A chilling drama series inspired by a real-life story, will premiere on Monday, Jan. 3 (10-11 p.m. ET). Patricia Arquette ("Stigmata," "Flirting with Disaster") stars as Allison Dubois, a young wife and mother who has been struggling since childhood to make sense of her dreams and visions of dead people. She uses her gifts to help solve violent and horrifying crimes whose mysteries often reside with those who live beyond the grave. The series also stars Jake Weber ("U-571") as husband Joe Dubois, and Sofia Vassilieva and Maria Lark as their children, Ariel and Bridget. David Cubitt ("10.5") recurs as Detective Lee Scanlon.

"Medium" comes from Emmy Award-winning executive producer, creator and director Glenn Gordon Caron ("Moonlighting"), and executive producers Kelsey Grammer ("Girlfriends"), Steve Stark and Oscar winner Ronald L. Schwary ("Ordinary People"). "Medium" is produced by Picturemaker Productions, Inc., in association with Grammnet Productions and Paramount Network Television.

Essentially this is NBC's new version of its earlier midseason paranormal show The Others, but I don't see the end result being all that different, because:

(1) Paranormal/scifi stuff hasn't worked on NBC since Quantum Leap,

(2) Exec producer GGC's work over the last 15 or so years hasn't really quite recaptured the glory of his Moonlighting days (apologies to any Now & Again fans),

(3) I can't see Las Vegas fans sticking around for this. In fact, NBC hasn't really found a successful Monday 10 PM EST companion show for LV and FF, mainly because of.......

(4) Two words: Ho. Caine.
Yes, we TWoPpers hate him with (yawn) the intensity of a billion stars all going supernova simultaneously (/yawn), but what do we TWoPpers know? OK, there will be a time when non TWoPpers will agree with us on him, but I just don't see that time around the corner anytime soon. By the time it finally does come, it'll be too late for this show.

Overall, I think I see a dead show here.
Four and out.

Sounds like Tru Calling meets The 6th Sense if you ask me.

I'm willing to give it a shot.

Here is the NBC page with a little preview

I didn't care about this show until I saw the commercial, which kind of freaked me out, I must admit. I hate Patricia Arquette though.

This kind of reminds me of that movie that was co-written by Billy Bob Thornton called The Gift. The story was loosely based on his mother.

I hear that NBC is really high on the show. It originally got an 8 episode order and the network recently ordered an additional 5 for a total of 13 episodes. They must like what they see to do that.

One thing Glenn Caron is not is cookie-cutter. Moonlighting, Now and Again. I'm looking forward to it.

If it's the one about the bad dream, I found it a little comical in the end. I don't know if it will be able to mix comedy and suspense if that's where they're going.

yesman6764 writes:



Quite right. TWoP is a bizarre parallel universe where Alias has more viewers than Everybody Loves Raymond and JAG combined. CSI's almost narcotic grip on viewers is not going to be broken anytime soon.



I agree, if only because Caron's tendency towards writing on the fly and going over budget keeps him unemployed for a reason (his last show, Fling, became so unwieldy a production Fox killed it not only before it aired, but midway through filming its episode order).

Just to be clear it's CSI: Miami you are talking about. CSI has a TWoP following that won't touch CSI: Miami with a stick.

Count me as someone who didn't care for the idea until I saw the commercial. I also like that her husband is a rocket scientist.

Loved the commercial! It was kinda funny. Now I have another reason not to tune into CBS on Mondays! (Miss ya, Rory!)

Patricia Arquette is someone I'm on the fence about. She seems to have range, but lately she seems to be touted as the next big giggly blonde.

If the tv hubby is indeed a rocket scientist, they'll have me at hello! I love quirky series(just sat thru all the GREG THE BUNNY eps last night) and they hardly ever last or have an easy go at the networks. (Now And Again)

Ah! Jake Weber! IIRC, he was the doctor in American Gothic! Love him! I am locked in for the pilot, at least.

I'm sure the series will be quirky and interesting. Not only do you have Glenn Caron, but you have Kelsey Grammer and Rene Echevarria (he was one of the producers of The 4400 on USA).

Can't wait.

I saw my first preview of this last night with the sound down during the commercials and my first impression was, "Didn't they already do this with Profiler?" I'm intrigued that they got PA to commit to an hourly series, but I agree that the CSI: Miami train isn't slowing down (it's even up significantly this year, I believe), so we'll see what sort of commitment NBC has to it as to whether thet juggle it to find it the best home -- I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually ended up on Sci-Fi or USA (since NBC seems to be sharing more content)...

