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Ghostwriter (2019 TV series)

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This article is about the 2019 American television series. For the series that aired from 1992–1995, see Ghostwriter (1992 TV series). For other television series and other uses, see Ghostwriter (disambiguation).

Ghostwriter
Logo for the Ghostwriter television series.
Genre
Written byLuke Matheny
Directed byLuke Matheny
Starring
  • Isaac Arellanes (s 1-2)
  • Amadi Chapata (s 1-2)
  • Justin Sanchez (s 1-2)
  • Hannah Levinson (s 1-2)
  • Nour Assaf (s 3)
  • Princess Mapp (s 3)
  • Daire McLeod (s 3)
Composers
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • J.J. Johnson
  • Andrew Orenstein
  • Christin Simms
Production locationsHamilton, Ontario
Running time22–26 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkApple TV+
ReleaseNovember 1, 2019 (2019-11-01) –
October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
Related

Ghostwriter is a children's mystery television series produced by Sesame Workshop and Sinking Ship Entertainment as an original series for Apple TV+, and premiered on November 1, 2019, coinciding with the launch of the service. It is a revival of the 1992–1995 series of the same name.[1] The third and final season premiered on October 21, 2022.[2]

Premise

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Seasons 1–2

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Ruben struggles to fit in at his new middle school after he and his mother move to live with his grandfather, who lives above the bookstore he owns. Ghostwriter communicates with written messages and by creating manifestations of fictional characters, all of which only the four main characters can perceive. As they become friends and learn to work as a team, Ghostwriter sends them characters from stories with themes relevant to their lives.[3]

Season 3

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Some time after the previous two seasons, a new ghostwriter picks three children he had met in life to help return a scroll called the Eloquent Peasant back to Egypt where it was first found. As with the previous ghostwriter, he does this through bringing storybook characters to life.

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • Isaac Arellanes as Ruben Reyna (seasons 1–2)
  • Amadi Chapata as Chevon Redmond (seasons 1–2)
  • Justin Sanchez as Curtis Palmer-Moreno (seasons 1–2)
  • Hannah Levinson as Donna Palmer-Moreno (seasons 1–2)
  • Nour Assaf as Samir Yousef (season 3)
  • Princess Mapp as Nia Joy Barnes (season 3)
  • Daire McLeod as Charli Allen (season 3)
  • Josette Halpert as Sydney Allen (season 3)
  • Romel De Silva as Oliver Ramos (season 3)
  • Tony Ofori as Malcolm (season 3)

Book characters

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Episodes

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1137November 1, 2019 (2019-11-01)
6May 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)
2137October 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
6May 7, 2021 (2021-05-07)
313October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)

Season 1 (2019–20)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [4]
Part 1
11"Ghost in Wonderland"Luke MathenyAndrew OrensteinNovember 1, 2019 (2019-11-01)
22
Four children have to come together after a strange ghost starts leaving them messages only they can see. Things get even weirder when a talking white rabbit starts running amok in school.
The children try to find the released Wonderland characters, convinced that doing so would satisfy the ghost that has been haunting them.
33"The Jungle Ghost"Michael MohanLauren ThompsonNovember 1, 2019 (2019-11-01)
44
After the ghost asks for help on the bookstore's typewriter, the children find Mowgli and learn that they, too, can understand animals while he is near.
Mowgli has run away, along with all the dogs from the shelter. Finding him is the only way to return him to the book, along with learning what secret the stray cat Spinoza knows about Ruben's grandmother.
55"The Wild, Wild Ghost"Aprill WinneyMark BlutmanNovember 1, 2019 (2019-11-01)
66
77
A strange cowboy called the Camarillo Kid has moseyed into town, and he's hiding from a mean cowboy known as Hitch.
Hitch is following the children to find the Camarillo Kid.
The kids discover that the characters escaped from a science fiction book instead of a classic western. Now that they have the book, they just need to track down the characters, and figure out what lock fits the mysterious key.
Part 2
88"A Sparkly Ghost"Luke MathenyLuke MathenyMay 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)
99
1010
A young girl named Raine gets pulled out of her own book thanks to her powers to see "sparkles", solidified memories of people. The kids use her powers to find out what Grandma was doing back in 1972.
Ruben tracks down Fi and asks her questions about his grandmother.
In trying to find the inheritance Grandma supposedly got from Aunt Sadie, the boys get themselves trapped inside a sparkle.
1111"Franken-Ghost"Jonathan JudgeAminta GoyelMay 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)
1212
1313
During a dress rehearsal as Caliban, Frankenstein's monster confuses Ruben for a real monster.
The kids try to convince Dr. Frankenstein that making a friend for The Monster is a good idea.
The second monster is wreaking havoc around town, and normal people can see her. It is up to them to get everyone back into the book and fix everything.

