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Medium

The Man in the Mirror

Season 5, Episode 16, Aired May 11, 2009

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After falling into a coma during an investigation, Allison's spirit finds it's way into the body of a man named Todd Emory. Joe and the kids have to adjust to living with Allison's spirit in the body of Todd, who insists on living with them.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Jeffrey Tambor

Todd Emory
GUEST STAR
Anastasia Griffith

Samantha Emory
GUEST STAR
Charlayne Woodard

Dr. Richards

Patricia Arquette

Allison DuBois
Jake Weber

Joe DuBois
Miguel Sandoval

D.A. Manuel Devalos
Maria Lark

Bridgette DuBois
Sofia Vassilieva

Ariel DuBois

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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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Allison has a psychic sex change while in a coma. While in the body of an older businessman, Allison and Joe have to deal with the sudden gender issues in the marriage, figure out who this man is and what ties does he have to a murdered PI.moreless

8.5

"Great"

By johndoe70, Aug 22, 2011

Medium once again divides into the issue of gender identity, with more comedic, almost slapstick, tone then that found in the "Lady Killer" episode.
Allison goes onto a comma and is checked into the hospital right around the same time as a older businessman, who was hit by a car while wandering in the woods. The same woods, where, as it just so happens, the body of a private detective was located.
It is never explained why (does checking into the hospital at the same time as someone else set of psychic vibes?) but for some reason Allison and Todd Emory switch bodies or, perhaps in keeping with the supernatural ethos, souls. Initially, this allows Allison to wake up and return home, but in the body of Todd.
Naturally, Joe and the kids look at Todd as some sort of crazy vagrant but, for some reason, Joe decides to believe that Allison is trapped in Todd's body and that the only way to set things right, is to help crack the case.
The kids are not told and remain skeptical, although Todd does do a wonderful job on the youngest daughter's costume for the school play.
Joe believes that Allison is somehow trapped in the body of Todd and remains somewhat conflicted about how this sudden sex change impacts their marriage. Joe is not ready to see Todd naked, but does not want him to leave and thus seems very close to accepting married life with another man.
It is touching, to see Joe both unable to deal with seeing Todd naked, but also not wanting Tod to leave. But these scenes are few are far between.
Most of the episode. including the idea that two men could be married to each other, is played for laughs. Again, because it is never explained why Joe believes that Allison's soul is trapped in the body of Todd, you get a very disjointed scene where Joe insists that Todd must be a crazy vagrant and then he suddenly believes that the woman he loves is now a man.
All it takes for this to happen, apparently, is for Todd to start crying. Their is no "tell me something that only Allison would know" scene, no real explanation for why Joe would bring a strange man into his home as his wife and help him solve a case.
For some reason, Joe suddenly believes that it is Allison, but does not want to explain it to the kids, which is odd given that the oldest daughter is certainly old enough to understand such a conversation and share's her mother's abilities.
Yes, this episode is an improvement -- in terms of gender identity issues -- over "Lady Killer". That the first gay male character in the series turns out to to be a serial killer, was not too kind or creative and, to add in some more stereotypes, the man is seen in all the dreams as a woman.
Beyond this episodes handling of gender identity, the only other major complaint with the episode circles around the case itself.
For starters, Scanlon is absent from this episode, without any explanation. Allison winds up in a coma and he cannot be bothered to visit?
Allison initially fears that Todd is the murder of the PI, but hair samples say otherwise. Given the fact that Todd was forced to start burying the body, it is strange that none of his DNA was on the body.
The fact that the PI's body was found in the same wooden area as Todd was hit by a car, fleeing his wife, would have probably generated some more "ah, hah!" interest from Scanlon or the D.A.
It would have suggested a possible connection and, in turn, maybe promoted the police to ask the wife some questions, like did she own a gun? Was she having an affair? Or why her husband had hired a PI?
Call me crazy, but when a businessman gets into an accident, right before he is about to divorce his wife, I expect any decent, television DA or detective to take a good look at the younger, cheating, wife.
Aside from a few touching moments between Joe and Todd, the best parts of the episode involve the youngest daughter and her upcoming school play.
The youngest Dubois is nervous about remembering her lines and the fact that, despite all that is going on in her life, Allison (as Todd) manages to find the time to put together a very nice costume is sweet.
While, after everything is back to normal, Todd does attempt the school play, he does not appear to have any further contact with the Dubois family. Pity, because he could have been a fun, "Uncle" (regular guest star) to have around.
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ho hum another body swap

7.5

"Good"

By sramv9, May 14, 2009

i found this a bit interesting in that this time the body was a male body. that made for some comedy and some awkwardness. Jeffrey Tambor played his role as Alison in Todd Emery's body very well, and quite hilariously at times. But that's about all the episode had. the mystery was pretty lame. and, the fact that the hairs on the body of the dead P.I. didn't match Todd Emery, but instead matched the person who killed him, made no sense - because Todd may not have killed him, but he certainly dragged his body around - so could just as easily maybe more easily have been his. The best part was Marie's dream about forgetting her lines in the school play. Very cute and funny! sometimes i think i would like medium more without all the crime.moreless
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QUOTES (1)
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- Bridgette: Going out for pancakes on a school day? Just when you think there's no such thing as miracles.
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NOTES (1)
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- International Air Dates: Australia: June 11th, 2009 on Channel Ten Latin America: October 12th, 2009 on Sony Entertainment Television (Canal Sony) Norway: February 9th, 2010 on TV2 Sweden: February 15th, 2010 on TV4+
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