Has Ghost Whisperer Jumped the Shark?

Like the countless spirits Melinda Gordon has helped to "cross over into the light" during the last four seasons of Ghost Whisperer, it seems likely that the show is also headed for the great beyond. With tonight's ridiculous-bordering on-heinous episode, the Ghost Whisperer producers and CBS may have just put the final nail in their show's coffin. I say "may have" because there's still a glimmer of hope for resurrection. But one thing is for certain: the last several months--and in particular the last two episodes-- have certainly gotten the fans talking. And they are outraged; they're threatening to stop watching the show, boycott CBS, boycott sponsors and a whole lot more.

The brouhaha began as early as August, when rumors circulated that Melinda's husband Jim Clancy (played by David Conrad), was getting killed off. But the GW producers categorically denied they were axing Jim, and interviews with David Conrad seemed to refute this as well. They cryptically talked about big changes, new perspectives, and "dropping a bomb" in November, but insisted that David Conrad wasn't leaving the show. This led to the speculation that Jim would then become a ghost on the show. Legions of Ghost Whisperer fans were even more infuriated at this prospect than the killing off of one of their favorite characters. They didn't want Jim to be a ghost on the show, and found the idea of his ghost hanging around Melinda creepy, weird and just plain not right. They posted in droves on forums, in response to articles, and anywhere else they could find a place to vent their frustrations. They begged CBS and the Ghost Whisperer producers to reconsider this new fork in the road.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Previews for the November 7, 2008 episode made things look mighty grim for poor Jim Clancy and Melinda Gordon. And indeed, when the episode aired, Jim apparently died at the end. However, many held out hope this was just a sick sweeps rating trick. They fervently wanted Jim to still be alive and have everything in Ghost Whisperer World be as it was. The forums buzzed with posts from angry, shocked, saddened and dismayed viewers. The producers had previously stated that they would never "betray their fans." But for months the fans had begged them not to kill the character of Jim Clancy and yet - kill him they did.

Still, many expressed hope this was just some bad dream, a nightmare that next week Melinda Gordon (a.k.a. Jennifer Love Hewitt) would awaken from so she could get back to the business of helping ghosts cross over into the light. Previews of the November 14, 2008 episode seemed to contradict this though. And when the episode finally aired, Jim was unfortunately still dead and we were treated to his funeral - complete with jubilant dancing no less. (Personally, I found the funeral dancing bizarre). Melinda tells him he needs to cross over but Jim doesn't want to leave the love of his life. He hangs around her for the entire episode until the last minute, when he jumps out of her car and into another body whose occupant soul had just left after it was pronounced dead at the scene of a car wreck. Melinda now sees "Jim" in the body, but everyone else sees the other guy, and he doesn't know who she is.

What? They're kidding, right? Have the Ghost Whisperer writers and producers lost their collective minds? "Jumped the Shark" doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about the prospect of watching Jim possess another man's body and watching these two "fall in love all over again." Next week's teaser includes Melinda's friend Delia (played by Camryn Manheim) telling her that she gets another shot at her one true love. This is even more outlandish than the plot twist the writer's cooked up to kill off Jim, wherein a cop shoots into a dark house not knowing who he is shooting at. Get real! Who is going to buy these insane plot twists? Certainly not the legions of loyal Ghost Whisperer fans who understandably feel betrayed. If the absurd plots of these last two episodes are any indication of the talent that's currently steering the Ghost Ship, then it has indeed Jumped the Shark.

Ghost Whisperer fans are still holding onto the shred of hope (however small) that this latest foray into preposterousness could be a dream, but it doesn't seem likely. In addition to shoddy writing and not listening to the fans who watch the show, other events have contributed to the widespread belief that Ghost Whisperer has Jumped the Shark. Jay Mohr left the show to star in his own television series, Gary Unmarried. At least his character, Professor Payne, is on some far-off expedition rather than dead, so if his new series tanks he could conceivably come back. Then there's the inexplicable casting of Jamie Kennedy as another sort of soul helper who can hear ghosts but not see them. Again many are asking: What? When Jamie Kennedy had his show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, he was rather funny. But this was skits and comedy, and his role on Ghost Whisperer is supposed to be more dramatic. Problem is, he can't act and his scenes come off as unintentionally funny.

All things considered, Ghost Whisperer will probably not live to see a Season Five. I loved the show from the first episode. I stuck with it after they shockingly killed off Aisha Tyler's character, Andrea. I accepted Camryn Manheim's Delia as the new sidekick for Melinda even though I liked Andrea a whole lot more. I forgave them when at times the plots hovered dangerously close to the edge of implausible. However, this new direction doesn't do it for me and apparently, it doesn't do it for thousands upon thousands of other fans either. And that can only mean one thing: bye-bye Ghost Whisperer. You were great, and you'll be missed. R.I.P.