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Ghost Whisperer

Ghost Whisperer

The dead are talking...and she is listening.

2005–2010Ended5 seasons107 episodes~60 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

Newlywed Melinda Gordon tries to help the dead communicate with loved ones, but sometimes the messages she receives are intense and confusing. Most of Melinda's efforts involve resolving conflicts that are preventing the spirits from passing over.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ghost Whisperer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ghost Whisperer streaming on Disney+, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Ghost Whisperer?

Ghost Whisperer earns 4 badges, led by Preferred by Under-30s and Hopeful.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Ghost Whisperer worth watching?

Ghost Whisperer's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all shows, from 55K ratings across 2 sources. 64% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of shows

42nd percentile among Drama40th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)55th
Approval (how many liked it)39th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

72 /100

55th percentile of all shows

55th percentile among Drama47th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

64% liked it

39th percentile of all shows

30th percentile among Drama33rd percentile among 2000s
64% rated it 7–1036% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

97th percentile

53K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a gentle, melodramatic, and formulaic supernatural drama built around helping ghosts find closure.

Fans praised

  • emotionally resonant, tear-jerker stories that provide comfort and catharsis
  • Jennifer Love Hewitt's warm and empathetic lead performance
  • strong chemistry between Melinda and Jim as the central couple

Detractors panned

  • highly formulaic episodes—ghost appears, Melinda researches, ghost crosses over
  • excessive focus on Hewitt's cleavage and unrealistic, always-perfect hair and makeup
  • weak, predictable writing with unresolved plotlines and deus ex machina resolutions

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive70

many fans find episodes deeply moving and tear-jerking

ActingDivisive65

Hewitt is praised for warmth and empathy but criticized for overacting and reliance on cleavage

AtmosphereDivisive55

cozy, small-town setting with light spooky undertones

EndingDivisive50

final season felt rushed and unsatisfying to many

PacingDivisive45

episodes are self-contained but drag with repetitive emotional beats

Plot and storyDivisive40

repetitive formula with each ghost following the same arc

DialogueDivisive35

corny, sappy, and soapy exchanges

OriginalityDivisive30

derivative of The Sixth Sense and Medium

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 18 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 27 points higher than over-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 17 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Episodes

5 seasons

Season 5 · 2009 · 22 episodes

  • S5E1

    Birthday Presence

    Sep 25, 200945 min
  • S5E2

    See No Evil

    Oct 2, 200942 min
  • S5E3

    Till Death Do Us Start

    Oct 9, 200944 min
  • S5E4

    Do Over

    Oct 16, 200945 min
  • S5E5

    Cause for Alarm

    Oct 23, 200944 min
  • S5E6

    Head Over Heels

    Oct 30, 200945 min

Watch experience

What is Ghost Whisperer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
WarmBittersweetContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmSentimental · 4% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its ghostly subject matter straight with genuine emotion, treating death with care and warmth rather than irony or fear.
The rideThe series maintains a gentle, comforting mood with occasional emotional peaks, and grows heavier as personal losses accumulate in later seasons.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional beginning, middle, and end, with a self-contained ghost story resolved by the credits.
Episode formatEach episode focuses on a spirit Melinda helps, while larger character arcs (Jim's death/reincarnation, Andrea's fate) unfold across seasons.
Season formatSeasons continue the same story and character development, with personal losses and new relationships building across the entire run.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show's gentle resolution of each ghost's story and its focus on love and closure leaves viewers comforted and uplifted.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% (this title) · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

6% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach episode follows Melinda as she helps a trapped ghost resolve unfinished business and cross into the light, a classic rescue quest.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% (this title) · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsGrief · 4% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how the living remain connected to loved ones who have died, and how Melinda's gift creates a community bound by loss and healing.
StanceThe series affirms the enduring power of love and connection across life and death, treating grief as something to be healed rather than feared.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticMagical realism
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingA small American town where spirits linger among the living.

Content guide

Is Ghost Whisperer okay for kids?

TV-PG

Ghost Whisperer is rated TV-PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (45/100), sexual content at mild (25/100), language at mild (26/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at moderate (55/100). Overall it is heavier than 63% of TV-PG shows.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France10
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK16
  • LU16
  • MexicoAA
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway18
  • PortugalNR
  • Spain12
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 25% of all showsHeavier than 63% of TV-PG shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 67%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 39%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 37%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 32%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 76%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 76% of TV-PG shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Ghost Whisperer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ghost Whisperer?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Jennifer Love Hewitt
as Melinda Gordon
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Conrad
as Jim Clancy
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Camryn Manheim
as Delia Banks
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christoph Sanders
as Ned Banks
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jamie Kennedy
as Professor Eli James
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jay Mohr
as Professor Rick Payne
Aisha Tyler
as Andrea Marino
Connor Gibbs
as Aiden Lucas
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kenneth Mitchell
as Sam Lucas
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ion Overman
as Det. Sam Blair
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

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