Ghost Whisperer (season 1)

Ghost Whisperer season 1
DVD cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 23, 2005 – May 5, 2006

The first season of Ghost Whisperer, an American television series created by John Gray, commenced airing in the United States on September 23, 2005, concluded May 5, 2006, and consisted of 22 episodes. The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. While trying to live as normal a life as possible—she is married and owns an antique store—Melinda helps earthbound spirits resolve their problems and cross over into the Light, or the spirit world. Her tasks are difficult and at times she struggles with people who push her away and disbelieve her ability. In addition, the ghosts are mysterious and sometimes menacing in the beginning and Melinda must use the clues available to her to understand the spirit's needs and help them.^[1]

Ghost Whisperer's first season aired in the United States (U.S.) on Fridays at 8:00 pm ET on CBS, a broadcast television network, where it received an average of 10.20 million viewers per episode.^[2]

Premise

Melinda Gordon is a young woman from the fictional town of Grandview, New York who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead. Melinda lives with her husband Jim Clancy. She is the owner of an antique shop called "Same as it Never Was." Ghosts seek 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 (which is possibly Heaven). Those who died with unfinished business become earth-bound and cannot cross over, and Melinda, as their earthly representative, helps them to find peace. The show does not present the ghosts as having sinned, rather it is the spirits' own guilt that condemns them, and their own fear of judgement that keeps them from "crossing over" into an afterlife.

Plot

The first season introduces us to Andrea Marino (Aisha Tyler), Melinda's best friend and co-worker. Andrea knows of Melinda's gift, and often helps her figure out why a certain ghost is earthbound. Throughout the season, Melinda repeatedly catches glimpses of a ghost named Romano, a former cult leader from Europe who influenced his followers to commit a mass suicide in 1939. His own suicide transformed him into an earthbound negative entity. Romano attempts to do the exact opposite of Melinda and gather earthbound souls and prevent them from crossing over into the light.

At the end of the season, a plane crashes just outside Grandview. Melinda and Romano struggle over the 300 souls of people who die in the crash. Melinda convinces most of the ghosts to cross over, although Romano convinces a select few to come with him. Melinda suffers a huge personal loss when it is revealed that Andrea was killed when her car got caught in the path of the plane crash as she was driving to her brother's apartment.

Development

Ghost Whisperer is based on the work of "Spirit Communicator" James Van Praagh,^[3] who is co-executive producer^[4] and regularly updates a blog about the show through LivingTV.^[5] The stories are also said to be based in part on the work of "Spirit Communicator" Mary Ann Winkowski.^[6] Development of the show dates back to at least two years before its premiere.^[7]

The show was produced by Sander/Moses Productions in association with CBS Television Studios (originally Paramount Network Television in season one and ABC Studios (originally Touchstone Television in the first two seasons) and CBS Paramount Network Television in seasons two and three).

The show was filmed on the Universal Studios back lot in Los Angeles.^[8] One area on the lot is Courthouse Square from the Back to the Future trilogy, though it has been drastically modified to depict Grandview. For example, the clock tower in Back to the Future has been completely covered up. Cast and crew members believe that the set gets visits from real spirits.^[9]

Sound effects were completed at Smart Post Sound.^[10] Visual effects for the pilot and some season one episodes were completed at Flash Film Works.^[11] Visual effects for nearly the entire series were created at Eden FX.^[12]

Creator John Gray grew up in Brooklyn, New York, which is not far from Grandview-On-Hudson, west of the Hudson River. Piermont is often referenced in episodes as the neighboring town, which is accurate to real life as Grandview-On-Hudson is actually located just north of Piermont. Professor Rick Payne worked in the fictional "Rockland University," and perhaps not coincidentally, the actual Grandview, New York is a village located in Rockland County, New York.

