List of Ghostwriter episodes

Ghostwriter is an American children's television series created by Liz Nelson and produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop) and BBC One. It premiered on PBS on October 4, 1992, and the final episode aired on February 12, 1995. The series revolves around a close knit circle of friends from Brooklyn who solve neighborhood crimes and mysteries as a team of young detectives with the help of an invisible ghost. The ghost can communicate with the kids only by manipulating whatever text and letters he can find and using them to form words and sentences. The series was filmed on location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Episodes

Season 1 (1992–93)

Ghostwriter: Season One DVD cover art

• (1) 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. They all come together to solve a rash of mysterious backpack thefts and their connection to a group of gamers calling themselves the THABTOs, an acronym for Two Heads Are Better Than One. Guest stars: Samuel L. Jackson as Jamal's dad, Wil Horneff as Calvin Ferguson, and Mark Linn-Baker as the policeman have cameos.
  • Part 1: October 4, 1992
  • Part 2: October 11, 1992
  • Part 3: October 18, 1992
  • Part 4: October 25, 1992
  • Part 5: November 1, 1992
  • Notes:
    • This story arc and 'To The Light' are the only stories to have five episodes. The rest all conclude in four.
    • This story arc is not the original pilot. The next arc, 'Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?', was produced first and was intended to be the pilot for the series.
    • One of four story arcs to be adapted into a book.

• (2) Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?: Jamal is angered when Mr. Brinker (Max Wright), 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, which itself was a cover for a much more serious crime that he committed. Ghostwriter reveals himself to both Craig and Tina. Guest stars: Samuel L. Jackson as Jamal's dad, Jeremy Miller as Craig, and Lou Albano as the taxi driver interviewed by Gaby and Tina.
  • Part 1: November 1, 1992
  • Part 2: November 8, 1992
  • Part 3: November 15, 1992
  • Part 4: November 22, 1992
  • Notes:
    • Craig does not appear again in the series and is never referred to again.
    • This story arc 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 arc 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. Also, the main cast members appear much younger than they did in 'Ghost Story'.

• (3) 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, because of his withdrawn nature, but that status changes once Ghostwriter reveals himself to him. Eventually Alex realizes that one of his many pen pals might be involved in the dirty politics, and might be leaking info to the real dirty politician, Calvin Ferguson (Joey Shea), whose main goal is to keep Alex from winning. Guest star: Dulé Hill appears as a basketball player during two episodes.
  • Part 1: November 29, 1992
  • Part 2: December 6, 1992
  • Part 3: December 13, 1992
  • Part 4: December 20, 1992
  • Notes:
    • Rob joins the cast in this story arc.
    • The actor portraying Calvin Ferguson is replaced beginning with this story arc.

• (4) Into the Comics: Lenni persuades the team to enter 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 named Manny Gites (Mike Jefferson), who will stop at nothing to win the contest disguised as his own character, Stoop Dude. Meanwhile, Rob continues to be distant from the team, but makes friends with an eccentric homeless poet. Guest stars: David Patrick Kelly makes his first appearance as Double-T and Spike Lee cameos as Special Agent Pete in this story arc.
  • Part 1: December 27, 1992
  • Part 2: January 3, 1993
  • Part 3: January 10, 1993
  • Part 4: January 17, 1993

• (5) 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, while the rest of the team use some of Double T's poems and learn of his service in the Vietnam War, to assist in the search. Guest stars: David Patrick Kelly returns as Double-T and Kristy Graves as Lisa.
  • Part 1: January 24, 1993
  • Part 2: January 31, 1993
  • Part 3: February 7, 1993
  • Part 4: February 14, 1993
  • Part 5: February 21, 1993
  • Notes:
    • This story arc and 'Ghost Story' are the only stories to have five episodes. The rest all conclude in four.

