School Spirits
School Spirits
Now Showing

School Spirits

"Death is just the beginning."

7.8
Yr 2023
Status Returning Series
Mystery Drama
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Maddie, a teen stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance, goes on a crime-solving journey as she adjusts to high school purgatory, but the closer she gets to discovering the truth, the more secrets and lies she uncovers.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 80 /100

Critical reception for School Spirits is largely positive, with reviewers praising the series as a fun, addictive, and surprisingly heartfelt entry in the YA supernatural genre. Critics highlight the show's ability to balance dark humor, high school angst, and murder mystery elements into a well-crafted narrative that keeps viewers engaged across its episodes.

Multiple reviewers commend the show's narrative structure and tone, noting that it manages to deliver genuine emotional depth alongside clever twists. Grounded by a strong young cast, the series turns a gloomy premise about death and the afterlife into a charming exploration of identity, friendship, and personal acceptance.

Minor criticisms point to generic afterlife tropes that may feel familiar to fans of ghost dramas, as well as mature topics like trauma and murder that may deter family-oriented audiences. However, the majority consensus views School Spirits as a sparky, binge-worthy mystery with a distinctive voice.

“An addictive teen thriller that's surprisingly heartfelt”

“part-ghastly fun, part-engaging teen murder mystery, and wholly worthy of haunting your watchlist”

“surprisingly sparky and fun”

“demonstrates a confidence in its tone and storytelling that many genre shows struggle to achieve”

Why fans love it

School Spirits turns high school into a meditative landscape rather than just a setting for hallways and lockers. By trapping its protagonist in an afterlife purgatory after she disappears, the show finds a way to look at the typical teenage experience from a detached, ghostly vantage point. It leans into the philosophical questions of being forgotten, shifting the focus from grades and social status to the permanence of unfinished business.

