Ghost Whisperer – S2E10 – Giving Up The Ghost
Speaking as someone who has grown up around baseball, I thought this episode was pretty well done. I actually liked it.
Tying the ghost into the issue of steroid use was an effective and interesting way to address an important topical issue. The drive to win seems to overtake the idea of playing to have fun and enjoy the game for what it is. It’s sad but true. Look at all of the major league players who have had their careers and reputations ruined by steroid use allegations. Is it really worth the price? I think not. Baseball is not the only sport with this problem. It’s everywhere. This was a great message for the show to be able to play with. Matt and Justin’s story was well done.
Speaking of Matt (aka Owen from Buffy and Patrick from Switched at Birth), is it just me or was this possibly the most violent ghost that they’ve had on the show so far? I mean, he attacks Melinda like 5 separate times in the episode, Jim twice, and the coach twice. Geez Louise! Maybe that was to make up for the fact that Romano and his five death signs didn’t make an appearance in this episode. At least Matt was redeemable and didn’t end up joining Romano’s army. Basically, the moral of his story was: Don’t blame others for your own mistakes. You make your own choices; you live (or in his case die) with the consequences of those choices.
Jim and Melinda were great in this episode. I found it hysterical that Jim kept either totally missing or misinterpreting the “sign” that Melinda gave, especially in the hospital scene. Jim has made reference to his protectiveness of Melinda before (i.e. his caveman mentality referred to in episode 6 of this season), so I was not at all surprised when he barged into the store ready to rip Justin’s head off following his near assault of Melinda. Go Jim go! Again, he’s pretty much just the best guy ever. It was fun to learn about his days as a young little league player. His mother keeping all of his old baseball stuff reminds me all to well of my own mother, as she does the same thing when it comes to my brother. Jim’s sidekick got to enjoy the game with him as well. It’s nice that they have been showing Ned to be something other than an angsty delinquent teen. It was also a way to incorporate Delia into the episode, as she has kind of been a pointless character lately. Not even static the way Andrea was, just pointless. She doesn’t really bring anything to the episodes she is in.
Overall, this was a great episode. I think they were able to address some important topical issues in a way that was still engaging and entertaining for viewers. However, we’re getting close to the midway point of the season and I’m beginning to worry again that they are going to wait to long to dive into the Romano story. For the record, I kind of miss calling him “creepy spirit.” Yes. I’m weird. I’ve been told. Now let’s get to the next episode!
Here’s an interesting article related to the topic of this episode:
http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/the-only-six-words-parents-need-to-say-to-their-kids-about-sportsor-any-per
Best Moment:
-Jim totally misses Melinda’s signs at the hospital, and the reference to it at the end of the episode.
Best Quote(s):
Jim: So what, no ghost?
Mel: (Smacks him) “Just give me a signal.” I signaled you. 5 times. This whole thing. (Shows him the signal)
Jim: What’s that? This is the signal. (He makes a totally different motion)
Mel: Oh, I’ll give you a signal. What is it that you wanted me to do? Give you a sign before the sign? How about I sing “Some Enchanted Evening” or do a cartwheel down the hall because you wouldn’t have missed that.
Mel: He spent a year in the minor leagues, then got traded to the White Sox. He won rookie of the year and came in second for the Sid Young award 3 times.
Jim: Sid?
Mel: Yeah. That’s an award they give out for pitching. And you thought I didn’t know anything about baseball.
Jim: Cy. That’s Cy Young. He was an old pitcher a long time ago.
Mel: Oh, Sid, Cy, whatever.
Speaking as someone who has grown up around baseball, I thought this episode was pretty well done. I actually liked it.
Tying the ghost into the issue of steroid use was an effective and interesting way to address an important topical issue. The drive to win seems to overtake the idea of playing to have fun and enjoy the game for what it is. It’s sad but true. Look at all of the major league players who have had their careers and reputations ruined by steroid use allegations. Is it really worth the price? I think not. Baseball is not the only sport with this problem. It’s everywhere. This was a great message for the show to be able to play with. Matt and Justin’s story was well done.
Speaking of Matt (aka Owen from Buffy and Patrick from Switched at Birth), is it just me or was this possibly the most violent ghost that they’ve had on the show so far? I mean, he attacks Melinda like 5 separate times in the episode, Jim twice, and the coach twice. Geez Louise! Maybe that was to make up for the fact that Romano and his five death signs didn’t make an appearance in this episode. At least Matt was redeemable and didn’t end up joining Romano’s army. Basically, the moral of his story was: Don’t blame others for your own mistakes. You make your own choices; you live (or in his case die) with the consequences of those choices.
Jim and Melinda were great in this episode. I found it hysterical that Jim kept either totally missing or misinterpreting the “sign” that Melinda gave, especially in the hospital scene. Jim has made reference to his protectiveness of Melinda before (i.e. his caveman mentality referred to in episode 6 of this season), so I was not at all surprised when he barged into the store ready to rip Justin’s head off following his near assault of Melinda. Go Jim go! Again, he’s pretty much just the best guy ever. It was fun to learn about his days as a young little league player. His mother keeping all of his old baseball stuff reminds me all to well of my own mother, as she does the same thing when it comes to my brother. Jim’s sidekick got to enjoy the game with him as well. It’s nice that they have been showing Ned to be something other than an angsty delinquent teen. It was also a way to incorporate Delia into the episode, as she has kind of been a pointless character lately. Not even static the way Andrea was, just pointless. She doesn’t really bring anything to the episodes she is in.
Overall, this was a great episode. I think they were able to address some important topical issues in a way that was still engaging and entertaining for viewers. However, we’re getting close to the midway point of the season and I’m beginning to worry again that they are going to wait to long to dive into the Romano story. For the record, I kind of miss calling him “creepy spirit.” Yes. I’m weird. I’ve been told. Now let’s get to the next episode!
Here’s an interesting article related to the topic of this episode:
http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/the-only-six-words-parents-need-to-say-to-their-kids-about-sportsor-any-per
Best Moment:
-Jim totally misses Melinda’s signs at the hospital, and the reference to it at the end of the episode.
Best Quote(s):
Jim: So what, no ghost?
Mel: (Smacks him) “Just give me a signal.” I signaled you. 5 times. This whole thing. (Shows him the signal)
Jim: What’s that? This is the signal. (He makes a totally different motion)
Mel: Oh, I’ll give you a signal. What is it that you wanted me to do? Give you a sign before the sign? How about I sing “Some Enchanted Evening” or do a cartwheel down the hall because you wouldn’t have missed that.
Mel: He spent a year in the minor leagues, then got traded to the White Sox. He won rookie of the year and came in second for the Sid Young award 3 times.
Jim: Sid?
Mel: Yeah. That’s an award they give out for pitching. And you thought I didn’t know anything about baseball.
Jim: Cy. That’s Cy Young. He was an old pitcher a long time ago.
Mel: Oh, Sid, Cy, whatever.