List of Ghostwriter episodes

Season one (1992–1993)

Highlights from the first season, which premiered in October 1992, include:

• Ghost Story: Jamal releases Ghostwriter while cleaning the basement. Jamal, Alex, Lenni, and Gaby come together through the bond of Ghostwriter's mysterious messages to them all, and they all come together to solve a rash of mysterious backpack thefts and their connection to a group of gamers calling themselves the THABTOs. Samuel L. Jackson as Jamal's dad and Mark Linn-Baker as the policeman have cameos. This and 'To The Light' are the only stories to have five episodes. The rest all conclude in four. This case is not the original pilot. The next case, 'Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?', was produced first and was intended to be the pilot for the series. One of four cases to be adopted into a book.
• Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?: Jamal is angered when Mr. Brinker, owner of the local electronics store, yells at him. But that night, when Brinker's burns down, the shopkeeper accuses Jamal of arson to cover up his own involvement in the fire. Ghostwriter reveals himself to both Craig and Tina. Guest-stars Samuel L. Jackson as Jamal's dad, Max Wright as Brinker, and Jeremy Miller as Craig. Craig does not appear again in the series and is never referred to again. This case was the original pilot. Wanting a better introduction to the series, the producers decided to add 'Ghost Story' at the last minute. This is evident from the fact that this case seems to have been filmed inside actual buildings and houses, instead of on a soundstage like the rest of the series. Other indications include Ghostwriter appearing as a plain star instead of the trademark logo and using only the word RALLY without an initial when calling for a group meeting.
• To Catch a Creep: Alex has aspirations to become class president, but one of his competitors starts a smear campaign, putting up fliers with embarrassing personal secrets. One of the initial suspects is new transfer student Rob, but that status changes once Ghostwriter reveals himself to him. Dulé Hill appears as a basketball player during two episodes. Rob joins the cast in this case. The actor portraying Calvin Ferguson is replaced beginning with this case.
• Into the Comics: The team enters a scavenger hunt-style contest in order to win the chance to be drawn into an issue of Hoodman. Their efforts are hindered by an embittered comic book artist trying to win the contest on his own as his character, Stoop Dude. Meanwhile, Rob continues to be distant from the team, but makes friends with an eccentric homeless poet. David Patrick Kelly makes his first appearance as Double-T and Spike Lee cameos as Special Agent Pete in this case.
• To The Light: Rob takes Jamal to meet Double-T, but they find his usual spot trashed and the poet missing. After tracking down Double-T's daughter, she and Rob trace his usual hangouts, but wind up trapped in a subway cave-in. Rob relies on his wits and Ghostwriter to try to get help and continue the hunt for Double-T. David Patrick Kelly returns as Double-T; Kristy Graves guest stars as Lisa. This and 'Ghost Story' are the only stories to have five episodes. The rest all conclude in four.
• Who's Who?: Tina is excited when she lands a job answering fan mail to her favorite actress, Lana Barnes. However, when she starts reading threatening and disturbing notes, she begins to worry. Lana waves off her fears as just letters from a very devoted fan, until she narrowly avoids suffocating in a locked garage. The Ghostwriter Team begin a search for Lana's stalker before her acceptance of an award. Shawn Elliott as Mr. Fernandez, Gretchen Krich as Janine, and Patricia Barry as Lana Barnes guest star.
• Over a Barrel: The team is hard at work at the community garden center when a series of health problems arise: Gaby passes out, several other kids and adults get sick, and even some rabbits die. It's soon learned that a highly toxic chemical, tetrachloroethylene, has been illegally dumped in the ground under the garden and is to blame. The team sets off to find the person responsible for such a dirty act. Caroline Lagerfelt as Sally Lewis, Orlagh Cassidy as Officer Cole, Melinda Mullins as Fannie Mae Banner, and Madhur Jaffrey as Dr. Singhla guest star.
• Building Bridges: Plans for the school's talent show are threatened when a gang moves into the neighborhood. Kids start coming to school with black eyes and bandages, and then the school's hallway gets tagged by graffiti artists. Rob's new friend, a former member of the gang, appears to be the prime suspect. Victor Sierra as Victor, Eugene Byrd as Walter, and Afi McClendon as Jasmine guest star.

