Medium: Season 3 (2006-07)

I came across Medium by accident in BBC1’s schedules a few years ago. The premise sounded like my kind of thing (a bit X-Files) and it was clearly a decent series, since BBC1 was playing it in the prestigious late-night mid-week slot… Channel 4 has the same habit of putting quality fare such as Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip on around midnight. Why? I’ve no idea – perhaps so that it gives those few people who find them a feeling of exclusivity at watching the ‘good stuff’. It just means most of the TV I watch is recorded and not viewed as it goes out. But I digress…

Medium is slightly reminiscent of other shows, like the aforementioned X-Files, and it’s companion series Millennium, and probably many others. The premise is that Allison DuBois is a medium that receives communications from dead people through her dreams, and sometimes via ghosts and other supernatural means. Allison uses her abilities to fight crime as part of the Phoenix District Attorney’s office, and it is here that her situation is different from many other detective shows, be they supernatural or not, because while Allison has a ‘sidekick’ (from season 2) in the form of Detective Lee Scanlon and a boss, DA Manuel Devalos, she also has to contend with a busy family life.

Every episode has at least one instance of Allison jumping awake from a disturbing dream and waking her husband Joe, who offers advice and support. Joe keeps Allison grounded and her relationship with him is the backbone of the show. In addition to a husband, Allison has 3 young daughters, Ariel, Bridgette, and Marie, the eldest of whom have also begun to show their mother’s psychic tendencies. Bridgette is my favourite recurring character on the show, wonderfully played by Maria Lark, her presences lightens the mood in even the darkest episode.

Season 3 has been up to the high standards of the previous 2 series, but towards the end there was a shift in the dynamics of the show as Allison edged closer and closer to being ‘outed’ for her gifts, until in the final 3-part story when her relationship with Neve Campbell’s (excellent) reporter led to her unwittingly giving the game away. This led to Devalos being sidelined and Scanlon being reassigned, issues that were not yet addressed completely by the opening of season 4 (thankfully BBC2 is repeating the whole fourth season in double bills as soon as they’ve finished the third season, yay! This is great, since I missed both seasons on their first airings due to a poor TV reception, boo).

Medium regularly features fantastic guest stars and genuinely engaging mysteries, while finding time for moments of humour (Bridgette!) and heart. The dream motif allows for imaginative teaser sequences that regularly surprise and delight, despite the inevitable scenes of Allison waking up suddenly that follow. Patricia Arquette is just perfect as Allison, believable as a mother who faces horrific dreams and murder scenes, and who sometimes struggles with moral dilemmas thrown up by her unwanted, but useful gift. I can’t wait to see how things develop in season 4!