A series of visions and memories pave the way to a greater understanding of our heroine's past and present on this season's finale of Ghost Whisperer.

Hey, we only got a few episodes this spring, and there's a lot of ground to cover, so this is going to be a long recap. Get some popcorn, and settle in for the spoilers.

Tom Gordon isn't dead! But just barely. Jim arrives in time to stabilize him, and hears Tom say he did it to protect Melinda. Melinda, not understanding, is sure that he's still being possessed by Paul Eastman. She visits him in his hospital bed, and asks him not to go anywhere - they have too much to learn about each other.

The next morning in the store, Melinda breaks a glass, and has a brief vision of a shattering mirror on the floor. She heads downstairs to the spooky store basement to retrieve a new glass, and hears breathing coming from the entrance to Grandview's Underground. She heads into that storyline, I mean, area, only to discover Paul Eastman himself, mask and all. She asks why he hates Tom so much, and he says few people deserve to be hated as much as Tom. She asks him, daring him, to show her why, and he shows her a vision of a dilapidated old house. Under the basement stairs, in a shallow grave, she finds a jawbone, and a skull... along with the mask.

She heads to see her mother Beth, who, in all her loving motherly glory, who refuses to talk about Paul Eastman, and pointedly tells Melinda that her father is not a good person, and that he doesn't deserve her good intentions. Melinda then heads to see Rick, who points out that no one's bones are buried in a grave like that unless they were murdered. Jim calls with the news that the house in her vision, where Paul Eastman is, is the first house her parents owned, her first home. Back to see Mom, who still won't give her any information. Beth asks for Melinda to leave this alone. Melinda says she can't live with a lie, to which her mom counters that you can learn to live with a lot. Hmmm.

Jim and Melinda visit the house in person, and Jim tells Melinda that he agrees with her mom, but Melinda again refuses to let her father go. She has to follow this through. As Melinda leaves to head back to the store, Jim gets a call from the hospital that Tom is up and conscious. Jim decides to pay his own visit to Tom first.

Pulling no punches, Jim explains that he'll cut some important wires in Tom's hospital room if he doesn't start telling the truth. Tom says that Paul Eastman, after escaping from prison, confronted him at their house, and threatened to kill Tom, and the whole family. Tom killed Paul himself, and buried him in the basement. He says that the important thing to keep in mind is that Paul Eastman, in spirit, still wants to kill him, as well as Beth and Melinda.

Jim asks Melinda why Paul Eastman, this powerful ghost, hasn't possessed her yet. She says she's not sure, but that there are things she needs to learn. She heads to the hospital, just in time to see Tom checking himself out of the hospital. She confronts him about Paul, and asks if she's ever going to find out the truth, whether or not he loved her, or her mom. She tries to get him to have some closure with Paul Eastman, because that's the only way they will have any chance to learning about each other. He agrees, and says he'll meet her at the store that night.

But he doesn't. She waits for Tom to show up, but instead, gets another vision of the mirror, importantly, of a man punching the mirror. At the same moment, Beth gets a message from a possessed stranger on the street - she has to be the one to tell Melinda the truth about Tom, because he's going to hurt her. As Beth leaves, we see Paul Eastman remove himself from the stranger's body. She heads straight to Jim and Melinda's house, and begins to spill the beans. Beth tells Melinda she was in love with Paul Eastman, and living with him when he was arrested. She knew Paul hadn't been guilty of the boy's murder. She'd gone to visit Tom after Paul was convicted, to convince him that Paul was innocent by explaining that they could see spirits. While Paul was in prison becoming angry and bitter, she started having feelings for Tom, believing he was a good man. Paul ended up killing a man in prison, and Beth ended up marrying Tom instead. Jim becomes incredibly angry, and all says that Melinda deserved to be protected, and to be accepted and loved, and told the absolute truth.

It turns out that when Paul Eastman was arrested, Beth was already pregnant with Melinda.

