Lower Decks

The following review contains spoilers for Ghost Whisperer through the current episode, “Imaginary Friends & Enemies,” originally broadcast November 7th, 2008.

What a creepy (and game changing) episode.  The young actress playing Natalie really did a great job. At first, I was confused as to how Jim knew Tricia and Hunter, because I couldn’t remember seeing either of them before. I thought maybe Tricia was his sister but eventually it seemed obvious she’s just an old friend (or the widow of an old friend, as the case may be). From the very start there was tension evident between Hunter and Natalie and I assumed that was going to play into the Ghost of the Week. But really, it didn’t. This wasn’t about Hunter and Natalie or even Natalie. It was all about Tricia.

The idea that as a girl Tricia befriended a ghost stricken with polio (that would explain the leg braces) and played games with him and then completely forgot about the experience is a little hard to believe. But, stranger things have happened in episodes of Ghost Whisperer, so I can let it slide. Unfortunately, the episode began to fall apart once it became evident that the ghost — Owen — was simply trying to keep his old friend from marrying a liar. Yes, that’s a noble thing to do and it’s very impressive that Owen stuck around as a ghost for over two decades (he died in 1981 or thereabouts) but the whole thing wound up being so boring.

When Natalie first encountered the ghost there were some really scary things happening. When she was walking around trying to find the lock the key went to and she stopped at the gun rack, I thought something awful was going to happen. And when Tricia was bobbing for apples (shades of Supernatural‘s “It’s the Grand Pumpkin, Sam Winchester” for those who watch both shows) I thought she was going to drown. But instead, she wound up with a face full if leeches? The game Owen was playing, showing Tricia things she hated so she could put the clues together (L for Leeches, I for Ice Pick, R for Rope and A for Apple) and realize her fiancé was scum? Really convoluted.

And then, in the last fifteen minutes, everything changed. With the wedding off and Owen gone, Melinda and Jim were getting ready to head home and make a baby. Jim just had to make one more trip to finish gathering up things from the wedding. The moment he said he’d take care of it, I knew this was it. Although I did everything I could to stay away from spoilers, I’ve known for quite a while that Jim was going to die. The constant CBS promotions about “love surviving death” and the hints about death touching Melinda’s loved ones all pointed to Jim’s death. What else could the show be building up to?

That being the case, the twist at the end of the episode with Jim dying at the hospital after everything pointed to him making a full recovery, it didn’t pack quite the emotional wallop it could have. But it still hurt. I don’t often have visceral reactions to television shows, even those I follow fanatically (Ghost Whisperer isn’t one of those, I just enjoy it), but the last five minutes of this episode hurt. That feeling in the pit of the stomach one gets when something awful is about to or actually happening? Yeah, I got that.

When Melinda woke up to see Jim at her side, that hurt. When he told her to remember him, that hurt. When Melinda, sobbing, kept saying “Not him, not him” (referring to the season premiere when she was told something like this would happen) as Jim flat lined and the doctors rushed in, that hurt. It was a painful few minutes. Television is at its best when it affects viewers. This episode did that. Kudos to all involved for their performances.

Later, when the shock is gone, then the time will come to wonder whether this will be the moment Ghost Whisperer went downhill. Jim and Melinda’s relationship has been the cornerstone of the series since the first episode. Her best friend has been replaced. Her trusted companion has been replaced. But no one can replace Jim.