| Ghost Whisperer season 4 | |||
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DVD cover |
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| Country of origin | United States | ||
| No. of episodes | 23 | ||
| Broadcast | |||
| Original channel | CBS | ||
| Original run | October 3, 2008 – May 15, 2009 | ||
| Home video release | |||
| DVD release date | Region 1: September 22, 2009 Region 2: March 1, 2010 Region 4: March 10, 2010 |
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| Season chronology | |||
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| List of Ghost Whisperer episodes | |||
The fourth season of Ghost Whisperer, an American television series created by John Gray, commenced airing in the United States on October 3, 2008, concluded May 15, 2009, and consisted of 23 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 fourth season aired in the United States (U.S.) on Fridays at 8:00 pm ET on CBS, a terrestrial television network, where it received an average of 10.62 million viewers per episode, becoming the most watched season of the series.[2]
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In the fourth season, Melinda meets Eli James (Jamie Kennedy) after a fire at Rockland University who, after his own near-death experience, develops the ability to hear ghosts. Melinda says goodbye to her close friend Rick Payne, who leaves Grandview on a research trip for the university. In this season, Jim is shot and killed. He does not "cross over" because he does not want to leave Melinda, and his spirit later enters the body of a man named Sam Lucas, who died in an unrelated accident in Grandview and crossed over. When Jim/Sam regains consciousness, he has no memory of being Jim. Melinda works to get him to remember his past life and her, and succeeds after much difficulty and skepticism on the part of her friends. They soon discover that Melinda is pregnant and that the date of conception was right before Jim died.
At the end of the season, Ned and Eli find the Book of Changes, a book written by the Watchers (a benevolent group of ghosts who keep watch over the living). The book tells them of past and future prominent dates, such as Andrea and Jim's deaths. One date is listed as September 25, 2009; Melinda's due date. Melinda learns from a Watcher named Carl that her child is destined to not only inherit her gift, but be far more powerful than her. Melinda and Jim decide to remarry and have a small ceremony on a snowy night, on the street where they first met.
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.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Love Hewitt | Melinda Gordon |
| David Conrad | Jim Clancy / Sam Lucas |
| Jay Mohr | Rick Payne (Ep. 1) |
| Camryn Manheim | Delia Banks |
| Christoph Sanders | Ned Banks |
| Jamie Kennedy | Eli James |
| № | # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | 1 | "Firestarter" | Eric Laneuville | P.K. Simonds | October 3, 2008 | 9.44[13] |
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After being rescued by Jim from a fire at the Rockland University, Eli has a near death experience. Melinda becomes friends with Eli and soon discovers that they both have the same abilities. Professor Payne leaves Grandview on an expedition in the Himalayas for Rockland U. Note: This is Jay Mohr's last appearance as Professor Payne |
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| 64 | 2 | "Big Chills" | Peter Werner | Laurie McCarthy | October 10, 2008 | 9.69[14] |
| A popular former classmate, Grace Adams, contacts Melinda because she thinks her dead friend, Lucas, is haunting her after discovering his body. Secrets come to light that Grace, Lucas, and another friend have covered up an accidental death that happened ten years ago instead of reporting it to the police. | ||||||
| 65 | 3 | "Ghost in the Machine" | Steven Robman | Jeannine Renshaw | October 17, 2008 | 8.97[15] |
| Melinda finds a ghost who is haunting young girls in Ned's online gaming community. She decides to go inside the online community to find a way to cross the ghost over, thinking he is dangerous. | ||||||
| 66 | 4 | "Save Our Souls" | Gloria Muzio | Mark B. Perry | October 24, 2008 | 10.14[16] |