• (6) 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. Suspects are plenty as many people from Lana's past, including family members, and other movie stars have reason to hold grudges against Lana. But the stalker Roberta Halton (Elaine Kussack) is the one person who holds the biggest grudge of all. Guest stars: Shawn Elliott as Mr. Fernandez, Gretchen Krich as Janine, and Patricia Barry as Lana Barnes.
  • Part 1: March 7, 1993
  • Part 2: March 14, 1993
  • Part 3: March 21, 1993
  • Part 4: March 28, 1993

• (7) 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 (commonly known as "perc") has been illegally dumped in the ground under the garden and is to blame. As the authorities cannot remove the barrels in a reasonable amount of time, unless the guilty party is tracked down, the team sets off to find the person responsible for such a dirty act. Investigation eventually leads to a local philanthropist named John Miller (Brian Reddy), who may not be the "Citizen of the Year" that he seems. Guest stars: Caroline Lagerfelt as Sally Lewis, Orlagh Cassidy as Officer Cole, Melinda Mullins as Fannie Mae Banner, and Madhur Jaffrey as Dr. Singhla.
  • Part 1: April 11, 1993
  • Part 2: April 18, 1993
  • Part 3: April 25, 1993
  • Part 4: April 25, 1993

• (8) 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, Victor Torres, a former member of the gang who had quit after his brother became permanently disabled after a gang war, appears to be the prime suspect, but Rob is determined to prove that someone is out to frame Victor. Someone in the school named Tony Boyd (Greg Young) holds a personal grudge against him. Victor Sierra as Victor, Eugene Byrd as Walter Haines, and Afi McClendon as Jasmine guest star.
  • Part 1: April 25, 1993
  • Part 2: May 2, 1993
  • Part 3: May 9, 1993
  • Part 4: July 4, 1993

Season 2 (1993–94)

• (9) 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 cannot 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? Somehow the whole story arc may just be a fancy game of hyperball, the infamous Galaxy Girl game, initiated by someone who is determined to teach the producer of "Galaxy Girl" a lesson. Guest stars: Eddie T. Robinson as Lamant (Jamal's bully), Judge Reinhold as Brett Pierce, and Daisy Fuentes as Galaxy Girl.
  • Part 1: September 12, 1993
  • Part 2: September 19, 1993
  • Part 3: September 26, 1993
  • Part 4: October 3, 1993
  • Notes:
    • Gaby has a dream where she hugs Ghostwriter in this episode, and he appears only as a hooded, shadowy figure.

• (10) 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. Lenni sides with her father, and Alex and Gaby side with their father. Tina is also involved because she had witnessed the accident and had unintentionally provided testimony against Mr. Fernandez to the press. While Jamal tries to ease increasing tensions, Rob withdraws, unable to handle the fighting. The rift starts to make Ghostwriter fade away, and Calvin Ferguson makes things worse by trying to investigate who 'GW' is (he caught Rob talking to "GW" in school) and makes attempts to further sabotage the team. Rob eventually helps Jamal get the team back together in time to solve the mystery of an art thief, as the culprit Daniel O'Connor (Jonathan Salinger) may also be indirectly responsible for the car accident. The story arc ends with an unknown hand writing a distress call, causing Ghostwriter to abruptly leave the team. Guest stars: Joey Shea as Calvin and Bo Jackson as the security guard.
  • Part 1: October 3, 1993
  • Part 2: October 10, 1993
  • Part 3: October 17, 1993
  • Part 4: October 24, 1993
  • Notes:
    • This is the only story arc to end with a cliffhanger into the next one.

• (11) 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, as if he is not cleared, he will be sent to live in an orphanage. Meanwhile, Jamal learns his dad is getting very sick, and clearing Frank's name may be the only link to his recovery, as he played an important role in Jamal's father's childhood. Guest stars: 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.
  • Part 1: October 31, 1993
  • Part 2: November 7, 1993
  • Part 3: November 17, 1993
  • Part 4: November 24, 1993
  • Notes:
    • Ghostwriter reveals himself to Frank, Catherine, and Lucy in this story arc.
    • Catherine Canellan-Flynn is the only adult ever to see Ghostwriter during the series.
    • One of four story arcs to be adapted into a book. The episode takes place in 1993, the original air date. The book adaptation's current time is 1996, the year it was published.

