and the French WWII collaborator.

[@erraticonteuse]

And they'll fall in love!

[@mhennessy8230]

We read a book in one of my classes were we talked about the specific burial practices of a native american group (i believe from northern michigan but i unfortunately dont remember which one). No plaugue pits but ceremonial reburial from more individual graves to large communal ones.

[@madeleinecarr8019]

France places a great deal of importance on the idea of Gaulish resistance to Roman occupation. I believe that in early schooling, they teach students that they are descended from the gauls (these great resistors). I have been told that they even teach this in French territories overseas although i haven't corroborated this.

[@davepx1]

An interesting reversal of the old aristocratic tale that the lords were noble Frankish conquerors and the commoners their Gaulish subjects. :)

[@CommentGirl12]

The American version probably didn't go for the mass burial angle because there's a racist trope of houses being built on an "Indian burial ground". Probably wanted to avoid that, just like the questionable optics of having Sass speak in broken English.

[@classicaljg]

Good point, it wouldn’t come across well in the States

[@josmith6002]

Thanks for doing these videos, one of my favourite tv show's is Ghosts, the UK and USA version. It was interesting to hear that there a possible Australian one and it will be interesting to see who will be in it and how they deal with in indiginous people, etc and what streaming service it will be on. As I only read, right and English only I'm hoping for English subtitles if the other countries air here in Australia and I have the streaming service, I know that it's a first world problem right?

[@MsKaz1000]

I loved Allo Allo and know it was based on the BBC drama Secret Army the Cafe owner was thought to be a collaborator but he was secretly working with the resistance and just using his position to gather information from the Germans

[@williammckinney4090]

I'm disappointed we aren't getting any representation from the Belle Epoque. Or a Josephine Baker like character. Only 2 female ghosts?

[@stonehenges5722]

Very happy about French and German versions. Us is ok but I haven't seen original UK version so no vomment on that.

[@TheGabygael]

Alison is a much more common traditionally female name in France than Sam (Samantha sounds more dated to us) and we pronounce it Alisonne

[@g.g.2660]

Hello Juliette and thank you for your video, which will certainly be of interest to Ghosts fans all over the world. I'm a Frenchwoman and I can offer you a few additions and corrections. Several articles have appeared in the French online press (Diverto, TV mag), confirming that your photo is truly from the shooting of the series. Other photos exist with the same actors and costumes. One of the articles also confirms that Georges Peyrache does come from WW2 (definitely not a blue WW1 uniform). Yes, the name is French, Georges can't be German! No mention of which part of France the series is set in. The shooting takes place in the château de Vaugien, near Paris. Your pronunciation of French is generally good, but you made a few understandable mistakes with proper nouns. “Alison” is not pronounced in the French way (it doesn't rhyme with “salon"), because the French are generally very bad at English, but we know that it's an English name to begin with! Natacha Lindinger is of Austrian origin, but I've always heard her name pronounced in the French way (Lindingé, not Linn-dinn-guerre). The same goes for François Vincentelli, not pronounced in the Italian way, usually. Bruno Sanches, on the other hand, has Portuguese origins, if I remember correctly, and is pronounced Sanchess. The word scout is pronounced ‘scoot’ in French. The collaborator François Laval is undoubtedly a nod to the real-life collaborator Pierre Laval. If you ask any French person to name two famous collaborators, they'll probably mention Pétain and Laval. The interactions between the soldier and the “collabo” promise to be interesting! If I can be of any help for a future video about the French version, don't hesitate to ask me!

[@HJJSL-bl8kk]

I once knew an elderly Bretonne who flicked her front teeth with her thumbnail whenever Petain was mentioned. If she was outdoors she spat on the ground. She had lived through two world wars and wasn't keen on les boches but kept her worst ire for collaborators.

[@kevreid82]

Isaac has more in common with thomas. Wanted to be important but no one remembered him, and he hates someone who was more successful and famous. Byron for Thomas and Hamilton for isaac.

