Television - Medium Appreciation #3: "Canceled one Day, Resurrected the Next, Medium finds new life on CBS...," - Page 8

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-15-2009, 11:17 AM

Hmm, that's a good point. I had kinda forgotten about that

J.R. MacReady · 10-16-2009, 10:29 PM

With my family providing a unwanted soundtrack in the background while I was watching TV, I find myself not quite sure what to make of tonight's episode. On one hand, you've got a plot that was more or less inspired by the Zodiac Killer, as opposed to the wicked murders in Se7en (1995), like I originally thought (not quite sure why that movie came to mind. It might've been the quote in the cut that was rattling about in my head after watching the second CBS Promo online), driven by a fairly simplistic narrative. One that pretty much left me thinking, "Huh? That's it?" (I think the biggest problem were the promotional images for the episode. They gave away the killer before you even got to see the episode itself. Alas, the downsides of visual spoilers, methinks.)

The opening gambit, concerning a author (or a cold case investiagator, I never really did catch what profession he had before he ended up writing that book), asking a wrongfully accused man on his deathbed to admit to the murders of several women, was rather dull. I couldn't connect with either characters, especially the man asking the man the questions, as I suspected niether of them would probably make a return appearance. I so did love Allison waking up shouting "Admit! ...Admit?", though. Who hasn't had that happen to them?

I liked the fact that we finally got see the rest of Allison's rehabilitation in the wake of her ordeal with the stroke and coma. I figured after she got her hand to unclench itself and she started walking without her cane again, that would be the end of that subplot. I love that the writers are continuing to string along their continuity like this, makes a girl smile when attention to details are paid attention to and not dropped to the wayside. It was also enlightening, because I never would've figured folk who'd been in a comatose state (or even had a stroke, whichever), for as long as Allison had been in, would also have to retrain their brain to make sure their perception of reality was the same as everyone elses. And with those black and white flashcards, no less!

It's only been a week, but I still a get kick out of seing Joe with short hair, mostly because I keep expecting him to step into the frame with head full of "moptop" as Marjorie Dubois dubbed it once in Season 4's "Burn Baby Burn". On his side of things, it was extremely weird to see that he had to deal with such a young man, someone who he would have to regard as his boss, who --- at first glance --- didn't seem to really be all there. The guy looked more content with chwoing down on what looked like fritos and given his slack-off demeanor, the first thing that came to mind when he was checking his computer, was that he was tweeting to someone following his twitter. Just saying that makes me miss the days of the MySpace craze.

But it turns out that he's a brilliant guy. A brilliant guy who was more content with sitting around doing nothing and hiring equally briliant men just to keep the cashflow circulating. I found myself sympathizing with Joe's restrained frustration at the mere idea of sitting around and doing nothing, but getting paid for it regardless. With the way things were going for him, what with his persistance to get the slacker-genius to give him something to do, I feared he'd be off job-hunting again. But he manages to keep his job, even after giving the guy a piece of his mind. At least I hope he managed to keep his job, there was never any resolution to that storyline.

On Allison's side of things, her befriending a fellow rehab-member and helping him find the man who crippled him, all whilst trying to figure out why she was seeing the symbols or code used by a killer long presumed dead (by some), in her waking life, really gave me the impression that it was going to amount to something really shocking. More often than not, though, there was no real depth to the use of the the cryptic messages that the killer left behind, just a little exposition into how long it would take a team of investigators to crack the code, via ten hours.

The lack of mystery and actual presence of the killer, who turns out to be the man Allison befriends in the rehab clnic, brought down the urgency of the episode. And while it fit with his M.O., the need for everyone to know that he was one that perpetrated the crimes against thoe women, watching this man just confess to his crimes felt awful rushed near the end of the episode. I will say though, the ominous music and the linger on the pride-bruised maniac, makes me wonder if he'll make a return someday.

Overall, not a bad episode, I just expected a little more from it, however. Its major downside is that the girls only made one appearance in the entire episode. I hate it when that happens.

Next's week episode, however, looks incredibly worthy of the the big "100th Episode" mantle it shall carry! Allison looks like she'll go right crazy. One major step further than she did in "Sweet Child O'Mine". Seriously, spraying a woman in the eyes with pepper spray is insane!

