Media - Medium - Mediocrity
A couple of weeks ago I had an idea for a detective story. It was about a fake spiritualist who uses the techniques of cold reading, misdirection, suggestion and all the other methods of mentalism...to solve crimes.
And now I find the top rated show on American TV has exactly the same premise. It's called The Mentalist and it premieres on British TV tonight.
I've got mixed feeling about this. On the one hand, it's kind-of my idea and I'm curious how it'll pan out. On the other, judging by the trailers, it's probably crap.
Remember a show called Medium? It was about a psychic housewife who uses her supernatural gifts to help the police find murderers. The killers were all evil whackos, the police were all tough but fair, and the medium was...well, blond.
Actually it was mostly about how a tedious suburban-but-improbably-posh family copes with a mom who really does know when you're lying.
It was drivel, it was pseudo-profound, it was glurgy, it was right wing and complacent, and it was popular for a while. But just like The X-Files (or for that matter, Roswell) reflected a public credulity towards conspiracy theories, I think Medium reflected a popular gullibility towards psychic powers.
But if that's the case, maybe The Mentalist reflects a healthy skepticism towards the same con artists. Let's hope so. Even if the actual show is cack.
I'll watch and let you know just how cack it it.
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I haven't seen the Mentalist. But I have seen Medium; it usually comes on after heroes, so I'm still in that superpowers is entertaining mode. I can't decide which is better, though, between Medium and Ghost Whisperer.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, I do like Patricia Arquette's acting, and the dynamic between her and the guy who plays her husband is pretty good. But on the other hand, Jennifer Love Hewitt has a great rack.
*Splutter*
ReplyDeleteBut...but...I thought you were gay!
And, erm, a male one.
Though rereading what you wrote about Karl Urban and Mila Jovovich...Hmmm.
Nevermind. Straight men are cool. And often quite flexible.
how about a gay transvite medim with a great rack which would obviously be two crystal balls shoved down his vest who uses his psychic powers to commit crimes and implicate people he hated to the police?
ReplyDeletei'm not saying it's good idea, but they'll stick any old cack on e4.
jennifer muff suet can't act and has the kind of face you want smack.