• (12) Lost in Brooklyn: Tina befriends a foreign exchange student, Safira (Madala Hilaire), 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. But, in her search, she herself becomes lost and in a dangerous position. Meanwhile, Rob learns he has to move to Australia. Alex's new friend Hector meets Ghostwriter and goes on to take Rob's place on the team. Guest stars: Cathy Rigby as Mrs. Dozier and K. Todd Freeman as Malenga.
  • Part 1: November 28, 1993
  • Part 2: December 5, 1993
  • Part 3: December 12, 1993
  • Part 4: December 19, 1993
  • Notes:
    • Ghostwriter reveals himself to Hector in this story arc.
    • Rob leaves the series and Hector joins the cast in this arc.

• (13) Who Is Max Mouse?: A hacker who goes by the name Max Mouse online 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, as well as catch the student Janice Hall (Danielle McGovern) responsible for infecting the system. Guest stars: Ellen Foley as Ms. Kelly, Greg Lee as Mr. Aucoin, and Julia Stiles as Erica Dansby.
  • Part 1: December 26, 1993
  • Part 2: January 3, 1994
  • Part 3: January 10, 1994
  • Part 4: January 16, 1994

• (14) 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. It turns out that the target is not Lenni, but Jade, her producer. The team wrestles with the mystery of the accidents, as well as trying to babysit Jamal's cousin, Casey, who ends up meeting Ghostwriter. Guest stars: Robin Leach as Marlon, Annabelle Gurwitch as Jade, and Mia Korf as Sonia, as well as cameos from hip hop trio 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 story arc.
  • Part 1: January 23, 1994
  • Part 2: January 23, 1994
  • Part 3: February 6, 1994
  • Part 4: February 13, 1994
  • Notes:
    • MTV is featured prominently in name and in logo during this story arc.
    • Ghostwriter reveals himself to Casey and she joins the cast in this story arc.

• (15) 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 story arc aired both on PBS and in broadcast syndication with a preface read out by the actors portraying Gaby and Mr. Fernandez before the start of each part. Guest stars: 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.
  • Part 1: April 10, 1994
  • Part 2: April 17, 1994
  • Part 3: April 24, 1994
  • Part 4: May 1, 1994

Season 3 (1994–95)

• (Special) Ghostwriter 3-part Special: Katie Couric visits the set and interviews Lenni and Jamal during breaks of the re-run of the entire "Am I Blue?" story arc. 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.

• (16) 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. Guest stars: Paul Francis and Candace Hallinan as Sam and Becky, and Julia Stiles as Erica Dansby.
  • Part 1: October 2, 1994
  • Part 2: October 9, 1994
  • Part 3: October 16, 1994
  • Part 4: October 23, 1994
  • Notes:
    • Ghostwriter reveals himself to Sam and Becky.
    • This is Mayteana Morales's last story arc playing Gaby.
    • One of four stories to be adapted into a book.

• (17) Four Days of the Cockatoo: Gaby discovers a rare bird not realizing that it is sought by a smuggler named Aubodon Poulet (Kevin Chamberlin) determined to claim the bird as his latest taxidermy prize.
  • Part 1: October 30, 1994
  • Part 2: November 6, 1994
  • Part 3: November 13, 1994
  • Part 4: November 20, 1994
  • Notes:
    • Melissa Gonzales portrays Gaby beginning with this story arc.

• (18) Attack of the Slime Monster: The Team helps Casey write her own story for a contest revolving around the "Gooey Gus" doll.
  • Part 1: January 22, 1995
  • Part 2: January 29, 1995
  • Part 3: February 5, 1995
  • Part 4: February 12, 1995
  • Notes:
    • One of four story arcs to be adapted 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 currently out of print, but can still be found in some libraries in the 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 one of Ghostwriter would be released on DVD by Shout! Factory. The five-disc set, running 870 minutes long, was released on June 8, 2010,^[1] featuring a trivia game and a casebook as bonus materials.^[2]

References