Melinda screams that she's lying and runs out. She heads to the town square, where she finds Tom. He tells her that Beth is trying to drive a wedge between them. He asks her to go with him, where she will be safe, and understand everything. He takes her back to her childhood home. He asks her what she remembers from the night Paul Eastman came to the house, and she says only the face in the mask. He persistently asks her what else she might remember, and she begins to relive her own memories as a vision. She remembers watching Tom kill Paul Eastman. And now that she remembers, Tom tells her that she has to die now, too. He tells her that she's too good, and by heading into the Underground and waking the spirit of Paul Eastman, he had to come back and find her. He begins to choke her, but she cries out "Dad!" Tom replies that he's not her father, and she responds, "I wasn't talking to you."

Paul Eastman appears behind Tom, possesses him, and throws Tom down the stairs.  Handy way to kill someone, possession. At the moment of Tom's death, Jim rushes in, and Melinda gets a moment with Paul Eastman, on her own. He tells her that he was a lost spirit who couldn't remember anything about his life, until he saw her in the Underground church. He realized she was pining for a man who wasn't her father, trying to sort out her own past. Paul tells Melinda that it's time to put the shadow of Tom Gordon behind her, and embrace her Beth as her mother.

In the end, Melinda tells Beth that her father, her real father, didn't abandon her. Paul Eastman, whole and unburned, appears. He tells Beth he wouldn't change anything that happened because out of all of it, they created Melinda. After telling Melinda how much he loves her, he crosses over.   

But we are left with one strange moment... when our faithful cast heads off into the summer sunset together, the six people standing the sunlight only cast five shadows. Ah, something to pull us into the next fall. Besides, the Underground was too big a storyline to solve in this all too short season.

Random Thoughts:

• I'm going to start a David Conrad Fan Club. I'm sure there already is one, but he needs a few. Yay David. Yay Jim for really standing up for Melinda when she wasn't able to do it for herself.
• What kind of Garanimals shirt was Rick Payne wearing? It had like a dinosaur print on it or something.
• Corin Nemec, the actor who played Paul Eastman, could be mistaken for the Lost Gibb Brother. Someone call that man to play a Bee Gee.

Freaking good show. See you guys next fall. Remember to wear sunscreen.

Comments

Add me to your David Conrad fan club. Does the no shadow thing mean that Rick is dead? I think that Melinda should definately use her married name now, so she won't have any connection to Tom anymore. I'm glad that Melinda will have a better relationship with Beth. Can't wait for season four.

Penny | May 16, 2008 8:41:02 PM | #

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Indeed, what an exciting closing to an amazing season. I am so glad this year it was driven by personal drama, I have to admit last years was a little too paranormal. I enjoy the supernatural in any form but spirits able to control weather and such was just stretching it.

The cliff-hanger I have to saw is a head scratcher, but in the end it is pretty much going to end up being Payne. Jay Mohr does now have a new comedy to commit his full time too. I am sure though he will get a proper send off in the Season 4 Premiere.

Jeffrey | May 16, 2008 9:37:02 PM | #

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Who, besides me, remembers David Conrad from NBC's ill-fated "Miss Match"?

JW | May 16, 2008 10:03:31 PM | #

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I'll always remember David Conrad from Roswell.

I thought this episode was great. The "I wasn't talking to you" line was awesome.

Bryan | May 16, 2008 11:30:21 PM | #

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OK, count me in to the David Conrad Club.

This was a fantastic episode. I'm usually not one for all the personal life junk to spill out of a great supernatural show, but it was vital to prepare us for season four and to wrap up season 3, a season too short lived.

I'm conviced that Rick Payne is dead at the end of the season finale when he points out about the number of shadows. He's in his own comedy thing now and probably can't fit in GW but he was such a humorous character even when he got on all of our nerves. I know he'll be killed of in a good manner; my only fear is that the writers will create another disgustingly terrible character like Delia Banks was created after Andrea Marino's death.

On the subject of Andrea, what has Aisha Tyler been doing wither herself since season 1?

Really awesome episode! yay for the start of season 4!

