From the desk of Alynda Wheat:
I don’t know when it occurred to me — maybe that time Hiro’s waitress honey got whacked on Heroes, or when Superman realized he was kind of a deadbeat dad — but it’s true: Superpowers don’t improve your life, they only complicate it.
Otherwise Allison and Joe wouldn’t be rushing toward the Cliffs of Despair as if the Dread Pirate Roberts were on their tail. (Sorry, I seem to be speaking in pop-culture allusions. Might be the fact that I’m about as high on cold medicine as you’re legally allowed to be without ending up on the Suspected Meth Dealers watch list.) We knew it as soon as Joe made it clear that he really wanted the job with the Family Ties dad (curse you, Robitussin!), he wasn’t going to end the episode employed. Something would go awry, feelings would get hurt, lines crossed.
It started, as usual, with the DRE (Dream of Random Exposition): Couple in a hotel room, Paris, judging by the 500-euros-a-night view of the Eiffel Tower. All of a sudden, the wife snapped, did a Norman Mailer (with a corkscrew instead of fork) on her creepily patronizing husband, startling Allison enough to wake her up. The next morning we surveyed the usual Dubois routine, realized that when Bridgette says “rather” it rhymes with father, not blather, and decided we love her more today than yesterday.
Then things got hinky. Because what employer invites a guy he hasn’teven hired yet to his house for a dinner party? And because saidpotential wage-slave has a psychic wife? This is when the super powersget complicated, because we discover — of course — that Mr. Keaton’sdaughter Melissa is none other than Allison’s corkscrew-y honeymooner.(She’s also the daughter of Meredith’s mom on Grey’s Anatomy, but since Meredith’s having enough trouble dealing with the half-sisters she’s got on that show, we’ll let it be.)
Do you tell potential-employer-power-couple about the dreams? Whatabout when the daughter comes up missing? What about when the dreamssay she didn’t run off, but was instead kidnapped? If you’re Allison,the answer to all of the above is “yes.” But then you run risks. Likethe risk of having parts of the “evidence” contradict your dream,prompting Mr. Keaton to threaten you with Johnny Law. Risks like havingyour husband end up without the job because in the end, Mr. Keatondecided to “spend more time with his family.” Risks like alienatingyour husband.
Only what’s great about Medium is that the last neverhappened. Part of the underlying strength of this show is that nomatter how beyond credulity some of Allison’s abilities may be, there’sa very believable, very supportive marriage girding the fantasy. Thesepeople bicker, annoy the hell out of each other at times, and stillmanage to be deeply supportive (not unlike Tami and Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights).We’d have to pay an intern for the better part of a month to count allthe times Allison’s woken Joe out of a dead sleep because she’s had oneof her DREs. As annoying as that is, he’s never once expressed a realdesire to want out of his marriage. It’s deeply satisfying to see twopeople struggle, wrestle with baser instincts, yet always work it out.
But what about you guys? What’d you think of this episode? Did youmiss Anjelica Huston? Did anyone else think Mr.This-Is-Why-We-Need-a-Restraining-Order was going to stuff and mounthis ex to be part of one of his dioramas? Am I the only one loving whatthey’re doing with Allison’s bangs this season? Talk to me.
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This was a great episode. Thank god for the writers strike, for it has allowed me to discover this show!!!!!!!
good episode. joe not getting the job? predictable. paris hotel room as diorama? not so much. (or it could be the cold medicine–cheers, alynda!) corkscrew as weapon? ouch!
love bridget. ariel is the annoying older sister i never had.
Another good use of oldies hits, this time “I’m Not in Love” by 10cc from 1975!
What was the deal with Michael Gross’ acting? I kept thinking it was Alex Keaton’s dad, but he kept dipping his head and looking up at people so that all we could see was the top of his head so we couldn’t see his face. So annoying.
Is it just me, or is Jake Weber the dream husband of ALL TV? (and is Tom Jane the dream husband of real life? Who knows, but Patricia Arquette = lucky b*tch). Liked the ep, the ex-husband was bad and telegraphed too much, and yes I missed Anjelica Houston. She is prickly and real and awesome.
Yeah, “I’m not in love” made the kiddnapping really, REALLY creepy. Who knew that the abductees ex was a looney?
Yay! for Alison. Though I wish she would be less startled with her dreams. I mean she has them every week.
Does Joe really need to wake after every one of her dreams? I get so exhausted watching this show. I don’t know how she manages to function at all with the lack of sleep.
Medium has become the show I cant wait to watch. Then I saw that the next new episode is in 4 weeks and I almost cried. Maybe it would be best if Joe got a job where he worked the night shift, I fear that one day he’ll snap and smother Allison with a pillow. Love Bridgette and I loved the last scene where Allison and Joe are getting frisky and the girls tell them to stop.
ps. alison looks RIDICULOUSLY better this season than she did last one!
This ep was seen through more easily than a tissue! You don’t have to be psychic to put 2+2 together on some of these things, especially if they trust in her talent. I thought it was a nice touch that the guy was wearing his gloves when he first saw her though. Obvious again, but nice. And like Alynda said the best part was just the relationship. Hahah, this psychic business is just a ruse to show you can portray a healthy relationship on TV!
Gotta weigh in on the Princess Bride reference.
The rushing was towards the [Fire Swamp] because [Prince Humperdinck] was on their tail (Westley is the DPR) The [Pit] of Despair was that place with the funny albino where Westley “died” later.
P.S. Detect no haughty tone, just one of those movies I know backwards and forwards.
Great recap, Alynda! It’s nice to see a television reviewer who actually GETS television, lol. This show is fantastic (MUST-SEE tv for me!) and I love the new season (hate that we have to wait four weeks for new eps, but I’m just glad it’s back, and back on Mondays). I also love the relationship between these two people, and I love Allison’s new do this season.
STrepsi, ITA about Patricia Arquette, lol. Not only is she incredibly beautiful and talented, but she is also the luckiest woman in the world (TWO gorgeous guys around all the time, day-um, how lucky can one gal get?!)
Medium just keeps getting better and better. I was had the opportunity to meet Patricia a couple of weeks ago in New York and she is an unbelieveably beautiful woman. Her role in this shows is exactly that, a role, if she is a soccer mom then I want to play soccer. lol Great recap!!!
After reading how sick the blogger was, I was curious who wrote this entry only to see that “Pop Watch” made the entry. So who was sick and who wrote this blog item so I can feel sorry for you.