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MEDIUM |
Allison Dubois - Patricia Arquette Joe Dubois - Jake Weber Manuel Devalos - Miguel Sandoval Lee Scanlon - David Cubitt 
OTHER MEDIUM SEASONS Season 1 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6 THEY ALSO SEE DEAD PEOPLE Ghost Whisperer Haunted Afterlife Millennium 
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Four Dreams Part 1There are a group of people breaking into people's houses and killing whole families and the police have no idea who it is. There's a mother and son run off the road in their car and drowned in a lake and the police have no clues as to who did it. Detective Scanlon's relationship with the Mayor's aide is suffering from her workload and DA Devalos is running away from health scares. Allison's got a lot on her plate and that's without her high school sweetheart showing up on her doorstep dead. MEDIUM didn't have a cliffhanger at the end of Season 2, so the new season starts off with a multi-episode story. This is the set up and so it doesn't exactly go anywhere very fast, but there are enough storylines going around to intrigue and the characters have grown upon us enough in the previous two seasons for us to want to know what's going on with them. The startling cartoon sequences take the show to darker places than it has often gone before and the addition of the slow motion car incident and young boy facing his imminent drowning are more explicitly upsetting than the show is used to. The character of Allison is also suffering more than her usual amount. There's not a lot of happiness going around and we're wondering if this is going to be a new direction into murkier waters and heavier drama for the show. Only time will tell, but we want to be there to find out. Written by Glenn Gordon Caron and Javier Grillo-MarxuachDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top Four Dreams Part 2The house invaders who have been killing whole families are themselves killed by a distraught art dealer, but the cartoon dreams continue. Joe is upset that his wife is still seeing her college ex, albeit posthumously. DA Devalos finds himself suddenly blind and when his girlfriend talks about issues in running for public office whilst being in a relationship with a cop, Scanlon goes back to his womanising ways. The two part opener to the series contains more of the cartoon dreams, but is more interesting in the real world where the two-part format has allowed the show to go a bit deeper into the backgrounds of the support characters. Devalos's illness is sensitively handled and accurate in its portrayal of a man not wanting to face the fact that there might be something wrong with him, whilst Scanlon's rebuff in the face of letting his guard down is all the more painful because it's probably not necessary. Thomas Jane's presence as Allison's ex, though, serves no real purpose and the solution to the murders is disappointing in its conventionality considering what went before. Written by Glenn Gordon Caron and Javier Grillo-MarxuachDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top Be Kind, RewindAllison has a dream that Joe wants sex, Ariel is at risk of being bullied at school and she is going to have a car accident. She then lives that day, but each change she makes seems to make things worse all round. MEDIUM does GROUNDHOG DAY, but manages to do it with enough freshness and surprises along the way that the lack of originality doesn't grate. Each different version of the day is a step forward and back at the same time (swap Allison in a car wreck for Scanlon getting shot, Ariel being bullied to Ariel being suspended) and whilst the final solution to all this is a somewhat far-fetched criminal enterprise it all wraps up nice and neatly. Written by Ken ScheflerDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top Be Kind, RewindCharles Walker, undead killer surgeon, is back in Allison's life as she discovers that he is attempting to affect the mind of a descendant with a remarkable resemblance. Can Allison save another young girl, or is she out to protect the wrong person? The serial killing Charles Walker (from Doctor's Orders) is a creepy creation and is usually accompanied by some of the bloodiest imagery in the series, but this time around the story is a psychological battle of wills with a couple of nice twists along the way. Unfortunately, the final resolution is so Deus Ex Machina that it makes the whole episode utterly unsatisfying despite the visions showing just how this monster evolved. Written by Robert DohertyDirected by Oz Scott Top Ghost in the MachineAllison gets Joe a camcorder for his birthday, but it starts showing her videos that might have a bearing on the case of the rooftop sniper who has the city terrified. This is a fairly standard episode of the show, which means that it is solidly entertaining and well acted, but not as clever as it thinks it is. It passes the time agreeably enough, but is hardly memorable. Written by Moira KirlandDirected by Andy Wolk Top Profiles in TerrorA new serial killer is in town and one of the FBI's top profilers is in town to consult on the case. Allison has some insights that he ridicules, but it is what she learns about him, rather than the killer that is so frightening. Allison Dubois has a near perfect case record, managing to get one over on the bad guys even when they have seemingly outwitted her all the way along. This episode, however, leaves her with the bitter taste of defeat and actually makes the show more interesting. If she isn't going to win every time then the sense of danger and excitement might be back. As for the rest, that's business as usual; well acted but hardly surprising. Written by Craig SweenyDirected by Peter Werner Top Mother's Little HelperAllison and Ariel both have dreams about the same murder, a murder they discover in a dress shop. The dreams seem to lead to two different killers. They can't both be right can they? This episode kicks off with a striking sequence that replays the prom scene from CARRIE with Ariel in the leading role. Once that's over, the show settles back into its usual mix of mystery slowly revealed and domestic chaos, all underpinned by finely judged performances. Written by Moira KirlandDirected by Vincent Misiano