Lower Decks

The following review contains spoilers for Ghost Whisperer through the current episode, “Ball and Chain,” originally broadcast December 19th, 2008.

After taking a week off, Ghost Whisperer returns with a superb episode. And not just because I’m a fan of Rena Sofer (the actress who played the Ghost of the Week in this episode) or because I felt the last new episode, “Pieces of You,” was disappointing. No, “Ball and Chain” was just an excellent episode. Unlike “Pieces of You,” Jim/Sam had only a minor role in this episode, appearing in only three scenes. Although I don’t abhor this latest twist Ghost Whisperer has taken, I think “Ball and Chain” was a stronger episode because it only touched upon the Jim/Sam storyline.

As the episode opened, Melinda asks Jim/Sam if he has learned anything about the engagement ring he found at the end of “Pieces of You.” His response? “You don’t want to know.” While venting to Delia at the farmer’s market, Melinda spots a ghost. The ghost introduces herself as Tammy Gardner and Melinda realizes very quickly that poor Tammy doesn’t know she’s dead. Melinda offers to give Tammy a ride home. Melinda learns from Roger Gardner, the man who answers the door, that Tammy walked out on him two years earlier. He’s since remarried to a woman named Elizabeth.

Eli joins Melinda and the two wonder why Tammy hasn’t crossed over. Eli wonders if Tammy’s bipolar disorder (she would disappear for days on end according to Roger) could explain why she doesn’t know she’s dead. When Melinda tries to broach the subject with Tammy, she tells them about falling asleep, floating above her car and seeing blurred colors. That leads Eli to find Tammy’s car in the woods, with her remains inside. A hose runs from the exhaust pipe to the driver window. It looks like Tammy committed suicide.

Melinda and Eli now assume Tammy hasn’t crossed over out of guilt. At her house, Melinda is visited by Tammy, who worried about her kids. Melinda tries to explain that perhaps Tammy doesn’t want to remember something but Tammy blows her off, saying she has to get home. Melinda spots Jim/Sam packing — he’s rushing to get to the laundromat — and makes up a weak story about her mother coming to visit before eventually offering Jim/Sam the use of her own washer and dryer. It’s an awkward conversation and they both know it.

Later, Melinda learns from the kids who live next door to Roger Gardner that there have never been any children in the house. Eventually, Eli learns from his source at the police station that Tammy Gardner never had children. But Sarah Evers, who disappeared two years ago, had two children with her husband Thomas. And thus the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. Melinda visits Thomas and learns that Sarah was apparently having an affair with the electrician and sent him a postcard a month after she left saying she was never returning. Tammy/Sarah shows up and we see a flashback to her leaving the house with Roger.

[Note: My local CBS affiliate had a winter storm warning during the commercial break following this scene that cut off part of Ghost Whisperer.  Or so I assume.  I don't actually know.]

Melinda talks with Roger, admits she can see spirits and has talked to Tammy/Sarah and suggests that she is guilty about what happened. He tells her that, according to Tammy/Sarah, Thomas was a horrible husband. Back at the antique shop, Delia tells Melinda that she has talked with Jim/Sam and learned he hasn’t done anything to track down the woman he bought the ring for. Melinda is nevertheless still worried that his fiancée will show up at any time.

Just then, Tammy/Sarah appears and reveals that she can remember leaving her children but doesn’t think she could leave Roger. Melinda asks about bruising on her wrists. After talking with Elizabeth (Roger’s new wife), Melinda learns the truth from Tammy/Sarah. She didn’t leave Thomas and their children willingly. Roger forced her to leave — he even held a knife to her throat — and then kept her locked underneath the floorboards in the living room until she grew attached to him. Classic Stockholm Syndrome. But one day, she saw a picture of her oldest son in the newspaper while shopping and was late getting home. For that transgression, Roger drugged her, drove her to the woods, and killed her.

Melinda proceeds to rescues Elizabeth, who is tied up and under the floorboards, but is then promptly attacked by Roger, who lunges at her with a fire poker. Melinda manages to crawl out of the way and Elizabeth sprays Roger in the face with a cooking spray. He collapses to the floor and Elizabeth grabs the fire poker, threatening to kill him. Tammy/Sarah, talking through Melinda, convinces Elizabeth to think of her family. She gives Roger one last kick.

After Elizabeth is reunited with her husband and child, Melinda explains everything to Thomas. He blames himself for not trying harder to find his wife after she disappeared. Tammy/Sarah has Melinda tell him that he has to forgive himself. If he holds himself an emotional prisoner, Roger wins. Tammy/Sarah’s children walk up and Tammy/Sarah asks Melinda to make sure Thomas tells them everything that happened and that she always loved them. She then crosses over.

At her house, Melinda brings Jim/Sam, who is reading the paper in the back of a truck, a cup of coffee and sits down with him. He’s reading about what happened with Roger. He wonders what it must be like for Elizabeth, getting a second chance at life, just like him. He pulls out the ring and says he can’t keep carrying it around knowing somebody might be worrying about him. Melinda asks what will happen if he finds that person. Jim./Sam doesn’t know. Melinda looks away, emotional.

Whew.  That recap turned out much longer than I anticipated. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed the episode and even though the revelation that Roger was woman-kidnapped sociopath could be seen as a bit trite, it worked for me. I’m not sure how long the engagement ring story line can be played out before it gets even more dull, so I very much hope it is wrapped up in the next episode (which doesn’t air until January 9th, 2009).