Ghost Whisperer is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010.
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 do not believe in her gift. In addition, the ghosts are mysterious and sometimes menacing at first, and Melinda must use the clues available to her to understand the spirits' needs and help them. The show was created by John Gray and was produced by Sander/Moses Productions, executive producer, and Jennifer Love Hewitt in association with ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.
On May 18, 2010, CBS canceled the series after five seasons.
Premise Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is a young woman from the town of Grandview, New York, who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead. Melinda lives with her husband, Jim Clancy (David Conrad), and later their son Aiden (Connor Gibbs). She owns a shop called "Same as It Never Was Antiques".
Each ghost seeks Melinda's help in relaying a message or completing a task that will put their spirit to rest, and allow them to cross over into the light. Those who died with unfinished business become earthbound and cannot cross over, and Melinda, as their earthly representative, helps them to find peace. The show does not present the ghosts as having sinned; rather it is the spirits' own guilt that condemns them, and their own fear of judgment that keeps them from "crossing over" into an afterlife.
The series also starred Aisha Tyler as Andrea Marino, Melinda's best friend, who runs the antique shop with her. Andrea is killed in the finale of season 1 when she was driving to her brother's apartment located in the city. During the premiere of season 2, Melinda meets Delia Banks (Camryn Manheim), a struggling real estate agent who forms a friendship with Melinda and who eventually agrees to run the antique shop with her. Delia is a widow. Her husband died prior to the show. Delia is shocked to find out about Melinda's abilities; in fact, at first she claims Melinda needs psychological help. Delia eventually accepts Melinda's gift, though she remains skeptical at times. Delia has a son named Ned Banks (Tyler Patrick Jones and Christoph Sanders) who finds out about Melinda's gift long before his mother does.
Melinda also forms a friendship with Rick Payne (Jay Mohr), a professor at Rockland University. He helps Melinda solve the conflicts of ghosts throughout the Ghost Whisperer season 2 and season 3. He departs in the fourth season premiere for an expedition in the Himalayas. The same episode introduced Eli James (Jamie Kennedy), another professor at the university, who goes through a near-death experience which unlocks an ability to hear ghosts. Unlike Melinda, he cannot see them. He becomes a close friend to Melinda and helps her investigate the hauntings.
Episodes
Cast
Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon Aisha Tyler as Andrea Marino (seasons 1–2) David Conrad as Jim Clancy / Sam Lucas Camryn Manheim as Delia Banks (seasons 2–5) Jay Mohr as Professor Rick Payne (recurring season 2; main season 3; special guest season 4) Tyler Patrick Jones (season 2) and Christoph Sanders (seasons 3–5) as Ned Banks (recurring seasons 2–3; main seasons 4–5) Jamie Kennedy as Professor Eli James (seasons 4–5)
Notes
Production
Development Ghost Whisperer is based in part on the work of Mary Ann Winkowski. Development of the show dates back to at least two years before its premiere. James Van Praagh was a co-executive producer and consultant on the show.John Gray, creator of the show
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 to four.
The show was filmed on the Universal Studios back lot in Los Angeles.Universal Studios Hollywood – What's New Cast and crew members said they believed that the set got visits from real spirits. After the show's cancellation and shortly before the sets were torn down, Jennifer Love Hewitt filmed a tour demonstrating the ways in which the areas were different from those shown in the TV broadcast.
Sound effects were completed at Smart Post Sound. Visual effects for the pilot and some season one episodes were completed at Flash Film Works. Visual effects for nearly the entire series were created at Eden FX. Roy Forge Smith, who frequently collaborated with John Gary, was the production designer on 44 episodes of the show, spanning two seasons, from 2005 to 2007.
Release Broadcast Season one premiered on September 23, 2005, and ended on May 5, 2006. It received an average of 10.20million viewers. 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. CBS officially renewed the show for a third season placing it in its regular Friday 8 p.m. ET time slot. The third season premiered September 28, 2007. Twelve episodes were completed before the Writers Guild of America strike, and once the strike ended, CBS had announced that the show would return April 4, 2008, with six episodes. On February 15, 2008, CBS renewed Ghost Whisperer for a fourth season. For the fourth season, Jamie Kennedy joined the cast as Psychology professor Eli James. Jay Mohr left after the first episode as the plot had his character, Professor Rick Payne, going on sabbatical (Mohr took a role in Gary Unmarried). Recurring cast member Christoph Sanders joined as a regular cast member. The fourth season of Ghost Whisperer premiered on Friday, October 3, 2008, and concluded on May 15, 2009, and consisted of 23 episodes. In an interview by P.K. Simonds with E! Online, it was announced that Ghost Whisperer would return for a fifth season.Who Got Jennifer Love Hewitt Pregnant? , E! Online, March 13, 2009 CBS renewed Ghost Whisperer for the fifth season on May 20, 2009, which began airing on Friday, September 25, 2009, at 8 p.m. ET and ran for 22 episodes.