Laura | May 17, 2008 4:35:21 AM | #

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Me three for the David Conrad fan club. Jim was awesome last night. It was about time he lost his patience with Melinda's parents jerking her around all her life and making her feel miserable.

It was definitely a change from the seasons 1 and 2 finale. I'm hoping for more Beth in season 4, I love Anne Archer and JLH together.

As for the shadows, either the professor is dead, since it's the only way he would see 6 people and 5 shadows if one of them is dead or it's foreshadowing of something to come for season 4.

I just hope they don't mess around with Jim because I want my very own Jim.

Mari | May 17, 2008 4:46:38 AM | #

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Didn't I see Melinda and Payne holding hands right before he mentioned the shadows? I don't think she can actually touch dead people. I thought the hand-holding meant that it might be Jim who died, and Melinda and Payne were going to be together. It just seemed strange that she was standing next to Payne and not Jim.

Kathy | May 17, 2008 7:59:08 AM | #

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I also watched Miss Match and enjoyed it. I've been a David Conrad fan since the Hallmark movie A Season For Miracles.

I don't think anyone is dead. If so, then it's a huge plothole, because when Melinda was talking to her mom, there was a shot of the other four and Jim hit Payne's arm, so he can't be dead. And no one else could be dead, or Payne wouldn't see them, only Melinda and her mom were.

There is a theory that it's foreshadowing someone's death and I'm going to have to support that theory.

Denise | May 17, 2008 8:41:32 AM | #

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It's nice to see everyone is on board with the David Conrad fan club.

Oh, to have a copy of David Conrad and Kimberly Williams in "Relativity". Fabulous show, circa 1996.

I think Rick is going to die too... which will leave a big hole in the cast.

Kiley McMichael | May 17, 2008 9:38:33 AM | #

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I will quit watching if Jim is killed off. I think it has to be Rick - he does have a new show to go to.

A question: was Gabriel really Melinda's brother? Was he Tom's son? And isn't it strange that if he is Tom's son that he could see ghosts also?

teresa | May 17, 2008 1:37:08 PM | #

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Good question Teresa but I think Gabriel is son of Tom and Beth so since Beth can also see ghost like Melinda that's how Gabriel can too.
i agree it looks like Jay Mohr run on the show is over with I did like he addition to the shows storyline, I was a fan of his real life wife from her part on Las Vegas until she showed up on GW with those puff up lips implants that just made what pretty face she had before just plain ugly to me.
A little off the subject but I really hated how NBC had canceled both Las Vegas and Journeyman it would be nice if another network picked them up, CBS are you listening?

Ron | May 17, 2008 2:11:46 PM | #

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Ron, it was cleared in "Weight of What Was" that Gab's biological mother was in a Mental Institute due to her ability to see spirits.

Teresa, Gab never said he was a "Half Brother" of Mel's but inferred that they had the same father. Technically they did have the same father, Tom Gordon. After all Tom still had to go through the process of adoption to become a legal guardian of Mel, as we learned in "Pater Familias" Beth had no problem having Tom be the father knowing Paul would never be released. Now that Mel knows the truth behind Tom, we may pretty much see a new side to the dynamic between Mel and Gab, especially now knowing her real fathers ghost killed his father, the only link other than the mother to his past.

Jeffrey | May 17, 2008 2:41:08 PM | #

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I dont think Rick is dead because when malinda was talking to her mother and looks over at the 4 you see her husband talk directly to rick and touch him so he aint dead

Richard Arkless | May 17, 2008 4:48:34 PM | #

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Bravo, Jim, I love it when a husband defends and protects his wife.

I am proud of myself because I figured out that the ghost was her father.

Trupen | May 17, 2008 5:43:36 PM | #

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Kiley, you have written an excellent summary of a terrific finale episode. Ghost Whisperer really went out with a bang even if we were short four episodes.

What was particularly impressive was the high quality of all the post strike episodes. Two of our other favorite shows have run recent episodes that looked like cut-and-paste jobs. In both cases the episode was a simple plot with a lot of filler material where the actors just did set pieces.

