My Psychic Life, TV review: A warts and all insight into the growing industry

From the healing crystal and glass balls in the "psychic clinic" to David Traynor's goatee and chain, everything looked old-fashioned

David Traynor was unconvincing - despite the goatee and chain combo (Channel 4)

"One of my inspirers told me you've just got to reach for your star," said spirit medium/hairdresser David Traynor, on his way to meet a prospective agent in My Psychic Life. I wasn't sure if he was just quoting S Club 7 lyrics or discussing his ability to "speak to dead people", but no matter. This observational documentary was a fascinating insight into the growing (unregulated) industry, but not for the reasons the subjects would hope I don't think.

We got warts and all – David meditating and belching in his conservatory before a session; orange-hued Dean James Fox getting sweaty in a dance class – but I don't think we saw the full process. From the healing crystal and glass balls in the "psychic clinic" to Traynor's goatee and chain, everything looked old-fashioned. Bar medium Shelley McGurk and her mum trawling online dating sites, only the agent mentioned the internet, asking Traynor if he looked up paying customers on Facebook beforehand. "Well, it just wouldn't work, would it?" Hmm.

There was one of those jaunty scores that goes hand-in-hand with an edit that seems to subtly mock subjects. Likewise, Mancunian Maxine Peake was on narration duties sounding like she spent her time sniggering between lines or weeping along with the people who were willing it all to be true. Because there were plenty of them, mostly women, desperate to hear from deceased relatives. Traynor seemed to convince the agent of his validity more than this programme did for me, I suppose you had to be there. We were told at the end that he hadn't heard from them. Shame that.