Headed its way to Hulu on July 6th, 2022, Maggie is a new supernatural comedy that follows the exploits of Maggie (Rebecca Rittenhouse), a psychic dealing with the professional struggles of adulthood as well as personal courtship. Originally slated to air episodically on ABC, the entire series will debut at once when it hits Hulu this summer.
Created by Justin Adler and Maggie Mull, the upcoming show joins a rich tradition of paranormal TV series that revolves around mediums, psychics, seers, soothsayers, clairvoyants, and the like, often using comedy as a way of allowing the audience to experience the afterlife while remaining grounded on Earth.
Psych (2006 - 2014)
Stream On Prime Video & Peacock
Whereas Maggie has genuine psychic abilities that she uses to navigate the dating scene, Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) pretends that he has fortune-telling powers in Pysch, one of the most beloved USA Network shows and one that should be revived. Whether Shawn uses his heightened perception for romantic purposes or to solve a rash of crimes with his partner Burton (Dule Hill), his ability to manipulate the future leads to hilarious scenarios time and again.
Between the running pineapple gag, the awesome musical episode that earned a Primetime Emmy nod, and the waggish rapport among the two leads, Psych manages to be highly entertaining while weeding out pseudoscientific superstition by honoring the psychic forensic work that Shawn does with the Santa Barbara police.
Seeing Things (1981 - 1987)
Stream On Plex & YouTube
Perhaps the most obscure title to make the grade, Seeing Things is a Canadian comedy series that concerns Louis Ciccone (Louis Del Grande), a Toronto newspaper reporter whose odd futuristic visions allow him to solve crimes across the city. Whereas Maggie can see into the future, Louis can see into the recent past.
One of the things that make the show so remarkable is how Louis' post-cognitive visions can be controlled and prevented at times, while in others, he can only find clues the longer a vision persists. Moreover, the hilarious ways in which Louis uses his psychic abilities to interact with his wife Marge (played by Del Grande's real-life wife Martha Gibson) is bound to appeal to Maggie's unrequited love storylines.
Deadbeat (2014 - 2016)
Stream On Hulu
Tyler Labine gives a commanding comedic turn as Kevin in Deadbeat, a slacker pothead who moonlights as a medium for hire and works to solve unsolved mysteries of his ghostly clientele. Much of the plot deals with Kevin's attempt to date Sue (Lucy DeVito), the assistant of his rival Camomile (Cat Deely), a charlatan who claims to be a medium as well. When Sue dies and becomes a ghost, things get awfully complicated.
Hailed for its irreverent sense of humor, bizarre storylines that go places other shows wouldn't dare, and for exploring the efficacy and morality of using clairvoyance for personal gain, Deadbeat is far livelier than it lets on.
Ghost Whisperer (2005 - 2010)
Stream On Hulu
Studded by memorable moments of levity and lighthearted romantic comedy, CBS' supernatural fantasy drama, Ghost Whisperer, incorporates several genres to tell the story of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a medium who has the ability to see and communicate with the deceased.
As Melinda navigates personal romances and professional hiccups, the profound connections she makes to the other side are what often keep her going, acting not just as a seer, but as a kind of therapeutic medium between aggrieved spirits, as well, which helps them find closure before resting peacefully.
Medium (2005 - 2011)
Stream On Paramount+
Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette instantly elevates the material of the acclaimed supernatural fantasy series Medium, in which she plays the clairvoyant Allison DuBois, a suburban mother balancing her daily domestic routine with the unpredictable nature of her futuristic visions to solve a rash of murders. Arquette won a Primetime Emmy for her fantastic performance.
While Medium has its fair share of laughs and situational comedy moments, what really makes it so fascinating is how Allison passes her gift down to her young children and how the inheritance shifts the family dynamic over time, something Maggie may very well explore in the future.
That's So Raven (2003 - 2007)
Stream On Disney+
While skewed toward a slightly younger demographic, Disney's beloved teen sitcom That's So Raven is a lighthearted tale of an adolescent psychic that tonally aligns with Maggie more than most. Breezy, charming, and delightful, Raven-Symon is impossible to dislike as Raven Baxter, a plucky high schooler gifted with briefs glimpses into the future.
Beyond the bubbly magnetism of Raven-Symone in the lead, the way in which she tries to keep her gift a secret serves as a metaphor for the unpredictable nature of future events. Far from scary or unsettling, the show uses Raven's psychic abilities more for self-fulfilling prophecies than harbingers of doom.
Ghosts (2021 - )
Stream On Fubo
While the highly-acclaimed new CBS sitcom Ghosts doesn't center on a medium per se, the hilarious conceit of the show involves the droll interactions of idealistic new homeowners commingling with the various spirits who once inhabited their dream house. Think Beetlejuice meets The Money Pit.
As Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) and Samantha (Rose McIver) move into their dream home, they soon realize that the various deceased occupants are making the foundation of the house crumble, forcing them to fix up the place while cohabitating with the deceased. A stellar cast, breezy tone, and family-friendly spookiness have been singled out for making the show so entertaining.
Ghosted (2017)
Stream On Hulu
From the present to the past, Ghosted lasted just one season on Fox before being canceled ahead of its time. In a comedic premise that mirrors The X-Files, the plot concerns former cop Max (Adam Scott), a man who deeply believes in all things paranormal, and his partner Leroy (Craig Robinson), a pessimistic skeptic who believes in science. Together, the buddy odd couple must help a shadowy agency solve supernatural crimes.
The supernatural sitcom is sure to appeal to Maggie fans for the way it playfully toys with the relationship between the human leads and the zombies, aliens, UFOs, and other supernatural creatures, including Max's wife Claire (Britt Lower). Amusing and thought-provoking without being too threatening, Ghosted as easy, breezy fun.
iZombie (2015 - 2019)
Stream On Netflix
CW's beloved iZombie has a ton of fun subverting the formula of psychic comedy shows by putting its central character in the body of a reanimated corpse. That is, Olivia Moore (Rose McIver, who fans should learn more about) is a Seattle Police medical examiner who, upon becoming a zombie, realizes that she gains psychic powers by eating the brains of her victims, which she uses to help solve a series of grisly crimes.
The more brains Liv consumes, the more she retains her humanity as well, putting her in a precarious balancing act that carries the storylines a very long way. With the lighthearted tone, tenor, and temperament of a typical CW show, Liv and Maggie almost feel like television sisters.
Marley's Ghosts (2015 - 2016)
Stream On BritBox
For a distinctly British supernatural comedy dealing with psychics, tune in to Marley's Ghost. A perfect companion piece to Maggie, the series follows Marley Wise (Sarah Alexander), a woman who can see and speak with ghosts. Unfortunately, most of her ghostly interactions involve her deceased husband, lover, and priest, putting her into a stressful tailspin of romance, righteousness, and morality.
With clever writing, an excellent ensemble, and a well-worn conceit that finds original new things to say about life and death, Marley and Maggie would make a terrific international crossover team of lovelorn psychics every supernatural comedy fan would like to see together.