After five seasons on the air, CBS has killed a staple of the Friday night schedule. Ghost Whisperer won’t be back next fall on the Tiffany network. Not unless it can come back from the dead…
Ghost Whisperer tells the tale of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a young woman with the ability to see and talk to dead people. Regular castmembers over the past five seasons have included David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, Jay Mohr, Aisha Tyler, Christoph Sanders, Jamie Kennedy, and Kenneth Mitchell.
The TV show debuted in September 2005 and the season attracted an average of a 2.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.2 million viewers. In seasons two and three, the demo rose to a 3.0 rating with 9.9 and 8.6 million viewers respectively. For season four, the ratings went up again, to a 3.7 rating and 10.6 million viewers.
Unfortunately this year, the ratings fell — a lot. The season kicked off with a 2.3 rating and 8.7 million viewers. Things went further downhill from there. Last month, they hit a series low with a 1.3 rating in the demo and 5.96 million viewers. Though Ghost Whisperer was once a hit show for the network, those times are clearly over.
To little surprise, CBS has decided to cancel Ghost Whisperer. The series finale is set to air this Friday, May 21st.
However, because ABC Studios co-produces the series (with CBS), there have been discussions that it could switch networks. Medium ran for years on NBC before being cancelled and picked up by CBS.
ABC’s entertainment president, Stephen McPherson, has said that he’d be interested in picking up Ghost Whisperer if the series became available. ABC scheduler Jeff Bader told Variety today that they’ve toyed with the idea. He said, “We talked a lot about it. It could make a good lead-in to Body of Proof.”
To keep costs down, ABC has been committed to running only one scripted series on Friday nights but the execs will supposedly look at the possibility of picking up Ghost Whisperer in the next few days.
What do you think? Should ABC pick up Ghost Whisperer for season six or should it stay cancelled?
Image courtesy CBS.
I love this show! I defiitely would follow it to ABC, no problem. Please pick it up. (I just saw this web site!)
HEY WHY IS IT EVERY TIME I AM INTERESTED IN A SHOW IT GETS CANCELLED. I HAVE LOOKED FORWARD TO THIS SHOW ALL SUMMER ONLY TO FIND OUT IT IS BEING CANCELLED. I SURE HOPE THE ABC PICKS IT UP BECAUSE I FOR ONE WILL BE WATCHING IT. I HAVE WATCHED THIS SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IF NOT CANCELLED. PLEASE DON’T CANCEL THIS SHOW. I LUV IT!!!!!!
I know this is a late comment, but Ghost Whisperer is the only reason I watched CBS on Friday nites. Losing this show has lost them a viewer.
I was not aware the series had been cancelled. I’m so disappointed. My daughters and I always scheduled our Fridays around that show. Why did CBS and the writers have to take the series in such a bizarre direction. THAT’s why it lost viewers, not the actors or the premise of the show. I hope ABC picks it up and hires new writers!
I miss this show !!!! They always ger ride of the good ones . I want it BACK.
My family loved Ghost Whisperer we watched it every Friday night. What was CBS thinking.
cbs is very wrong. gw was a very good show. i think abc should show cbs and grab the series as soon as possible.
I have always loved watching the show with my family. It was one of a few that I could watch with my family….
I admit that it did get a little comfusing when Jim died ..and then took over Sam’s body..etc etc…
But then since the birth of the son , it was coming back strong with great stories…
COME ON ABC…. pick it up…. —- CBS — wake UP…..
sure the ratings dropped, who ever decided to “kill” off Jim should be “Dropped”! That is why the ratings dropped. I stuck with it, hoping they would manage to write their way out of the mess that was created. ABC should bring it back, Fix it and it will be great agian.
CBS does not care! They suck! First they take off Moonlight and now Gohst Whisperer. Well, there goes my Friday night!
Yes, Please pick it up…I will miss it…Great show, and actors….
bring it back it was getting really goood please:)
I am so sorry that CBS is so short sighted. This is a great show with great actors. They were back on track with some great story lines. We started staying in on Friday so we could watch it!!!!!!!
Sorry to see that it was cancelled! It was a good show, had great actors. I hope another network will carry the show.
They should DEFINATLY bring it back!!!! I’m sick of the good shows getting shut off!!!