What's funny is that I usually go for the paranormal dramas: I watched Buffy, I watch Lost, I watch Joan of Arcadia. But the previews for this show just do absolutely nothing for me.

It's on NBC, huh? Well maybe that explains it.

I don't plan on watching.

I like paranormal dramas, too, so I do plan on tuning in. What inevitably happens with these things, though, is that they get cancelled after showing just enough episodes to get you hooked. Either that, or, like Kingdom Hospital, they just won't go away, and you just keep hanging in there praying it will get better. Lost is the only show I can think of that I've loved recently that isn't in danger of being cancelled.

I don't know if I'm all that excited about the show, even though I'm planning on tuning in. On one hand, it reminds me of Millenium, which I hated. On the other hand, it reminds me of Haunted, which I loved. So, I think it could go either way for me. But if I love it, don't expect it to stick around long.

I'm intrigued. My impression from the commercials is that they are trying to sell this as a crime show as much as a supernatural drama. Sort of a CSI meets 6th Sense. I will definetly check this out.

Supernatural shows don't usually fare well on the big networks, but with the popularity of Lost, I'm glad that NBC is at least trying. Hope it hold up against HoCaine.

I'll watch. Anything to take away from the horrid Horatio Cane and his Sunglasses of Justice. The last straw for me was when Speedle kicked the bucket. gag.

Random thought: Patricia Arquette's teeth have always bothered me for some reason. I'll still watch her though.

I plan on giving it a try. TPTB must have some faith in it to go and order 7 more episodes before it even airs.

Surprisingly, despite a lot of questionable things, I'm actually interested. Then again, supernatural themed shows fall on their face even more than straight sci-fi ones.

Since it's NBC, what they really need to do is get every single idiot still watching "Crossing Jordan" and convince them to watch this.

Has there been any critics buzz good or bad on this show yet? I haven't seen anything on it yet.


Ha! I kind of like her teeth, mainly because they're not perfect and she's never fixed them. Every once in a while I like seeing the non-perfect teeth in an actor. I haven't decided if I'll be watching yet, but I've always thought she was a pretty decent actress.

It got a brief mention in Matt Roush's column in this week's TV Guide. The title of the article was something like "Hot Shows for the New Year". I can't remember exactly, and I don't have the magazine around right now. Anyway, it didn't really say anything about the show at all in terms of quality, only that sci-fi fans could tune it in, along with some other shows that I don't recall. It was really kind of a nothing article, content-wise. In spite of the article title, nothing in the article would seem to indicate that Roush had even seen the show himself, let alone thought it was actually good enough to recommend.

More info on Medium and Patricia Arquette from Yahoo.

There's a brief review of the show in this week's TV Guide (the one with Cold Case on the cover). I'm too lazy to type the whole description but here are the highlights:



Wow, I am actually interested in seeing this now, instead of just tentatively trying it out to see if it doesn't suck.

Though I too immediately thought "Hmm. Blonde, crime-solving young woman with paranormal powers? Profiler 2: Arquette-ic Boogaloo? I'm willing to give this one a shot. What can I tell you? I love this genre. I loved The X-Files; I was one of about six people who loved The Others; I loved Haunted and Miracles. (I did not love Profiler. I have no real idea why. It just rubbed me the wrong way.)

Did I read somewhere that Jake Weber is an Englishman? Huh. I never would have guessed that, after American Gothic. (About which, by the way: Eeeep.)

The premise is good, but I hope they don't ruin it (as I believe they did) with Profiler when a serial killer stalked the profiler. Dumb. I'll give it a couple of episodes.

I've seen newer commercials talking about how the series is based on a real-life gal like PA's character. It shows the two gals, Patricia and the RL gal, on set and, well, that's kinda turning my enthusiasm down.

It seems like NBC promo monkeys are all 'See? This is an easily digestible crime drama, not some freaky genre thing you might actually have to think about and actually follow. Even though it sorta is and you sorta don't.'

Or I could be smoking the ABC promo monkeys' stash. ;)

NBC Promo Monkeys may have more expensive suits than ABC Promo Monkeys, but they are just as evil.

Then again, if you had to make commercials for crap like what "E.R." now is, for "Joey", or for 5 hundred variations of the same Law & Order plot, wouldn't you go a bit evil? Wouldn't "Crossing Jordan" drive you over the edge a bit, or even just the lingering vibes from the endless sappy goodbye promos from last year for "Friends" and "Frasier"? Pity the monkeys.

As for this show? I'm holding out some thin hope because of Glenn Gordon Caron.

I will watch because I'm hoping it's what I thought both Crossing Jordan and Profiler were going to be. Here's hoping it's good, and if so gets a better run than my last adopted show Wonderfalls.

valny, I love you.

