Medium

This show is great. The main character is very believable as an ordinary housewife with an extraordinary gift. The best ting about the show is the writing; the heroine is not infallible, neither is her husband. The two kids are also incredible. Neither of them is "precious" or precocious, they act like ordinary girls, and the little one is downright goofy, which makes here especially charming.

I have no idea why this show airs in the last hour of prime time, when there's very little to offend anyone. It's nowhere near as putridly disgustingly gory as any of the CSI shows which air in the middle time-slot. (Which I also love, but not for the gore)

Since the success of "Sixth Sense," many characters in the movies and on television have been seeing dead people. Allison, a law student with a husband and three kids, is one of them. This series is based on a real-life, gifted medium. She is portrayed by Patricia Arquette. Having seen the real Allison Dubois and heard her speak, this is great casting.

The episodes I've seen thus far have been entertaining, refreshing, intriguing, and a nice break from the usual fare on network television, i.e., bachelors, survivors, bachelorettes, and makeover victims. Arquette's performance is understated, that of a likable character with an offbeat, supportive husband, cute kids, and a bizarre relationship with the spirit world. The guest cast tends towards the quirky, making them interesting. Allison's visions are more focused than the rather far-fetched images the young woman gets on "Missing," probably because Allison is not only seeing, but talking to, dead people.

I've known women who have had premonitions - one even gets weird twinklings where she blurts out things while watching the news - and then whatever info she states comes out to be true.

So this show really works for me. It could have easily gone for some kind of sensationalism and quickly sunk to the bottom, but the writers have decided to reach for something more meaningful by creating an everyday household trying to deal with an unique situation. In doing so they have made the fantastic seem much more plausible and have given the show a sturdy foundation.

If you are looking for refreshingly crisp dialogue and some excellent acting within a show that makes you think, then please give Medium a try. It's so much better than all those so called "reality" shows, or the posturing in such shows as CSI where the writers cover up their lack of skill by having the stars look meaningfully into the camera.

It's funny how a show that many think has an outlandish premise can actually come off as being so much more realistic.

I was very impressed by the pilot. It quickly set up how this woman got into helping solve crimes. We did not have to slog though a long set-up, because it got quickly to the action.

I liked seeing her husband and daughters. Her husband was portrayed as a very supportive man. I already care about how she will handle this atypical job and be with her family. Will she have to do a lot of traveling, being away from home?

She is a strong character. I liked how she stood up to the sheriff (or police chief, whomever). And with moments like "Tell him you know about the kiss." we see that she is also very perceptive with a quick mind.

In spite of her strengths, she also showed a natural reaction to being odd/different. I also appreciated her frustration when she felt that what she was trying to do was for nothing.

This episode had good acting, drama, suspense, humor. And it wasn't creepy. I'm really looking forward to future episodes.

What some people do not realize about medium is that it is also loosely based on a real life woman. She does this exact kind of work in her hometown for local law enforcement. Even if the premise is not original, the writing and acting of the show could not be better. Medium is a delight to watch. Ms. Arquette who portrays her character with such passion was and excellent choice for this role. I find myself waiting for each Monday to come around just to see what she will dream next. I truly hope this show hangs around for many seasons. It is an excellent show which I hope will continue to fascinate and entrance our minds.