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-17-2009, 05:11 PM

Sorry it took a while to write my review, but I wanted to see it again since I was so tired last night.

Very good episode

I still think it's great that Allison is very gradually getting better instead of being all better in an episode or two

And it was interesting to see her at the rehab place, especially when she started seeing that simbol on the flashcard

The whole seeing symbols everywhere thing was quite interesting. But I must say that I really don't like that Allison still talks on her cell phone while driving, especially since it's now illegal to drive and talk without using speakerphone or headset.

When Devalos said that the old symbol guy was right handed and this guy was left handed, I honestly thought that it was the author guy continuing the guy's work since he was left handed (I always notice when a person's left handed, since I used to (unsuccessfully) try to "become" left handed). I never thought that it was the rehab guy, probably for the same reason that Scanlon thought it couldn't be him.

I was also surprised that the letter to Marie's teacher was able to help her decode the letter in her dream, but I guess that's why her psychic hand wrote that letter in the first place

Joe's new job of getting paid to do nothing sounds kinda like some of my days

But I wonder if the guy will end up keeping him with what he's suggesting or still trade him for someone else. And I still don't like Joe's short hair, but I'm starting to get a little used to it.

Can't wait for next week's 100th episode!

J.R. MacReady · 10-19-2009, 03:00 PM

6x06: "Bite Me (Halloween Special)" Episodic Stills

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-19-2009, 04:18 PM

I am so looking forward to that episode

J.R. MacReady · 10-20-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustJaredJr

Sofia Vassilieva Honors Julie Andrews @ 2009 ELLE Women in Hollywood Tribute

Medium starlet Sofia Vassilieva steps out in a wonderful white dress as she attends the 2009 ELLE Women in Hollywood Tribute held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday evening (October 19).

The 16-year-old was there to honor former costar Julie Andrews at the event. Sofia and Julie starred in the children’s favorite Eloise at the Plaza back in 2003. Other honorees included November cover girls Katie Holmes, Renee Zellwegger, Julianne Moore, Robin Wright Penn and Zoe Saldana.

SOURCE

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-20-2009, 02:52 PM

Very purdy Sofia

Love that last pic: Nanny and Eloise together again

J.R. MacReady · 10-23-2009, 11:00 PM

Friday, Oct. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) - "Baby Fever" - When Allison investigates an infant's kidnapping, Joe worries when she becomes too attached to the little boy. Also, Bridgette and Joe are amazed when Marie plays the clarinet perfectly without one lesson while Bridgette struggles to learn to play, on the 100th episode of MEDIUM, on the CBS Television Network.

_________

Wow. Medium has reached the big One Hundred Episode mark, the TV milestone, and it did it with yet another awesome episode.

The beginning of the episode had me giggling. It was like the writer's had stumbled into the realm of fanfiction and grabbed the "Age Regression" (Which is quite popular in the "Supernatural" fandom) plot and used it as the inspiration for Allison's whacky dream of wishing her daughters back into babies, and, inconsequently, her husband as well (Baby!Joe was so cute). Joe's half-conscious expression when Allison whispered to him about having another baby was priceless (I swear she stomped any want of having another kid out of him when she kept avoiding the pregnancy test in S1's "Coming Soon").

That aside, it was great to finally get a glimpse of Lynn and Lee's baby girl, even if it was barely for a second and on Scanlon's cell phone. Scanlon looks as though he's fallen into the role of fatherhood quite well since season five, espcailly with the way he was talking to Allison about it and the "guy" reaction to having or wanting more children. I loved that he was determined to Lynn out of the house and away from Leigh long enough to have a little personal time with her, despite Lynn's inability to stop from worrying. The irony of that scene was that, despite her concern, she looked really disappointed that their personal time had been interrupted by work.

The constant sound of a baby crying through the entire episode was a mixture of annoying and distressing (I hate it when babies cry, but not because I think it's annoying). At one point I grew tired of them using that standarized "baby cry" you hear in every sort of media, and at another point, I wanted Allison to find that baby and make him happy again. With that said, I loved the use of it though, It acting like a detector for locating where Byrce had been stashed away, via the picture Allison took from the babysitter's house, was creative and altogther creepy.

