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.
CBS is making a big mistake cancelling this show. Ghost Whisperer back to back with Medium is a staple here. I’m so tired of plotless reality shows. I would rather not watch any tv than watch those. Ghost Whisperer has a great cast, good writing and always leaves me wanting more. Please….ABC…pick it up!
WTF am I going to watch on Friday nites anymore? My Four year old niece lives for Ghost Whisperer. It’s the Quiet Time before bedtime. She loves it, and so do I. She’s playing outside, I say GW is on, she runs inside to get snacks and watch the episode. What is WRONG with the powers that be? This is a great show, please don’t cancel it…how the heck am I supposed to settle my toddlers for the night without it?
i used to really like cbs, but they are canceling all my favorite shows – ghost whisperer, as the world turns, the new adventures of old christine. why are they keeping all the stupid shows?
Please pick up Ghost Whisperer. It does not surprise me that ratings were down this season. As a true GW fan, this season kind of sucked. If they pick it up they need to kill off the kid (sorry, but the show sucks with him) and get back to just Melinda and Tim.
yesss! abc needs to pick it up!
I would really encourage ABC to pick up Ghost Whisperer. I would be the best decision of their lives!
I love this show! Ghost Whispers is one of the best heart filled shows on TV it would be a bad idea to let it go.
Here we go again they have now cancelled another one of our good great tv shows Ghost Wisperer they already canceled Numbers,Ugly Betty, Eastwick, Flash Forward, Happy Town, Mercy, Trauma, Melrose Place, Deep End, Law In Order, The Forgetten, Hereos, Sons of Tucson, etc. They the networks want to only depend on the 18-49 demographic as if the 49-100 plus don’t even matter when we should matter and have a say. Most of the 18-35 demographic don’t even look at tv that much because they are either at work or out and about or they are caring for their young… Read more »
I think ABC should pick Ghost Whisperer up. This show has a loyal fans. It would be ashame if no one pickede it up!!
I am very upset that CBS made a stupid mistake to cancel a beloved show.. CBS keeps stupid shows but cancels good ones.. know wonder no one watches cbs shows anymore
I am very sad that Ghost Whisperer is comming to a end. I have to say I always looked forward to watching it on tv when I got home from work. Its going to be a sad Friday when the season Finale comes. :((
Yes – yes – yes – I LOVE this show.
please do
yes
Cancel this! It’s been weird since Jim jumped into another body. Writing tries to keep teasing with hints re Melinda– but after all these years I don’t care about her past. And–the kids on the show are aging as quickly as they do in daytime soaps. There just isn’t a pull for me to keep this as a “must see” on Friday.