Ghost Whisperer

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Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer title card
Format	Supernatural thriller - drama - fantasy
Created by	John Gray
Starring	Jennifer Love Hewitt David Conrad Aisha Tyler (2005-2006) Camryn Manheim (2006-) Jay Mohr (2006-2008)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	62 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	John Gray, Ian Sander, Kim Moses, James Van Praagh (Co-executive producer)
Producer(s)	Joe Dishner, Jennifer Love Hewitt^[1]
Running time	60 minutes (with commercials)
Distributor	USA: CBS Paramount/CBS Studios through: CBS Television Distribution Non-USA: ABC through: Disney-ABC International Television
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Picture format	480i (SDTV), 1080i (HDTV)
Original run	September 23, 2005 – present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Ghost Whisperer is an American television drama-fantasy-thriller that premiered on CBS September 23, 2005.^[2] The show was created by John Gray. It currently stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, and Jay Mohr. Formerly Aisha Tyler was part of the cast. Ghost Whisperer airs Friday nights at 8/7c.

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

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.^[3] CBS officially renewed the show for a third season placing it in its regular Friday 8 p.m. time slot. (Eastern US Time) The third season premiered September 28, 2007. Due to the writers strike 12 episodes were completed before the strike. However, once the strike ended, CBS has announced that the show will return April 4, 2008 with 6 episodes. ^[4] On February 15, 2008, CBS renewed Ghost Whisperer for a fourth season.[1] The fourth season will air sometime in September 2008.

Ghost Whisperer will be broadcast in reruns, not only on ION Television, but also on Sci Fi and WE TV.^[5]

1 Plot Synopsis
2 Episodes
3 Production notes
4 Afterlife in Ghost Whisperer
- 4.1 The Light
- 4.2 The Dark Side
5 Awards and nominations
- 5.1 Won
- 5.2 Nominated
6 Internet promotion
7 DVD Releases
8 U.S. Broadcast History
9 References
10 External links

[edit] Plot Synopsis

Ghost Whisperer is an episodic series that follows the life of Melinda Gordon, a young woman who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead. 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 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. Her Best Friend Andrea Marino 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.

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of Ghost Whisperer episodes

US Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode)
	# Eps	Timeslot (EDT)	Season Premiere	Season Finale	Rank	Viewers (in millions)
Season 1	22	Friday 8:00 PM	September 23, 2005	May 5, 2006	#47	10.2 ^[6]
Season 2	22	Friday 8:00 PM	September 22, 2006	May 11, 2007	#44	9.9 ^[7]
Season 3	18	Friday 8:00 PM	September 28, 2007	May 16, 2008	#45	9.6
Season 4	22	Friday 8:00 PM	September 12, 2008	TBA

[edit] Production notes

The series is based on the work of "Spirit Communicator" James Van Praagh,^[8] who is co-executive producer^[9] and constantly updates a blog about the show through CBS.^[10] The stories are also said to be based in part on the work of "Spirit Communicator" Mary Ann Winkowski.^[11]. Development of the show dates back to at least two years before its premiere.^[12] The show is currently produced by Sander/Moses Productions in association with CBS Paramount Network Television (originally CBS Productions in season 1) and ABC Studios (originally Touchstone Television in the first 2 seasons).

The show is filmed on the Universal Studios back lot in Hollywood.^[13] One area on the lot is Courthouse Square from the Back to the Future trilogy, though it has been drastically modified to portray Grandview. For example, the clock tower present in Back to the Future has been completely covered up. Cast and crew members also believe that the set gets visits from real spirits.^[14]

Sound effects are completed at Smart Post Sound^[15] and special effects at Flash Film Works.^[16]

The hair stylist for the show’s protagonist, Melinda Gordon (played by Jennifer Love-Hewitt), was 5 time Emmy award nominated hair designer Michael Reitz.

After the season one finale, John Gray, the show's creator, signed a two-year contract with CBS, which would all but guarantee a third season.^[17] Season three is also supposed to bring about new executive producer P.K. Simonds.^[18]

[edit] Afterlife in Ghost Whisperer

There are two places in afterlife: The Light and the Dark Side. These two places are one of the main points of the show.

[edit] The Light

When Melinda helps ghosts cross over, they see a bright light. The Light is identified with Heaven. The Light is invisible to viewers and shown only a few times such as in episodes The Vanishing, The One, Giving up the Ghost (briefly) and The Gathering. Almost all the spirits in the show cross over into the light.

[edit] The Dark Side

Not all spirits cross over into the Light. Some cross over to the Dark Side. The Dark Side is identified with Hell. Spirits who are trapped in this Limbo are exposed to hate and anger.