Patricia Arquette gave a phenomenal performance in this episode; Allison's fixation with little Bryce was downright disturbing, to the point where I forgot that she was probably genuinally concerned for the child's wellbeing and started to wonder what procuations Joe would have to take if her "concern" escalated any further into a "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle"-esque obession.

I loved the slightly misleading implication that Bryce's late sister gave Allison when she appeared. It almost made me think that there was something amiss with the mother, but I ended up siding with Joe on the entire issue everytime. That the parents were nice people and that there nothing wrong with them, that all of Allison's worry was just a very unhealthy obsession born out of her brief desire to have children (well, he probably didn't think that, but I know I did). My mouth was quite literally, hanging open when she sprayed the mother in the face with papper spray and stole the child from the house. Behind me, my dad was speculating that there was no way to get Allison out of the hole she'd dug herself; she would be going to jail for sure. I agreed.

I was relieved though, when she finally had a vision of the baby-sitter with Bryce. What I didn't expect though, was that the one who killed the babysitter was none other than her own cousin. I half-expected it to be the mother (my dad suspected the husband) out to make sure the sitter wouldn't live to regret her mistake! The only thing I can say that bothered me about this storyline, was that there was real resolution at the end. No arresting of the cousin, nothing from Joe or Manuel, just Allison relieved her ass wasn't goin' to jail. It just felt weird to me that the woman just let Allison off for kidnapping her son, even if she believed all that Allison did, did save her child from an untimely death in the end. Lord knows I would've charged her for hitting me in the eyes with pepper spray.

With that asid, this episode saw alot more use of the Dubois girls, sans Ariel, who just appeared for breakfast and vanished for the rest of the episode. Bridgette's subplot with her strugging to learn how to play the clarinet, while Marie just seemed to get the hang of it without so much as practicing, was probably my favorite part of the episode. Joe's expression when the guy came up asked if Marie was "with them", made me laugh. Meanwhile, Bridgette was just beside herself with frustration and defeat whenever she hear Marie playing the clarinet, while she continued to struggle with getting the hang of it.

Despite being present for all the craziness that Allison was experiencing, Joe seemed to be employed alot more (and alot better) in this subplot. He really seemed more useful when he was helping his girls out with their problem(s), as he could really do nothing except get really, really pissed at Allison, what with her lack of a proper explaination for her obession over Bryce and her ignorance to her own daughter's phlight.

I loved that his interest in getting Marie clarinet lessons wasn't born out of some absent minded-giddiness that one of his daughters finally mastered the clarinet, and was quick to make that clear to Bridgette when she confesed that she didn't think she was anything special. That she was just "the sister" to Ariel and Marie. I wanted to hug Bridgette so badly when started crying. Maria and Marianda/Madison did really well in their performances, especially when Bridgette decides to play "big sister" and tells Marie to get out of bed.

(I love that Marie how more lines now, I can't get enough of hearing her talk, its just too cute.) I really didn't think that they would complete that storyline with the old man, figuring that, maybe once he realized that Marie didn't want to be bothered, he'd just go and bug Bridgette. But the sudden introduction of the son who was trying to complete a song his father started and never got to finish because he died, was just icing on the cake. Its not the way I would've ended the episode though.

Overall, fantastic episode, but I seriously cannot wait for Halloween Episode! Zombies FTW! ...Kinda.

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-23-2009, 11:06 PM

Well, even though I was expecting something a little more special for the 100th episode, I did think that this was an amazingly great episode

I loved the opening dream with babies Ariel, Bridgette, Marie, and Joe

And the fact that all of that seemed normal to dream Allison was great

I love it when Allison's on a mission for an unknown reason like the urge to keep the baby away from his parents (and in previous episodes like making a bomb or following certain people). I did find the Harry Potter type music thoughout the episode a bit strange, but whatever.

