Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer has been shown on E4 in the UK, and has recently started playing on ABC1 in the UK, but in the US they are half way though season 2 and that's where I've watched up to. I only 'discovered' this show a couple of weeks ago but I've watched all the episodes. ... Read review
Advantages: Great cast, great storylines, moving, engaging, ... an all round great show Disadvantages: Sometimes repetitive
Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer has been shown on E4 in the UK, and has recently started playing on ABC1 in the UK, but in the US they are half way though season 2 and that's where I've watched up to. I only 'discovered' this show a couple of weeks ago but I've watched all the episodes. It's unusual for me to become that attached to a show, so this must be something special!
Plot
Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love ... ...of the family/friend/acquaintance that the ghost is trying to contact and attempts to tell them what's going on - not an easy task!
Would you believe a woman who turns up on your doorstep telling you that your family member/friend is trying to contact you from beyond the grave and that Melinda is the only one who can see them? In the end, she always gets them on her side, and together they help the spirit to cross over into the light. ... more
Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer has been shown on E4 in the UK, and has recently started playing on ABC1 in the UK, but in the US they are half way though season 2 and that's where I've watched up to. I only 'discovered' this show a couple of weeks ago but I've watched all the episodes. It's unusual for me to become that attached to a show, so this must be something special!
Plot Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) just moved to the town of Grandview which her newly married husband (David Conrad). With her friend Andrea (Aisha Tyler), Melinda runs an antique store. She has a normal life and a normal family. Except for one very important fact - Melinda can see and speak to people who have died.
According to the show, sometimes when people die, their spirits/souls/ghosts (the show changes back and forth between these two terms almost indistinctively) don't immediately cross over into the light, instead they are held to our world for various reason, 'unfinished business' - some have messages or warning to convey, others need to settle family disputes before they can be at peace, a few don't know they've died and have to be told. This is where Melinda comes in. These souls/spirits find Melinda and pester her for help. She's the only one who can see them, and talk to them. After joining together all the clues they leave her, Melinda goes in search of the family/friend/acquaintance that the ghost is trying to contact and attempts to tell them what's going on - not an easy task!
Would you believe a woman who turns up on your doorstep telling you that your family member/friend is trying to contact you from beyond the grave and that Melinda is the only one who can see them? In the end, she always gets them on her side, and together they help the spirit to cross over into the light.
Although the she show is about ghosts and the dead, a lot of the time that isn't the primary focus of the show: it's about love and friendships, helping people, learning about yourself. Each time Melinda develops a close relationship with the people she's helping and gets involved in their lives, and people from past events often help her with others.
Somehow, Melinda manages to keep her gift a secret from those who live in Grandview except for a chosen few (best friend, family, husband).
On going storylines? Each episode is a new story with a new ghost/s for Melinda to help. Aside from that there is only a tiny amount of continuous story running through the season. Mostly its just her and Jim's (the husband) relationship as a newly wed couple developing, and Melinda's antique shop growing. You could watch pretty much any episode and fully understand what was going on. The opening of each show gives you enough knowledge of her gift to appreciate the show:
"My name is Melinda Gordon. I'm married, I live in a small town and I own an antique shop. I might be just like you, except that from the time I was a little girl I knew I could talk to the dead. Earth bound spirits my grandmother called them. They're stuck here because they have unfinished business with the living and they come to me for help. In order to tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs."
Cast As well the spirits being played by new actors each week, there is of course the cast that moves from episode to episode. Mostly this includes Melinda, her best friend Andrea and her husband Jim. There are also a lot of kids who make appearances, and they're sometimes the most heart wrenching storylines.
Jennifer Love Hewitt: as title character, she obviously has the biggest role. She's an amazing actress and totally perfect for the role of Melinda. Although insanely attractive, she's still a very approachable looking character and you can believe that she is as loving and caring as her character.
Aisha Tyler: Melinda's best friend and co-manager of the antique store. She's one of the few who know about Melinda's gift and regularly helps her to figure things out when needed. Like a true best friend, she's always ready to help Melinda out, and Aisha Tyler is a great choice for that.
David Conrad: as Melinda's husband, Jim is also a rock for her. Mostly he watches from the sidelines, but occasionally he gets thrown into a more front seat position. David Conrad portrays this well. He is great at being in the background, but still a prominent figure throughout.
