TV audiences have gone crazy for monsters, beasties, and things that go bump in the night. Nearly a dozen of this season’s prime time shows follow a ‘supernatural’ theme, something that lets the viewer travel away from the ordinary world into the shadows of all that is freaky. With so many shows to choose from, which is the best? Which most deserves your time and loyalty? Luckily, there’s an easy answer. Not only is Medium the best of these supernatural shows; it’s the best show on television right now, in this reviewer’s humble opinion. Medium follows the adventures of Allison Dubois, based on a true person, wife and mother of three…who just happens to communicate with dead people in her spare time. Medium’s marketing played up the spooky side: every preview included as many dead people as live. Although these aspects are intriguing, Medium offers a wonderful surprise: the best parts are the normal stuff. It’s a truly rare quality in the genre.

Never on television have I seen a more realistic portrayal of family life. Allison and her husband, Joe, love each other, lose patience and worry, sometimes even yell at each other, but can always depend on their bond of mutual respect.  Their three daughters, especially the older two, love and hate each other equally in true sibling rivalry form. There are no cloying, cutesie-pie kid actors here; these children are completely real. It is these scenes of family life that hold the show together and attract such a strong fan base: ask any viewer what they love about Medium. I bet the response will have the word ‘family’ in it.