[@allistair61]

I remember watching ello ello when I was younger as well, I do remember hearing rumours that the part of the BBC that sold TV shows abroad did have a sit down meeting with German TV channels back either when the show was in production or shortly after it finished filming. From what I heard the German executives did enjoy what they saw, understandably it couldn't be air in Germany because of the wartime representatives of Nazism

[@palalabu]

i'm from indonesia, and asterix was also popular with kids growing up in the 90s (and older). idk if it's still the case nowadays. excited to see the other versions of ghosts. i hope they'll be as good as the UK one, because I'm not a fan of the US one lol

[@RandosLocal252]

French military uniforms for officers didn't change that much after WWII until the mid 1960s so it's possible the analogue for the Captain might not be strictly from WWII but possibly later, i.e. French military intervention in Algeria and elsewhere. (In the BBC version Lt. Havers leaves the Captain to go to North Africa, so maybe this Captain also stayed behind or his association was, in some way, Foreign Legion).

[@mattthesilent777RED]

I already came up with my version for the French version of Ghosts

[@rechnin6680]

If the soldier is in fact French WWII and there is a Collaborator, could nake for an interesting twist of the Issac/Nigel love trist. Could also have him holding a grudge against de Gaulle.

[@TheGabygael]

Ooooh I'm a French speaking Belgian hooked on ghosts I can't wait (I really hope they won't fuck it up)

[@ElderNames]

Don't forget the bourbon monarchy was restored for a time, 1814-1848 (with a brief 100 day interregnum when Napoleon was restored), and many French aristocrats returned and maintain their traditional, though unofficial titles. Titles were only abolished with the third republic in 1870, but can be kept as part of a name by application. There are supposedly more French nobility today than at the time of the revolution and many retained their wealth and property (although there is an association to help those who can't afford it to "keep up appearances" at public events).

[@TheGabygael]

Fashion history enthousiast here (the costumes look like shit to me compared to the other shows btw, also why did they put the countess in a wig T.T) From the suit of the poet, they might have made him vaguely Regency and have put him in ye olde clothes but I think it's more likely he's a decade or two later drawing more in the Victor Hugo types of figures we learned about in school than from the premier empire (we don't have the Shelley couple nor Lord Byron so the first empire is more associated with political events than cultural ones to the biggest part of the population)

[@cnhaynes57]

Mistaking upstate New York with New England is understandable. Our youngest went to graduate school in Albany, NY. Ignoring the politicians, it is much like a New England college town. Also, the closest Costco is in Springfield, Massachusetts. I just discovered you since I love Ghosts because I love history. Thank you.

[@GoofballLtG]

I wonder how many will include characters that are indigenous/disadvantaged to the regions. Even parts of Europe had native cultures that were replaced through time. Such as Celtic/Gaelic in Ireland. Or gypsy tribes. Germanic. Or the Northuldra in Norway. The Australian version would obviously include an aboriginal person. I’m looking forward to seeing examples like that.

[@p.taylor981]

I'm going to be honest seeing every cast shot look more or less identical to the UK original is really sad. Like this is a really interesting premise for a show when it comes to regional variations and seems like the majority of the time they take next to no liberties with the concept. At the very least the US version does its own thing most of the time.

[@WyattRyeSway]

I think the American version did very well with it.

[@sandpiperr]

