“Buckaroo,” the first episode of SurrealEstate Season 3, kicks things off with mystery, dark humor, and emotional undercurrents, setting the tone for another chilling and heartfelt season. The Roman Agency is back on the job, but as this episode reveals, the ghosts aren’t the only ones with unfinished business. A familiar face returns in a new and terrifying form, while Luke and his team face a haunting that’s a little too close to home—literally.
If you haven’t watched “Buckaroo” yet, consider this your final warning—major spoilers ahead.
The episode opens with a man fly fishing in a peaceful river, but his quiet moment turns bizarre when he snags a toolbox instead of a fish. Inside? A small, old stuffed elephant with X’s for eyes. When he touches it, he collapses—only to rise again, suddenly transformed. He’s smiling now, almost too happy, and mutters ominously about someone named Carl. Whatever possessed him is coming back for revenge.
Meanwhile, Roman Agency agents Luke Roman (Tim Rozon) and Susan Ireland (Sarah Levy) are helping a couple deal with a very angry ghost. A terrifying figure emerges—crawling through a fireplace like something out of a nightmare. Luke confronts her and learns she’s the long-dead housekeeper of the Cheevers family. Her story is horrifying—she was pregnant by Mr. Cheevers, and when the family discovered it, they locked her in the chimney alive, where she burned to death.
She wants revenge on Cheevers—but good news: he’s already been burned, twice. Once in a warehouse fire, and then cremated. Hearing this, she finally finds peace and disappears into ashes.
But there’s no rest for the Roman Agency. They’re still short-staffed, struggling to replace former employee Zooey (Savannah Basley). They’ve already been through 35 interns, none measuring up. Even worse, Zooey has been secretly helping train them while refusing to come back full-time.
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Elsewhere, the man from the river—now identified as Mr. MacNeill—returns to a house where his partner Vonda lives. He seems different. Not only is he strangely cheerful, but he’s also showing an unusual interest in Luke. It’s eventually revealed that Carl, the man MacNeill mentioned earlier, is Luke’s late father. Something has taken control of MacNeill, and it clearly has an agenda.
Back at the office, the next case lands. A little boy named Joey has started talking to an invisible friend named Cowboy Rick—and he’s not just imaginary. Joey rides a rocking horse until he nearly damages the floor. The toy even develops a mysterious “Y” brand mark that wasn’t there before. Cowboy Rick, a creepy figure with sharp teeth and a gun, is haunting the boy—and calling him “Buckaroo.”
Susan takes on the case and visits Joey’s parents, the Marshalls. They’re deeply worried. One night, Cowboy Rick appears in full ghostly form, roaming the halls asking for his Buckaroo. Susan promises to help, but the threat is clearly growing.
Meanwhile, Zooey returns to the office and gives Luke a reality check. He needs to stop searching for her replacement and start trusting new team members. She also thanks him—because of his encouragement, she’s finally finished law school.
In another scene, Auggie (Maurice Dean Wint) and Luke discuss their options. The ghost haunting Joey might be stronger than anything they’ve faced. Auggie reveals he’s been studying dark tech and may have something powerful enough to deal with Cowboy Rick.
As the investigation continues, Luke realizes Joey may not be the ghost’s target. The branding on the horse leads Lomax (Adam Korson) to the previous owner of the home, a man named Yurth. Photos show Yurth’s father resembled both MacNeill and Joey’s dad. Digging deeper, they learn Cowboy Rick may actually be Yurth’s deceased father, who once spent the best summer of his life working on a ranch. After dying, his spirit took the form of the cowboy he always dreamed of becoming.
Rick’s return isn’t about harming Joey—it’s about reconnecting with his son. He wants Yurth to remember his dreams and not waste his life. It’s a touching moment amid the haunting. Once Yurth acknowledges this, his father’s spirit fades peacefully.
The episode wraps with more character moments. Luke has a glass of wine with his ex, Megan (Tennille Read), who’s now dating someone named Dr. Hunter Manderly. Susan goes on a hilariously awkward date and sets an alarm for 45 minutes to make an early exit. Zooey warns Luke again about trying to relive the past. And in a chilling final scene, MacNeill—still possessed—tells Vonda he’s not the same man anymore and mutters, “Payback’s a bitch, little Luke. And it’s coming for you.”
Who or what has possessed MacNeill? And what does it want with Luke?
This episode lays the groundwork for a twisted new chapter. With lost loved ones, unfinished business, and new supernatural threats, SurrealEstate Season 3 is off to a chilling start.
Come back to tvacute.com soon for more SurrealEstate news, breakdowns, and full-episode recaps.
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