I honestly did not think that there was any nice reason why the baby was in the oven, but it was the safest place to put him so he wouldn't be found by the bad guy. My mom kept saying thoughout the episode that the baby must be the housekeeper's and not that couple's

And that young girl that played the dead older sister looks so much like Elle Fanning IMO

The fact that Marie could play clarinet great without any lessons while Bridgette couldn't play very well with some lessons was quite amusing. And it's great that Marie was hearing the song in her head to help that guy finish the song

And finally, a viewing of baby Lee, even if it was just a picture

And it was great to see Lynn again

Great episode and I can't wait for next week's Halloween episode! It looks great

J.R. MacReady · 10-30-2009, 02:13 PM

6x06 Clip: "Attack of the Zombies!"

Sofia @ Gen Art’s 2009 Fresh Faces in Fashion

Patricia Arquette - Unknown Appearance

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-30-2009, 03:37 PM

I can't wait for tonight's episode

J.R. MacReady · 10-30-2009, 09:58 PM

Friday, Oct. 30 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.- "Bite Me" - Allison has vivid nightmares that insert her into scenes from the classic horror film "Night of the Living Dead," which leave her with unexplained cuts and bite marks and possible clues that could lead her to a funeral director's murderer, on a special Halloween episode of MEDIUM.

____________

OH my gosh, that was simply the most awesome episode of season six so far. The opening montage with Allison describing the freedom dreams allow us and the Urban Legend of "If you die in your dreams, you die in real life" and how almost plausible the possibility of such a thing happening when you put it together with natural causes of death, like, heart attacks or even dying peacefully in your sleep, was amazing. The sequence with Bridgette and Marie watching NOTLD reminded me of the time I made my sister sit down and watch Dawn of the Dead (2004) with me, especially when Marie wisely decided to get up before the actual carnage started to happen (my sister just went and puked). I giggled the obvious the reference of aformentioned Zack Snyder movie by Joe.

I absolutely loved the incoorpation of George A. Remero's Night of the living Dead (1968) into the episode as a backdrop of Allison's dreams. They got the atmosphere just right when it came to blending the present with the past, even if you could see where Allison began and the old movie ended. Particularly when Allison stood in front of Johnny (Russell Streiner) and was walking away from him in a huff because he kept calling her Barbra. I also liked how self-aware Allison was during her nightmares.

I didn't quite know where it was all going for once. Much like the earlier seasons, the entire dream was once again used as a clever metaphore (like Night of the Living Dead itself is for the Vietnam War era, if memory serves) for what was really going on in the episode. Honestly, I was just enjoying the huge homage to the horror film that served as the building block for all modern zombie movies. The scene where Allison believes she stumbles across one of the zombies that attacked her in her dreams, nearly made me believe "holy crap, an actual zombie apcoalypse upon them!", until Scanlon gave her the run down on the highly circulated drug, wet. The first thing that came to mind, however, was the recently released PS3 title of the same name. When concerned with the spontaneous injuries that appeared all over Allison's body, I loved that there's a perfectly "rational" medical explanation for them and that both Joe and Allison were quick to cook up a plan of action for counter-striking symptoms of her nightmares. I just about melted when Joe (and combination of herself) woke Allison from her dream; There really haven't been enough fluffy Joe/Allison moments since Season 4. I need my romantic fluff!

I enjoyed the alter egos of Joe, Bridgette, Ariel and Marie in Allison's dream; Dale and his daughter's obviously take the place of Ben (NOTLD's unlikely protagonist) and pretty much everyone who took refuge in that house. Alas, I was hoping to see just a little bit more of them before they became food for the undead. Which brings me to another thing this episode pulled off quite well: The horror element. Even if it did come off as a bit campy, I was certianly squirming in my seat whenever the undead appeared and swarmed Allison!Barbra, or even Dale and his daughters. The brief appearance of Devalos and Scanlon in Allison's dream was a nice touch as well. I finally know what Michael would've ended up looking like if he didn't... well you know.

Alas, I admit, I never would've suspected the daughter as the murderer of her father. When I saw the injury on her arm that mirrored Allison's, I just assumed the Night of the living Dead nightmares were coming from her and that they were some bizzare result of her grief (lol). I loved how it all came together though, Barbra being the one responsible for the unexplained circulation of the wet drug going around the city and thensome.

