Subscribe
Is it just me, or was this episode hilarious? Between Joe’s lines, (“You already have children, and they don’t want to only see you on visitor’s day!”), and Allison totally macing that woman in the face, I actually giggled a lot during this whole thing.
What I love about this episode is how realistic it is. I know I’m not alone in asking the TV, “why don’t you just believe Allison the first time?” quite often during this show, because, seriously. It’s been 6 seasons. You would think by now, she’d get some benefit of the doubt. However, I do love that when Allison appears to go completely insane, people treat her as though, you know, she’s gone completely insane.
The look of terror on Joe’s face when Allison wakes up giggling like a maniac and tells him that she wants another baby? Priceless. His annoyance that she’s thinking of some random baby instead of paying attention to the fact that her own daughter is suffering? Spot on. His complete freakout when he sees that Allison kidnapped a child and built a pillow crib for him on their bed? Well, quite frankly, I’m a little surprised he didn’t freak out even more. Because there are few things in life more terrifying than babies showing up in unexpected places.
All of this was fantastic, but the part that made me die a little bit was Lee and Lynn’s date. My kid was even older when we had our first date night after his birth– he was about six months old, and I was still freaking out. Between her not being able to drink because she was nursing, worrying about the baby drinking the pumped milk, and obsessively texting the sitter, it all could have been me. It was such a simple scene, but it spoke volumes about Medium and its strict attention to detail, families, and general realism.
I also have to say, they got me with the mother. She was creepy from the very beginning, and once the ghost of her dead daughter showed up, I didn’t think there was any way she hadn’t murdered both of her children. Of course, I still don’t completely buy that the nanny would be in any way involved in a kidnapping plot in the first place, but I’ll let that slide, since it was such an enjoyable and surprising storyline.
I also loved the interaction between Bridgette and Marie, but the only complaint that I have is that the end of that storyline seemed really shoehorned in. There was a lot going on in this episode, and Bridgette’s whole, “I have someone you should meet, random teacher whom we have never seen before this very moment,” thing right before the closing credits seemed a little bit rushed. All in all, I’m still a fan of Sofia Vassilieva and “Who’s That Girl,” but I have to say this is my favorite episode of the season so far.
Of course, I expect all of that to change next week, because, dude. I love zombies.
Image: Michael Yarish/CBS
Great review, Kona. Glad to hear that SOME people still like the show this season. Seems like all I hear lately are people criticizing the show (especially those idiots at IMDb), and if I say anything about it, I get jumped on with steel-toed boots, so I’m done. I won’t say anything more.
I don’t know what that’s about. I had some problems with the show toward the end of last season, but this season has been great so far.
Kona I agree totally with your review. It was hilarious especially Joes lines and the way he handled Allison acting all crazy.
I was giggling the whole time too.
When Lee and Lynn were out for date night and she says she can’t eat. Funny
I have to say this episode just flew by so you know it was a good one.
I haven’t checked out the comments at IMDb but y’all have me curious so I’m going to check out what they are saying. I really think it has been good this season.
My only complaint is that they spend too much time on Joe and his job. I loved Joe in this episode as the husband and dad. I think they should just talk about his work and not spend so much time showing him dealing with it because honestly that is not why most people want to watch Medium.
Hi. I’m a first-time Medium poster (on any message board for Medium) so I hope you don’t mind if I chime in on your discussions from time to time. I actually discovered this website a month ago. I followed your “Open Mic/Discussion” summary, Kona, for the first time Friday night as I was watching the episode and you did a great job. I know it’s tough watching and reviewing at the same time. Anyway, here are my observations:
It seems to me that the father was also very calm and cool about the baby’s kidnapping. I was even suspicious of him. He seemed somewhat annoyed/frustrated with Scanlon and Alison when they were questioning his if he had heard anything during the night when the baby was kidnapped and if he knew what time it happened.
I would have expected both parents to be really upset and panicked over their baby’s kidnapping but they were so in control of their emotions; strange indeed. And did you see how accommodating they were when Alison showed up at such an ungodly hour in the morning wanting to see their baby and actually allowing her in to feed it? If someone showed up at that time of the morning wanting to hold and feed my baby, I would think something was definitely off with them. On a number of occasions, I’m sure the mother thought that Alison was nuts but was obviously grateful to her for funding her son. I still however found that these parents seemed too accepting and trusting [and abnormal themselves] to me, just like how they accepted the death of their oldest child without requesting an autopsy. (Is it not standard practice for all states in the US to do autopsies when one dies? That seems strange to me.)