Season two (1993–1994)

• Am I Blue?: Galaxy Girl, Gaby's favorite action hero, is coming to town, and Gaby 'borrows' some money from her parents' bodega to buy a costume. When she learns she can't return it, she realizes she must fess up. She gets into more hot water when a valuable model spaceship from the show is stolen and winds up in her room. Someone is framing Gaby, but who? And why? Eddie T. Robinson as Jamal's bully, Judge Reinhold as Brett Pierce, and Daisy Fuentes as Galaxy Girl guest star. Gaby has a dream where she hugs Ghostwriter in this episode, and he appears only as a hooded, shadowy figure.
• Get the Message: The Ghostwriter team begins to fall apart when arguments and misunderstandings stemming from a car accident between Mr. Fernandez and Mr. Frazier start to form between the team members. The rift between them starts to make Ghostwriter fade away, and the situation is not helped when Calvin Ferguson tries to investigate who 'GW' is (he caught Jamal talking to 'GW' in school). Rob and Jamal get the team back together in time to solve the mystery of an art thief. The case ends with an unknown hand writing a distress call, causing Ghostwriter to abruptly leave the team. Joey Shea as Calvin and Bo Jackson as the security guard guest star. This is the only case to end with a cliffhanger into the next case.
• Just in Time: The hand writing the distress call to Ghostwriter belongs to Frank Flynn, a boy who lived in Jamal's house in 1928. Ghostwriter's strength is pushed to its limits when he has to time travel from Frank and his best friend Catherine in 1928, to Jamal and the team in 1993, and back, in order to help Frank clear his name in the theft of a priceless tea set. Meanwhile, Jamal learns his dad is getting very sick. Louis Tadaro as Frank, Grace Johnston as Catherine Canellan, Stephi Lineburg as Lucy Canellan, Cynthia Crumlish as Mrs. O'Boyle, Thomas Schall as Dr. Canellan, William Hill as Raynard Wilcox, Charles Mann as Mr. Izzo, Augusta Dabney as Catherine Canellan-Flynn, and Laurie Klatscher as the Librarian as guest star. Ghostwriter reveals himself to Frank, Catherine, and Lucy in this case. Catherine Canellan-Flynn is the only adult to ever see Ghostwriter during the series. One of four cases to be adopted into a book. The episode takes place in 1993, the original air date. The book's current time is 1996, the time it was published.
• Lost in Brooklyn: Tina befriends a foreign exchange student, Safira, from Mozambique, whose father is an important ambassador. Their family has had a serious rift, and her brother fled to America after an argument with their dad. Safira intends to find her brother, having written letters to each other since he fled. Meanwhile, Rob learns he has to move to Australia. Cathy Rigby as Mrs. Dozier, K. Todd Freeman as Malenga, and Madala Hilaire as Safira guest star. Ghostwriter reveals himself to Hector. Rob leaves the series and Hector joins the cast in this case.
• Who is Max Mouse? A hacker invades Hurston School's computer mainframe, causing frequent fire drills, threatening messages, and altering the grades of Jamal and Lenni. The team gets a 'crash' course in the Internet in its cruder and more basic form, including chat rooms and bulletin boards, sending Ghostwriter through the computer and phone lines in an attempt to catch Max Mouse and stop his reign of mischief. Ellen Foley as Ms. Kelly, Greg Lee as Mr. Aucoin, and Julia Stiles as Erica Dansby guest star.
• Don't Stop the Music: Lenni gets the chance of a lifetime when a hip music producer wants to sign her to the Smash Records label and produce a music video for MTV. Lenni struggles to come up with an original song, but then nails one out of the park with a song called 'You Gotta Believe.' Lenni and the entire Ghostwriter Team get to go on-set for the filming of the video, but a series of strange accidents happen. Turns out the target isn't Lenni, but Jade, her producer. The team wrestles with the mystery of the accidents, as well as trying to babysit Jamal's cousin Casey. Robin Leach as Marlon, Annabelle Gurwitch as Jade, and Mia Korf as Sonia guest star, as well as cameos from hip-hop artists Salt-n-Pepa and MTV VJs Doctor Dré and Ed Lover. Victor Sierra also reprises his role as Victor Torres, and Dennis Starolselsky as Kevin and Oren Sofer as Spencer make cameos to foreshadow the next case: What's Up With Alex? MTV is featured prominently in name and in logo during this case. Ghostwriter reveals himself to Casey and she joins the cast in this case.
• What's Up With Alex?: Alex becomes detached and moody with Gaby and the Team, and a series of drug-related locker break-ins make them worry Alex may be involved with drugs. This case aired both on PBS and in broadcast syndication with a preface read out by the actors portraying Gaby and Mr. Fernandez before each part. Victor Sierra reprises his role as Victor Torres. Dennis Starolselsky as Kevin, Oren Sofer as Spencer, Elan Rivera as Maria, Julia Jordan as Delilah, Jesse Moore as Mr. Johnson, Patricia Maurceri as Mrs. Michaels, Mike Starr as Big Ralph, Kelly Kristjanson as Mary Jo, Jesse Tendler as Arnie, Z. Wright as Jason, and Damien Leake as Mr. Oliver guest star. This case never aired in repeats on Noggin due to its drug content.