I will say, they could be more creative with the caveman ghost, or at least not do the same bad costume on every version! Especially if he's supposed to be a Gaul chieftan in the French version...they're really doing him dirty by putting him in a cheap-looking fake animal hide, unkempt hair, and a Neandertal brow. That's bad even by Ancient Roman propaganda standards. Obviously the American version is an exception because they don't have a caveman ghost. The closest is Thorfinn, but he's really not that close. He's a Viking from around 1000 AD, so no where near close to paleolithic times. Other countries could also get more creative with the closeted gay soldier character too! It's not like any of them don't have many different wars to choose from! You can argue that turning the caveman ghost into Thor and Sass (the Viking ghost and the indigenous ghost) was necessary because of the continent's history. However, they didn't HAVE to change the time period of the gay soldier. The US fought in WWII as well. However, Issac being a Revolutionary War soldier from the 18th century, I think, was really a good move. I think that France defintiely should change the character to a different time period! It'd differentiate them better from the British version, and be a good opportunity to showcase some history that doesn't get as much attention. My vote would be the 100 years war. A knight in full armour would definitely stand out on a poster! The German version looks like it's also changed the chracter, my guess is to the Roman legion. I imagine changing the character to NOT be from WWII times was necessary both for reasons of cringe and their own anti-hate symbol laws. I hear here's going to be an Australian version. I imagine they will also have to replace the caveman ghost and they'll probably do like the American version did with have an ancient Aborigine ghost. I hope they consider changing the soldier to not be from WWII.

[@CAP198462]

This sounds like a fantastic series based on the speculation going on here. It’s just my opinion but I think southern France ticks all the plausibility boxes. The nail in the proverbial in my opinion is the medieval peasant. Southern France in the medieval period was host to the Cathar heresy, she could be one of them. Let’s just say 1350 was a very bad year for them. The Vichy collaborator and the Free French officer also have good historical reasons to be in the region at the same time. The region or part of it in Roman times had a rather famous governor.

[@shannonwest7560]

I recently read an article pointing out a plot hole in boththe UK and US versions. Why can't the ghosts that predate the manors, Sassapis, Thorfinn, and Robin, leave the property? There were no property boundaries when they died. Shouldn't they be able to go anywhere they could go at the time of their deaths?

[@vespista1971]

I’ve thought the same thing. It’s definitely a bit of a plot hole. You could explain it as being more of a geographical area perimeter than a modern property line perimeter, but then wouldn’t the perimeters be at least slightly different for each of the ghosts that died somewhere outdoors? Come to think of it… that might be an interesting way they could get Thorfinn closer to his son on the neighbor’s property. Maybe one, or both, of them ends up having a different limiting perimeter than the others who died in the house, that allows them to eventually discover they can meet each other more personally and not just yell across a wide open area.

[@shannonwest7560]

@vespista1971 they can both leave the houses and go to the property line, why do they even have to yell at each other? Couldn't they each just walk to the edge of the properties and speak to each other? That also makes no sense.

[@GoofballLtG]

@@shannonwest7560 there was mention of another property in between, but that doesn’t make much sense either. These are supposed to be multiple acre properties and the distance between houses really should be too far apart for shouting like that. But hey, it’s a tv show. 🤷‍♀️

[@GoofballLtG]

I just had a thought on the German version. Although they sensibly will not have a Nazi main character, they could still have one locked up in the basement/dungeon/vault. Like the US had with the Baron in the vault. They could make a whole storyline in an episode about how the Nazi is serving his eternity in prison where he belongs. Or even have him escape for a bit then ultimately sent to hell. Just like the Baron. 😎

[@mistycrom]

2 ways the US version could've had a WW2 ghost: if they'd made Crash a bit older, it could have turned out that he was a mechanic in WW2 - which, if my reading is correct, is kind of how the whole hot-rodding thing came about; kids who had all this new mechanical training from the war, getting bored and realising they could modify their cars engines and make them faster - would've made a lot of sense... or, have someone sent home after being injured, and maybe having died in a particularly stupid accident, maybe always saying it had been his injuries. Also, also looking forward to Roman ghosts and Gaul ghosts in the German/French versions.

[@billb207]

Ghosts is such a versatile concept -- there is so much scope for foreign adaptations to create characters that match their own national history, cultural stereotypes, self-deprecating humour, and so on.