Special Effects & Soundtrack In a show about ghosts and passing over, there has got to be a decent amount of well-done special effects. This show has that. Mostly it's flashing lights and things like that, but combined with an adequately creepy soundtrack, the show builds up a lot of tension and drama throughout. One of the main effects is the appearance and disappearance of the ghosts. When we're in Melinda's shoes, we can see everything, all the ghosts and spirits around her. Then half a second later, we're in someone else's viewpoint and the ghost is gone. This is always done with the upmost continuity in everything - facial expressions, standing positions, even hair in the wind. This is part of what makes the show feel real and believably. Music and sound effects are one of the things that gives anything its atmosphere, and Ghost Whisperer fulfils that wonderfully. Sometimes it's a heavy 'spooky' sound that makes you know there is a presence there, other times it's a soft gentle classical piece in the background of a scene.
Spooky? The first 20minutes or so of each 1hour show is usually the spookiest bit. At that point, the ghost has made its presence known to Melinda, but she usually doesn't quite know why, and they aren't very attractive to the eye at that point. Once they've fully taken on human form and spoken to Melinda, they feel like just another member f the cast and the show is no longer spooky, instead you're left longing for them to cross over and finally be at peace.
Do you have to believe? Personally, I don't believe in ghosts. Partly that's because I think when you die, its over, but also because if I did believe I would get freaked out a lot more when I'm alone at night and things like that. Even without believing, I love this show and everything about it. Jennifer Love Hewitt is quoted as saying (along the lines of): if you believe, it'll reinforce what you already feel. But if you don't, maybe it'll change your mind. If not, it's just a good show!
My favourite episodes? I'm not going to go through every single episode, because personally I find those reviews quite boring. Instead I'll just tell you about a couple of my favourite episodes. Both come very early in the first season, episodes two and three.
Episode two is about a young boy you died in a train accident. It was very sudden and the boy doesn't know he's died. The only way for the kid to cross over is to know he's dead, and his mother is the one who has to tell him so. Miranda has to convince the mother that a)she can see her son and b)that the mother has to tell him he's dead. If that wasn't challenge enough, Miranda and the kid have to stop his father from doing something to ruin his life. Its one of my favourite episodes because there are some very moving and sad scenes between mother and son.
Episode three is the story of twin girls, on of who recently died. Being twins, they can feel each other's presence, even after death. The parents of the remaining twin have put her in a psychiatric hospital after claims that she still felt her sister. Of course Melinda knows she isn't crazy and the twin is still there, and they have unfinished business. This one was a favourite because I just really liked the twin storyline.
Clichéd? Phrases like 'crossing over into the light' and tales of 'unfinished business' are all very cliché for any tv show about ghosts. Somehow, Ghost Whisperer manages to take all those clichés and still produce something that is a new concept and idea for a tv show.
Overall There's something special about this show, it's engaging and even from a 'non-believer', I still get tangled up in the storylines and moved by the drama on scene. The cast is all flawlessly chosen and the storylines are well written. Occasionally scenes seem repetitive as Melinda repeats everything ghosts say to their loved ones, but one the whole she's good at paraphrasing so at least the same words aren't said twice. You don't need to have seen every episode to follow the story, as each episode gives enough back story to capture new watchers, without boring long time fans.
Give it a watch, you could find a new show you'll love.Currently this is on at 10pm on Tuesdays on ABC1
Advantages: well written scripts, able cast, refreshing take on the genre Disadvantages: none I can think of
Every now and again, a show comes along that I decide to watch just because nothing else is on, and it sounds vaguely interesting. This is one of those shows, and I am always rather pessimistically resigned to the fact that what sounds like a great premise will turn out to be utter dreck in execution. Reading the onscreen blurb from the on screen TV guide, I knew that this show was about a young woman who could see and speak to ghosts. I was rather ... ...braced myself to be disappointed. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised, and found myself adding it to my planner so that I would not miss the next episode.
The basic premise of woman sees the dead and talks to their spirits may on the face of it seem like a plot lifted from the already successful Medium, but this show is actually a completely different kettle of fish. Melinda Gordon is a young recently married young woman who has moved to the idyllic ...
Shroud 08.10.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghost Whisperer
Advantages: Jennifer Love Hewitt plays her character perfectly, exciting, involving and emtional Disadvantages: None
Ghost Whisperer is a brilliant supernatural US series about Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who has just recently got married to her wonderful fire-fighter fiancé, Jim (David Conrad), and has moved to a lovely new house to start their lives as newlyweds together. Although life sounds perfect, Melinda has a gift that puts a lot of pressure on her life and relationship - she is able to see ghosts, or dead people. These ghosts are still earthbound ... ...believe her so that the ghost can eventually pass over and be at rest. Melinda inherited this gift from her grandmother when she was only a little girl and she has had to come to terms with the fact that she is different. She rarely sees her mother because of her gift but her husband is the rock that she depends on, although Jim sometimes finds it hard as she can become so involved in these ghosts and their family's lives. There is a general storyline ...
frankiefromings13 12.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghost Whisperer
Advantages: Something new Disadvantages: Location limit
...havent seen many episodes of Ghost Whisperers yet but what i have seen appears to be a great series. The series is about Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who can communicate with dead people. These dead people are usualy not ready to cross from one side to the other, she discovers their problems and then when it is solved they can then cross in peace.
