Episode 6 of OMITB's highly anticipated new season unfolds within the hallowed halls of the Goosebury Theatre, where the specter of Gideon Goosebury, a tragic actor who expired in the glare of the stagelights in 1919, casts a haunting shadow. Howard, consumed by guilt, is convinced that his failure to "sweep Gideon off the stage that fateful night" led to Ben's demise. His heart heavy with confession, he seeks solace at Mabel's abode, tears streaming down his face as he unburdens himself.
Gathering Charles and Oliver, along with Tobert, who had spent the night, Mabel's drawing room becomes the stage for Howard's extraordinary tale. Howard claims to have encountered Gideon's spectral form while sweeping the stage, but his words fall on skeptical ears, save for Tobert, who refrains from outright disbelief.
Determined to delve into the mystery, the trio decides to embark on a joint investigation. Charles and Oliver politely request Mabel's indulgence in excusing Tobert from their endeavor, a request she gracefully grants, her excitement palpable as they reunite in their shared passion.
On the stage, an unwavering "ghost light" flickers, its steadfast presence a testament to theatrical tradition. Yet, as Charles mentions its permanence, the light abruptly extinguishes, accompanied by a disconcerting clatter as sandbags plummet from the rafters, narrowly missing him. Their curiosity piqued, they make their way to the office of KT, the seasoned stage manager of Goosebury, who boasts a repertoire of over 43 productions within the theater's walls. KT, attributing the incident to a safety hazard, escorts Howard to test the rigging.
Meanwhile, Mabel's keen eye spots a sign-in sheet dangling in the office, sparking a new line of inquiry. She proposes comparing the handwriting of the cast members with that etched onto the mirror, a suggestion that piques Oliver's newly found investigative fervor. Oliver's sudden interest stems from his recent discovery of Loretta's personal diary, its pages revealing her obsessive fascination with Ben. He eagerly seizes the clipboard and makes his way to the dressing room, leaving Mabel and Charles locked in a heated debate over the latter's role in unraveling Ben's murder.
Charles' tone drips with accusation, evoking an immediate defensive stance from Mabel, unaware of the full picture amidst his clear misstep. This scenario exemplifies the quintessential fallout of miscommunication, where both parties, despite their differing perspectives, find themselves justified in their own minds.
In solitude, Charles embarks on a mission to secure a makeshift abode for his beloved fish, President McKinley. Meanwhile, Oliver endeavors to decipher handwriting amidst the chaos, only to be abruptly disrupted by a thunderous racket echoing from the rafters. His curiosity piqued, he ascends to uncover Jerry Blau, a disgraced former stage director, now a squatter following his dismissal by Donna a year prior. Blau's feud with his partner over the mortgage had led him to this predicament, unbeknownst to all but the shadows he now shared with Howard's recent spectral encounter.
Charles, having stumbled upon a makeshift aquarium, resorts to housing the fish within the toilet's cistern, a temporary solution at best. Elsewhere, Mabel catches Tobert creeping through the backstage labyrinth, his tale unraveling that he'd tailed Jonathan in search of answers. Their confrontation reveals Jonathan's vulnerable pursuit of Dr. C for anxiety relief, weighed down by the burden of Ben's passing and the mantle of directing the play.
In an unexpected twist of fate, Charles's fleeting moment of solace abruptly transformed into a depths of despair as he, unknowingly, sent the fish spiraling down the drain, leaving him with the sensation that the last vestige of stability in his life had been mercilessly flushed away. But just as despair seemed to engulf him, fate intervened in a stroke of serendipity. To his utter amazement, the fish miraculously surfaced in the bowl, fluttering a fragile glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. Grasping this unexpected reprieve, Charles hastily scooped it up, transferring it to a mug, only to inadvertently trigger a fog emitter, unleashing a misty shroud that proved maddeningly elusive to disperse.
Howard and KT, sharing their unfulfilled aspirations of stage glory, indulge in a fleeting fantasy. KT confesses that while productions may not banish Gideon, they must accommodate him. Seizing the moment, she directs Howard onto the stage, where he passionately delivers Gideon's timeless monologue from 1919, their dreams, even if fleeting, momentarily fulfilled.
Oliver unburdens himself, sharing the intricate web of his romantic entanglements with Loretta, prompting Jerry to weave a tale from the shadows of the opening night's backstage drama. Hovering high in the rafters, Jerry's ears strained but couldn't quite grasp every whisper, yet the possibility lingered heavily in the air that Loretta had hurled the epithet "fuc*ing pig" at Ben. Jerry recounts the scene from the previous episode, leaving Oliver stunned to learn of Charles's fist meeting Ben's face that fateful evening.
Oliver now finds himself at a crossroads, torn between the loyalty of revealing Loretta's doubts to his companions or guarding them, risking the chance at a love he fears may never blossom again.
Meanwhile, Charles, realizing he still possessed Jimmy's keys, seized the opportunity to flee the smoke-filled confines. His path crossed with Tobert and Mabel, who happened to be strolling by, their footsteps echoing in the corridor.
Together, Mabel and Charles stumbled upon Ben's dressing room, where Oliver was frantically erasing lipstick stains from the mirror, his frustration boiling over into an outburst directed at them. Accusations flew, fingers pointed, and tensions mounted.
In a moment of vulnerability, Mabel divulged Cinda's tempting offer, hinting at a potential acceptance, weighted by Oliver and Charles's past mistreatment. Oliver, seething with anger, dismissed Charles from the production, branding him a "washed-up" actor, his words like daggers in the air.
The exchange spiraled into a fierce confrontation, threatening to sever the bonds between the trio and propel them down paths that might never intersect again.
