This unique supernatural drama delivers its share of spookiness and laughs and counts as a sleeper genre entry worth checking out.
What Is It?
This series follows real estate agent Luke Roman and his team as they specialize in selling homes that no one else can—properties haunted by ghosts, cursed by dark forces, or plagued by paranormal phenomena. Blending supernatural mystery with dry humor and character-driven drama, the team works to fix both the houses and the lives of those who live in them.
Starring: Tim Rozon, Sarah Levy, Maurice Dean Wint, Adam Korson, Savannah Basley, Tennille Read
Created By: George R. Olson
Johnny Jay’s Thoughts:
I’m not a big fan of supernatural dramas, as that genre seems to have been done to death. Heck, Supernatural itself ran for fifteen seasons and pretty much covered every trope over and over, to the point that it’s really difficult for any subsequent show to offer anything new. But for some reason, when SurrealEstate slipped onto Syfy’s schedule without much notice back in the summer of 2021, it piqued my interest—and I tuned in. I found myself hooked almost right away, and I’ve been eagerly following it ever since.
Its unique twist is its focus on a real estate group that specializes in houses infested with supernatural forces. And while it seems like that premise would be limited and run out of ideas pretty quickly, it has actually sustained the show quite well into its third season. And it has done so by telling compelling stories that are not just copy-and-paste plots, often delivering a rather poignant twist or revelation to wrap the episode up, sometimes even resulting in true tear-jerkers. In addition, the show does a good job of mixing in just enough humor to generate a few laughs while still keeping you on the edge of your seat. At the same time, it delivers a solid amount of spookiness—something I find many supernatural dramas tend to lack. It consists mostly of stand-alone tales, though there was an overarching storyline through the first two seasons, and a new arc has been established for season three.
As with many good genre entries, SurrealEstate lives and dies by its cast. Wynonna Earp and Schitt’s Creek veteran Tim Rozon delivers a spot-on performance in the lead role, giving us a haunted character who really cares about what he’s doing and who has a deep understanding of the supernatural traumas embedded in the houses he sells. Fellow Schitt’s Creek alum Sarah Levy acts as a co-lead and brings with her some troubles from her own past. But neither of these characters are the standard archetypes you’d expect from a supernatural drama—even if they do carry some familiarity. The rest of the main cast consists of the quirky characters who work with the two leads in the real estate agency, and they each bring enough unique traits to truly stand out.
The third season has just begun, and so far it has mostly lived up to the excellent standards the show established across its first two years. The ongoing arc does seem a little familiar, but we’ll see how it progresses. The stand-alone stories have been plenty of fun so far, though they do tend to wrap up rather abruptly. Also, some of the cast exited at the end of the season two finale (which felt more like a series finale, but the show was renewed), though at least one appears to be returning, and we may see more of the others down the line. Basically, I’m still enjoying the show, and as far as I’m concerned, this one can keep going for several more years as it has proven itself to be a sleeper hit in the genre.
What’s Next?
SurrealEstate has aired three out of ten third-season episodes, though it still does not have much of an audience. It has averaged only a 0.03 score (three one-hundredths of a ratings point) based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic. It doesn’t help that Syfy does very little to promote the show (I didn’t even know the third season was airing until two weeks after it premiered) and it is in the rather unfriendly 10 PM EST timeslot on Thursdays. There is no word on a fourth season yet, and I have this one On the Bubble at this point. But it is a co-production with the CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada, so maybe that helps keep it viable for the network. Syfy should really do a better job of promoting the show, because it is unique and quite enjoyable and it could be drawing more viewers if they put in some effort to get the word out about it.
Where Can You Watch It?
As mentioned, the show airs on the Syfy schedule at 10 PM EST on Thursdays. You can also watch the most recent episodes (five total) on Syfy’s app and website. The first and second seasons are available to stream on Hulu.
Have you been watching SurrealEstate and do you believe it is a supernatural drama worth tuning in for? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
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