‘School Spirits’ Season 3’s Ambitious Swing Failed Its Most Promising Character

Crossing over is an idea School Spirits introduced in its very first season, with supporting character Dawn (RaeAnna Boon) being the first to undergo this transition. Ever since, it's been an unattainable mystery that all the ghosts of Split River High are curious about, whether it be an ultimate goal for them or something to fear. By the end of Season 2, two spirits, Wally (Milo Manheim) and Janet (Jess Gabor), have the opportunity to cross over. But in the Season 3 premiere, we see the former close the figurative and literal door on the chance, while the latter decides to do so. Even though we know someone had to cross over eventually, it is a shame that School Spirits lets go of its most promising character.

Janet Had Much Potential in 'School Spirits' Season 3

Much of Janet's presence in the show has been defined by her significant absence. Initially, the ghostly support group believed she was the first to cross over, an idea that drove many of the characters' motivations and actions. Then in Season 2, she became the sinister body-snatcher with a traumatic past, and the show delved into a harrowing arc of wading through guilt, grief, and redemption. At the beginning of Season 3, she steps into a leadership position in hopes of further redeeming herself while helping Simon (Kristian) return to the land of the living. Her dynamic characterization is the most gritty and earnest in the show so far, and School Spirits had the opportunity to flesh out her role further if she had stayed.

In the Season 3 premiere, we also witness a conversation between Janet and Simon, where the former outlines her plans to crossover in case her presence is what is causing the imbalance that is trapping him. During this interaction, Gabor delivers a vulnerable and poignant monologue that demonstrates why she should have stayed. In the previous season, she shared her role with Peyton List (who plays Maddie), so this was the first time she had the chance to make the role her own. In a moving scene, Gabor gave Janet the fascinating mixture of the acute intelligence of a scientist and the emotional maturity of someone who had confronted their past mistakes. We were on the brink of caring about her.

'School Spirits' Made a Mistake By Letting Janet Cross Over

By allowing Janet to cross over, School Spirits makes mistakes on two fronts. The first being that her decision was rushed and out of character. She's a scientist who has spent decades understanding the scientific process and would meticulously account for variables before making an experimental decision as permanent as this. In the past, she was the voice of reason that dissuaded Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) from acting prematurely, yet this choice was driven by the most tenuous of assumptions and left behind a gaggle of teenagers with no leadership. It's a disservice to her character arc, painting the act as a sacrifice when it was really just a futile endeavor with barely any scientific backing.

The second mistake is the context around Janet's exit from the series, specifically, the fact that Wally did not cross over. At the beginning of the season premiere, Wally voluntarily walks away from crossing over while confiding in no one about it, leaving us with an anti-climactic thud after the cliffhanger in the Season 2 finale. It seems as if the show is trying to compensate for his presence by pushing Janet away in some attempt to maintain the stakes of "anyone could leave at any time." However, replacing a beloved character with a recently redeemed one doesn't have the same emotional impact. A stronger move would have been fleshing out Janet's story, allowing the audience to invest in her character more, then hitting us with the provocative closure and healing of crossing over.

If anything, School Spirits simply let Janet go far too soon to develop any emotional stakes. She was on the right trajectory, and if this was maintained, her potential to deliver a devastating or cathartic blow through her transition would have been heightened. Instead, School Spirits missed an opportunity with their most promising and multi-faceted character thus far, one who was finally hitting their stride before the mysteries of the afterlife claimed them too soon.