School Spirits is an American supernaturalteen drama television series created by Megan Trinrud and Nate Trinrud that premiered on Paramount+ on March 9, 2023. The series, adapted from the forthcoming graphic novel by the Trinruds and Maria Nguyen, stars Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, Milo Manheim, and Spencer Macpherson. In June 2023, the series was renewed for a second season,[1] which premiered on January 30, 2025.
Set in the fictional town of Split River, Wisconsin, the show follows Maddie, a teen girl stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance; she goes on a crime-solving journey as she adjusts to high school in the afterlife, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more secrets and lies she discovers.
Cast
Main
Peyton List as Maddie Nears, a teenager who suddenly finds herself among the spirits that inhabit Split River High School. Maddie cannot remember what happened to her and spends the first season investigating her possible murder. Like all the spirits at the high school, she cannot leave the school grounds.[2]
Kristian Ventura as Simon Elroy, Maddie's best friend in high school and the only living person who can now see and talk with her[2]
Milo Manheim as Wally Clark, a teenage spirit who died during a high school football game. He becomes romantically interested in Maddie.[2]
Spencer MacPherson as Xavier Baxter, Maddie's boyfriend in the living world. Maddie learns that he was cheating on her with cheerleader Claire Zomer.[2]
Kiara Pichardo as Nicole Herrera, a close friend of Maddie and Simon[2]
Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda, a cynical teenage spirit who was murdered by her guidance counselor[3]
Nick Pugliese as Charley, a teenage spirit who becomes Maddie's first friend in the afterlife. Charley, who was allergic to nuts, died when he left his EpiPen at home and ate fries cooked in peanut oil at school. Before his death, Charley was in a relationship with Emilio Figueroa, who is now a teacher at the school.[2][3]
Rainbow Wedell as Claire Zomer, the school's head cheerleader, Xavier's secret girlfriend, and Maddie's former childhood friend[2]
Recurring
Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin, a spirit at Split River High School who leads an "afterlife support group." He was a science teacher before dying in a fire in his classroom lab. He appears to be interested to helping the teenage spirits "cross over".[2][3]
Maria Dizzia as Sandra Nears, Maddie's alcoholic mother
RaeAnne Boon as Dawn (Season 1), a carefree teenage spirit who died by accidental electrocution[3]
Patrick Gilmore as Mr. Anderson, the high school's literature teacher who harbors a secret
Ian Tracey as Baxter, Xavier's father and the town's sheriff, who is investigating Maddie's disappearance while running for re-election
Maddie is the latest of deaths at her high school, the only difference being she does not know how she died. While attempting to uncover what led to her death, she bonds with another ghost Charley. Meanwhile, Maddie's pre-death friends Simon and Nicole attempt to discover what happened to her, and Simon suspects Maddie's boyfriend Xavier. After an altercation between the two, Xavier is caught holding onto Maddie's phone. Later, an assembly is held in memory of Maddie, which Simon does not attend. Staying in his classroom, he and Maddie are both shocked to be able to see each other.
Maddie tries to work out why Simon can see and hear her, although Charley advises against telling the other ghosts, worried that they may try to take advantage by asking for favors. Xavier's father, the sheriff, insists he stays home from school to avoid causing trouble since he is the prime suspect in Maddie's disappearance, and especially as DNA tests prove the blood in the boiler room belongs to Maddie. Mr. Martin tries to help Maddie come to terms with her death and move on by writing her own obituary. Maddie asks Simon to help investigate her death since she cannot leave the school grounds, but this proves difficult, and arouses the suspicion of a teacher, Mr. Anderson.
3
3
"Dead and Confused"
Oran Zegman
Thomas Higgins
March9,2023(2023-03-09)
Maddie and Simon fall out over his investigation of her death when he suspects Mr Anderson of withholding secrets. Flashbacks show he helped Maddie out when she crashed her mother's car, and supported her in dealing with an alcoholic parent. As a result, Maddie asks Simon to stop investigating, but he ignores her and investigates on his own. Xavier follows Nicole to a secret place she and Maddie used to hang out, and tells her about talking to Maddie's mother. Nicole and Xavier decide to search for Maddie together. Meanwhile, Mr Martin takes the ghosts outside to have a field day, which involves them taking all their frustrations out by destroying school property. Maddie asks Rhonda about her story because of the parallels in her friendship with Mr Anderson, but instead learns why she and Simon can communicate.
Simon, Xavier, Nicole and Claire look into the house Xavier previously broke into, looking for the hooded person Xavier saw. During their investigation, the hooded person critically injures Xavier before driving off, though Nicole manages to take a picture of their face. Meanwhile, Wally, Charley and Rhonda end up trapped in the boiler room, where they discover that Mr. Martin had been holding onto several of their belongings. Simon returns to the school, and explains to Maddie his belief that he is only imagining her presence at the school, revealing the hooded person to have been Maddie. When Maddie goes to rescue the three ghosts from the boiler room Mr. Martin approaches her, and she finally uncovers what happened to her: Janet, a ghost that the others assumed moved on, had actually stolen her body, and is the person that Simon and the others are chasing after.
The first season of School Spirits premiered March 9, 2023 on Paramount+.[7] The second season premiered on January 30, 2025.[8]
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 83% approval rating with an average rating of 7.3/10, based on 18 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "School Spirits leaves some of its promising potential untapped, but Peyton List's splendid starring performance makes this paranormal mystery a solid watch for anyone who remembers the phantom pain of growing up."[9]
Daniel D'Addario of Variety wrote, "Without losing sight of the sorrow of Maddie's story, School Spirits manages to be surprisingly sparky and fun—proof positive that there are new stories to tell about the institution no one would ever want to be stuck in for their entire afterlife."[10] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter said, "Sometimes the familiar trappings of the high-school genre can open the door for a show to do wilder and more inventive things than more allegedly mature shows. School Spirits, unfortunately, takes no such liberties."[11]
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