Cast

• Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon (22 episodes)
• David Conrad as Jim Clancy (22 episodes)
• Aisha Tyler as Andrea Marino (22 episodes)

Episodes

No. in Series	No. in Season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Pilot"	John Gray	John Gray	September 23, 2005	11.25[13]
Even on her Wedding Day, the spirit world will not leave Melinda Gordon at bay. After a presence looms during her first dance with new husband Jim Clancy, Melinda is even more frightened when the same spirit disturbs her at her new home. Knowing she must help the spirit to cross over, into The Light, Melinda tries to find the man’s family.
2	2	"The Crossing"	Ron Lagomarsino	Catherine Butterfield	September 30, 2005	10.87[14]
A young boy killed by a train comes to Melinda for help in crossing over. Meanwhile, as Jim’s mother comes to visit the newlyweds, Melinda must keep what she does secret.
3	3	"Ghost, Interrupted"	Ian Sander	Jed Seidel	October 7, 2005	11.07[15]
A pair of identical twin sisters are caught between two worlds and Melinda Gordon is the only one that can help them.
4	4	"Mended Hearts"	John Gray	John Gray	October 14, 2005	9.99[16]
A man killed in a biking accident visits Melinda, worried about what his former fiancée might do to herself now they are apart.
5	5	"Lost Boys"	Peter O'Fallon	David Fallon	October 21, 2005	10.55[17]
When Melinda and Andrea scour an old property for items to sell at an auction, Melinda learns it used to be an orphanage and encounters the ghosts of three boys who died in a fire there.
6	6	"Homecoming"	James Frawley	Lois Johnson	October 28, 2005	11.73[18]
Melinda gets tangled in the life of a family who has just witnessed the death of their adopted son. Melinda tries to help the boy cross over, but he has a temper.
7	7	"Hope and Mercy"	Bill L. Norton	John Wirth	November 4, 2005	12.78[19]
Melinda enters a hospital, a notorious place for spirits to lurk, encountering a woman who wants to know what caused her untimely death during an operation.
8	8	"On the Wings of a Dove"	Peter O'Fallon	Catherine Butterfield	November 11, 2005	11.41[20]
Jim begins to doubt his sanity when an evil spirit haunts him. In order to save Jim, Melinda must help the spirit cross over.
9	9	"Voices"	Kevin Hooks	John Belluso	November 18, 2005	12.05[21]
Melinda is called by the spirit of a deceased mother who has been trying to communicate with her child via white noise.
10	10	"Ghost Bride"	Joanna Kerns	Jed Seidel	November 25, 2005	12.25[22]
The ghost of a bride who died not long after writing her marriage vows wreaks havoc on her former husband’s new fiancé.
11	11	"Shadow Boxer"	Joanna Kerns	Emily Fox	December 9, 2005	11.19[23]
Melinda Gordon is visited by the spirit of a mother who needs help in healing the relationship between her earth-bound son and his father. The son, once a promising boxer, refuses to forgive his father for pushing him too hard during his mother’s final days.
12	12	"Undead Comic"	Eric Laneuville	Doug Prochilo	December 16, 2005	10.89[24]
A stand-up comedian commits suicide and finds he is unable to cross over.
13	13	"Friendly Neighborhood Ghost"	David Jones	Lois Johnson	January 6, 2006	11.31[25]
When Melinda welcomes a new neighbor who has moved in across the street, she gets more than she bargained for.
14	14	"Last Execution"	James Frawley	David Fallon	January 13, 2006	10.92[26]
A hanged man is the centrepiece of a macabre art exhibition Andrea, Jim and Melinda attend, but it is only Melinda who feels the wrath of the man’s spirit. Elsewhere, when Jim saves a woman’s life in Grandview, she claims he injured her in his practice of CPR and wants to sue.
15	15	"Melinda's First Ghost"	Peter Werner	Catherine Butterfield	January 27, 2006	11.62[27]
Melinda is surprised when her first ghost reappears, forcing her to remember how strained her relationship with her mother became when she claimed she could see spirits just like her grandmother could. In order to help the ghost cross over, Melinda must face her mother after many years without contact.
16	16	"Dead Man's Ridge"	James Frawley	John Gray	February 3, 2006	10.62[28]
Andrea discovers the dead brother of one of her former colleagues is visiting Melinda and has warned her that he is in grave danger.
17	17	"Demon Child"	Eric Laneuville	Jed Seidel	March 3, 2006	12.40[29]
When ogling items at a house not far from Grandview, Melinda is alarmed by the spirit of an infuriated young boy who has been terrorizing his mother and baby sister. As Melinda pursues the spirit, Jim looks after the baby and ponders he and Melinda having a child of their own.
18	18	"Miss Fortune"	James Chressanthis	Emily Fox	March 10, 2006	10.34[30]
A traveling circus arrives in Grandview, bringing with it the bitter ghost of a magician who claims his jealous brother and former girlfriend, a fortune-teller, killed him.
19	19	"Fury"	Peter Werner	Rama Stagner	March 31, 2006	10.22[31]
The ghost of an African-American man returns to Grandview to haunt the prosecutor who failed to convict his white attacker almost thirty years ago. Melinda must help the ghost find justice, before his views are passed on to the next generation.
20	20	"The Vanishing"	Ian Sander	Catherine Butterfield	April 7, 2006	10.05[32]
After tripping in the woods whilst on the hunt for a spirit, Melinda is knocked unconscious. Melinda sustains a head injury and soon realizes she can’t see ghosts anymore. When a young girl whose boyfriend has just died comes to her for help, Melinda struggles to deal with the possibility that she may have lost her abilities forever.
21	21	"Free Fall" (Part 1)	John Gray	John Gray	April 28, 2006	10.00[33]
Melinda’s sense of dread deepens, as the spirit world remains quiet. Everywhere Melinda goes there’s a chill in the air. Then, two spirits come to her, one a pilot, the other a flight attendant. Both are frosted over. As Melinda puts the pieces together, she realizes that a pilot-less plane is going to crash and it is headed straight for Grandview.
22	22	"The One" (Part 2)	John Gray	John Gray	May 5, 2006	11.06[34]
In the aftermath of the wreckage, Melinda is overwhelmed as the dead passengers of Trans Eastern Flight 395 realize she can see them. Melinda must do what she has always done, cross the spirits over – into The Light. But, she faces a dark and mysterious top-hatted man who is working against her, convincing these souls that there is no reason to ever leave Grandview, as well as questions from Federal Investigators who want to know how she knew the plane was going to crash. Andrea, panic-stricken about whether her brother was one of the passengers on the flight, sets out to his apartment in the city moments before the plane crashes.

