* iNTRODUCTIOn *

The TV show Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon, a woman able to speak to the dead first made it's debut on American TV channel CBS in September 2005. It also starred David Conrad as Jim Clancy, Melinda's husband and Aisha Tyler as Andrea Morino, Melinda's buisness partner and best friend. It recieved rave reviews with critics deeming it 'a breath of fresh air'. The show continued churning out the Season 1 episodes gaining more and more viewers each week leading to it being given the go ahead for a Season 2 which began airing in September 2006 in America (CBS). The show is also being aired in a further 27 countries including the UK where it is shown on Tuesdays on E4 at 9PM. We are currently, in the UK, on episode 19 of Season 1 so if you've missed it, you've got a lot of catching up to do which is why this Season 1 DVD release is perfect for you or for fans of the show!

* wHAT'S IT ABOUt *

Melinda Gordon has a gift. Her gift is the ability to see and speak to the dead. Throughout the show she uses this gift to help the ghosts 'cross-over into the light' by helping them resolve unfinished buisness. Melinda runs and works in an a small antique store named 'Same as it never was' with buisness partner and best friend Andrea Morino in the small town of Grandville and is married to her husband Jim Clancy who works as a paramedic. Both Jim and Andrea know about Melinda's gift so there's no annoying sneeking around!

But Melinda starts getting more frequent hauntings by an unknown, evil spirit who is out to stop her crossing people over but Melinda doesn't know why and so she begins her search to find out. That is the main story for Season 1 which builds and builds, ending in an emotionally charged, frightening, powerful ending to the season that'll leave you drooling for more.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is just perfect for this role and she gets to show off her, with good scripts, amazing acting skills. You completely relate to her and she doesn't intimidate you (the viewers) with her ability. She's very homely and down to earth but also incredibly pretty. Aisha Tyler is also an amazing choice for the character of Andrea as she gets to show off her comedic side giving the show it's much needed 'comic-relief' and also giving Melinda someone to talk to about her ability. David Conrad is another brilliant actor who fits the role of Jim Clancy perfectly which is being protective over Melinda to a certain ammount but not over-powering, allowing her the freedom to do her work. There's some great scenes between Jennifer and David, they've definately got a spark and it's great to watch!

* wHAT THE SHOW SAYs *

-This is what is said at the beginning of every episode-

'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 that I could talk to the dead. Earthbound 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.'

* ePISODE GUIDe *

Here's my descriptions of each episode if there's anything you'd like to check out!

1) Pilot:
Melinda Gordon just got married; during the dinner she sees something being drawn on the window and she knows it's a ghost. But for the first time, the ghost comes inside her house and that unsettles her. Despite being afraid, she tries to help him reunite with his family and pass along the message he needs her to say.

2) The Crossing:
A boy who was killed in a collision with a train wants Melinda's help to ensure his mother knows that his death was not caused by her. Melinda's mother-in-law pays her and Jim a visit and they have a deep conversation.

3) Ghost Interrupted:
The identical twin sister of a teenage girl requests Melinda to help her apologize to her sister who is a psychiatric patient.

4) Mended Hearts:
A man killed in a biking accident seeks Melinda's help to save his fiancée's life and finding out who received his heart afterwards.

5) Lost Boys:
Melinda encounters the ghosts of three boys who died in the fire of an orphanage. They must cross over prior to the demolition of the building holding them inside.

6) Homecoming:
Melinda helps an angry teenage ghost who discovered he was adopted before he died.

7) Hope And Mercy:
In a hospital, Melinda encounters a woman who wants to determine what caused her death during surgery and also to help her still living husband to move on with his life and realise that her death wasn't his fault.

8) On The Wings Of A Dove
An evil spirit is haunting Jim, causing him to begin doubting his sanity. Melinda must help this spirit, even though he is dangerous, in order to help Jim.

9) Voices:
The spirit of the mother of a teenage boy attempts to communicate with her son via white noise. Melinda must find a way to get her messages across.

10) Ghost Bride:
A ghost of a bride who didn't make it through her wedding night is back with a vengeance haunting her husbands new fiancé to the point of her leaving him at the alter.

11) Shadow Boxer
The dead mother of a boxer requests Melinda to assist in getting her son back together with his father. The son is furious because his father caused him not to be able to see his mother before she died.

12) Undead Comic
After a stand-up comedian commits suicide, he's left in between worlds. Melinda tries to help him find closure.