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Melinda and Jim go on a cruise to celebrate their honeymoon. When they get there, they meet a young newlywed couple, Rich and Julia, and Melinda realizes a ghost has attached itself to Rich. Melinda also realizes the ship is full of ghosts that are having fun and partying. Melinda figures out that the ghost is looking for her fiance who wronged her and attaches herself to any man who she thinks is her fiance. When they get home Melinda thinks she could be pregnant. Guest Star: Solange Knowles as cruise singer |
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| 67 | 5 | "Bloodline" | Ian Sander | Melissa Blake & Joy Blake | October 31, 2008 | 9.40[17] |
| Diana Morrison, along with her friend Olivia Keller were switched at birth by a neglecting nurse who failed to run tests after both girls' bracelets came off in the bath. However, Diana collapses on the Grandview tennis courts and dies from a blood clot in her lungs. Melinda discovers that when Diana had surgery on her ankle, 8 years ago, the blood types on her surgery record did not match up on her birth record. She also discovers that Diana's "mother" knew the whole time and tried to explain it to Mrs. Keller but she refused. Diana leads Olivia to long-lost letters that were written to her but were never received. | ||||||
| 68 | 6 | "Imaginary Friends and Enemies" | Eric Laneuville | Vivian Lee | November 7, 2008 | 11.06[18] |
| While Melinda and Jim are at his friend's wedding, a young girl's imaginary friend—actually a ghost—plays a dangerous game of hide and seek. It is up to Melinda to understand the ghost's intentions. When the wedding is being cleaned up, Jim walks inside to see the groom drinking. He attacks Jim, and Melinda calls the police. The policeman fires his gun, only to hit Jim by mistake. | ||||||
| 69 | 7 | "Threshold" | John Gray | John Gray | November 14, 2008 | 11.57[19] |
| Melinda has a hard time helping a troubled teenage ghost while Melinda deals with drastic changes to her personal life. A car crash and motorcycle accident happens and Jim's spirit goes into the victim's body, to regain his life, only to completely forget who Melinda is. | ||||||
| 70 | 8 | "Heart & Soul" | Ian Sander | Mark B. Perry & P.K. Simonds | November 21, 2008 | 11.28[20] |
| Melinda is drawn to a man Sam/Jim who is suffering from amnesia and she enthusiastically tries to help him regain his memory. | ||||||
| 71 | 9 | "Pieces of You" | Jim Chressanthis | Laurie McCarthy | December 5, 2008 | 9.71[21] |
| Melinda discovers the secret behind a girl who has been missing for 12 years who was very mad at her brother because she thinks he caused her death. | ||||||
| 72 | 10 | "Ball & Chain" | Eric Laneuville | Christina M. Kim & Jeannine Renshaw | December 19, 2008 | 10.18[22] |
| Melinda helps a confused ghost who must come to terms with her marriage in order to cross over. | ||||||
| 73 | 11 | "Life on the Line" | Eric Laneuville | Christina M. Kim & Jeannine Renshaw | January 9, 2009 | 10.64[23] |
| A 14-year-old ghost wants to get his divorced parents and estranged brother back together so they will finally discuss the real reason for his death. Melinda discovers a secret that might make Sam/Jim's memory come back. | ||||||
| 74 | 12 | "This Joint's Haunted" | Mark Rosman | Mark B. Perry | January 16, 2009 | 10.58[24] |
| Melinda and Jim/Sam go on a road trip into his past and end up in trouble, from bar fights to disruptive ghosts, and Melinda comes face to face with the biggest threat yet to her romantic hopes... | ||||||
| 75 | 13 | "Body of Water" | Jennifer Love Hewitt | P.K. Simonds & Laurie McCarthy | January 23, 2009 | 11.18[25] |
| When Nikki (Teri Polo) pays a prolonged visit, Melinda fears that Sam/Jim will never reconnect with his true nature. Meanwhile, Melinda discovers a mysterious and vengeful contingent of ghosts at a local lake, where a financially distressed mortician had been secretly dumping bodies scheduled for cremation due to a furnace breakdown. (This episode was Jennifer Love Hewitt's directorial debut.) | ||||||
| 76 | 14 | "Slow Burn" | Steven Robman | Jeannine Renshaw | February 6, 2009 | 11.41[26] |