Season 2 (2020–21)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [4]
Part 1
141"The Ghostly Paintbrush"Melanie OrrLevi AbrinoOctober 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
152
Reuben's paintings start to materialize in real life.
All of the paintbrush's creations are starting to backfire, and the paintbrush is still missing.
163"Ghost Cab"Mars HorodyskiJoanna QuraishiOctober 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
174
While looking for the characters believed to be released from The Cobalt Mask, a strange cabbie stalls his car across from the bookstore.
Learning that Frank is actually a spy, the kids follow him to the end of his route.
185"The Case Of The Missing Ghost"Stephen ReynoldsAminta GoyelOctober 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
196
207
Gender-flipped versions of Sherlock and Watson show up at the bookstore, and help narrow down the identity of Mason Briggs.
Upset at learning Shirl Holmes is still alive, Watson decides to leave her on her own to solve the case.
Holmes and Watson help narrow down the location of Mason Briggs's house as seen from the vision in "A Sparkly Ghost".
Part 2
218"Ghost Castaways"J.J. JohnsonJ.J. Johnson & Christin SimmsMay 7, 2021 (2021-05-07)
229
2310
After discovering they traveled forward in time, the children find the newest book Ghostwriter has unleashed is the "Time Castaways". They use the ship to travel back in time to 1955, where they meet Ruben's grandmother as a child.
Ruben disappears thanks to a time ripple, and the rest of the gang have to work with Captain Vincent to fix it.
Having finally tracked down Mason Briggs, the children work to find the missing manuscript.
2411"The Ghost Writer"Luke MathenyMackenzie MooreMay 7, 2021 (2021-05-07)
2512
2613
In an attempt to finish Mason Briggs' unfinished manuscript, Ghostwriter allows the kids to enter into the story.
The kids continue to write the story while the bookstore struggles to make ends meet.
The kids hurry to finish the book before the bookstore is sold off.

Season 3 (2022)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [4]
271"Ghost of Oz"Luke MathenyAndrew OrensteinOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
282
293
Back in Village Books, three new children are called upon to help a new ghost, by means of guiding a Scarecrow, Tin Girl, and Lion from an updated Wizard of Oz book.
The trio learn that Oliver, a professor all three of them had met, may be calling for their help from beyond the grave.
In order to get the USB drive back from the Tin Girl, the children try to give the Ozians exactly what they need.
304"The Magic Ghost"Luke MathenyLuke MathenyOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
315
The Eloquent Peasant is confirmed to be a fake, and Leo el Magnifico, a child magician, is released to help figure out how it was smuggled out.
Charli has to perform magic for Oliver's nephew in order to take a small sarcophagus out of his room.
326"The Ghost, the Mouse, and the Motorcycle"Warren P. SonodaLevi AbrinoOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
337
Ghostwriter releases Ralph, the mouse from The Mouse and the Motorcycle, who can bring toys to life if he makes their sound. Nia starts a group to fight racism in the neighbourhood. Samir feels guilty about lying to his family so he can spend more time with his friends. Charli's sister gets accepted into a prestigious secret club.
348"He’s a Ghost, She’s a Rainbow"Nishima MukerjiBarbara SoaresOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
359
Instead of a book, Ghostwriter brings to life a woman from the song "She's a Rainbow" who can change her form.
The kids use Rainbow's abilities to infiltrate the Hawthorne Society to track down Alex Thomson's real identity.
3610"The Ghost’s Web"J.J. JohnsonJ.J. Johnson & Christin SimmsOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
3711
Upset about her mom getting set up, Nia is sucked into Charlotte's Web. Samir goes to investigate the archaeology lab. Charli and Syd going to a magic club, courtesy of Amber.
Nia has to save Wilbur from a butcher truck. Samir and Charli investigate the origins of the Eloquent Peasant and the forgery. Sydney looks around the Hawthorne Club.
3812"The Eloquent Ghost on the Bayou"Aprill WinneyLauren ThompsonOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
3913
With the help of Mami Wata, the kids find the hiding spot of the Eloquent Peasant. Sydney tries to convince Griffin to come clean.
With the Eloquent Peasant in hand, the kids need to figure out how to return it and get the culprits caught.

