Allison DuBois had a rough year. Honestly, if you look back at the 2008-2009 television cycle, nobody was really having a "good" time given the economic climate, but for the fictionalized version of the real-life medium, things were getting specifically weird. Medium season 5 is often the year fans point to when the show finally figured out how to balance the suburban domesticity of the DuBois household with the absolute grimness of the Phoenix District Attorney’s office. It wasn’t just about ghosts anymore. It was about survival.
The show was always a bit of an underdog. It lived in the shadow of CSI and Grey's Anatomy, but by the time Medium season 5 rolled around, it had developed a grit that other procedurals lacked. Patricia Arquette wasn't playing a superhero. She was playing a tired mom who happened to see dead people while trying to figure out if she had enough milk for cereal. That groundedness is why the fifth season remains a masterclass in supernatural storytelling.
The NBC to CBS Leap and the Cancellation Scare
Television in 2009 was a chaotic mess of shifting schedules. You might remember that Medium season 5 actually started late. It was a mid-season replacement because NBC was juggling a lot of balls, and frankly, they didn't seem to know what they had. This season consisted of 19 episodes, and it was a rollercoaster of "will they, won't they" regarding renewal.
Actually, the drama behind the scenes was almost as intense as Allison’s dreams. NBC eventually swung the axe. They cancelled the show right as the fifth season was wrapping up. But then, in a move that rarely happened back then, CBS swooped in and picked it up for a sixth season within twenty-four hours. This context matters because you can feel the urgency in the writing during the latter half of the season. The stakes felt final because, for a moment, they were.
Why "Things to Do in Phoenix When You're Dead" Changed Everything
Episode 13 of this season is a standout. It’s titled "Things to Do in Phoenix When You're Dead," and it basically flipped the script on how Allison interacted with the deceased. Usually, she's the observer. Here, she's dealing with a ghost who is essentially a narcissistic jerk, and it forces her to confront the reality that being dead doesn't make you a saint. It’s funny. It’s dark. It’s quintessentially Medium.
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The Evolution of the DuBois Girls
If you’re watching Medium season 5 for the first time—or rewatching it on streaming—pay attention to the kids. Ariel, Bridgette, and Marie aren't just background noise. This season leans heavily into the genetic curse of their "gift."
Ariel’s journey is particularly heartbreaking this year. She’s a teenager. She wants to be normal. But she’s seeing things that no high schooler should have to process. The episode "The Devil Inside, Part One" is a great example of this. We see the toll the visions take on the family dynamic. It’s not just Allison’s burden anymore; it’s a family inheritance that nobody asked for. Joe DuBois, played by the eternally patient Jake Weber, remains the MVP of the series. His skepticism had long since evaporated, replaced by a sort of weary acceptance. He's the guy who has to keep the lights on while his wife is talking to a murder victim in the kitchen at 3 AM.
The Joe DuBois Factor
Is there a better TV husband than Joe? Probably not. In Medium season 5, Joe is dealing with his own professional hurdles, including the fallout from his previous job issues and trying to get his own business ventures off the ground. The show treats his career with as much respect as Allison's visions. It acknowledges that even in a house full of psychics, someone still has to worry about health insurance and mortgage payments.
Guest Stars and Gritty Crimes
Medium always had an incredible eye for guest casting. This season gave us Balthazar Getty as a recurring character, and the way he played off Arquette was electric. The crimes in Medium season 5 felt more personal, too. We weren't just looking for random serial killers; we were looking at the rot inside normal neighborhoods.
- The "Soul Survivor" episode brought back a familiar face and dealt with the idea of a ghost essentially "squatting" in a living person's life.
- "A Taste of Her Own Medicine" featured some truly bizarre twists involving a missing person and a very complicated family tree.
- "The Talented Ms. Borenstein" played with identity in a way that kept everyone guessing until the final five minutes.
The writing staff, led by creator Glenn Gordon Caron, didn't rely on jump scares. They relied on psychological dread. You’re not scared of the ghost; you’re scared of why the ghost is there.
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The Brutal Season Finale
We have to talk about "The Real Me."
The season 5 finale is legendary among fans for being absolutely gut-wrenching. Allison has to undergo brain surgery. Let that sink in. For five years, her brain has been the portal to the afterlife, and now that very organ is failing her. The tension between her "gift" and her physical health comes to a head.
The cliffhanger was agonizing. Allison wakes up, but things are... different. If the show had ended there (as NBC intended), it would have been one of the most depressing finales in history. Thankfully, the jump to CBS allowed that story to breathe, but as a standalone piece of television, those final moments of Medium season 5 are some of Patricia Arquette’s best work. She won an Emmy for this role earlier in the run, but her performance in the finale deserved another one.
Technical Prowess and Direction
The cinematography in season 5 shifted slightly. It became more cinematic, less like a standard network procedural. They used color palettes to distinguish between "dream states" and reality, but by this season, those lines were blurring. It reflected Allison's own mental state—she couldn't tell where the day ended and the visions began.
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How to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re diving back in, don't just binge it for the plot. Look at the procedural elements. Notice how the DA, Manuel Devalos (Miguel Sandoval), and Detective Lee Scanlon (David Cubitt) have stopped questioning Allison’s methods. The skepticism is gone. Now, they just want results. This shift in tone makes the show move much faster than the earlier, more tentative seasons.
The episodes are often non-linear. You'll see the end of the crime before you see the beginning. It’s a puzzle. You’re solving it alongside Allison.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Viewers
To get the most out of Medium season 5, keep these specific things in mind:
- Watch the background. The showrunners loved to hide "glitches" or subtle hints in the background of scenes that Allison thinks are normal, but are actually dreams.
- Focus on the marriage. The Joe and Allison dynamic is the actual plot. The ghosts are just the setting. If you watch how they communicate, it’s a masterclass in realistic TV relationships.
- Note the wardrobe. Allison's clothes get progressively more "lived-in" and less professional as the season wears on, reflecting her exhaustion.
- Compare it to the source. The real Allison DuBois has often spoken about how the show took liberties, but season 5 captures the "vibe" of her reported experiences—the feeling of being constantly "on" and unable to shut out the noise.
Medium season 5 represents a time when network TV was still willing to be weird and domestic at the same time. It’s a show about a woman who is trying to be a good person in a world that is objectively broken. Whether you're there for the mystery or the family drama, this season delivers on both fronts without feeling like it's trying too hard. It just works.
To truly appreciate the arc of Medium season 5, start by re-watching the two-part episode "The Devil Inside." It sets the tone for the spiritual and physical threats Allison faces. After that, pay close attention to the evolution of the DuBois daughters' powers, as their growth directly mirrors the increasing complexity of Allison’s own visions. If you're looking for the best way to stream it, check major platforms like Paramount+ or Amazon Prime, where the remastered versions highlight the subtle visual cues used in the dream sequences. Finally, compare the NBC finale's pacing with the subsequent CBS premiere to see one of the most seamless network transitions in television history.