Hallelujah!   I got to watch a first run drama last night!  Medium is back on the air, Monday nights at 10 (9 Central).  If you missed it, read no further.  Last night’s episode, “And Then, will air again Sunday night.  Treasure every episode there were only nine completed before the writers went on strike.

The show opens with hard times beginning to fall upon the DuBois household due to the dual unemployment status.  For those of you who don’t remember,   the evil reporter, played by Neve Campbell, has exposed Allison as a psychic and her co-workers as believers.  Refusing to heed Allison’s warnings, she was killed last season, but the damage to Allison and her friends and family has been done.  Joe lost his job due to his refusal to sign a waiver that he wouldn’t sue, compounded by Allison’s outing.

To lighten up the dismal financial crisis is Bridgette, the DuBois’ middle daughter.  Marie was unhappy with the tiny amount of peanut butter on her toast.  Allison told her she was sorry – there’s no more peanut butter.  And then we get a shot of Bridgette from across the table, her mouth covered with peanut butter.  I guess we know where it all went!

Anjelica Houston joins the cast this episode.  I found the promos to be a little misleading.  I thought that Ms. Houston’s character (Cynthia Keener) was a full-fledged psychic, like Allison.  But after watching her introduction, it’s still unclear if she is really psychic, or just a “little intuitive” to put it in her character’s words.  I thought it was a good choice for Allison to have to win over Cynthia.  It wouldn’t have been as believable if they had been best buds from the get-go.

This episode scored a high creepy factor.  The discovery of the poor, deceased little boy in the doll box mixed in with the other dolls in the storeroom of the toy store (Jollytown) sent a chill down my spine.  Could you imagine if he had been put out on the sales floor?!?  The next to last scene where Ariel’s competitor for the lead role in the school’s production of The Sound of Music is singing “My Favorite Things,” combined with back-and-forth scenes of the boy’s murderer being discovered  - that was highly creepy as well.

Overall, the episode was a good introduction to the season.  The story was strong and creepy and just good psychic fun.