On Bridgette's side of things, I loved that her spider, Miss Scarlett, was haunting her for a then-unexplainted reason. Poor thing was completely freaked, as she was under the impression that the spider wanted revenge for being killed by candy. Instead it turns out she just wanted Bridgette to find the eggs she'd laid before passing. The end where everyone, including Ariel (who worried over her social status if seen with her family trick-or-treating), was dressed up and ready to celebrate Halloween was icing on an already perfect cake.

Overall fantastic episode. I can't wait for next week's episode.

**ice_ice_baby** · 10-31-2009, 12:52 PM

Great episode

It was hilarious that Allison "woke up" as Elvira at the beginning of the show

And the Night of the Living Dead clips and new stuff was put together very well (although I've never actually seen the movie). The zombie Dubois family was great

The side story with Bridgette and the dead spider was quite interesting as well. I knew the spider was trying to tell her something, but I never would have thought that she was just wanting her babies to be found and taken out of the garbage

And it's so funny that the annoyingly perky gal from Notes From the Underbelly was Bridgette's teacher

Can't wait for next week's episode

**ice_ice_baby** · 11-07-2009, 02:30 PM

Another great episode

Even though it was just a dream, I couldn't believe that that truck was pushing the girls into the middle of the busy street to get hit

Loved how Allison could hear conversations on the rental car radio

The case was quite interesting. I never would have thought it was the bomb guy

I like that this was one of the lighter, more humorous ones. They've been having the darker, more serious ones lately. I like both kinds of episodes, but it seemed to be too dark and serious for a little too long.

Can't wait for next week's episode!

J.R. MacReady · 11-07-2009, 03:40 PM

Friday, Nov. 6 (9:02-10:0 PM, ET/PT) "New Terrain" - When Allison's car is wrecked, the SUV she rents turns out to have some unusual features, including a satellite radio that allows her to hear other people's conversations, on MEDIUM, on the CBS Television Network. Guest Stars Include Faith Prince ("Huff," "Spin City") and Todd Louiso ("High Fidelity"). The Episode will starts two minutes later than usual, due to a two minute add on for Ghost Whisperer.

___________

Well, its been quite the week this week and last. All the news for the upcoming episodes of season six just seemed to flood in right after the most excellent "Bite Me" Halloween Special, thus leaving me with very little update the community with, besides revenue, premature axing predictions and a article on a one-shot guest appearance who starred in High School Musical. Surprising and unsrprisingly, there were no Promotional Stills released for this episode (hence the Season 4 picture above), which makes me rather sad and wondering what CBS was thinking in that capacity.

Now when concerned with "New Terrain" howerver: I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. The case is somewhat cut-and-dry, but with the twists and subplot concerning Ariel and vehicular damage, it was certainly a compelling cut-and-dry. With that said, I was slightly surprised that the opening sequence (via Allison's dream) was Ariel, Bridgette and Marie in the car, as I suspected that it would be a scene that would arrive later on (perhaps because I figured it would have something to with the case Allison would be working on). Anywho, the interaction between Ariel and Bridgette this time around, was without discord, and unconsciously thought provoking when Bridgette brought up the question of could've possibly brought up the word she was supposed to be spelling. Marie's "They have a room for that?" response just sealed the deal.

Alas, the lighthearted moment between the sibblings was broken when a truck driver, with a Duel (1971) mentality decides to grow impatient and nudges the 1991 Station Wagon out into the flow of traffic. That was a particularly tense moment, well played by Vassilieva, Lark and, I guess, Carabello (honestly, Bridgette and Ariel were screaming so loudly, I don't think I even paid attention to Marie's reaction to the entire thing).

I loved how when Allison woke from her nightmare, it was like a scene right out of the earlier seasons of the show. Instead of just cutting to the title sequence --- which has become more of the norm nowadays ---, they actually show Joe, reacting to Allison's sudden wakefullness, followed a really funny bit of him pleading to his wife to goback to sleep while she expresses her anxieties toward Ariel being able to drive. But how crule was it to cut right to the title sequence when Allison recieves a call and is told that her car had been in a accident?