Top The Whole TruthA local politician is found hanged during an odd sex act, but Allison's dreams of a young boy at the bottom of a hole suggest that there is more to this story than meets the eye. The use of the Rolling Stones' number 'Sympathy for the Devil' has to be mentioned as the its the only thing that really sets this apart from any of the other episodes of this increasingly familiar show. The police mystery is a bog standard one that could have come from any show and the family domestic saga is pretty standard as well. It is, as always, well played and never less than watchable, but there is increasingly a feeling of 'deja vu' with the show. Written by Diane Ademu-JohnDirected by Leslie Libman Top Better Off DeadTwo men meet shortly after their deaths and offer mutual support in what is a trying time. When Allison's offer to help one of them find out who really killed him is brusquely refused, the other sends her dreams that centre around the woman in the apartment opposite to the dead man's. Despite its central tenet, this show has always been fairly believable, but the circumstances surrounding the main murder in this episode is so utterly beyond the pale that it never really stands much chance of convincing. The mystery is solved in the usual slow fashion as the dreams misdirect, but always in the right direction and the having Allison talk directly to the ghost moves the show in a slightly different direction. Written by Robert DohertyDirected by Janice Cooke-Leonard Top Very Merry MaggieAllison sees a young boy being abused by his father who takes comfort from a doll that talks to him, but what is it telling him? No review is currently available for this episode. If you want to add one, please click here to e-mail it to us. Written by Craig SweenyDirected by Arliss Howard Top Apocalypse PushTexas Ranger Captain Push returns to Phoenix when it is he who is having the dreams about a murder. No review is currently available for this episode. If you want to add one, please click here to e-mail it to us. Written by Javier Grillo-MarxuachDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top The One Behind the WheelAllison is not herself. Quite literally. Her body has been taken over by the spirit of a recently dead woman, except that the woman herself is recovering in the hospital from her car crash injuries. Whilst she tries to figure out what's going on, Joe has to try and keep the family's life together in the absence of the girls' mother. MEDIUM comes up with something new and this episode is all the more welcome for it. It also gives Jake Weber something more to do than just be the stalwart, if somewhat frazzled, supporting husband. His work here as his world rapidly comes apart at the seams is excellent, making what might have been a flighty bit of stuff into a weighty drama. The idea is never played for laughs or made light of and it's easy to comprehend what he is going through. It also gives Patricia Arquette someone new to play, which she clearly enjoys, but this is Jake Weber's episode all the way. Written by Diane Ademu-JohnDirected by Leon Ichasu Top Second OpinionAllison sees one of her daughters dying of Leukemia in the future. It becomes clear that it is something she contracted from the house. Whilst Joe gets more frazzled by his wife's compulsive behaviour to save a daughter who isn't yet sick and may never become sick Detective Scanlon looks into the death of friend who might be involved in the same situation. Playing partly as a drama about a family dealing with the death of a loved one from an incurable disease, this episode of MEDIUM is all the better when dealing with the future than the present. The twists in the plot are predictable and it's easy to guess how it's all going to turn out, but the scenes at the deathbed of a dying girl are excellently played and worth watching for alone, even if some of the ageing makeup is a bit dodgy. All credit to the players. Written by Sterling AndersonDirected by David Lerner Top We Had a DreamAllison was once targeted by a killer who was sharing the same dreams as her. Allison now dreams that he is about to escape. Unable to prevent that, she tries to counter his killing spree, always afraid that her own family will become his target. This is a direct sequel to SOS, but since Allison never met the killer in that episode it doesn't hurt too much to have not seen it when watching this episode. Eric Stoltz plays the killer, but is a very pale impression of Hannibal Lecter, threatening but more when he is off-screen than on. More interesting is the background story as the deputy mayor starts asking some very awkward questions about the expensive protection that Allison is getting and how the DA's office knew about the jailbreak before it happened, whils there is a funny sequence at the start in which Allison keeps waking Joe up from a very broken sleep. The psychic challenge is a different slant (used only a couple of times before) and so is a welcome change of pace and the threat to Allison makes it more personal. Written by Javier Grillo-MarxuachDirected by Arlene Sanford Top The Boy Next DoorA young Allison dreams of meeting the boy that she will one day marry. She also dreams of the boy next door who in the future will be a murderer. Can she make changes to her current life and what will they mean to her future life? There are times in this episode when it is hard to tell which Allison is dreaming of which and the idea that events that were so distressing could have been so easily forgotten plague the story as well. The latter are dealt with neatly enough and the focus on the young Allison makes for a change from the standard 'dream catches killer' of the week scenario. Written by Moira KirlandDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top Whatever Possessed YouDA Devalos is shattered by the death of one of his closest friends, a priest, who fell down some stairs. When Allison dreams of the priest seeing a levitating bed and a demonic girl, it becomes clear that a disturbed woman might actually have killed him. The levitating bed is straight out of THE EXORCIST and not very well done, but the image of the demon girl is quite disturbing. The rest of the plot is standard MEDIUM with only a novel use for sweets to make it stand out from