“CSI” and “Law & Order” may have been up for Emmys, but in my book, nobody solved a crime like the “Ghostwriter” crew.
From discovering that Mr. Brinker burned down his own store to figuring out that Janice was Max Mouse, Tina, Jamal, Gaby, Alex and of course Ghostwriter itself never let anyone down with their crime-solving skills in the heart of New York City.
The other day, a friend of mine was at my apartment. We were rummaging through videos, and she came across a Ghostwriter video. We cracked up — I forgot I had taken that video with me to college, and my friend was just laughing in disbelief. We gave each other a look, and silently knew that we needed to relive our childhood for 95 minutes.
From the beginning of the show, with credits and the unforgettable theme song, to the nail-biting suspense throughout the tape, we were constantly reminded of how incredibly awesome this show was and still remains.
The show, which ran on Sundays at 6 p.m. on public television stations around the country in the early 1990s, is filled with lessons of journalism, detective work, friendship, relationships, trust and loads of other morals. One standout feature is the cast of characters — diversity is a mainstay of the show. It offers viewers a chance to learn about Tina’s Asian culture, while learning about the “bodega,” the Spanish name for the shop that Alex and Gaby’s Mexican family owned. The show also included an African-American character, Jamal, and a Caucasian, Lennie.
For me, the word “rally” still calls to mind an image of the “Ghostwriter” team gathering to compare notes, and it takes me back to hear the term “word” (featured prominently in the theme song) used as a cool way to say “yeah.” Who can forget Calvin, the team’s consistent enemy who always tried to bring the gang down?
Every show has it’s heartthrob, and “Ghostwriter” is no exception. “Saved By the Bell,” had Zach Morris and A.C. Slater. “Ghostwriter” gave us Alejandro “Alex” Fernandez, the adorable youth played by David Lopez. The Columbia-born actor, currently 25, made young hearts swoon. Unfortunately, the actor, who attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, hasn’t graced us with his on-screen presence since his glorious “Ghostwriter” days, but I have looked him up on various Web sites and am happy to report that he has become even sexier with age.
Although the “Ghostwriter” days are nothing but a memory, it will forever live on in my mind. Sadly, I will be the first to admit that there are times when I have anxiously anticipated a little help from an omnipresent, invisible friend.

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