Medium 2.6: "Too Close to Call"

In which Allison has a dream about a shooting at the DA’s office, which is somehow related to a high profile case that the DA must win, while Joe learns something disturbing about his work…


I’m very happy with this season so far, even if it hasn’t paved much new ground. Most of the same stressors are in place, the same conflicts, but there’s a sense that the scope of the concept hasn’t been fully realized yet. For instance, we haven’t seen Allison put up against another psychic before, which involves a different level of anxiety. Nor has Joe’s job really been much of an issue.

The writers blend the two main aspects of Allison’s life together in a neatly complex tapestry on a weekly basis, and the surprise is that it continually feels fresh. We’ve heard Joe complain about the bills before, yet it doesn’t seem at all repetitive in this context. Perhaps that’s just me, but it felt very true to life, especially in the current economy.

So Joe’s boss, the Engineer of the Gods, who was also an evil Mayor bent on demonic dominion in a past genre life, doesn’t have a problem with their chips going into happy little missiles. This is all the man needs…another reason to go insane! I have to say, though, that he’s hardly the first engineer in the world to discover that his practical solutions were being used for military gain. In fact, given his job and the kind of work he does, he ought to have suspected it a long time ago.

Allison’s side of the story had its high points, especially when she was listening to the heckling spirit at the reading. And I loved the smackdown in the final act, when her boss got to play psychic and deliver the gut punch to Mr. Assistant Turncoat. I’m not sure about that FPS thing, but it was a gimmick used to introduce the story, and those typically add some unique commentary on Allison’s mental filters, so I give it the benefit of the doubt.

The one thing that was a little over the top for me was the prosecutor’s exaggerated style. Those lengthy pauses, designed to make Davalos look sloppy and weak, were a touch too theatrical. I’m not sure that a real judge would allow those antics, or that a real jury wouldn’t see right through it. But for the purposes of the story, it led to a wonderful final act that felt immensely satisfying!

I also felt the whole “false alarm” business was over the top, and combined with the antics in the courtroom, it seemed to take the whole question of Davalos’ credibility going into an election a bit too flippantly. Ultimately, Allison and Joe depend upon her work to keep them afloat and keep her relatively sane. Without the DA’s support, they wouldn’t have any of that. That could be an interesting subplot for the future.

For all that, this series is still delivering everything that I enjoyed in the first season, and this episode is a good example of a series becoming very comfortable in its own skin.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10