The baby in the photo leading Alison to the house where it was hidden in the stove reminded me of the episode, ‘The Song Remains the Same’, where Alison had to follow a song that was blaring in her head until she located the missing student’s Ipod. That baby was quite smart. It knew when the keep silent when the nanny’s cousin was in the house looking for it and cried when Alison was in the same house looking for him. I kept holding my breadth and hoping it wouldn’t cry when the would-be kidnapper was attacking and killing his cousin.
Alison was so obsessed with the baby that everything else in her personal life fell to the wayside. She knew that Scanlon was looking forward to having his first date with Lynn since the birth of their baby and she wasn’t even apologetic to him that, because of her holding off on returning the baby when she found it earlier in the day, she messed up his date. And poor Joe had to try to help Marie make sense of her dreams (most likely the first time she‘s had a psychic experience, or as Joe calls it, “one of those things”, now that she is of an age where she’s beginning to explore and question things more) which is usually Alison’s forte. He does such a good job trying to help Alison decode her dreams that it’s a nice change seeing him do it for one of his daughters. Alison has always done it for her two eldest. It would be interesting to see if they continue this theme with Marie.
Marie did a fantastic job in her acting. She has grown so much since she first appeared as a toddler in a stroller and now she‘s 6 years old. I think this was her biggest acting role, so far, and she was so natural and believable. Everyone (including those on the show) should be so proud of her seeing that she naturally grew into this role with on-the-job training. The ending with her and Bridgetter was quite touching and moving. I too loooove the family dynamics of this show (which is actually what drew me to it) and this episode was filled with lots to choose from. Too bad Alison was missing from them but Joe stepped up, as always, and took care of things as the great dad that he is. I really enjoyed this episode and have watched it a few times now, as I do all the others.
Alison’s style of dressing was quite different in this episode, and for that mater the first episode of the season, from previous seasons‘. She was wearing stiletto heels (instead of her usual wedged heels or casual shoes/boots) and was dressed “business elegant” in contoured dark [pinstriped] suits. She seemed to be wearing the same suit but with different tank tops or shirts. The black really slims her down and with the new hairstyle and business wear, she has been looking exceptionally beautiful this season. Have the costume designers/wardrobe and the writers changed with the move to CBS?
I haven’t seen the promo yet for the next episode as in Canada where I live, they don’t show them at the end of the current episode. We can’t even view them online as it’s not available in our geographic region. I’ll have to wait until I see the promo on TV if I happen to be watching a show on CBS or wait until Friday to see the episode.
A first-time poster with an extremely long post. Had enough of me yet? *smirks*
This episode was great. Whoever wrote the lines did a great job with the comedy.
I love it when the dramas make us laugh. It was also a vey upbeat mind boggling episode which kept you guessing.
As far as the complaints- I heard people complain about Joe ,Devolis and Scanlon being skeptical. Come on people some of her dreams and things she says are “out there”. I like it that they are skeptical not that they are just her puppets and believe whatever she tells them.
As far as Joes Job complaint-I have to agree with that one. Most people tune in to watch MediuM because it is about a psychic who helps police solve exciting crimes. Joes job is the anticlimax to that. He is an engineer and people tuning in for a crime drama don’t want to see that. It is a different type of audience who is interested in a show about an engineer at work. Yes he is the husband so they need to give depth to his character but maybe just don’t show him working with his bosses and all. Just talk about to Allison so we know that he works hard.
This episode was hilarious. I laughed out loud several times, mostly at Joe. He gets the best lines! Btw, have you seen the video from the Paleyfest panel that the Medium cast and crew did? Now that’s funny. Especially Jake and Glenn Gordon Caron. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2p0C_D-2Z8
Also, check out the new issue of TV Guide. There’s a really cool Behind the Scenes feature on Medium’s Halloween episode.
I liked the episode, too, although I kept thinking that the baby crying was my baby crying b/c it sounded so real. That was some visual of a baby in the oven … yikes.
ITA Joe’s reaction about more babies was funny. The bit with Lynn was agreeably brief. I’m more concerned with Scanlon’s babbling at the beginning of the episode in the car with Allison about women being naturally motherly and men needing to adjust. Is the whole “mothering instinct” bullsh!t from the Victorian era alive and well on 2009 primetime TV? Was he supposed to be taken seriously or was this some sort of an inside joke? Was he supposed to sound like an idiot? Some women are good with children and some men are good with children. And some of both have to adjust. It’s not gender specific. He looked good in his suit, however.
I guess we all knew Allison would get away with kidnapping the baby. A snippet of Nancy Grace on CNN talking about Allison’s Amber Alert would’ve been amusing. I wonder if her name was used in the alert … wouldn’t people remember something like that? I figured the mother didn’t have anything to do with the baby. Gawd was that woman skinny.
