Pilot (23 Sep. 2005)

The spirit of a soldier disturbs Melinda at her wedding.

Director:

John Gray

Writers:

John Gray (creator), John Gray

Stars:

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Aisha Tyler, David Conrad

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	Melinda Gordon
Aisha Tyler	...	Andrea Marino
David Conrad	...	Jim Clancy
Wentworth Miller	...	Sgt. Paul Adams
Jon Polito	...	Joe Grimaldi
Rodney Scott	...	Dan Clancy
June Squibb	...	Grandma
Grace Fulton	...	Young Melinda
Eddie Jones	...	Older Man
Deborah Strang	...	Thin Woman
Balthazar Getty	...	Michael
Allison McDonell	...	Vera Adams
Diane Dorsey	...	Coffee Drinker
William Marquez	...	Older Man
John Eric Bentley	...	Army Chaplain

Storyline

Melinda Gordon has seen, heard and talked to ghosts since she was a child with the guidance of her grandmother, helping spirits to cross to the other side. On her wedding day with the paramedic Jim Clancy, the ghost of Sergeant Paul Adams, who was missing in action in Vietnam, comes to her, asking Melinda to contact his son Michael Adams. Michael believes Melinda is a fraud, but when his wife forces him to call the Pentagon giving the leads Melinda gave them, the army finds the remains of his father.

---

Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

---

Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 2005 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 19, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sander/Moses Productions, Paramount Network Television, Touchstone Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the pilot, Melinda looks for a name on a war memorial in the town square. The same name - "Lt. Ryan Beeman" (not the name she is looking for) - is the top name on two sides of the monument - under both "Gulf War" and "Vietnam War."

---

Goofs

In the Pilot, the ghost of Vietnam Veteran Sgt. Paul Adams is wearing plain Olive drab (green) jungle fatigues, correct for the 1960s, but by the time he supposedly died, it was 1972 and his unit (5th ID), as most U.S. Army units, had changed to the "Nam Leaf pattern" camouflage (ERDL) uniform for several years already.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Grandma: Sit next to this man, Melinda; we're going to help him.

User Reviews

Outstanding pilot

The pilot involves a long-dead Vietnam vet haunting Melinda so that he can get in touch with his son. Melinda, played by the ever-fetching Jennifer Hewitt in peasant dresses, lots of costume jewelry and low-cut tops, is a spiritualist who can see, hear and talk to ghosts. Trained by her equally sensitive grandma (June Squibb), she helps these lost souls cross over into the light, a la POLTERGEIST. Melinda points out early on that spirits may appear in rather shocking, raw form, and this is borne out when the Vietnam vet first appears: he looks like hell warmed over. As the episode progresses, the "solidifies" and transforms his appearance, so that by the end of the episode he is the tall, dark and handsome dad who left his young son to go off and fight in a war. It is a very touching moment when the soldier walks side-by-side with his now-grown son, an arm loosely draped on the son's shoulder. Melinda's odd career is complicated by being married, although hubby (David Conrad) is mostly sympathetic to her ongoing crusade. She also has a partner in an antiques business (Aisha Tyler) who gets more and more involved in the wackiness as the first season rolls on. A well-written first episode, well acted, and just "off" enough to keep one coming back.