Syndication On May 5, 2008, it was announced that the first three seasons of Ghost Whisperer were purchased for $169.8million ($700,000 per episode, per network) for syndication by SYFY, Ion Television, and WeTV. Episodes began airing in mid-2009 on ION, and in the third quarter of 2009 on SYFY and We.and in Canada on CBC."Ghost Whisperer" to Haunt ION, SyFy and We , Broadcasting & Cable, May 5, 2008 The first four seasons began airing in syndication on CBC Television in Canada on August 31, 2009. It currently airs on Start TV every day at 5:00 AM EST.
Home media 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).
On March 17, 2015, CBS DVD released Ghost Whisperer - The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.
SeasonSpecificationsSpecial featuresRelease dates122 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 aspect ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround No subtitlesAudio commentaries Blooper reel Deleted scenes Two featurettes Virtual tour: Grandview Ghost Whisperer Mythology Scare TacticsRegion 1 October 31, 2006 Region 2 July 9, 2007 (Europe)April 23, 2008 (Japan) Region 3 May 29, 2007 (Hong Kong)June 19, 2007 (Korea) Region 4 May 23, 2007 (Australia) October 22, 2007 (Brazil)222 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 aspect ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Closed captionedAudio commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes The Other Side webseries Tarot cards Music videoRegion 1 September 18, 2007 Region 2 February 25, 2008 Region 3 April 8, 2008 (Hong Kong)July 26, 2008 (Korea) Region 4 April 2, 2008 (Australia) September 12, 2008 (Brazil)318 episodes 5 discs Video: Anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 aspect ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Closed captionedAudio commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes The Other Side II web series Interactive games Interactive Haunted House Interactive Mash up Melinda's Haunted DiaryRegion 1 September 2, 2008 Region 2 April 6, 2009 Region 3 March 3, 2009 Region 4 March 12, 2009 (Australia) May 12, 2009 (Brazil)423 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 aspect ratio Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Closed captionedAudio commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes The Other Side III web seriesRegion 1 September 22, 2009 Region 2 March 1, 2010 Region 3 N/A Region 4 March 9, 2010 (Australia) May 12, 2010 (Brazil) March 10, 2010 (Argentina)522 episodes 6 discs Video: Anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 aspect limo Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Closed captionedAudio commentaries Behind-the-scenes featurettes Celebrating 100 A Triple Threat A Season of Changes The Other Side IV web series Ghost Town Ghosts of Rockland MemorialRegion 1 October 12, 2010 Region 2 March 21, 2011 Region 3 N/A Region 4 March 2, 2011 (Australia) TBA (Brazil) TBA (Argentina)
Streaming The series is available to stream on The CW's free digital-only network, CW Seed.
The show's first 4 seasons are available on Hulu in the US and all 5 seasons are available on its sister streaming service Disney+ internationally.
Reception U.S. ratings
Season Episodes Originally aired U.S Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) Season premiere Season finale Rank Rating/share (18–49 demo) Viewers (in millions) 1 22 September 23, 2005 May 5, 2006 #47 2.9/10 10.20 2 22 September 22, 2006 May 11, 2007 #44 3.0/10 9.90 3 18 September 28, 2007 May 16, 2008 #64 2.4/8 8.67 4 23 October 3, 2008 May 15, 2009 #34 3.7/11 10.62 5 22 September 25, 2009 May 21, 2010 #54 1.9/6 7.78
Episodes in the first half of the fourth season won their time slot every week in viewers, and across all age demographics, including the 18–49 age bracket, and also usually won the night for CBS as the most-watched show on Friday nights. Furthermore, fourteen episodes from Season 4 surpassed 10million viewers, of which seven surpassed 11million viewers.
Cancellation On May 18, 2010, citing rising costs and a decline in viewership, CBS announced that Ghost Whisperer would not be renewed for another season. ABC expressed interest in picking up Ghost Whisperer for the 2010–11 U.S. television season; however, on May 27, 2010, Michael Ausiello reported that ABC had passed on renewing Ghost Whisperer for a sixth season.
In 2010, Zap2it declared Ghost Whisperer the second "most missed axed show" after a poll determined 19.4 percent of voters would miss it.
In October 2010, Jennifer Love Hewitt thanked the fans of the show for their support in a goodbye video (filmed in June 2010), saying "Your love and support has meant everything to the cast and crew of Ghost Whisperer and we will all miss you guys very, very much. Go get our DVDs, think about us, miss us and know how much we all will miss you. Much love."
In January 2011, Hewitt told the press of her opinion about the cancellation, saying "When you've taken people on a journey for so long, the least you can do is give them a goodbye. For a show that was about unfinished business, we didn't get to finish."