TV Talk Discussion Group

Topic: More news on 11/21 Ghost Whisperer episode - True Love Story

Here is more news about Jim and Melinda. It might be a nice True Love Story but I think it is just weird and I wish it were back the way it was. This "Jim in another body" thing and them rediscovering themselves all over again is strange. I mean, they haven't been married that long. They were truly in love so it wasn't like the magic had gone out of their marriage and now they will find out how much they truly love each other. They were all set to have a baby together. I guess there is nothing more to do than watch how this all plays out. At least the Producers are happy on the way it is going. They will have to convince me, though.

The Ghost Whisperer Producers: A Second Chance at True Love

Here is an excerpt:

As you know, three-and-a-half years ago, the Ghost Whisperer pilot launched Jim and Melinda's relationship with their wedding. Because you, our fans, embraced their relationship so passionately (as evidenced online over the years) and because of the immense depth of talent and chemistry that Jennifer Love Hewitt (Melinda) and David Conrad (Jim) have on screen, we wanted to give Ghost Whisperer fans more of Jim and Melinda, in a deeper, richer way. That's why with next Friday's episode, "Heart and Soul", we at Ghost Whisperer are rebooting Jim and Melinda's love story. They will get something very few people ever get in life — a second chance at true love. Starting with Episode 408 — the key to moving forward in Season 4 — Ghost Whisperer fans will get to experience Jim and Melinda falling in love from the beginning.

Next Friday's very special episode was beautifully written by executive producer P.K. Simonds and co-executive producer Mark B. Perry. (P.K. and the Ghost Whisperer writing team are doing a brilliant job of engineering this amazing journey for all of us!) The episode was directed by Ian, who says Jennifer Love Hewitt and David Conrad were magical to work with on this show. And, while shooting the powerful scene between Delia (Camryn Manheim) and Melinda, the crew was moved to tears. The episode guest stars Screen Actors Guild nominee Roxanne Hart (Chicago Hope), Cotter Smith (X-Men 2), Todd Stashwick (The Riches), Ellen Woglom (Viva Laughlin) and Kenneth Mitchell (Jericho).

It also mentioned about last week's episode that - "...last Friday's episode — it was incredibly powerful. While John was shooting the "dancing" scene (which features the 1966 rock 'n roll classic "Good Lovin'" by The Rascals; Atlantic Records) that reunites Jim and Melinda, the actors, the extras and the crew were moved beyond belief. (We go through a lot of Kleenex during production on this show — but always in the name of 'hope')..."

I did love that scene. I thought that was quite different for a funeral but it was something that Jim would have liked and it helped Melinda to see Jim. The two dancing was very emotional. What's your feeling Richard or anyone else?

The episode of GW was much better than I thought it would be.Sam really crossed over,so what dim memories are in his body now belong to Jim-and I wonder how much more he will recall?He just might believe in Melinda's occult powers after a while-or even remember more about his past life!Chances are something like that will happen.Will the final episode of this season have another wedding for Melinda?(Boy,that would be an interesting twist,wouldn't it?)

What I really appreciated is that now Delia fully believes in Melinda's occult powers.Melinda now has a true confidant like she had in the beginning of the series...in fact,two true confidants since Delia's son always believed her-and now has more reason to.:-)

Replies: (list all replies)

Not to mention the steady job the *Sam* actor now has, ha ha! Granted he won't be in any extended scenes, I don't think, but we'll certainly see his face in mirrors now & then to show who everyone but Melinda is looking at! -Spell

I wouldn't call Melinda's gift 'the occult'. She doesn't summon the dead to her, they come to her without her asking them to. She isn't reading cards, having seances (sp) or playing w/boards to bring them to her. She has a genetic predisposition to being a medium, which is quite different. eom

---

Posted by: Rosebud1
Date posted: Sat Nov 22 14:55:03 2008
Message:
I was talking about this w/a friend last night.  IMO, their first mistake was killing off Melinda's business partner/friend.  The next mistake was sending off the Professor & replacing him w/Jamie Kennedy's character.  The lastest two mistakes (killing off Jim & then having him enter another body) fly in the face of what the show has already established for these characters, on many levels.  The importance of moving on, going into the light & not hanging onto this life after it is over has been the core message from the first episode.  Now they are doing what soaps have done, unsuccessfully, backtracked & assumed that the audience doesn't remember things established in the story.  I keep looking for James VonPrague (sp) to be out of the credits since they are straying so far afield.

