The relatively recent proliferation of “genuine” TV psychics such as John Edward, James Van Praagh, and Sylvia Browne was bound to eventually exert some influence on the creators of primetime dramas. Jennifer Love Hewitt abandoned her trademark squeaky-clean, girlie-girl parts to play The Ghost Whisperer, and Patricia Arquette accepted the role of Allison DuBois, real-life psychic and mother of three, for this midseason 2005 replacement that became a surprise hit and earned the actress an Emmy for her terrific performance. Medium, developed by Glenn Gordon Caron (the man behind Moonlighting and Remington Steele), revolves around DuBois' ability to communicate with the dead, as well as her attempts to juggle the responsibilities of wife and mother while helping the police solve mysterious crimes. The 16 episodes collected in this five-disc set are uniformly atmospheric and suspenseful (and some are downright creepy), but they never descend into cheesy melodrama, in part because the stories are grounded in DuBois' efforts to maintain some degree of normalcy in her life even when her calling leads her into dark corners of the spirit world. Jake Weber is superb as Allison's understanding husband Joe, who remains generally supportive but succumbs to occasional exasperation when his wife's detective work intrudes too much on their family's peace of mind. Also effective in supporting roles are Miguel Sandoval as District Attorney Devalos and David Cubitt as Detective Lee Scanlon, the latter a conflicted man with a troubled past. Medium is a first-rate show that employs supernatural manifestations for something more than cheap shudder effects, and it has justifiably earned its place among the top-shelf TV series of the last several years. DVD extras include four audio commentaries (none featuring Arquette), the extended pilot episode, deleted scenes, a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes, a segment on Arquette's performance, a featurette on the real Allison DuBois, and a gag reel. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)
Medium: The Complete First Season
Paramount, 5 discs, 684 min., not rated, DVD: $62.99 October 16, 2006
Medium: The Complete First Season
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