Peyton List guides a narrative that balances supernatural mechanics with the grounded, messy reality of being a queer teen left behind. The pacing is curious and reflective, favoring a slow reveal of buried secrets over cheap shocks. It manages to feel nostalgic even while dealing with the finality of death, turning a standard crime investigation into a complex study of how lives intersect and eventually fall apart.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 15
Longest run 24 eps
Peyton List
Peyton List
as Maddie Nears
24 episodes
Milo Manheim
Milo Manheim
as Wally Clark
24 episodes
Kristian Ventura
Kristian Ventura
as Simon Elroy
24 episodes
Spencer MacPherson
Spencer MacPherson
as Xavier Baxter
24 episodes
Kiara Pichardo
Kiara Pichardo
as Nicole Herrera
24 episodes
Sarah Yarkin
Sarah Yarkin
as Rhonda
24 episodes
Nick Pugliese
Nick Pugliese
as Charley
24 episodes
Rainbow Wedell
Rainbow Wedell
as Claire Zahler Zomer
24 episodes
Show 67 more
Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin 23 episodes Miles Elliot as Yuri 14 episodes Ci Hang Ma as Quinn 14 episodes Vanessa Prasad as Kirsten 8 episodes Maria Dizzia as Sandra Nears 17 episodes Ian Tracey as Sheriff Baxter 15 episodes Patrick Gilmore as Mr. Anderson 13 episodes Alex Zahara as Principal Hartman 16 episodes Kalyn Miles as Ms. Fields 5 episodes Peter New as Mr. South 8 episodes RaeAnne Boon as Dawn 6 episodes Jayce Barreiro as Mr. Graziano 2 episodes Katarina Mueller as Tira 7 episodes Dylan Floyde as Sheriff's Deputy 3 episodes Alayna Pezzuto as Faith 1 episode Gavin Langelo as Football Guy 1 episode Cassian Bartholomew as Large Student 1 episode Brittany Spiteri as Cheerleader 1 2 episodes Yudy Rodriguez as Cheerleader 2 3 episodes Alison Thornton as Chloe 6 episodes Andres Soto as Mr. Figueroa 4 episodes Patti Kim as Ms. Chung 2 episodes Shayna Virginillo as Rookie Officer 1 episode Josh Dohy as Stoner Student 1 2 episodes Ben Byrnell as Stoner Student 2 2 episodes Luvia Petersen as Hayes 2 episodes Zarina Sterling as Crystal 2 episodes Peggy Carlson as Bea (Wally's Mom) 2 episodes Mark Chavez as Mr. Balkin 2 episodes Briggs Gibbins as Cheerleader 3 3 episodes Brianne Mapson as Cheerleader 4 3 episodes Hannah Cam as Cheerleader 5 3 episodes Jess Gabor as Janet Hamilton 10 episodes Parveen Dosanjh as Nurse Netty 3 episodes Beverley Elliott as Ruth Hamilton 2 episodes Zack Calderon as Diego Herrera 6 episodes Ryan Dumontel as Mr. Manfredo 3 episodes Austin Falk as Lacrosse Player 4 episodes James Drew Dean as Young Eugene 2 episodes David James Lewis as Rev. Joseph Hamilton 3 episodes Halle Gall as Cheerleader 6 3 episodes Tara Pratt as Young Bea 2 episodes Kayler Fagan as A-Hole Kid 1 3 episodes Emmanuel Bempong as Drum Major 3 episodes Aisling Goodman as Alice 2 episodes Emma Johnson as Maddie / Janet Double 2 episodes Jaitara Jayde as Counselling Secretary 2 episodes Danny Mac as Dave Nears 8 episodes Ari Dalbert as Kyle 6 episodes Jennifer Tilly as Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price 6 episodes Erika Swayze as Livia 7 episodes Azriel Dalman as Everett 2 episodes Anisa Harris as Aurora 2 episodes Lauren Viau as Lexi 2 episodes Roman Kinsella as Ralph 5 episodes Jennifer Kitchen as Nurse Calvert 3 episodes Roy Campsall as White Eyes 4 episodes Alice Comer as Singing Child #1 3 episodes Lauren Maybury as Singing Child #2 3 episodes Theo Reid as Singing Child #3 3 episodes Yuriy Pokrovskyy as Singing Child #4 3 episodes Daniel Shevchuk as Singing Child #5 3 episodes Christendeo Szabo as Singing Child #6 3 episodes Freddie Markelov as Singing Child #7 3 episodes Henry Sudds as Singing Child #8 3 episodes Michael Adamthwaite as Van Heidt 2 episodes Morgane Mercey as Young Maddie 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Key Grip
Nicholas J. Palfy
Set Designer
Diego Lanzagorta
Art Direction
Jessica Fish
Creator
Nate Trinrud Megan Trinrud
Director of Photography
Craig Dean Devine
Costume Coordinator
Fiona Roberts
Stunt Double
Alex Stines Evelyn Gonda
Costumer
Lily Quirin Lindsay Gjertsen Lily Quirin
Assistant Property Master
Laurence Fortin Gagnon Nicholas Podbrey
Head Greensman
Matthew Campbell
Costume Set Supervisor
Kayla Irwin
Construction Coordinator
Baron Shaver
Costume Design
Rebekka Sorensen
Second Assistant Camera
Bruno Garrido de Costa Cruz
Camera Operator
Jay 'Sully' Sullivan
Dresser
Trevor Spoor
Makeup Artist
Sarah Buckley
Key Makeup Artist
Angela Nair
Art Department Assistant
Alan Derksen
Mix Technician
Zane S. Taylor
Assistant Costume Designer
Jessica Yeaman
First Assistant Camera
Kyle Vollstaedt
Stunt Coordinator
Brennan Walstrom
Hair Assistant
Brittin Ireland
Underwater Camera
Braden Haggerty
Signal Match

Similarity

Where School Spirits overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

supernatural high school based on graphic novel lgbt lgbt teen ghosts gay character nostalgic speculative curious mysterious philosophical reflective complex dramatic sentimental
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
March 09, 2023
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
280