[@lvrs_world]

I wonder if like the American version, the others will include Ghosts from outside of their country (think Nigel and his men in the US version). I'd love to see something with maybe a language barrier between some of the Ghosts, maybe that could bring some silly antics? Not sure! I think it would also be so cute to get a season of crossovers from each show, but I doubt it would ever happen, but maybe with the British and American version? That sounds the most likely to me

[@tractorsold1]

Keep learning 😊. Although Ohio is often considered the eastern part of the American Midwest, it actually goes at least as far west as Iowa, and definietly into the next time zone.

[@classicaljg]

@@tractorsold1 My husband is from Michigan, nearly all of which is EST

[@tractorsold1]

@classicaljg I spent summers in Michigan, and I can remember when Michigan did not do daylight savings time. Rural Michigan had a lot of recognition, and the farmers did not want EDT.

[@rosariocastro6386]

I'm guessing that the colaborator may be their version of Nigel from the US version. I think that if I could, I would watch every version of this show to see the various ghosts of different times and places.

[@ElderNames]

The English captain died just after the war when he gatecrashed a reunion of veterans when it seems he was more or less only home guard.

[@brionl4741]

Well, NY State, Particularly the Hudson Valley is right next door to the New England region. It's an easy mistake to make.

[@FormerlyEpicjcat]

Id love if in a later episode we would have some Napoleonic Soldiers Like Nigel and issac in this case we already have a Military figure but maybe something like that

[@chigginnuggie7681]

What would a Japanese version look like? What kind of ghosts could work for it?

[@classicaljg]

I don't know Japanese history very well but I would love to see a Japanese version!

[@auburnkim1989]

I just stumbled on your channel and thoroughly enjoyed the last two videos! FYI, I always say that I do not believe in ghosts, but tbh, I legitimately grew up in a haunted house, lol. It should not have been haunted, I hate admitting it, but it was just plain full of spooks. Ours was nothing like the portrayals on TV or the movies, either the house was built in 1964 and was very, very, like the Wheelers' home in Stranger Things. And to be honest, you get used to it over time. It was mainly just voices in the basement, doors opening/closing, piano keys being pressed in the wee hours, unexplainable but minor electrical issues (lights, radios, etc going on and off occasionally) and every once in a while a thump/footsteps in the kitchen. We had people check the foundations, wiring, plumbing, etc., but we finally had to admit that we could not explain it. I have lived in several much older homes since, but I have never felt haunted anywhere else... Needless to say, I get a kick out of Ghosts, lol. I also noticed we like some of the same authors. Subscribed!

[@classicaljg]

@@auburnkim1989 Thank you so much! And that sounds like quite a house to grow up in… I do believe in ghosts but thankfully have no direct experiences with them!

[@Iwasabolished]

5:46 Most of our castles are more Northern England and actualy cross into Scotland or are very close to the boarded like Lindisfarne Castle in Northumberland.

[@classicaljg]

Having grown up in Suffolk and Kent, I can say confidently that both have plenty of castles, as does the Midlands where I live now.

[@Iwasabolished]

@classicaljg The holy island of Lindisfarne in England also has a castle that I have been in, me and my family have England Heritage Membership, so we visit a lot of castles.

[@manofaction1807]

This is the only show I've seen that made me laugh hard. Great show, in any language!

[@guaposneeze]

Commandant + Collaborator sounds like they could be setting up something like Issac and his British soldier paramour who were enemies in life.

[@kiltedjohn1000]

We should have Reg Shoe as head of the basement ghosts

[@Thisepus]

Would be funny if the Countess was the headless one

[@nickstefanisko]

Mayhaps the Collaborator be an analog to the Nigel character in rhe American version?

[@Iwasabolished]

6:21 my guess is the parallel of Robin/Thor since they have electrical powers and it will be a chandler

[@LookandReport]

KZbin recommend me your previous video 2 hours ago how did they know ?

[@classicaljg]

@@LookandReport That was good timing! :)

[@Iwasabolished]

1:48 I would say that Thomas is more alike to Isaac in personality just because of the fact that they're both quite eccentric and do that speech thing when someone dies in the house. They're both obsessed with finding love, and I wouldn't say Sassapis is that lovelorn. The only thing he has in common with Thomas is a similar-ish job from completely different eras.