Production

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Development

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Apple picked up the revival of the 1992 series Ghostwriter in 2019. The series was written and directed by Luke Matheny, and is executive produced by J.J. Johnson, Andrew Orenstein, and Christin Simms.[1]

Filming

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Principal photography and videography of the series commenced in December 2018, and concluded during Summer 2019. Filming took place in Hamilton, Ontario.[5]

Bonus videos

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A series of bonus videos called Ghostwriter: Beyond the Page premiered on April 1, 2021.[6]

Reception

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Critical reception

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On Rotten Tomatoes, season one of Ghostwriter has a 100% approval rating, with an average score of 9.5/10 based on 6 reviews.[7]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2020 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Effects Costume. Make Up and Hairstyling Kristin Somborac, Liz Roelands, Lynda McCormack Nominated [8]
Outstanding Costume Design/Styling Kristin Somborac Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography George Lajtai Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Direction George Lajtai Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Children's or Young Adult Program Luke Matheny, Michael Mohan, Aprill Winney Nominated
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Live Action Program Sean Karp, Noah Siegel, William Preventis, John Sievert Nominated
Outstanding Main Title and Graphic Design for a Live Action Program J.J. Johnson, Matthew J.R. Bishop, Stephen Curran, Daryl Shail, Nial McFadyen Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Children's or Young Adult Program Andrew Orenstein, Levi Abrino, Joanna Quraishi, Lauren Thompson, Mark Blutman Nominated
Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Program J.J. Johnson, Blair Powers, Christin Simms, Kay Wilson Stallings, Luke Matheny, Andrew Orenstein, Matthew J.R. Bishop, Carla de Jong, Melanie Grisanti, Jordan Geary, Aminta Goyel, Lauren Thompson, Sari Friedland and Mark Blutman Won
Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs Luke Matheny (for "Ghost in Wonderland, Part 1”) Nominated [9]
Imagen Foundation Awards Best Young Actor - Television Isaac Arellanes Nominated [10]
Best Young Actor - Television Justin Sanchez Nominated
Venice TV Awards Best Children / Youth Series Ghostwriter Nominated [11]
Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards Children’s Andrew Orenstein (for “Ghost in Wonderland, Part 1”) Nominated [12]
2021 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Drama or Daytime Fiction Program Nominated [13]
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Drama or Daytime Fiction Program Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Drama or Daytime Fiction Program Nominated
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime Program Erica Procunier, Sasha Gordon Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing and Editing for a Drama or Daytime Fiction Program Sean W. Karp, Noah Siegel, Andrew Wright, Jason Charbboneau, Stefan Fraticelli, Ron Mellegers, Randy Wilson, Brandon Bak, Teddy Salas, Igor Bezuglov, David Guerra, William Preventis Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b Petski, Denise (September 10, 2019). "'Ghostwriter': Reboot Of 1990s Kids Series Set At Apple TV+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  2. ^ Haring, Bruce (August 29, 2022). "Apple TV+ Sets Kids & Family Fall Slate Spotlighting Animated Series, Live Action Lineup". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  3. ^ "Ghostwriter - TV Review". Common Sense Media. November 4, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Ghostwriter - Episodes". Apple TV+ Press. Apple Inc. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  5. ^ "Ghostwriter: The Apple TV+ series that saved Hamilton bookseller". The Hamilton Spectator. Metroland Media Group Ltd. February 11, 2020. ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Meaghan Darwish (March 5, 2021). "Apple TV+ Spring Shows to Include 'It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown' and a 'Ghostwriter' Spinoff". TV Insider. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Ghostwriter (2019): Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Montgomery, Daniel (July 27, 2020). "2020 Daytime Emmy winners: Full list of nominees and winners in all categories". Gold Derby. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  9. ^ Schneider, Michael (January 6, 2020). "Directors Guild TV Awards Unveil Longform, Documentary, Variety, Reality, Kids 2020 Nominations". Variety. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  10. ^ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2020). "Imagen Awards For Latinx Representation Sets Nominees: 'One Day At A Time', 'I Carry You With Me' On Roster – Complete List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "Winners and Nominees 2020". Venice TV Awards. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "WGC Screenwriting Awards 2020 finalists announced | TV, eh?".
  13. ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 25, 2021). "Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations Unveiled, Include Posthumous Noms For Alex Trebek, Larry King". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
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