The Best TV Show Ever

Patricia Arquette as "Allison Dubois" in Medium

I don’t watch that much TV.  I tune into Survivor occasionally, and I’m following the Amazing Race this season because of Victor and Tammy Jih.  If I miss either of these shows, it’s not a big deal to me.  I usually have better ways to spend my time anyway.

There is, however, one show that I never miss. Medium, starring Patricia Arquette, is the most amazing show in the history of American television.  Nothing else comes close.  It’s about a psychic who works for the Phoenix police department, and it’s based on the real life story of a police psychic named Allison Dubois.  In every episode, Allison (played by Arquette) tries to piece together her psychic visions in order to solve a crime. The series showcases extraordinary character development–not only is Allison a psychic, but she’s a wife and mother of three kids who works to balance her career with family.  Part of the appeal of the show is watching her efforts to balance a paranormal ability with an otherwise perfectly normal suburban life.

Quite simply, it is the best written American television show ever.  I say that with authority.  Of all the shows I’ve seen throughout my thirty-three years on this planet, this is the only one I’ve seen that captures perfect dialogue, perfect scene creation, and perfect storytelling.  The visions, how they are revealed, and the visual imagery that the photographers and producers create are nothing short of phenomenal.  Almost every episode I’ve seen has been a work of complete brilliance.  The acting of both the regulars and the guest stars is outstanding.  Did anyone see last season with Anjelica Huston?  I love this show.

What is perhaps the most elusive part of the show are the moral issues.  No other television show, with the possible exception of the old Twilight Zone, has even come close to creating the moral situations that Allison ponders throughout the show.  Just about every episode poses a moral quandary: Do I accuse this person without proof?  Should I tell my boss that this person is the killer?  Should this person be prosecuted for committing a justifiable crime?  What do I do if I know something but cannot prove it?

There are tons of television shows out there, but if you haven’t checked out Medium, you owe it to yourself to do so.  You can see the site here, and you can view full episodes here.

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