Patricia Arquette delivers a memorable performance in everything she does with her somewhat monotone line delivery and air of wild unpredictability, but her most impressive outing just might be the 2005 procedural Medium. The network series ran for five seasons on NBC, then a final two on CBS.
Arquette plays a fictionalized iteration of the real-life Allison DuBois, a medium whose story inspired the series. Medium‘s drama certainly took on a life of its own as the show went on, but the real-world framework gives Arquette’s character a compelling credibility. She brings her quintessential quirkiness to the character, but in the case of Medium, it only serves to make her more likable.
Medium Was A 10/10 Procedural
Allison had a range of psychic abilities — being able to speak to the deceased, having visions of the future and dreams of the past — that she used to solve crimes with the Phoenix District Attorney’s Office. Of course, it took a bit before her family, coworkers, the audience, and even Allison herself fully believed in her abilities, but the show hits its stride once it’s fully understood what she can do.
Medium is at times suspenseful and even scary as Allison contends with the unknown and the dangerous, but the show takes care not to make the deceased or the idea of their presence inherently frightening. Moments of tension give way to heartfelt earnestness as Allison holds space for unlikely possibilities and learns the often heartbreaking truth about those who have passed.
Just as relevant as Allison’s professional life is her family life, where she’s a mother to three daughters who all share her gift. Her abilities are irregular and largely uncontrollable, and the things they reveal don’t always mean what they seem. This gives the show an exciting unpredictability in every aspect of Allison’s life.
Medium’s Allison DuBois Was A Compelling, Refreshing Protagonist
In a genre and a time period dominated by broody and ethically ambiguous TV anti-heroes (House, Sherlock, True Detective, etc.), Patricia Arquette’s Allison was a breath of fresh air. Her intentions and character were undeniably good, though it didn’t cost her her backbone or commitment to the truth. She trusted her instincts and would doggedly pursue any possibility, even if no one agreed with her.
The fleshed-out exploration of Allison’s home life also stands out. Crime procedurals are often set almost entirely in the workplace, limiting the amount of personal development afforded to their characters. Yet Allison spends just as much time at home as she does on the job, and her role as a mother and wife is just as critical as her psychic abilities.
This gives even more depth and nuance to her character, and the stakes are higher in moments of danger as we know exactly what she has to lose. All in all, it’s hard to forget a psychic, crime-fighting mother of three who’s based on a real person.
Patricia Arquette Made Allison DuBois Unforgettable
Allison was already a great character on paper, but Patricia Arquette made sure she stuck the landing. She brings such a distinct energy to the role that makes Allison feel incredibly real. Often with a bit of a faraway look to her that befits someone having visions and communing with the dead, Allison follows her gut with a firm commitment that never comes across as aggressive or overwhelming.
She’s funny, and she feels deeply, letting the audience into the emotional burden that she carries. Medium is a great, well-written addition to the procedural format, but it wouldn’t have been what it was without Patricia Arquette.