Saturday, September 1, 2007

Ghost Whisperer

Ghost Whisperer is an American television drama-fantasy-thriller that premiered on CBS September 23, 2005. The show was created by John Gray. It currently stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, formerly Aisha Tyler, and in a recurring role, Jay Mohr. Ghost Whisperer airs Friday nights at 8/7c.

The show's title is a reference to main character Melinda Gordon (portrayed by Jennifer Love Hewitt) who lives in the fictional town of Grandview with her husband Jim and has the ability to see and commune with the dead. The show is also one of several fantasy television programs about young women with gifts for supernatural communication such as the canceled shows Joan of Arcadia and Tru Calling, and the current NBC show Medium.

Season two of Ghost Whisperer premiered on September 22, 2006 and ended on May 11, 2007, again airing Friday nights on CBS during the same timeslot. CBS officially renewed the show for a third season placing it in its regular Friday 8 p.m. timeslot to act as a lead-in for the similarly-themed vampire drama Moonlight. The third season will premiere September 28, 2007.


Season 1 -- 22 episodes -- September 23, 2005

Season 2 -- 22 episodes -- September 22, 2006

Season 3 -- 22 episodes -- September 28, 2007

Ghost Whisperer is a highly episodic series that follows the fictional medium Melinda Gordon and her experiences with the dead as a result of her power. Each episode deals with one or more ghosts seeking Melinda's help in relaying a message or completing a task that will put the spirit to rest, and allow them to "cross over" into The Light, a metaphor presented by the show as its conception of Heaven.

Despite the episodic structure of the show, plot lines that span two or three episodes (normally during season openers and finishers) develop and progress in a slow manner throughout the rest of the season. The first season arc introduced the show's first antagonist, Romano, a negative entity in a black hat, who attempted to do the exact opposite of Melinda and gather earthbound souls and bring them to the Dark Side. The story climaxed in the season finale when a plane crashed in Grandview, and Melinda and Romano both attempted to sway the souls to the Light, and staying on earth, respectively. Andrea was killed in the plane crash and, in a story that would carry over to the second season, was being swayed by Romano to stay earthbound.

In the second season, two new characters (Delia Banks and Professor Rick Payne) are introduced, both of whom, by season's end, come to learn of Melinda's power and become survivors that ghosts want messages passed to through Melinda. The second season arc revolves around the thinning "veil" between the living and the dead, evident in certain situations in second season episodes. By the end of the season, a second Ghost Whisperer was introduced. His arrival in Grandview sets the final events of a disastrous prophecy in motion, and the strengthening of the dark side over the Light.

The beginning of each episode normally revolves around Melinda first encountering the ghost(s) that will be crossed over in the episode. In their normally brief appearances, Melinda collects clues she later researches. After gaining a significant piece of information that drives the episode's plot further, the ghost(s) normally open up to her, and tell her how it is she can help them find peace. Often, the messages the ghosts want Melinda to pass are confusing and as a result, she is normally met with questions and skepticism by those she is trying to give the message to- the families, friends and lovers of the ghosts. By the end of each episode, Melinda is usually able to complete her task and cross the ghost(s) from the respective episode over.

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