Some spoilers
I think it was a pretty decent combination of supernatural/fantasy genre, mystery, and family drama. Unlike most of supernatural/fantasy TV shows, it seemed much more human and believable, because it only focused on one aspect (Allison’s-and her daughters’-psychic abilities), and it never explained why she was a psychic (though it was shown that her ability was hereditary), keeping that element ambiguous… like, no matter what you believe in, you almost get a feeling that someone like her might even exist in real life…
The cast was pretty good too, both Patricia Arquette and Jake Weber did a great job, I really liked Miguel Sandoval and David Cubitt too, and the girls… well, they were OK, though I think Sofia Vassilieva stood out as the most talented. Also, the main cast remained the same throughout all the seven seasons, providing the show with a feeling of consistency.
One of the main flaws of the show is that it definitely got pretty formulatic after a while-just dream until the final dream reveals everything. But the stories were almost always pretty investigation so it didn’t bother me that much. Also, some episodes clearly drew inspiration from the movies (“The Sixth Sense”, “The Groundhog Day”), but I think that almost always worked out pretty well.
My favorite episode is probably a two-parter from season six, “There Will Be Blood… type A” and “There Will Be Blood… type B”. I think that was a good material for a full length indie horror-thriller, actually. It’s got everything: good acting, an interesting story, some really creepy scenes, and a very satisfying (and moving) conclusion. They should show in in theatres on Halloween LOL That and the “Wicked Game” from season four (another two-parter) are my favorites.
However, I really disliked the finale. Not only because Joe died, but because there was literally no case to solve, and there was no closure to any of the other characters. It felt really cheap and rushed.
With all those TV shows being rebooted these days (“Prison Break”, “X-Files”, “Twin Peaks”, “Will & Grace”), I keep thinking that it would be nice bringing Medium back-but probably not as a TV show, but as a feature film; a “real” series finale. Maybe they can reveal that an official finale actually was a dream all along (another vengeful ghost messing with Allison’s head? Maybe portrayed by Jennifer Love Hewitt? LOL). Of course, that will probably never happen. So I like to ignore the finale (and the whole seventh season, actually) and pretend that the show ended with season six finale.
Anyway, I think that it is a pretty good show, maybe even underrated, and pretty rewatchable.
I loved that show. I was sorry to see it go.
I loved the show, I just eat up semi-supernatural stuff. It was not unlike ‘House’ - very formulatic (she always got a phone call in the middle of the night, just like on his show House got an epiphany 15 minutes before the ending) , but it was nonetheless clever and engrossing (loved her dreams, full of symbolism). I liked that she had a great relationship with the police chief, who seemed to take her seriously.
I was considering getting a box set of ‘Medium’ for me and husband to watch, an episode a night, but he’s a rather sensitive soul and would soon get turned off by the cruelty of the endless abuse and murders of women and children. I’ll never be able to listen to ‘So Happy Together’ ever again without picturing that ghastly scene in the young woman’s basement…
I’ve heard the show is based on a ‘real psychic’ who supposedly gave hints to the police through her dreams. She was on a ‘real housewives’ show briefly.
One of the daughters - maybe all of them - on ‘Medium’ was revealed to be psychic herself. If they remade it, it could star them. (and wasn’t the youngest one with the glasses kind of eerie? She was like a creature halfway between a human and a…I dunno, a fairy? A seer? Rather odd little thing.)
I really like this show, partly because if the premise but also largely due to Patricia Arquette. Something about her is mesmerizing to me.
Back when I had cable, when I scrolled through the channel guide I’d come upon “Medium” and then, upon expanding the description I’d be disappointed to find out the listing was for Long Island Medium :mad:
I didn’t realize it had run for seven seasons and I don’ recall why I missed the finale but I will definitely try to find it on Netflix or wherever.
I just couldn’t get past the fact that this show was supposedly based on the exploits of a fake medium of the same name, who used the show to further promote her fraudulent “skills”.