Reception

In 2015, Gavin Hetherington of SpoilerTV reviewed the two-part season finale as part of a Throwback Thursday special on the site on August 27th. Gavin looked back at the season closer fondly, calling it "sensational".^[35] He also said that the show "knocked this one out of the park. It had such a high-stakes dilemma that soared the show to new heights, proving it could be exciting and emotional all at the same time. The actors delivered their best performances and the writing was just amazing. We have John Gray to thank for this wonderful show and for writing this wonderful episode."

References

1. https://web.archive.org/20090617073441/http://www.variety.com:80/profiles/TVSeries/Synopsis/173242/Ghost+Whisperer.html?dataSet=1. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010. Missing or empty |title= (help)
2. "Series - 2005-06 primetime wrap". The Hollywood Reporter. May 26, 2006. Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
3. https://web.archive.org/web/20061118104311/http://www.etonline.com/tv/35533/index.html. Archived from the original on November 18, 2006. Retrieved May 18, 2008. Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. https://web.archive.org/20071022212614/http://www.vanpraagh.com//Ghost_CBS.cfm. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2008. Missing or empty |title= (help)
5. Ghost Whisperer on Ghost Whisperer on LivingTV
6. Real-life 'Ghost Whisperer' inspires Living TV - TV dramas - MSNBC.com
7. Ghost Whisperer on LivingTV
8. Universal Studios Hollywood - What's New
9. SCI FI Wire | The News Service of the SCI FI Channel | SCIFI.COM
10. Ghost Whisperer Television Show-Mix Checks in on Creating Audio Sounds for Ghost Whisperer TV Show
11. Flash Film Works - Ghost Whisperer
12. EDEN FX
13. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
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22. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
23. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
24. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
25. "Breaking News - Cbs'S Places Second In Viewers And Key Demos In An Atypical Week Of Primarily Rebroadcasts Against Four Nights Of Primetime Football". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
26. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
27. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
28. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
29. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
30. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
31. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
32. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
33. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
34. "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
35. Hetherington, Gavin (August 27, 2015). "Throwback Thursday - Ghost Whisperer - Free Fall / The One - Review". SpoilerTV. Retrieved April 27, 2016.

General references

• "Ghost Whisperer Episodes on CBS". TV Guide. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
• "Shows A-Z - the ghost whisperer on cbs". the Futon Critic. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
• "The Ghost Whisperer : Episode Guide". MSN TV. Retrieved June 28, 2010.