Jennyluvver
03-25-2006, 11:43 PM
TV Post: 'Ghost Whisperer'
By Kevin D. Thompson
Palm Beach Post Television Writer
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Of all the new fall shows, Ghost Whisperer has been one of my favorites. It won't be remembered come Emmy time, but CBS' "I see dead people" drama starring Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon, a woman who, well, sees dead people, has been both consistently entertaining and effectively heartwarming in a Touched by an Angel kind of way.
Here are five reasons why you'll always find Ghost Whisperer on my TiVo.
1. Jennifer Hewitt is in it: What can I say? Love is simply adorable. And if you've seen Love in those Hanes ads, you know how hot she is, too. But Melinda isn't supposed to be hot. She wears vintage clothes. She owns an antique shop. Her frighteningly long black 'do doesn't scream, "Vogue cover!" But that's OK because Hewitt's people-friendly smile and kind-hearted manner make Melinda such a winning TV character. Melinda is like Oprah for troubled spirits. She knows how to listen and wants nothing more than to help. If I were a dead spirit walking the Earth in limbo, Melinda would be the first person I'd call to help me cross over to the other side. After all, she's way cuter than John Edwards.
2. It's like watching a creepy horror movie: Many of the ghosts Melinda encounters certainly aren't friendly like Casper. Let's see: There was the dead bride hellbent on stopping her hubby's second marriage. Then there was the demon child who haunted his workaholic mother because she never spent any time with him while he was alive. That demon child also tried killing the family's new nanny. Yeah, the boy had issues, but it all worked out in the end like it always does. It's in those episodes where Ghost Whisperer gets an eerie Sixth Sense vibe that's big-screen menacing and spooky.
3. It forces you to keep facial tissues in the house: Like batteries, it's always wise to have a box of tissue in the house. How many times have you gone to blow your nose only to realize there was no tissue? Then you were forced to do the deed with sandpaper-hard paper towels that left your honker redder than Rudolph's. Well, if you're a Ghost Whisperer fan, you've been conditioned to keep a box of trusty tissues right next to your remote. Much like Barbara Walters on one of her prime time specials, Ghost Whisperer will make you cry. At the very least it'll get you a tad misty. I don't care if you're a hardened ex-con or the toughest NFL player alive, the writers knows how to push all the right emotional buttons to get the waterworks flowing. I mean, how could you not get a little teary eyed while watching Melinda help an 8-year-old spirit find her parents? You can't, is the answer.
4. It features TV's best marriage: On so many shows, married couples are sniping, arguing or cheating — sometimes all in the same scene. Not Melinda and do-right hubby, Jim (David Conrad). Sure, they get into a little tiff every now and again, but these puppy-dog-cute newlyweds are a walking advertisement for marital bliss. They cuddle. They laugh. They connect. They talk. They giggle. They make passionate love. They cuddle again. Most important, Melinda and David are partners. Soulmates. He's her best friend and she's his. Most men would have a tough time staying married to a woman who routinely chats with Earthbound spirits. Not Jim. He's a most understanding sort. It's probably the main reason Melinda married him (that and he's a hardbodied hunk) and why their marriage is so fun to watch.
5. It's uplifting and sentimental: Death is a scary thing. It's the big unknown. But Ghost Whisperer offers hope that there is a heavenly place where our spirits live forever once our time on Earth is up. And you can't deliver a more beautiful message than that.
By Kevin D. Thompson
Palm Beach Post Television Writer
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Of all the new fall shows, Ghost Whisperer has been one of my favorites. It won't be remembered come Emmy time, but CBS' "I see dead people" drama starring Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon, a woman who, well, sees dead people, has been both consistently entertaining and effectively heartwarming in a Touched by an Angel kind of way.
Here are five reasons why you'll always find Ghost Whisperer on my TiVo.
1. Jennifer Hewitt is in it: What can I say? Love is simply adorable. And if you've seen Love in those Hanes ads, you know how hot she is, too. But Melinda isn't supposed to be hot. She wears vintage clothes. She owns an antique shop. Her frighteningly long black 'do doesn't scream, "Vogue cover!" But that's OK because Hewitt's people-friendly smile and kind-hearted manner make Melinda such a winning TV character. Melinda is like Oprah for troubled spirits. She knows how to listen and wants nothing more than to help. If I were a dead spirit walking the Earth in limbo, Melinda would be the first person I'd call to help me cross over to the other side. After all, she's way cuter than John Edwards.
2. It's like watching a creepy horror movie: Many of the ghosts Melinda encounters certainly aren't friendly like Casper. Let's see: There was the dead bride hellbent on stopping her hubby's second marriage. Then there was the demon child who haunted his workaholic mother because she never spent any time with him while he was alive. That demon child also tried killing the family's new nanny. Yeah, the boy had issues, but it all worked out in the end like it always does. It's in those episodes where Ghost Whisperer gets an eerie Sixth Sense vibe that's big-screen menacing and spooky.
3. It forces you to keep facial tissues in the house: Like batteries, it's always wise to have a box of tissue in the house. How many times have you gone to blow your nose only to realize there was no tissue? Then you were forced to do the deed with sandpaper-hard paper towels that left your honker redder than Rudolph's. Well, if you're a Ghost Whisperer fan, you've been conditioned to keep a box of trusty tissues right next to your remote. Much like Barbara Walters on one of her prime time specials, Ghost Whisperer will make you cry. At the very least it'll get you a tad misty. I don't care if you're a hardened ex-con or the toughest NFL player alive, the writers knows how to push all the right emotional buttons to get the waterworks flowing. I mean, how could you not get a little teary eyed while watching Melinda help an 8-year-old spirit find her parents? You can't, is the answer.
4. It features TV's best marriage: On so many shows, married couples are sniping, arguing or cheating — sometimes all in the same scene. Not Melinda and do-right hubby, Jim (David Conrad). Sure, they get into a little tiff every now and again, but these puppy-dog-cute newlyweds are a walking advertisement for marital bliss. They cuddle. They laugh. They connect. They talk. They giggle. They make passionate love. They cuddle again. Most important, Melinda and David are partners. Soulmates. He's her best friend and she's his. Most men would have a tough time staying married to a woman who routinely chats with Earthbound spirits. Not Jim. He's a most understanding sort. It's probably the main reason Melinda married him (that and he's a hardbodied hunk) and why their marriage is so fun to watch.
5. It's uplifting and sentimental: Death is a scary thing. It's the big unknown. But Ghost Whisperer offers hope that there is a heavenly place where our spirits live forever once our time on Earth is up. And you can't deliver a more beautiful message than that.