Ghost Whisperer (CBS, Syndicated)

In GHOST WHISPERER, Jennifer Love Hewitt stars as Melinda Gordon, a woman with the ability to speak to "earthbound spirits." Although she tries hard to lead a normal life, Melinda finds it impossible due to the ghosts' constant cries for her help. Inevitably, her compassionate nature compels her to give in.

Some of Melinda's encounters with spirits involve unpleasant/potentially scary sights -- like semi-decomposed bodies. But others aren't as serious or visually disturbing. For example, a nagging wife begs Melinda to tell her husband where she left their safe deposit key, a deceased mom becomes exasperated over her son ignoring a pretty girl, etc. Hewitt has helmed a few bombs -- from Time of Your Life to The Audrey Hepburn Story. But in this case, she does seem to have staying power.

Like the ghosts featured on the show, Ghost Whisperer is in a purgatory of its own. It can't seem to decide whether it's a supernatural thriller or a weepy sentimental drama. This obvious ploy by the show's producers to appeal to both the male and female demographics winds up being Ghost Whisperer's downfall. One minute you're crying, the next you're scared to turn around. The show comes off as uneven, underdeveloped, and void of satisfaction. And the plot line surrounding Melinda's EMT husband, Jim (David Conrad) is thin and trite -- he saves lives, she saves the dead.