[@Iwasabolished]

Correction, I think Thomas' character has probably been split between Trevor, Isaac, and possibly Sass. When I watched , I saw Sass as an original character, though.

[@staceytrim]

I use to watch Allo 'Allo! Too lol. Haven't seen it in years.

[@patbone7941]

Amazing if they could get Gérard Jugnot (star of french film SCOUT TOUJOURS) To guest star as Bruno Sanches father, visiting where his son died.

[@AtomicAus]

The first book from the BBC series calls Pat's group the Boys Adventure Club.

[@patbone7941]

Will these country specific version's have the actor's play multiple parts (like the UK🇬🇧 ) in the episodes. I would have liked to have seen the American actor's playing multiple part's.

[@classicaljg]

I don’t know but that would be cool :)

[@helenw8520]

Hope the BBC shows all the different versions.

[@jameshead9119]

I cant see there being a french version of Hetty as she was such a classic Victorian uptight matron ( even though I doubt they really existed ) as that Troupe in France as for witch burning frankly the character was such a ditz it’s more likely she was burnt for heresy and to thick to know the difference 😊

[@podgem-l4t]

I wonder will there be a shed with German ghosts?

[@3lli0]

16:45 yes wwii. Horizon blue was used in wwi. I reckon, as he's older, he would be a wwi veteran called up again for wwii

[@obugger]

There is no reason that the US version couldn't have a WW2 military ghost, not all military deaths are as a result of enemy action, a US serviceman could have died of a heart attack just as the British equivalent did.

[@oakstrong1]

I've only seen short video clips of the American version. Which country had the original Ghosts? Are the other versions part of the same franchise?

[@classicaljg]

@@oakstrong1 The British version is the original, and the writers/actors from the British version are producers of the American one, plus one of them did a guest appearance on it

[@amyw6808]

@@classicaljgdidn’t realise they were the producers. You’d hope the writing would have been a better if that was the case.

[@oakstrong1]

@@classicaljg Thank you.

[@danielmalinen6337]

First the UK, then the US, then Germany, then Australia and now France. How many country versions of the series will eventually be made?

[@WyattRyeSway]

No idea. UK (well obviously), USA, Germany, France, Spain, Australia at the very least.

[@spicedch4i]

Spain and Greece, too

[@moreau1755]

Ah, Allo Allo. Itself a parody of previous serious drama The Secret Army from the 1970s, which was about the Belgian (rather than French) resistance. Herr Flick from Allo Allo is a pastiche of the much more malevolent Kessler in Secret Army, a bad guy who went on to have his own sequel series, titled appropriately enough "Kessler." Herr Flick, answering his phone: "Flick the Gestapo." Pause. "No, I said Flick,.. the Gestapo."

[@classicaljg]

My mum loves Secret Army :)

[@DakotaCelt1]

I remember Allo, Allo well... I loved it

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

Pity the close character parallels make crossovers between different versions impossible. The other ghosts lampshade the idea that Thorfinn’s manner of speaking English is deliberately done to irritate them. Much like Trevor takes delight in the elder ghosts’ unwitting use of sexual double entendres to refer to spirits’ ascension or descension from the Earthly plane.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

To be fair Allo Allo! had deliberately terrible English accents too. And it makes a good reference for the comedic tone of Hogan’s Heroes too.

[@LexUniverse]

be ok, I actually really love Allo Allo :)

[@davepx1]

France restored noble titles under both Empires and at the Bourbon Restoration, but without the associated pre-Revolutionary feudal privileges, so a comtesse could be of post-Revolutionary vintage. Nobility was stripped of legal significance after the fall of Napoleon III in 1870, but some titles survive and still provide some swank for all the protestations of égalité.

[@awaywiththetheories1833]

Maybe the plague pit and the land their village was on were close enough that both of those places are one and the same?

[@classicaljg]

@@awaywiththetheories1833 that would make the most sense :)