13) Friendly Neighbourhood Ghost:
A new man moves in across the street from Melinda when the ghost of an elderly man suspects her new neighbour of killing his granddaughter.

14) Last Execution:
A hanged man's ghost follows Melinda home from a macabre art installation, haunting her into contacting his troubled daughter. A woman sues Melinda's paramedic husband, claiming he further injured her whilst performing life-saving CPR.

15) Melindas First Ghost:
Melinda is forced to remember how her relationship with her mother became strained after her first ghost emerges. Melinda's mother could not understand how to deal with her gift and she must reunite with her mother to help the ghost.

16) Dead Mans Ridge:
Andrea's friend has gone missing during a hike and Melinda's called in so she can use her abilities to find him.

17) Demon Child:
Melinda comes across the spirit of an infuriated young boy, who's terrorizing his mother and baby sister.

18) Miss Fortune
When a travelling circus arrives, Melinda meets the bitter ghost of a magician who accuses his envious brother of his death, deemed to have been accidental.

19) Fury:
Melinda must help the ghost of an African-American man who had been attacked and killed by a white co-worker in the 1970's. The ghost is haunting the prosecutor who had enough evidence but still failed to file

Pictures of Ghost Whisperer (DVD)

Melinda Gordon

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charges against the white co-worker. Melinda tries to help the ghost find justice and help his son to change his racist views before they're passed on to the next generation.

20) The Vanishing:
A head injury caused by an accident puts Melinda's abilities at risk. Melinda must deal with the possibility of permanently losing her gift as she attempts to help a young girl whose boyfriend has recently died.

21) Free Fall:
Melinda experiences a sense of dread when she realizes that a plane is going to crash when the spirits of the pilot and flight attendant contact her.

22) The One:
After a jetliner crashes Melinda faces the overwhelming task of helping hundreds of passengers crossover. While Melinda faces this task she finds that the "Wide Brim Man" is working against her. Melinda must also try to work with the crash investigators who are trying to find out how she knew that the plane was going to crash.

* eXTRAS AND DVd *

As of yet the DVD is only available as region 1...

The Show comes packaged in a beautiful deep purple casing and is spread out over six discs. You get five featurettes which are:

'Can You See Me? The First Season Of Ghost Whisperer' which gives an in-depth look at the show, where it comes from, how it came to be, writing process including interviews with Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Aisha Tyler, John Gray (shows creator) and James Van Praagh, the clarivoyant who the show is loosley based on.

'Second Sight: The clairvoyants of Ghost Whisperer' includes interviews with James Van Praagh and Mary Ann Wintowski, another clairvoyant who Melinda's character is loosely based on.

'A Tour Of Grandview' features Jennifer giving...well...a tour of Grandview, the set and behind the scenes.

'Ghost Whisperer Mythology' If you've seen the show then you've seen the opening credits right, the part where she opens up her head, the part where the case unlocks, the man holding a photo. What the hell does it all mean? Well if you want to know, watch this which breaks them down scene by scene giving you an explanation but you can also find this feature online at www.cbs.com/primetime/ghost_whisperer/ if you don't have the DVD.

'Scare Tactics' is a feature that gives you an inside look at how the special effects of the show are created and then put onto the screen.

Those are the 5 featurettes but you also get deleted scenes and audio commentaries on episode 1 with John Gray (shows creator) and Kim Moses (title design), episode 3 with Ian Sander (producer) and Kim Moses, episode 5 with Ian Sander and David Conrad and finally episode 12 with Aisha Tyler and John Gray.

And to top it all off you get a Blooper reel which is self-explanatory!

* aUDIO & PICTURE QUALITy *

The picture is presented in anamorphic widescreen which gives a good, clean, sharp quality of viewing enhancing your enjoyment and the audio is presented in 5.1 surround sound which brings out every little detail and sound effect creating a rich and vibrant quality, again, adding to your overall enjoyment.

* tO SUM Up *

I love this show so much that i've also created a myspace fansite for it which i update every day bringing you news and details for the show. It took me a couple of episodes to get into it but now i can't get enough. It's just one of those allround shows. No bad language and no violence, it's just kinda heartwarming but also very entertaining! If you haven't seen it already then i beg you to give it a chance. Jennifer Love Hewitt is what makes the show, she is talented, stunning and a great asset...give it a go!