Topic? I'll give this show a try.

Ah, tonight in a lame 10PM slot we get our answer...

...is "Medium" well done...

So it's trying to be the show that Joan of Arcadia has always wanted to be?

Tonight I have two choices: I can watch Medium, or I can watch a college football game that I don't care anything about. Hmm. Football sounds pretty good.

But I'll log on to TWoP later tonight to see what y'all think of it. :D

What surprises me most is that TWoP isn't even bothering to give this show a forum. That in itself is a bad sign.

I was not planning on watching the show, but it's been receiving good reviews.

Patricia Arquette annoys me, so I'll see...

Well, if nothing else, the quality of the production was fantastic. I felt like I was watching a movie, not a tv show.

I did have a problem with her after she undid the security lock, then opened her motel room door. Hello! You're trying to help the policy catch a killer!! (ok, I know they have this on in custody already, but still)

I also think it's interesting that for once, the real life character is prettier than the actress they chose to play her.

I like it, and I'll probably continue to watch it.

I really wanted to like this show. And I do, just not as much as I expected. I think, for me, they picked the wrong episode for the premiere - I live in Texas, and the overdone accent, and twangy shoot-out-at-dawn kind of music bugged. Also, Hurricane Allison? Was in 2001. The girl said she was listening to "this new band, Hanson". Hanson came out in 1997. Not new, by 2001. Did they ever mention where in Texas they were? Unless it was somewhere near the Gulf, I can't imagine there being that much rain, or the eye of the storm being anywhere near, and the scenery looked more like West Texas to me. [/nitpick]

The end of the episode hooked me, though. With the guy being the same guy from her dream and stuff.

Another episode on Thursday? And then Monday? Overkill much?

My favorite element from the premiere: the total-honesty relationship between Allison and her husband. Really touching.

I gave this a chance because I adore PA and loved Glenn Gordon Caron's Now and Again. Agreed, Themom, excellent cinematography and production values. I hope Caron can resist NBC, who clearly wants to turn this into CSI meets Profiler.

Word on the whole feeling like I was watching a movie TheMomof3.

I had a whole H,ITG! reaction when I saw Jake Weber as the husband (he's hot and a great actor to boot) so that alone is enough to keep me watching next week.

I liked the pacing of the show and didn't mind Patricia Arquette's crappy acting as much, though it was glaringly obvious that she's definitely lacking in the acting department whenever she was interacting with the rest of the cast. ;)

Weird ending scene, though. It was akward at best and it felt like more had been left off.

I must say that they found the cutest little actresses to play Allison's kids. The little girl in the previews, the one who may posess her mother's gift, is absolutely adorable.

ETA: The little girl that Allison was talking to had been dead for about five years, I think, so the music would be dated for 2001.

So many things reminded me of Stigmata..especially when she mentioned God messing with her.

I liked it. There was definately the creepiness factor--always a plus. I'll be tuning in on Thrusday.

Oh, and her husband makes me want to Get Down With The Sickness ;)

I really liked it. I will for sure tune in and/or record it Thursday. Loved the quote from the daughter for that episode.

I have always liked Patricia Arquette. This seems to be a really great cast all around. Tough subject matter tonight but I thought that it was handled well.

Except the girl was dead. I think what they were going for was that to her, time stopped. But Alison said the girl died in 1999 and Hanson was hardly new then either.

I liked the show, it kept me compelled but that sudden hurricane was bullshit. I live in Texas, there's no way a hurricane just hits like that with no warning. Those things take weeks to work their way into the Gulf of Mexico. Trust me, the weathermen are keeping track of those things.


South Texas has terrain like that near the Gulf. I don't recall them ever saying where in Texas they were supposed to be but it's possible I missed it.

I watched this because nothing else was on and, well, tv is my friend - it would be rude of me to ignore it when it is in the room. I found myself kind of digging it. I liked that the paranormal stuff was dealt with in a simple fashion. No bright lights, green auras and whatnot. I could have done without the "searchin' for the crime scene" music montage.

Did anybody else snort when PA said "I'm past 30"?

Snorted and said, "Way waaaaaaay past."

I liked it ok. There's nothing else on on Mondays, so I'll keep watching it. I don't like that the next episode is on against Without a Trace though. I love Without a Trace!

Oh. Yeah, I had forgotten about the whole dead thing.


Yes. Distracted me so much. I was like "...They would have known about that shit wayyyyyy before."


Agreed. It's a nice follow-up to Everwood, don't you think? ;)

I thought it was just ok. Kind of lost interest midway through. (short attention span) Might give it a second look. I knew it would be the same guy at the end who was in her dreams. The part where he's in her dream, seriously cree-pee,especially that freaky smile. And the opening music reminded me of the BtVS episode,Hush. That's all I got.

