Who Will Save Her Soul?

Last Friday night at about 8:30, I went completely ballistic. Or as I like to say, I really wanted to go Jack Bauer on CBS.

After telling all of you to watch “Ghost Whisperer” for the big twist you’d never see coming, CBS gave it away with a commercial for the show’s season premiere. For anyone who was seeing the episode for the first time, the twist was ruined, so I really hope those people were in the bathroom when the commercial aired.

For those of you who didn’t watch or haven’t read any of my posts about this, here’s what happened: Melinda (who sees the dead and helps them cross over) saw the ghost of a pilot whose plane was still in the air. Her best friend, Andrea, concerned that her brother was on the plane, drove to his apartment just before the plane crashed. When Andrea returned, Melinda tried to tell her something, but Andrea wouldn’t listen because she didn’t want to hear that her brother was dead. At the end of the episode, Andrea’s brother showed up and it looked like everything was okay. But it was actually Andrea who was dead—killed in the path of the plane.

Seeing the episode now, Andrea’s death was actually quite obvious as all the signs were there: Melinda’s reaction when Andrea returned from her brother’s apartment, Andrea never coming through the door, Andrea never changing clothes, and the FAA agent ignoring Andrea. But this is “Ghost Whisperer,” not “24,” so you never expected a major character like the hero’s best friend to die. It was truly brilliant—and I never thought I would use that word to describe anything related to this show.

Which leads me to tonight’s season premiere and the fact that I’m really afraid they’re going to screw it up (which is why I didn’t make it one of my picks of the week). After all, nothing can screw up a good cliffhanger worse than a bad resolution.

In the finale, Melinda met a man dressed in black, a spirit who reeks havoc (He caused the plane crash.) and tries to get spirits to stay on Earth for his purposes (whatever they may be). Most TV writers call him Wide Brim Hat Man, but I call him the Evil Leaper, in honor of the character on “Quantum Leap” that tried to screw up all the good Sam was doing.

The Evil Leaper tried to get Melinda to trade her soul for all of the souls from the plane, until a survivor gave her a message that she was the one who had to stop him (which she did for the most part). It was no big surprise then—but still a great idea—that the Evil Leaper was in position to try to take Andrea’s soul when the season ended.

Now, Melinda must fight for Andrea’s soul, without losing her own. My concern, based on the previews, is that the show may be going too dark and sci-fi. I’m encouraged, however, by the addition of Jay Mohr as an expert Melinda asks to help identify the Evil Leaper. If this doesn’t sound like his kind of show, you’re exactly right—which actually encourages me even more.

Personally, I would like to see Andrea stick around and become an Evil Leaper herself, or at least a reminder to Melinda of her failure to help her. But since this show is generally about happy endings (Andrea’s death aside), I don’t see that happening. Plus, Camryn Manheim is set to join the cast in the second episode.

Whatever happens tonight, I assure you there are two things you’ll definitely need—a box of tissues and a nightlight.
Part one of the season premiere of “Ghost Whisperer” airs tonight (Friday) at 8 on CBS.