Not so for our favorite show. It seemed like every episode was popping at the seams with content and action.

BTW, count us on the fence as to what the shadows mean. We found the Paul Eastman being Mel's father thing totally unexpected and would not be surprised if the writers are jerking our chain again. It could be an out for Jay's new sitcom but he might want a fall back position since the success rate of those things has been pretty poor the past few seasons.

thebears | May 17, 2008 9:13:35 PM | #

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I think Rick is dead cuz on the GW fan site it said that Jay Mohr was going to be leaving the show 2 do a new show called Project Gary on CBS on a Wednesday at 8:30pm P.S. i dont think Jay Mohr should leave the show he is a really good actor in GW

Sarah | May 17, 2008 10:15:05 PM | #

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yeah i hope that payne isn't dead I really like him and he provides an objective part scientific feel to the show.
jim is the perfect husband the show would suck without his support for melinda. I cannot wait for season 4 and I wish they would provide the full episodes on cbs's website that way if you miss one you can see the enitre episode not just a lame recap.

kelly | May 17, 2008 11:27:16 PM | #

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yeah i hope that payne isn't dead I really like him and he provides an objective part scientific feel to the show.
jim is the perfect husband the show would suck without his support for melinda. I cannot wait for season 4 and I wish they would provide the full episodes on cbs's website that way if you miss one you can see the enitre episode not just a lame recap.

kelly | May 17, 2008 11:27:26 PM | #

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I recently did a little research melinda-style and found out that there is a superstition that if a person casts no shadow they have no soul. Not sure what that could mean to the show or characters but thought i'd toss it out to everyone.

Mark | May 18, 2008 7:25:00 AM | #

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I recently did a little research melinda-style and found out that there is a superstition that if a person casts no shadow they have no soul. Not sure what that could mean to the show or characters but thought i'd toss it out to everyone.

Mark | May 18, 2008 7:25:06 AM | #

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I recently did a little research melinda-style and found out that there is a superstition that if a person casts no shadow they have no soul. Not sure what that could mean to the show or characters but thought i'd toss it out to everyone.

Mark | May 18, 2008 7:25:44 AM | #

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I like David Conrad as much as anybody, but his relationship with Melinda is too stable. If years of watching Buffy has taught me anything it's that nice normal relationships are not as compeling TV as relationships that can't work out. I'd hate to see them kill of Kim, but I had a feeling he was going to die since day one of Ghost Whisperer.

Delia and Ned... I don't like these two. Whoever it was that had the idea to replace the yummy Aisha Taylor with Cameron Manheim needs to be smacked around a bit. And the "New Ned" bothers me. (Not because he's bad, but because he's like 35 while the other Ned was like 12). It would be cool if one, of them was the ghost.

They had better not kill off Prof Payne. He's the best character on the show. I really hoped that they would do more with is crush on Melinda. They never picked up on that story line. Waht worries me is that HE saw that there were 6 people there, meaning either he's the ghost, or the ghost is visible to everyone. No one but Melinda, her mom and sometimes kids can see ghosts. As of now, it looks like Payne IS dead. (*sad)

ryu hayabusa | May 19, 2008 6:30:03 AM | #

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Payne has to be the one who is dead. The only person who would think there were 6 live people instead of 5 until they saw the shadows is the person who is dead. Delia, Jim, etc would see 5 people and 5 shadows. Melinda and her mother would see 5 live people and 1 recently deceased.

kilroy was here | May 19, 2008 1:42:26 PM | #

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Bryan, ITA. "I wasn't talking to you!" line gave me the chills, and then her real father jumped into the b******d and threw him off the staircase. Loved it. But I wish Melinda had had more time with her father before he crossed over. I was in tears. Good episode. I will miss it until the fall.

Terry | May 19, 2008 1:51:54 PM | #

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Mark, that's interesting - one who has no soul casts no shadow. Who would that be? Jim? He showed a side of him I'd never seen before when he pounced on her (not real) father. Just a thought.

Terry | May 19, 2008 1:53:41 PM | #

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