Season three (1994–1995)

• Ghostwriter 3-peat Special: Katie Couric visits the set and interviews Lenni and Jamal during breaks of the re-run of the entire 'Am I Blue?' case. Most PBS stations aired the special the week before or the week of pledge drive time, when the stations normally pre-empted Ghostwriter for two weeks.
• A Crime of Two Cities: Jamal is vacationing in London with his parents and they are staying in the bed and breakfast owned by the Wentwood family. While there, Jamal befriends the Wentwoods' children, Sam and Becky. Using Ghostwriter to send messages back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean, they work together with the rest of the team to uncover a plot to kidnap the son of a famous author. Paul Francis and Candace Hallinan as Sam and Becky. Ghostwriter reveals himself to Sam and Becky. Julia Stiles appears once again in this case. This is Mayteana Morales' last case playing Gaby. One of four cases to be adopted into a book.
• Four Days of the Cockatoo: Gaby discovers a rare bird not realizing that it is sought by a smuggler determined to claim the bird as his latest taxidermy prize. Melissa Gonzales portrays Gaby beginning with this case.
• Attack of the Slime Monster: No mystery to solve in this case, but the final story finds the Team trying to help Casey write her own story for a contest. One of four cases to be adopted into a book.

Video releases

During the mid-1990s Ghostwriter was released on VHS by two different companies, GPN and Republic Pictures. GPN is the company authorized by PBS to release all its shows on video. They have the entire series except for the last two cases. These videos are in the original format with each case divided into four or five episodes. Republic Pictures released only three cases (all from the first season) : "Ghost Story", "Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?" and "Into the Comics." In Republic Pictures' version, the four or five episodes for each case were edited together into a feature length movie. The Republic Pictures version is no longer available in the market, but can still be found in some libraries (US and Canada only). The GPN version was available to the general public for purchase through their website until 2007. Starting mid-2007, GPN is selling only to schools and libraries due to a change in licensing terms. However, the GPN version is still available in some libraries.

DVD releases

In February 2010, it was announced that Season 1 of Ghostwriter would be released on DVD by Shout! Factory. The 5-disc set, running 870 minutes long, was released on June 8, 2010, and cost $34.95 MSRP. Supplements are a trivia game and a casebook [1].