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As Melinda and Sam/Jim decide to give dating a try, Melinda must also help the ghost of Deborah Marks protect her teenage daughter Kristy from a supposedly bad-news boyfriend. Guest Star: Kendall Schmidt as Jeff |
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| 77 | 15 | "Greek Tragedy" | Karen Gaviola | Christina M. Kim | February 13, 2009 | 10.30[27] |
| A sorority girl goes missing in the woods during a secret initiation ceremony, and Melinda is confronted with the uneasy spirit of a sad ghost who encountered tragedy during that same ritual 40 years ago... | ||||||
| 78 | 16 | "Ghost Busted" | John Behring | Mark B. Perry & P.K. Simonds | February 27, 2009 | 11.54[28] |
| Linus has been hired by one of Melinda's neighbors, John and Devon, to come "investigate" a haunting in their house. Linus is a ghost hunter and uses all of his high tech equipment to try to capture real evidence of this haunting. Also Melinda shares her special gift with Jim/Sam and his reaction is not what she expects. | ||||||
| 79 | 17 | "Delusions of Grandview" | Jefery Levy | Laurie McCarthy & Mark B. Perry | March 6, 2009 | 11.09[29] |
| Jim/Sam helps Melinda as she tries to figure out what is happening to a kindergarten class before anyone gets hurt. Sam/Jim is confronted with the knowledge that Jim "stepped-in" to Sam's body and Sam has crossed over. | ||||||
| 80 | 18 | "Leap of Faith" | Ian Sander | John Gray | March 13, 2009 | 10.58[30] |
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Melinda encounters a high powered businessman who is now working for the department of water and power in Grandview as a mechanic, after waking up 3 years ago after flat lining with no memory of himself. What he doesn't know is that he has been a "Step In" like Jim/Sam, for the past three years, but without the support from other people like Melinda. Melinda becomes trapped in an underground utility vault that is rapidly filling with water. When Sam/Jim goes to save her he hits his head on a pipe and regains his memory as his life flashes before his eyes, but this may also have been because he almost drowned as well, but this results in him becoming Jim again. Note: Aisha Tyler makes a small cameo as Andrea when Jim's life flashes before his eyes. |
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| 81 | 19 | "Thrilled to Death" | Gloria Muzio | Laurie McCarthy & Jeannine Renshaw | April 10, 2009 | 10.08[31] |
| A young woman (Hilary Duff) in Eli's apartment building is being haunted. | ||||||
| 82 | 20 | "Stage Fright" | Eric Laneuville | Mark B. Perry | April 24, 2009 | 9.23[32] |
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A ghost causes problems when a popular soap opera is filming in the Grandview town square. Afterwards, Melinda finds a surprise which will flip life around for her and Jim, forever. Melinda and Jim find out Melinda is 8 weeks pregnant. Guest Star: Amelia Heinle as Brook Dennis (From The Young and the Restless). |
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| 83 | 21 | "Cursed" | Kim Moses | Laurie McCarthy | May 1, 2009 | 9.79[33] |
| Melinda discovers spirits trapped in a dollhouse. | ||||||
| 84 | 22 | "Endless Love" | Ian Sander | P.K. Simonds | May 8, 2009 | 9.50[34] |
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Melinda has to figure out how to plan for her wedding and help a young lady get vampires to leave her alone. Guest Star: Alexa Vega as Serena |
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| 85 | 23 | "The Book of Changes" | John Gray | John Gray | May 15, 2009 | 9.15[35] |
| After a faceless ghost girl visits Melinda, Melinda begins to worry about her child's safety. A book, called the Book of Changes, ends up in Eli's possession. It lists people who have died and come back in one way or another. Melinda's name is in it, with her date of death being her due date, September 25. Melinda finds out her child will be a little boy after something the ghost says worries her and Jim. One of the Watchers, Carl also tells her that her son will not only be able to do what she does, but so much more. | ||||||
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