by Lane Maguire

“I may be just like you…except that from the time I was a little girl, I knew that I could talk to the dead. Earthbound spirits my grandmother called them, ghosts that have unfinished business with the living and they come to me for help,” the show begins. No, I am not talking about “Lost,” “Glee,” “Pretty Little Liars” or “Modern Family.” I’m talking about “Ghost Whisperer.” Ever heard of it? Most people haven’t. I know, a show about ghosts does sound weird. But, everyone thought a book about vampires would be weird too, yet “Twilight” became a world-wide phenomenon. So I’m not embarrassed to admit that “Ghost Whisperer” is my newest addiction.

“Ghost Whisper” is a supernatural drama that follows the life of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt, aka “the lady from the ‘Garfield’ movie,” as my brother feels the need to point out every episode), who has “gift” to see and communicate with the dead. Each episode, she encounters a new ghost who needs help completing unfinished business with the living before the ghost or “earthbound spirit” can cross over into the light. The show ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010, although reruns still occasionally play (lucky for me, or I would have never known about the show). It was cancelled after five seasons due to rising costs and declining viewership (so I guess not everyone agrees with me that “Ghost Whisper” has the potential to reach the same popularity as “Twilight”).

My “Ghost Whisper” addiction began this summer when my mom, brother and sister saw a rerun of the show one night. My brother checked to see whether the show was on Netflix (my brother probably watches about five hours of Netflix a day –anything from “iCarly” to “South Park”- so he didn’t even stop to think about the consequences of adding another show to his ‘recently watched’ list) and, unfortunately, it was. I say unfortunately because that realization meant that we could watch episode after episode without limit (both a perk and a downside to Netflix). I admit, I was skeptical (as I’m sure you still are) when my mom, brother and sister told me about their new find. But before long, I, along with the rest of my family, found myself hopelessly addicted. Over the summer, my family and I watched two to three shows religiously every night. Now that summer is over we have had to limit our “Ghost Whisper” intake to two to three shows a week. Here are the top three reasons that I would recommend this show to anyone willing to sacrifice a little sleep and study time:

1. Predictable: First, a ghost appears to Melinda both physically and through visions that the ghost is able to send her. The ghost’s motives are at first vague and mysterious, making the ghost out as having a mean demeanor. Once Melinda does a little research (she is very nifty on the Internet) and investigating, she learns that the ghost won’t go into the light usually because there is some sort of misunderstanding between the ghost and a living acquaintance. The ghost is either seeking to make amends or get revenge. Melinda consults with the living acquaintance. She begins her explanation to the living with, “I have a gift,” and after an unrealistically small amount of hesitation, the living accepts her ability and the fact that the dead are among them. Once the ghost realizes the misunderstanding, he or she goes into the light as Melinda sheds some tears. The End. Knowing this basic plot line actually makes for a more enjoyable viewing experience, as viewers can laugh at the predictably and guess at the outcome. Don’t be mistaken though: it’s not so obvious that it’s not worth watching.
2. Humorous: “Ghost Whisperer” is sort of a twist on classic ghost stories in that it is more humorous than scary. I hate scary movies/shows, so “Ghost Whisperer” is perfect for me. My brother, Max, on the other hand, can’t watch the show without another person on either side of him. He throws a fit if he can’t find two people willing to sandwich him on the couch (I try to avoid being part of the sandwich because Max has a habit of screaming, jumping, and hand-clenching). But trust me, unless you are like Max and are too afraid to go the bathroom without the door open, I think you will be okay. The unrealistic storyline of “Ghost Whisper” makes for a more humorous rather than scary show. Aside from the ghosts and supernatural occurrences that obviously contribute to the unrealistic storyline, this show is most humorously unrealistic in the way that people usually accept Melinda’s gift to see the dead with little denial. To begin with, Melinda’s gift is supposedly a big secret. She never even tells one of her best friends. Yet, each episode whenever Melinda has to confront someone about an issue with their former acquaintance/ now ghost, she finds it necessary to be open about her ability. Listen for the classic line in every episode: “I have a gift.” You would think that in such a small town as Grandview, NY (the made-up setting for the show), everyone would know about her gift by now (even though her best friend doesn’t have a clue). If her constant hints about her ability didn’t give it away, then you would think her strange behavior would. Melinda’s visions often put her in awkward positions that force her to come up with a quick alibi for her strange behavior (such as talking to herself or finding herself lying on the floor).
3. Jim: Jim Clancy (David Conrad), a firefighter/paramedic/doctor, is Melinda’s handsome husband. All of the women on the show gush over him, but not just because he’s good looking; he is also the nicest and most down-to-earth character on the show. He is portrayed (probably unrealistically) as the ideal husband who is willing to drop everything for Melinda and listen to all of her ghost issues. So maybe it’s just me, but Jim may just be the next Edward Cullen. If it is just me, you may still find other characters just as likable and compelling.

Before the title and anything I’ve said in this blog scares you away, give “Ghost Whisperer” a try and you may just find yourself completely addicted.