I'm so glad that I get to be in on this show from the beginning instead of like when I found Now and Again way later. I come purely for the "Glenn Gordon Caron" name, and haven't watched a lick of Profiler or Crossing Jordan.

I liked the show a lot. As dark as the subject matter was, the dialogue was crisp and had light moments. "Prevert"? Unexpectedly cracked me up.

As for Patricia Arquette, she was so lifeless during the first half and she delivered her lines so dryly that I'd have moments where I'd be thinking: "Oh, she's saying something funny about the Partridge family. I recognize an attempt at laughter here." Then the storm happened and she had her freak-out with her husband, and then I felt way better about the casting of Patricia Arquette. So I choose to believe that most of her lifelessness is a conscious acting choice. I also liked that she got past her "I want to be normal" denial stage within the episode. Yes, let's get the show moving.

When "Hurricane Allison" happened, I totally thought it was a dream of hers. Then it was real, which, God can be so contriving sometimes.

Watching this made me miss Now and Again, though, and for that, I am sad.

ETA: About the references to the other shows, I watch Without a Trace too! Umph. Why, NBC? I also watch Everwood, so my Monday night viewing will definitely be interesting.

I like this show. More than I thought I would. I love paranormal when it is done right, with at least a little humor. I'll be watching for awhile. The only real plot weakness for me was the hurricane thing. They definitely weren't in hurricane country (coastal Texas) and inland hurricanes are never a surprise. The Rangers would have known full well a hurricane was headed their way, long before 5:00 in the morning! And no one would be trying to fly out "ahead of a hurricane" in a private plane when the rain and winds are already there. That's nuts. So is the idea that a hurricane would remove all the remains. Seems like that would uncover the remains, maybe scatter them, but not remove all trace, especially if they were "three feet down" Hurricanes destroy surface structures, they don't dig holes I think the story would have been stronger if they had simply dug and found the remains.

I love the fact that they allow this central character to have a family not immediately put in peril. I'll be a faithful viewer if the writers will promise not to stoop to this way overdone tactic. Let the rocket scientist and the beautiful little girls be safe and separate from Allison's work. Let Allison's homelife be happy. That way we can concentrate on great stories.

I really wasn't expecting to like this show that much, but it turns out the pilot seemed really solid to me. Of course the hurricane thing is a bit out there, but the overall episode showed something that was well written and put together, therefore, I will keep watching.
I wasn't wild and crazy about Patricia A. either, but I think she did really well with this role.
One thing about her kids though, the older of the girls is familiar to me. Anyone know what else she has been in? I love how the kids interacting with each other seemed really real and natural, like the director just told them go play, and they worked with it.

Stormatic: I think the oldest girl played Eloise in the Eloise tv movies.

I liked it so far - I like the mood and the production values. I wasn't blown away by the plot of this first episode, but I like to concept, so I'll check it out next week.

I liked it, but I have low standards (I watch Medical Investigations) and nothing else to watch (I do have [i]some[i] standards, and refuse to watch Caruso's crap show). The setup of the family and job were nicely done and have potential.

This episode, however, had some bizarre plotholes. Why in the world did the head Ranger suddenly start worrying about wasting resources and refuse to dig when he had already flown PA in on a charter flight (solely on the basis of a fax) and driven her on a tour of Texas with a cadre of 9000 Rangers? Plus, his worrying about a search warrant seemed odd when they had already walked all over the house and the property. The hell? (And for my picyune nitpick: motels don't have cordless phones.)

But, hey, I'll still give it a few episodes to find its feet.

LibbySarah, you are awesome.

I tuned into this show for Jake Weber, I was glad that he was nice and supportive of her whole psychic thing. I was really glad I tuned in though, because it really turned out nifty. I have little hope of it making it past a few weeks but I'm going to watch.

Hurricanes cause a lot of tornadoes, maybe that's what they were worried about.

Yeah, lots of plot holes. But nothing I can't live with, I guess. It's better than the standard WB crap Good-looking Interchangeable Teens Hurt Each Others Feelings.

Shelwood, I agree with you on your nitpick about the Rangers, but I guess I wanted to suspend disbelief. The hurricane was implausible enough (um, how sunny was it 12 hours ago?) that I thought it was another dream

I'll watch it again, since overall, it kept my interest, as much for its 'normalness' (eg, her family) as for her 'gift.' Question will be if they can keep in going...it's not like the bar is set high for Monday night ratings, is it?

and *sigh* I miss Now and Again.