Replies: (list all replies)

I agree with everything you said. I didn't like when Andrea was killed off. As for the Professor, I think it was only because Jay Mohr got his own series, which I don't think is doing too well. Maybe he might be back if his series is canceled. This thing with Jim is just strange and is definitely, like you say, going against the core message of this series. It just seems like they are consistently going for the shocker in order to keep the show going and, in fact, it is making it look ridiculous. ~ eom. Linda

I do believe Aisha Tyler (Andrea) left for another project, too; according to IMDb she's got two 2008 movies in post-production. But it's sad she decided (or it was decided for her) to be killed off, rather than just moving away as Jay Mohr's character did (if I'm remembering right). He can always come back! I'm not a big fan of his, but I sure liked Andrea and was really shocked when her character died! Well, I guess we can at least be grateful that she & Jim didn't die in the same season, ha ha! Whew, imagine the backlash from that. -Spell

---

Posted by: Vanessa
Date posted: Sat Nov 22 10:47:32 2008
Message:
This is an excuse now because they thought they were being cute and wanted to give JLH a chance to have different love interests on the show instead of a 'boring' or so they think, marriage. Now because of the fans reactions, they know they made a big mistake and want to fix it, and this is their way of doing it. Well, sorry, I don't like it and I probably won't watch anymore. It turns me off, just like I'm turned off by the stupid stuff on Grey's Anatomy about Denny and Izzie and him 'haunting' her every second. Stupid and lame, and I don't go for it.

Replies: (list all replies)

I don't think the producers are trying to 'fix a mistake'. From what I had read before the season started, this had all been planned back then. There were rumors of Jim dying but Jennifer kept saying ''nothing is as it seems'' so they must have had it planned to have him come back in another person's body before the fans had any say about it. I'm not real thrilled either that they did this but I will watch and give it a chance. Thanks for your feelings on the show. I think this is one of those ''either you like it or you don't'' type storylines. ~ eom. Linda

I dont think it was a mistake they fixed either. David Conrad made it known he wanted a bigger part in the show and I am pretty happy we get to see more of him. They are a great looking couple.

There were better ways, ways that didn't require destroying the basics of the show & established perameters. They've already established that, eventually, they have a child together. At this point, a child for them wouldn't physically be his, it would be Sam's. What about all the stuff that happened when that disabled teenager ghost wanted to go to his 10th graduation celebration, as a ghost, & 'borrowed' a body?! The 'borrowed' body decayed & worked only briefly. Now we're supposed to believe that 'Sam' is going to be a permanent body for Jim?! eom

PS: What I meant to say is that there were better, more believeable ways of making Jim's role more than it has been without doing this damage to the show in the process. eom

---

Posted by: SpellingAddict
Date posted: Sat Nov 22 0:59:44 2008
Message:
I just finished watching tonight's episode and WOW - I LOVED it!!  This episode made the whole "Jim dies" concept come full circle and make sense.  I am now going back to watching it every Friday!

I was in tears.  LOVED the scene with Melinda and Delia, "ending" their friendship, then the way Delia came around at the end ... awesome.

I'm thinking, the producers/writers knew one of the biggest pulls for fans is the relationship between Melinda and Jim, and they brain-stormed about how to revive the love story in a big way.  They came up with this - kind of extreme, but wow, they sure found a way to show us their love story unfolding all over again.  I'm looking forward to next week!

So, I for one love what they've done.  I take back everything I said before!

Replies: (list all replies)

I thought the scenes with Melinda and Delia were great too, and the ending between Melinda and Jim/Sam but I will have to see how this plays out yet. It still seems so weird to me. Even the ghost gave the okay on it. I guess this would be nice if this could really happen. One thing I loved is that David really got a lot of screen time, which he usually hasn't had. Since they were going for the baby angle anyway, before this happened, couldn't they just have shown their love for each other in those stories instead of starting over again? I missed the first season. Why has Melinda been so reluctant until recently to have a baby? Was it because she thought she would pass on her ability and didn't want the child to have that? ~ eom. Linda

Good question. As I recall, it was something like that; Jim was more ready but she kept putting off their conversation about it, and then broke down & told him her fear. I think they said they'd think about it before long or something like that. -Spell

Melinda thought she was unable to get pregnant. She also had seen the spirit of their future child in a previous storyline, which makes what has happened now pointless. Later she found out that she just needed some medical treatment to resolve the medical issue. I didn't see her being against having kids, just that like a lot of women, she wasn't ready until recently. eom

---

Posted by: Dot
Date posted: Fri Nov 21 15:13:13 2008
Message:
They can try and spin this any way they want, it still does not change the fact that CBS ruined a very good show.  I have removed GW from my Friday night TV watching.   I am hoping that the shark that they jumped ''crosses over'' and does not appear on any further shows.  

Replies: (list all replies)

I agree that they ruined a good thing. I like your idea of the ''shark'' crossing over! The producers keep reminding us of the surprises on this show and nothing is as it seems. Maybe toward the end of the season they will do a ''Dallas'' and this will all be a dream, er, nightmare! ~ eom. Linda

---

---