Mourning the Loss of Medium

          When a favorite TV show gets canceled, its a lot like losing a pet. You're really sad for a while, you absolutely refuse to get hooked on another show, and lets be honest, you probably cried a little behind closed doors. But then, something amazing happens.....PILOT SEASON! And just like that, you've found a new show to stress over enjoy!

          Earlier this year, Medium, a series about a woman (Patricia Arquette) who can see the dead, aired its final episode. After 7 seasons, 6 years, 5 time slot changes, and 2 networks, one of the most consistent, well-written dramas finally drew to a close. To be honest, I actually didn't start watching the series until well into the third season. After the move from NBC to CBS following the fifth season, I unfortunately fell behind. I caught the occasional episode from time to time, but couldn't get back into the rhythm of watching it each week. So, as I watched the ratings drop, I knew cancellation wouldn't be far behind. This is when I started buying the seasons on DVD. I have something of a masochistic nature when it comes to TV, in that when I know a show is coming to an end, I throw myself into it fully and completely, just to be devastated when it ends. In this case, however, I wasn't that upset. Not many shows survive seven seasons, and even fewer survive three time slot changes and cancellation. But there was life after death for Medium (had to.) so even though its over, no hard feelings.

          I kept this attitude up until about two days ago. I owned and watched seasons 1,2, and 5 before the series ended, and I'd been waiting to get 3, 4, and 6 on DVD. I decided last week to get season 3, and I just started watching it. Oh boy, nothing hurts worse than watching a show and just knowing in the back of your mind that there's an end point. Its even worse when the show is excellent, including great writing, and terrific performances week in and week out from the whole ensemble, particularly Arquette, who's so genuine you don't even question that she talks to ghosts on a regular basis. So, as season three winds down, I can't help but feel at least a little sad that its over. Fortunately for me, I still have three more seasons before its truly the end for me, not to mention the fact that while it may not live on in re-runs, it will always occupy a special place on my DVD shelf.