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] Won

Saturn Awards: Best Actress in a Television Program or Series for Jennifer Love Hewitt, 2007^[19]

[edit] Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Main Title Awards, 2006^[20]; Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (original Dramatic Score), 2007^[21]
People's Choice Awards: Favorite Female TV Star for Jennifer Love Hewitt, 2006^[22] and 2007^[23]
Teen Choice Awards: TV- Choice Breakout Show, 2006^[24]
Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Television Actress for Jennifer Love Hewitt, 2006^[25]
Saturn Awards: Best Actress on Television for Jennifer Love Hewitt, 2006^[26]
SyFy Genre Awards: Best Actress-Television for Jennifer Love Hewitt, 2006^[27]

[edit] Internet promotion

[edit] The Other Side

A series of webisodes entitled Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side have been released on the Ghost Whisperer website.^[28] A total of eight webisodes were produced and extras (such as trailers and behind the scenes) are available for viewing. The story follows Zach (played by Mark Hapka), a young delivery boy who dies while delivering a package. He soon learns how to do things in the spirit world, and gets revenge on Danny, the man he thinks killed him, and his former best friend. Melinda from the television series doesn't appear in the internet series as it takes place entirely in the spirit world. However, ghosts from the television series have appeared in some webisodes.

In the second season finale of Ghost Whisperer, one of the characters from The Other Side, Mark, made an appearance while trying to get help from Melinda before being taken into the Dark Side leaving the internet series in its own cliffhanger.

The second season of The Other Side will screen on the CBS website starting 18 January 2008.^[29]

[edit] andshamethedevil.net

It has been recently discovered that andshamethedevil.net^[30] is a site linked to Ghost Whisperer. The site is mentioned in the Season 3 Premiere. If you visit the site and click on the word bloody, it leads to another site rubloodymary.com

Also, recently discovered: If you click on the star in the upper right hand corner, the site appears to crack into pieces. Those pieces can be removed by dragging, revealing this message:

"Meet Me In The Underworld"

Also in really tiny letters at the bottom read the words: "bloody mary. bloody marry. bloody mary."

[edit] rubloodymary.com

Another site discovered to be a part of Ghost Whisperer. rubloodymary.com is mentioned in episode 302 - "Don't Try This At Home" - which prominently features the Bloody Mary Urban Legend. When visiting^[31] if you click and hold down anywhere on the main page and scrub you can erase the image, revealing another image underneath that reads "...until she is trapped underground." Above that there is a countdown timer that, doing the math, counts down to Friday, October 26, 2007, episode 305 of Ghost Whisperer aired that night.

Other features: There is a stories link that takes you to a book with a Bloody Mary tale in it. The very last line reads "I hope she doesn't go in the church."

Finally, there is an email address to connect to, and several links, some to the Ghost Whisperer Myspace page and ghostwhisperer.com and one that links back to^[32] which is another secret Ghost Whisperer site.

[edit] DVD Releases

The Region 1 DVD releases are distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS DVD, while releases in all other regions are distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (formerly Buena Vista Home Entertainment).

Season	Specifications	Special Features	Release dates
1^[33]^[34]	22 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround No subtitles	Audio Commentaries Blooper Reel Deleted Scenes Two featurettes Virtual tour: Grandview Ghost Whisperer Mythology Scare Tactics	Region 1 October 31, 2006 Region 2 July 9, 2007 Region 3 May 28, 2007 Region 4 May 23, 2007
2^[35]	22 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Close captioned	Audio Commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes Webisodes Tarot Cards Music Video	Region 1 September 18, 2007 Region 2 February 25, 2008 Region 3 April 7, 2008 Region 4 April 2, 2008
3^[36]	18 episodes 5 discs Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Close captioned	Audio Commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes	Region 1 September 2, 2008 Region 2 N/A Region 3 N/A Region 4 N/A

Ghost Whisperer Season 2 DVD was released on September 18 2007 in the US. Along with such Special Features as the Ghost Whisperer Crystal Ball, Melinda's Closet, Ghostly Visions, The Other side Webseries, Jennifer Love Hewitt Speed Painting Video, the DVD also came with Limited Edition Tarot Cards. These physical Tarot Cards have a hidden message on them when placed next to each other in a certain order. The message reads "GhostWhispererTarot.com". When typed in a web browser, GhostWhispererTarot.com leads you to a virtual Tarot Card Online Game. At the end of this game, Ghost Whisperer fans are given a secret.

[edit] U.S. Broadcast History

September 23, 2005 - present -- Fridays 8:00pm/7:00pm central

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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Ghost Whisperer

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John Gray (creator) · Episode list · Character list · Melinda Gordon · Official site