«Not just for horror and science fiction fans»
[This review is spoiler-free!]
SHOW OVERVIEW
For those of you like me who would pass by this show because of its supernatural ties, know that it is full of substance, not relying on any dazzling paranormal special effects to compensate for lack of depth. As another reviewer notes, the show uses the ghosts to explore human relationships, both among the living and the dead, rather than just for scares or oohs and ahhs. To classify it, the show is a drama with some laughs, romance, mystery, and moments of horror mixed in.
CHARACTERS: Even more so than plot and Melinda's day-to-day hauntings, Ghost Whisperer is about quality character development. The main characters are likable, and relatable, despite their extraordinary brushes with the afterlife. A few episodes in, and you feel like you know them personally, so you care about them. Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the gifted protagonist who runs an antique shop, is simply a good person: she's compassionate, thoughtful, empathetic, and genuine. Rather than see her as impossibly pure-hearted, and grow irritated with her seemingly unfailing goodness, you admire her. She also maintains her relatability--when she tears up, so will you! Though I agree with many viewers that the generous necklines characteristic of her wardrobe--to put it delicately--are needlessly distracting, and Hewitt's fake lashes are a bit too much, somehow Melinda's down-to-earth personality seems genuine enough that you grow to overlook her over-the-top showcasing.
Melinda's husband, Jim Clancy (David Conrad), a paramedic and firefighter, is similarly sincere. He's sensitive, caring, understanding, and supportive, all while upholding his masculinity, refreshingly. As a couple, Melinda and Jim share a touching emotional connection--and perhaps too perfect a relationship, some say. But this is my response: Shows do not offer us a look at any character's life 24/7. What we are shown are the times that best exemplify the characters. If in the first episode and multiple ones thereafter, we had seen Jim and Melinda get in a tiff, what would our impression be of their relationship as a whole? We'd think their marriage was tumultuous. Instead, we are offered a picture of a typically harmonious couple, so that when there IS a conflict--such as in the season 6 episode "Dead Ringer"--we immediately realize the gravity of the issue pitting them against each other.
PLOT: Storylines per episode involve Melinda communicating with earthbound spirits and the loved ones those spirits left behind, helping them conduct their "unfinished business with the living." They start with an encounter and end with what always aims to be a poignant, upbeat closure. While I agree with some viewers that the plots are predictable to the point of redundancy, I disagree that such patterning detracts from the show. Just look at crime shows like CSI. You know there is going to be some wrongdoing, and that the show will likely open with the event and close with the crime's resolution and the capture of the culprit. But you still watch the show, and perhaps you even re-watch episodes even once the mystery is gone because you want to revisit a particular storyline or character. That's how it is with Ghost Whisperer.
Underlying these spurts of action is a greater, more sinister plot that we are reminded of every few episodes: the growing power among the dark earthbound spirits. Both the lesser plots and this greater one highlight Melinda's relationship with those close to her, while more broadly demonstrating the impact each of us has on the lives of others. Thus, Ghost Whisperer is more about human stories than it is about ghost stories. For this reason, the show does not go too far and stays intriguing even for those viewers who claim no religion or have no interest in the horror and science fiction genres.
SPECIAL FEATURES
There are a good number of special features throughout the seasons, including deleted scenes, audio commentary, and blooper reels (which are not there for every episode), as well as interactive games; behind-the-scenes sneak-peeks at wardrobe, ghost make-up, the cast, and the music; and miscellaneous tidbits such as "A Tour of Grandview" and "Ghost Whisperer Mythology."
**Note: The Season One box reads, "Some music has been changed in this home entertainment version," and Season Two reads, "Some episodes may be edited from their original network version," without specifying how.
*A NOTE ON WHERE TO BUY*
Amazon has recently had new boxsets for sale at as little as $85, the best price I've found. Here are some of the competitors' prices as of May 10, 2010:
Wal-Mart: $153, Borders: $146, Best Buy: $125, Target: $114, Books a Million: $113, Barnes and Noble: $112
[Sunday, May 16, 2010]
|