Thursday, 11 p.m. on Syfy

Mary Occhino, the matriarch of a proud Long Island Italian-American family, always takes her work home with her because communicating with the spirit world is a 24-hour job.

The reality series Mary Knows Best chronicles the poignant and often funny situations that Occhino and her family get themselves into on a daily basis. A successful author, radio host, psychic intuitive and mother of three, Occhino touches the lives of nearly everyone she meets. Her children, Jackie, Chris and Carl, are a mismatched group of siblings consisting of a reluctant psychic, a paranormal investigator and a skeptic. In each episode, viewers will be introduced to an unforgettable cast of family characters including Occhino’s outspoken older brother, Charles, and Mary’s two adorable grandchildren.

Occhino’s radio show, “Angels on Call”, on Sirius Satellite Radio, broadcasts weekday mornings from New York City. Each day she predicts the future, speaks to the dead and offers daily advice to thousands of devoted radio fans, giving “Angels on Call” one of the highest call volumes of any Sirius Radio show. Occhino conducts seminars nationwide, offering guidance on relationships, health, family issues and career concerns. She also provides closure to those who have lost love ones.

Mary Knows Best will give a whole new meaning to the phrase “mother is always right.” Tune in for an entertaining and uninhibited dose of reality.

The official Mary Knows Best web site

On Twitter
Mary Occhino
Christopher Corry
Carl Corry
Jacqueline Sullivan

On Facebook
Mary Occhino
Christopher Corry
Carl Corry
Jacqueline Sullivan

Charles is a computer programmer by day, and a talented musician in his free time. He composed most of the music used in Mary’s radio show.

An avid biker, he’s a natural in front of the camera— a loud, opinionated, old school Italian who loves to stir up mischief. Like his nephew Chris, he’s an occasional guest on Mary’s radio show and has become popular among her fans for his hilarious interjections, off-color comments, quick-witted humor, and unique fun-loving banter with Mary.

Charles is the best kind of troublemaker— a rabble-rouser, an instigator, and one of the few people who can actually get away with busting Mary’s chops.

Chris celebrates the unconventional and outrageous outlook on life, and is an occasional guest on his mother’s radio show as a paranormal expert.

Chris is a writer, teacher, researcher, lecturer and inspirational speaker. And though he spends much of his time developing creative pursuits, he has dedicated his life to helping others. Chris is the founder of the Mother Tree Foundation, a higher-learning and healing center focusing on living a consciously objective and goal-driven life, dictated by the demands of the soul and its mission. The organization was inspired by Chris’s unconditional love for children (he has two sons ages 13 and 5), nature and the written word.

Carl, a journalist and Mary’s middle child, refers to himself as “the sane one” in the family. He’s unapologetically a “skeptic” when it comes to all things psychic and paranormal. Nevertheless, Carl admires his mother’s passion and is inspired by her many accomplishments.

Carl entered the news business at the age of 12 as an entrepreneur. He lugged 54 copies of Newsday in a milk carton tied to the handlebars of a silver Schwinn in his first job. Life turned full circle in March of 2010 when he returned to Newsday as the online editor for local news and products.

He was previously the executive producer of News 12 Interactive, running the web and interactive TV operations of the seven News 12 cable stations in the tri-state area. Before that, Carl was editor of Long Island Business News, where he got his first real start as a reporter. In between, he was an Internet reporter for Marketwatch.com and freelanced for a several publications including the New York Post.

Jacqueline Sullivan, Mary’s youngest child, is an aspiring model and singer, and is finishing a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on public relations at Briarcliffe College.

Jackie’s drive and work ethic are values Jacqueline learned at a young age: at just 10 years old, her mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and Jackie became an important care-giver and source of strength for when her mother’s health was in decline.

Despite their typical mother-daughter squabbling, it was the bond that Jackie and Mary formed during Mary’s recovery that continues to strengthen their relationship today. It was also the catalyst for the two collaborating on Awakened Instincts: Seven Keys to Enhancing Your Life, an inspirational guidebook the two wrote together about how to tap into your intuitions.

Though Jacqueline is reluctant to admit she’s inherited her mother’s psychic prowess, she acknowledges that her natural instincts are indeed intact and they continue to shape and enrich her life.

FOLLOW JACKIE ON TWITTER

She’s a mom in the business, of knowing everyone’s business. Meet Mary O. “Mary Knows Best” series premiere Thursday July 15 9/8C.