The music part with the girls was cute. Bridgitte broke my heart when she was crying about being everybody’s sister. She is growing on me.
I just reviewed what I wrote and I may have made it sound like I didn’t enjoy the episode–I did. Medium is one of my favorite shows despite the parts of it that drive me up a freaking wall.
I enjoyed this episode a lot. It was very comical and all. I think they meant it to be. I mean by leaving the baby in the oven that had to be for comedy or else wouldn’t it be better off in a closet.
I liked Joe he had some funny lines and Allison was just bonkers!
Even Scanlon and Lynn were funny on their date night. I was surprised Scanlon wasn’t more into the baby, seems like he is letting Lynn do it all. Like Dawn said in 2009 most men take an active role in childcare these days. I know he wasn’t thrilled about the pregnancy but I thought he would come around once the baby was born.
Maria Lark was great loved her storyline with the clarinet and with Joe. So funny how Allison could care less about what was going on with her.
Good episode.
I just checked out a few comments at IMDB, sounds rather intimidating and not somewhere I’d probably post. I’m all for critiquing a show but not when it gets personal and mean, I stopped reading the CBS site comments after someone wished the twins would disappear, wishing personal harm on them. The comments were just not nice at all. I haven’t got time for that.
Dawn, isn’t that video hilarious? I wish they would make the whole thing available, maybe the sixth season dvd!
As for Scanlon, I wasn’t too surprised by his spiel. I am intrigued by how he’s adapting to fatherhood, especially considering the reveal of his turbulent relationship with his own father. I did wonder whether he’s not found it as easy to adjust. There was quite a sigh just before he revealed to Allison it was date night.
Gina, that video is a scream, isn’t it? I also wish that they would more of that content available online. Maybe we’ll see more of it on the season 6 dvds. Here’s hoping.
Hmmm … good points. Maybe Scanlon’s babbling was an indication that he’s not going to adjust well at all in a later episode. He did seem to be uncharacteristically nice at dinner. Uh oh, I feel sorry for Lynn!
is romero directing this friday?
i called people when allison did the mace..wow..
great writing this season
poor joe was in the dead movie that has the same director as this week,i hear.
miss joe’s hair…
xo
mentalist davidgabriel
not your average medium
bestmedium@gmail.com
We welcome any posters here, new and old! Welcome m3cube!
I have found the posters at IMDB are quite vicious and negative in their postings. Perhaps it’s a bunch of “tweens” who have nothing better to do but post stupid comments.
I was very happy that we had no more Joe’s job junk this week! Only one scene where he called Allison from work – which I don’t have a problem with. We did see a lot of Joe interacting with Allison and the kids.
I do have to wonder about the autopsy on the little girl who died. I would think it would be required to have an autopsy when there was no clear indication of what caused the death. I know in the State of Texas, if someone dies within 24 hours of being admitted to a hospital, than an autopsy is required by the State to determine the cause of death. That’s in the real world and not TV world.
The parents did seem pretty calm and I am surprised the whole neighborhood and house weren’t swarming with police by the time Scanlon and Allison arrived. I would chalk that up to the director or perhaps the writer if they wrote for the couple to be calm – especially the Mom.
I enjoyed Scanlon and DiNovi at dinner – too funny! “I can’t eat, nothing fits!”
At this point in time, DiNovi is on maternity leave and spending all her time with the baby while for Scanlon, it’s still business as usual as far as work goes and not spending much time with the baby. Remember, Glen Gordon Caron is an older Dad (don’t know if he has children from a previous marriage) for his generation, it was still more Mom and baby than Dad and baby on a day to day basis. I do have to agree, some women don’t just take to being Moms right away, just as some Dads do pretty good with babies. Things are different now, but for previous generations, Moms were the primary caretakers of the kids and were just expected to be good Moms.
Marie and Bridgette were great, but I agree with the last scene being forced.
I know Allison has friends in high places, but it seems a bit ridiculous that after an Amber Alert and all the publicity that goes with it, it would all go away because Devalos explained things to the Mom so she wouldn’t file charges – that does stretch the imagination. I would think Joe and Allison would be charged with all the expense for all those officers. The public isn’t going to just forget Allison’s face and name being plastered everywhere.
It was a nice twist that the nanny was trying to protect the baby and ends up getting murdered for it.
[...] we’ll be getting the return of funny Joe, which was a big reason last week’s episode, “Baby Fever,” was so enjoyable. All in all, there’s a lot to look forward to. Filed Under: Actors, Allison DuBois, [...]
Oh! I love the beginning of the episode were Joe turns into a baby,that made me laugh alot!