We're left to assume the worse until it returns from comercial break. There's enough ambiguity in a series of brief shots to lead the viewer (or just me) to believe that Ariel and the girls were in the car, until you see Ariel (after Joe) step into the frame, confused as to what happened in her absence. Turns out a girl with a drivers permit was the reason for the damage to Allison's car, and judging by the girl's mother alone, I assumed she was by herself when it happened and the mother arrived on the scene, relieved that her daughter wasn't hurt. (I must say, this show needs more of Joe sprinting =D.) I got a chuckle out of how beside herself Allison is beside with relief that her dream didn't come to past. With the way Joe and Allison's conversation about the future of her station wagon, however, I figured Allison would bring up the "I had the girls in that car, we can't get rid of it" argument, to further demonstrate her attatchment to the danger-prone vehicle.

This episode, however, brings into further light, why "The Spirit of Friday Sweepstakes" is being sponsored by GMC, though. Its a practical advertisement for the car itself, only its not blatant nor does it ruin the episode in any way. Allison's choice of vehicle was much like the previous car Joe bought in her stead in Season 4's "Car Trouble", only its not a Jeep. The banter between Joe and Allison about her discovery of the bluetooth system in the car, was incredibly cute. I especially love when after Allison tells Joe about her car's unusual feature, he makes the remark about her being able to overhear his conversation with Mrs. Portman on the phone. Smartass. I'm really enjoying the banter between these two since the previous episode, its very quick witted and funny to boot. I liked that the car's sudden ability to overhear conversations in other people's vehicles was used sparingly and only when necessary, so it didn't get annoying like the "lie buzzer" in S5's "Truth Be Told".

In concerns with the crime, I loved how they slowly showed you pieces of it taking place, its aftermath, or coming together. The testing of the jacket-bomb, the hold-up at the bank (that Allison was too late to prevent) and then the entire proceedure of defusing the bomb after everyone was evacuated from the building. The writers and the actor who play the one-man bombsquad, Wilkes, really did a good job of making feel for this character, then reveal that he was culprit behind the entire bank hiest. Though universes apart from each other, I couldn't help but think of "Swordfish" in certain moments of the reveals (the suicide bomber jacket, sans the ball-bearings, and the mysterious woman coming to collect the chash), only without the high-budget color saturation and general blandness.

The moment where Allison listens in on the exchange between Sanborn and Welkes, created the right level of tensity, so when the explosion occured, you thought that both Sanborn and Wilkes were dead. I really thought this guy was going get away scott free with the crime, when his girlfriend, Erica Duvall fumbled the ball and rented the GMC, plus carelessly left evidence to her existence via her CD, in the car.

Which brings us probably the most interesting part of the episode. The actual story behind Allison's attatchment and reluctance to let go of that old station wagon. The fact that her father gave it to her (during her Senior Year of College) and she had a "Ariel" moment was more worried about how she would be perceived riding in a beat up car (while her father was more concerned about saftey), only to have him die on four days later, was quite the shocking tale. I sympathized however, with her need to hold onto to that one last physcial memory (assuming that's what her issue with letting that thing go was all about). I certainly hope the numerous accidents she's had both in waking and dreaming life, wasn't her father trying to tell her to get a new car. There are subtler ways, man.

Alas, when all is said and done, I'm quite sad to see the old car go. I'll always remember those five years we had together, though [sniffles]. You were awesome, DuBoismobile.

On Ariel's side of things, I'm really enjoying that ahe seems to be taking more of the initiative with her dreams and figuring them out on her own, instead of freaking out so much. Not to there was anything particularly difficult with her vision(s) of Jamie's troubled mother, Lauren (I'm going to suspect she's got a major drinking problem?) and Jame's demise, but when she didn't go to either her parents for help or advice and left them baffled, I wasn't sure how it was going to work out. Her going up to Jamie and explaining what she saw, however, felt like I'd jumped into the middle of a conversation. I half expected Jamie to friegn belief and get into the car with her mother anyway. So the ending, put a smile on my face.

Overall, great episoe. I can't wait for next week's eppy. David Arquette returns to direct and it should be great, not to mention another display of Sofia's stellar acting chops.