any of the others. Even Joe's attempts to get a job being scuppered by his wife's talents (she is apparently famous enough to be 'flagged' by the authorities as a security risk) don't really strike a chord. After all, if Allison is so obviously a problem then how come they haven't dragged her in and experimented on her? Surely a talent like hers would be something that they would be very interested in. Written by Robert DohertyDirected by Miguel Sandoval Top Joe Day AfternoonJoe gets a lift to work with a colleague who turns out to have been sacked a few weeks prior and now has a gun and a grievance. Allison helps the authorities outside with information that comes from a man that has been shot. A complete change of pace as the usual template of investigation being revealed through dreams is thrown out and Joe becomes the centre of attention, held at gunpoint for something that has nothing to do with him. It's a story that we have seen before and done better, but it is tense enough and unpredictable enough that the threat to characters that we know is very real. The performance by Adam Goldberg as the kidnapper is the kind of thing that he can do in his sleep, but is unpredictable enough that the sudden outbursts of violence do shock and the fear that he is going to do something very, very bad is palpable. Written by Ken ScheflerDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top 1-900-LUCKYAllison's messed up brother is working for a phone psychic line when a woman whose husband has been murdered asks him to consult on the case. When the ghost of the man in question turns up and suggests that he take the case, he reluctantly agrees, but Allison isn't too keen on him muscling in on a case that she is also involved with and for which she is getting conflicting information. The arrival of Allison's brother and the familial disharmony that being on opposite sides of a case brings with it are the only things that mark this episode out from any others. It is as slick and entertaining as ever, but the format is starting to get a bit repetitive. Written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Robert DohertyDirected by David Arquette Top No-one to Watch Over MeJoe tries to go back to work, but finds the experience too much for him following the hostage siege. Allison dreams of being out in the snow, leading to a gruesome discovery. It is nice to see a show that takes a situation as stressful as the hostage seige in Joe Day Afternoon and actually plays out the psychological aftermath rather than just pressing the emotional reset button before the start of the next episode. This allows for some good work by Jake Weber and Patricia Arquette as the married couple trying to work through things together. The rest of the plot is bog-standard MEDIUM Written by Travis Donnelly & Corey ReedDirected by Vincent Misiano Top Head GamesAllison persuades the DA to continue the prosecution of a man for the decapitation of his wife when the defence lawyer offers a deal. Things start to turn sour, however, when another murder takes place and Allison's dream might not have been as accurate as she thought. Joe is still suffering from his ordeal and the therapy sessions ordered by his workplace aren't going too well. The only bright side to anything is that Allison becomes friendly with a woman who hits her car in the garage. Neve Campbell appears as Debra, the woman who bumps Allison's car in the car park and insists on treating her to lunch. There's something not quite right here, but Campbell's performance is subtle enough that it keeps making you believe that she is who she says she is and then pushing you the other way. Jason Priestley's turn as the killer in the dock is more of a cameo. The killings in this one are a little more gruesome than usual and that gives the show some edge, right up to the point where you realise that this is to be a multi-episode storyline and the cliffhanger isn't bad at all. Written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Moira KirlandDirected by Joanna Kerns Top Heads Will RollAs the investigation into the beheadings that are terrorising Phoenix continues, Allison learns that her new friend is not only the next target, but is also not what she appears to be at all, but someone who can damage a lot of lives. Joe is faced with some decisions about his future as everyone tries to manipulate him over the aftermath of his hostage siege experience. The fact that the story is playing out over a number of episodes rather than just one allows it to breathe more expansively and to have a bit more depth to it and the characters within it. The political aspect of the killings and the potential for it to destroy people's careers as well as the lives of the victims comes a bit more to the fore and the revelation of Debra's real purpose in Phoenix and what it might mean to her and her family is heady stuff, full of possibilities. And what of the fact that another of Allison's visions was completely wrong? Neve Campbell's scene where she pours scorn on the medium as a sad, pathetic, miguided but dangerous woman is a real highlight of the season to date. Written by Diane Ademu-JohnDirected by Aaron Lipstadt Top Everything Comes to a HeadThe newspaper article exposing Allison’s work for the DA’s office has come out and she finds her services are no longer required by the man who has taken over from DA Devalos who is himself on leave somewhere. Detective Scanlon won’t even take her calls. Allison works out some of the problems with her previous predictions and makes one last attempt to save the journalist that exposed her, but it is ironically her death that will exonerate the medium. This is the season finale and it leaves the world turned upside down for the DuBois family. Allison’s secret is out, Joe has been fired, Devalos is in disgrace and Scanlon’s future is looking non-too shiny. In the event, Allison’s final victory is a hollow one. The whodunit of the plot isn’t too hard to work out, but the how to prove it part is. It’s not a cliffhanger in the traditional fashion, the story having been finished, but there are enough unresolved issues for all the characters to demand a new series. Written by Ken ScheflerDirected by Ronald L Schwary Top |
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