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Medium - Season 1 [2005]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

It's not a coincidence that Medium represents not only Glen Gordon Caron's best TV work since Moonlighting but also his most successful siege on the American ratings since the 1980s heyday of the latter show. In an interview included in this five-disc set (which contain all 16 episodes from the first season, in addition to bountiful bonus features), the writer-director-producer confides that the series was partly inspired by films like Something Wild and Married to the Mob, in which director Jonathan Demme achieved a balance of what Caron calls "the serious and the frivolous." Medium also contains elements of Moonlighting and another Caron creation,1999's underrated Now and Again; there are echoes of The Sentinel and The Dead Zone as well, not to mention a hefty dose of The Sixth Sense. So while it's not what you'd call unique (then again, what on TV is?), Medium nevertheless provides engaging, rewarding entertainment.

Patricia Arquette stars as Allison DuBois, whose skills as both a medium (i.e., she sees dead people) and a psychic (she can fairly accurately read minds and predict future events) make her an invaluable help to the Phoenix district attorney (Miguel Sandoval). But like most characters possessed of extraordinary powers, Allison isn't entirely comfortable in her own skin; plagued by awful nightmares (one of which kicks off every episode), she tends to become cranky and depressed, has a hint of a drinking problem, and regularly gets into it with her supportive but skeptical husband, Joe (Jake Weber). Those are the very characteristics that make the show consistently watchable. Although one might wish that she would find herself in real danger more often as she deals with everything from necrophiliac serial killers and air crashes to ghosts and child molesters, Caron focuses less on special effects and police procedure than on Allison's humanity, including her efforts to balance work and family responsibilities (sub-plots involving her young daughters are usually effective, if sometimes a bit too cute). It's the stories and the writing that make Medium work; Caron, in fact, is the show's real star. --Sam Graham


A Gem !!
Review date: 2008-08-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

Be warned ..... when you start watching the complete first season you will be hooked. This is not your typical crime series with a bit of the supernatural - but a story of a family, a family that WILL leave you with a sense of warmth and happiness.

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Reviews


A surprisingly good series
Review date: 2007-10-30 Rating: 8 out of 10

Medium was a series that took me by surprise. I like sci-fi but i have never been into paranormal shows, so I wasn't expecting much when I caught an episode late on the BBC. In fact to my surprise I was hooked and after watching the episode I went and bought the first series. The show is driven by some great acting from Patrica Arquette and some pretty decent writing for a first season. The show has a good mix of the paranormal and actual solving of crimes. This is a show I really enjoy and would recommend it to anyone. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is the same reason as other reviewers the extras suck. Other than that its definetly worth a punt.

Great First Season
Review date: 2007-06-16 Rating: 8 out of 10

Medium is based on the real life of Alison DuBois, a psychic medium who has used her special skill to help the Phoenix Police Department solve crimes. I've seen the interviews with the `real' Alison DuBois and even she admits that Patricia Arquette et all play her family perfectly. What I liked about Medium was the fact that the writers have created an everyday household trying to deal with an unique situation and as such Medium isn't just about Alison and her talent but about how the entire family has had to adapt. In doing so the writers 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 then give Medium a try. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Bridgette especially!


EnterEntertaining, but not one I'll be gagging to see again...
Review date: 2006-12-29 Rating: 4 out of 10

I'm often fascinated by the lure of the supernatural and this boxset was an immediate attraction. I didn't know much about it before I bought the DVD boxset, but after my first season, I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat awaiting the second.

It is certainly well acted and the relationship between Alison, her hubby and family is believable and realistic. The stories too were, at first, both entertaining and watchable. For me, however, the biggest turn off was the lack of emotional depth demonstrated by all the characters when faced with such emotive and complex issues as capital punishment. The question of the appropriateness of the death penalty was simply not raised and instead the 'good guys' rejoice in the elimination of the 'bad guys' from the world. In my mind, it just isn't that simple. Good guys can be bad sometimes and bad guys can show humanity and love. It's a continuum which this show fails to get to grips with and, after a season of watching and hoping, Alison's attitude just turned me right off.

Rare medium well done
Review date: 2006-10-08 Rating: 10 out of 10

Much better than most of today's contemporary TV programs, this series has depth of character and it does not lose momentum through the first season.

The first DVD contains both the network version of the pilot and the extended version of the pilot. You can skip to the extended version which only has a couple of expanded scenes. I was really hoping for some of the characters in the pilot to make it into the regular episodes. I will not go through each episode so that you may have the fun of discovery.

Great formula as Allison Dubois (Patricia Arquette) who has a gift since childhood of talking to the dead and getting physique vibes. She diagnoses or misdiagnoses crime scenes for a local district attorneys office. Natural the are the skeptics with negative attitudes to overcome and obscure mental images to be interpreted. She must also do this while balancing housework, kids, and a husband that can be a snot at times. There is usually a quirky twist in the end of each episode.

Bottom line is that you can get hooked on the series and will feel cheated when you run out of episodes. It is interesting that they spread the abilities around in the family instead of keeping just to Allison.

The only disappointing part of this the first season is that they only show half a story on the last disk, forcing you to wait for the next season to publish. In the future you need to order both seasons at the same time.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Patricia Arquette
Sofia Vassileva
Miguel Sandoval
Jake Weber

Creators:
Patricia Arquette (Primary Contributor)
Jake Weber (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment (UK)
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment (UK)
EAN: 5014437906434
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2006-08-14
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 684 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005
Language: English (Original Language)

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