Ghost Whisperer – S3E4 – No Safe Place
This season is really doling out dark themes in its episodes this season. This one was almost uncomfortable to watch. The content was super heavy, and I honestly did not like watching it. It was a little bit too intense and creepy for my viewing comfort.
It’s one thing to be haunted, but to be haunted by someone who was supposedly stalking you when they were alive is a whole new bag of tricks. Only, Shane was the one who was actually the stalker. Honestly, I’d have almost preferred it the other way around. They did a good job of making Colleen super creepy to start with. The neck crick was one of those bits that just kind of makes your hair stand up on end and gives you goose bumps. However, nothing is ever as it seems on this show, so yeah. She was actually the victim.
I have not been this concerned about Melinda’s safety since The Cradle Will Rock when she was held hostage by Randy’s brother. The scene with her sneaking around the house in the dark to avoid Shane was so creepy. These two episodes were very different, as Melinda was much less empowered this time around. She was in a much more vulnerable position, being the object of Shane’s new obsession. In the other episode, she was not the primary target. The money was. This was a much more personal and intimate situation. Fortunately, Jim and his cop buddies come to the rescue, and they frame the creep, much in the same way that he has framed his victims. Jim and Delia prove themselves loyal to Melinda, and do not abandon her, despite Shane’s repeated attempts to force them to do so. One question I have, why does Melinda keep the angel statue that Shane gives her? Why in the world doesn’t she break it the instant he gives it to her? Also, in terms of female empowerment in this episode, basically, it doesn’t exist. Colleen only gets even in death, and Melinda, even after getting Shane in the legal trouble he so deserves, still cannot escape him as he kills himself to continue stalking her in death without further interference (at least until he gets sucked into the underground). That just annoys me. They could have easily ended it with Shane going to jail, but no. He still has to one up Melinda. Crappy ending. Crappy, crappy ending.
I found it really sweet that there was a love story between the detective and Colleen. I will admit that, at first, I kind of wondered if the detective was working with Shane, but he was not, and for that I am glad. I feel like it would have been too predictable if that had been the case.
Super stalker kills himself to haunt Melinda forever and then ends up getting sucked into the wall in the basement. I’m glad that he is prevented from sticking around, but that scene raises a whole stream of other issues and questions about the spirits living underneath Grandview. It is kind of strange the way this show incorporates the main story into its episodes. Sometimes it feels like they just randomly choose to incorporate the main story wherever it best fits into these one off ghost stories. It should really feel like it happens the other way around. Obviously that is probably not the way they actually handle the show’s arc, but it just takes them so long to tell the main story. We just get these little snippets of clues for like 15 episodes, and then get meatier stories for the finale and following season premiere, but also more questions. This is why I honestly gave up on caring about the main story quite awhile ago. My focus is on the characters themselves. They are the only reason I continue to watch.
Overall, I really did not like this episode, but not because there was anything particularly wrong quality, writing, or acting-wise. In fact, all of that was actually well done. It was just really heavy and unnerving content for me to watch. It made me super uncomfortable. As I’ve mentioned before, that seems to be a common theme this season, and I expect that we will likely be seeing more content similar to this going forward.
Best Moment:
The love story between Colleen and the detective.
Best Quote:
Melinda: I know you are not about to take that peanut butter up into my bed.
Jim: Ah no...no! I was gonna take this peanut butter up into my bed!
This season is really doling out dark themes in its episodes this season. This one was almost uncomfortable to watch. The content was super heavy, and I honestly did not like watching it. It was a little bit too intense and creepy for my viewing comfort.
It’s one thing to be haunted, but to be haunted by someone who was supposedly stalking you when they were alive is a whole new bag of tricks. Only, Shane was the one who was actually the stalker. Honestly, I’d have almost preferred it the other way around. They did a good job of making Colleen super creepy to start with. The neck crick was one of those bits that just kind of makes your hair stand up on end and gives you goose bumps. However, nothing is ever as it seems on this show, so yeah. She was actually the victim.
I have not been this concerned about Melinda’s safety since The Cradle Will Rock when she was held hostage by Randy’s brother. The scene with her sneaking around the house in the dark to avoid Shane was so creepy. These two episodes were very different, as Melinda was much less empowered this time around. She was in a much more vulnerable position, being the object of Shane’s new obsession. In the other episode, she was not the primary target. The money was. This was a much more personal and intimate situation. Fortunately, Jim and his cop buddies come to the rescue, and they frame the creep, much in the same way that he has framed his victims. Jim and Delia prove themselves loyal to Melinda, and do not abandon her, despite Shane’s repeated attempts to force them to do so. One question I have, why does Melinda keep the angel statue that Shane gives her? Why in the world doesn’t she break it the instant he gives it to her? Also, in terms of female empowerment in this episode, basically, it doesn’t exist. Colleen only gets even in death, and Melinda, even after getting Shane in the legal trouble he so deserves, still cannot escape him as he kills himself to continue stalking her in death without further interference (at least until he gets sucked into the underground). That just annoys me. They could have easily ended it with Shane going to jail, but no. He still has to one up Melinda. Crappy ending. Crappy, crappy ending.
I found it really sweet that there was a love story between the detective and Colleen. I will admit that, at first, I kind of wondered if the detective was working with Shane, but he was not, and for that I am glad. I feel like it would have been too predictable if that had been the case.
Super stalker kills himself to haunt Melinda forever and then ends up getting sucked into the wall in the basement. I’m glad that he is prevented from sticking around, but that scene raises a whole stream of other issues and questions about the spirits living underneath Grandview. It is kind of strange the way this show incorporates the main story into its episodes. Sometimes it feels like they just randomly choose to incorporate the main story wherever it best fits into these one off ghost stories. It should really feel like it happens the other way around. Obviously that is probably not the way they actually handle the show’s arc, but it just takes them so long to tell the main story. We just get these little snippets of clues for like 15 episodes, and then get meatier stories for the finale and following season premiere, but also more questions. This is why I honestly gave up on caring about the main story quite awhile ago. My focus is on the characters themselves. They are the only reason I continue to watch.
Overall, I really did not like this episode, but not because there was anything particularly wrong quality, writing, or acting-wise. In fact, all of that was actually well done. It was just really heavy and unnerving content for me to watch. It made me super uncomfortable. As I’ve mentioned before, that seems to be a common theme this season, and I expect that we will likely be seeing more content similar to this going forward.
Best Moment:
The love story between Colleen and the detective.
Best Quote:
Melinda: I know you are not about to take that peanut butter up into my bed.
Jim: Ah no...no! I was gonna take this peanut butter up into my bed!