There seem to be alot of TV programmes based on ghost hunters and contacting the dead nowdays, ... ...like a good challenge.
" Ghost Whisperer" as i have said is a great series. One thing that makes these sort of programmes so good is that "what if factor" This added in with the mystery side makes it great viewing. Its good to see a programme with that diffent angle. I mean its no different really from programmes like "Touched by an Angel" or even "The A Team" in a sense that they all have particular skills to assist someone somewhere with the troubles ...
nebcsa17th 26.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghost Whisperer
Advantages: Amazing through running plot line, no one's safe Disadvantages: No three-way conversations anymore
As season two of Ghost Whisperer ends, I keep thinking back to the very odd adverts E4 used to show for it. E4 has a tendency to mock things in their adverts, it's just the way they are. For some reason either it put people off Ghost Whisperer or they simply decided they did not want season two. At least we still got season two in the UK though. I warn you now; this review does mention what happens in the season two cliff-hanger. I spent season one ... ...huge massive advertising billboard of Ghost Whisperer season one DVD. Maybe it wasn't such a little show, I realised. The season one cliff-hanger was amazing. I had my sneaky suspicions earlier on in the episode that maybe the lovely Andrea was dead, but Melinda certainly never gave it away. I wondered how on Earth they could trump that, what on Earth could happen in season two that would live up to the amazing season finale. Last year, Living started ...
elisemarie9 07.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghost Whisperer
...me? The first series of Ghost Whisperer.
Second Sight: The clairvoyants of Ghost Whisperer.
A tour of Grandview
Ghost Whisperer Mythology
Scare Tactics
Deleted Scenes
Audio commentaries by cast and crew on selected episodes
Blooper reel.
The box set is a fantastic modern 6th sense series which is compelling and will leave you after more.
I bought this and thought it would petrify me but how totally wrong I was! Some episodes look scary and ...
kimberley1986 27.11.2007 (21.08.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Ghost Whisperer
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Advantages: A great line up of trash TV Disadvantages: How many episodes of Charmed can you watch in one day!
without it all getting abit too heavy. It is the OK/Heat magazine of the television world.
My other half loves Charmed and can sit and watch that for hours at a time...there are usually three episodes on a day so there is no shortage of it on in our house!
Other highlights have to include America's Next Top Model - One of the cheesiest programmes ever made...but what a programme...bitching, fighting and arguing...and that is just the judges!
Many of the programmes are repeated throughout the day and there is also a Living + 1 and a Living 2 now - such is the populariy of the channel.
Spiritual Mediums make up most of the afternoon slots, along with chat show extremes such as Jerry Springer and Maury Povich.
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excelsior81 29.07.2009
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Advantages: Not bad shows Disadvantages: Too many repeats and repeated too soon , far too many adverts .
years ago and that was written into the story and was when the Grandad , James Garner , appeared . The repeats of this show are so erratic that you will watch John Ritter , then a show about his death , then go back to an early episode and then suddenly be back ages after his death.
Concluding about the freeview viewing of ABC1 I think the best way is to watch the odd stand alone comedy show for what it is . A bit of easy entertainment .
However I think the best advice of all , is , don't tune in .
There must be better things to do or watch .
Thanks for reading
copyright Eiley
Additional - Childrens programmes such as Winnie the Pooh cartoons are shown daily at 7.15am but not for long .
Programmes such as GhostWhisperer appear later in an evening but outside of Freeview time scales . ...
grafter123 17.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of ABC1
Advantages: Stunning main cast, different premise Disadvantages: Does it know what it is?
I tend to hear about new US TV shows a while before they get over the to the UK and then spend months waiting for them to get over here and wondering what TV channels they are going to be on. From past experience certain TV stations are notoriously bad with certain genres of show. I have a problem with a terrestrial TV channel for their abuse of science fiction shows dropped for sport, shown in the wrong order and never ever advertised, so I'm always sceptical of new shows being shown on them. Then there's E4 which shows comedies brilliantly (Friends, Scrubs), but didn't do so well with GhostWhisperer. Did they decide that the science fiction/fantasy realm just was not for them? Or did it just not take off over here? I'm not sure, so when I discovered that it was E4 that was going to be showing a new hour long show Reaper, I assumed it ...
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