I honestly advise you not to watch the finale. It is your choice, of course.
Ditto.
I can kind of see that, but personally, I usually separate the shows/movies and real life, even when it comes to more… direct issues like actors’ or director’s lives, let alone an inspiration/basis. But I probably just didn’t expect people to believe that was real. I just saw it as an inspiration for a good show.
Since it was advertised as being based on her real life, I saw it as an advertisement for a con artist.
Yeah I’m with you on that. I still watched but it bothered me. The best aspect of the show was the family dynamic felt real. They felt like a genuine husband and wife despite the fantastic things going in her life.
In the show it was unambiguous to everyone that she was psychic. Her visions were incredibly accurate and helpful. If the real person was that effective we would have absolute proof that psychic ability was real. Randi would have been knocking down her door to give her the money.
It wasn’t must-see tv but I enjoyed watching it when I caught it. I thought the family life was really well done and pretty realistic, especially the breakfast scenes. Great casting for the daughters. I agree the youngest one was a sprite and they kept it ambiguous, that was a nice touch.
My least favorite characters were her associates, the DA and the cop and then the cop’s fiance and at one point there was some boring drama about their issues.
The mysteries were intriguing and sad. I’ve never heard anything about the woman the series was based on so that didn’t affect my viewing. I did catch the finale when I was overseas. I didn’t realise the series had ended and it was pretty confusing, like what Joe is dead? is this another dream?? The last few minutes were the actors leaving the studio which was… strange.
oh, LOVED the opening credits. Very Hitchcockian.
I doubt you can, legally, just base a TV show on something that is supposedly real and not be clear about that, even if you don’t believe it to be so in real life. Even if they changed her name, there still could have been enough similarities to make a connection, which could have caused legal issues, so they had to make clear who the show is based on. Nobody forced people to actually believe real Allison was a psychic, the same way horror movies based on urban legends aren’t a propaganda to make you believe in supernatural. The only difference is that, here, you can actually attach a person to the legend/mythology (?) the show is built on. If real Allison is a fraud and she used a piece of fiction based on her to promote her supposed abilities, that is on her only. Even if she got some money from the showrunners, most of the profit was still reserved for people that would create those fictional episodes: the cast, writers, producers and directors.
My favorite episode was a Halloween one where the husband made a reference to Dawn of the Dead (the remake) which he had been in.
If she is a fraud? Of course she is a fraud. Psychics don’t really exist. The rest of your argument doesn’t hold up since Alison Dubois was a consultant on every episode. The show made it very clear it was based on her and her name appeared in the beginning credits. It was an advertisement for her psychic ability. If she really was that effective and the police department used her in the way they did in the show it would be the greatest scientific breakthrough ever. Actual proof of psionic abilities. Instead it was an advertisement for a fraud. If it was about Mary Jones working with the Cleveland police I would have enjoyed it more.
I do think he is an underrated actor and he does a great American accent.
Agreed. And I credit whoever cast him in this role. Great chemistry between him and PA.
Also,handsome enough to be appealing but still “real people” attractive.
I had no idea the show was based on anyone. Was it the Long Island Medium? Ugh, I couldn’t stand to have a normal conversation with her, much less have her look into my soul.
The show was based on her alleged abilities and, in part, on the book that she wrote. Since the show was based on that, they were legally obliged to credit her. As long as every episode was connected to it, she was like a consultant. That is how things work. The only source proving her consulting work for the show is a single IMDb credit that doesn’t detail anything. Most of the people I know (who have watched the show) didn’t even know it was based on a real psychic and they didn’t care once they found out. Since you say that her abilities would have been the greatest scientific breakthrough ever had they been real, I think most of people are intelligent enough to figure that out on their own and not actually believe psychics are real.
Jake Weber is British? Well, I’ll be hornswoggled.
Meh, Ghost Whisperer was better, least until they killed off the husband and stuck his ghost in another body.