Review: Mysterious Ways

Here's my review.  Leave me thoughts if you have any :D

Okay A LOT happened in this episode.  There was some I liked, some I didn't and some stuff I found interesting.  First off this was probably my favorite of the three directing ventures of Miguel Ferrer.  The whole was 'fast pace' but each individual scene felt well played out and complete.  I liked that.  For the first time I didn't feel like I was playing catch up the entire episode.  I had enough time to digest each scene before the next hit me. 

 The first reaction I had when I watched this episode was ‘Wow’.  It left me with a lot to think about.  When I re-watched it I have to say it lost some of the ‘wow’ factor.  It had more of a 'punch' the first go around.  The third time I watched, it lost the ‘wow’ factor and became much more of an ordinary episode for me (much like Loves Me Not.  I couldn’t get over that episode the first…oh I don’t know…10 times I watched it, when my brain calmed down I was better able to break things down.)  That said I still enjoyed the episode on many levels.  

The A case: My opinion—slightly too easy and a bit of a lackadaisical attitude towards the case from the morgue staff.  Ready for this?  I’m about to poke wholes in the entire case.  So let’s start with the crime scene—the crime scene was the entire church.  So please explain to me how they didn’t check the confessionals.  Yes you can say there was no reason, but I don’t buy it.  I think it was just being lazy on the morgue staff (that and the writers needed a way to solve the plot—and solve it feebly might I add).  Then they come back a few days later and the tissue is still there?  And low and behold the tissue happens to be the key to the case.  Slightly farfetched.  It was a weak plot.  And you knew the Dad of the dead girl had to play some role.  They don’t normally bring characters into a plot for no reason (why give them precious screen time if they’re not a part of the story?)

 

 That said I think the writers did just that—brought in an unnecessary character.  The ‘dead-then brought back to life-boy’ was a waste of screen time (in my opinion).  I get that he was there to tell his story to get ‘us’ to believe in the story of a ‘miracle worker’ but here’s my opinion on the matter: most of us are either going to be open to the possibility or not.  We don’t need to hear the boy’s story.  Then there’s the fact that he knew where she lived but no one else did?  That the PD couldn’t find her address is silly.  First off if Isabelle was a member of the church she would have been in their records including her address.  I know for a fact (as I just filled mine out) the Catholic Church does a census each year to get a tally of how many members they have and where they live.

 

 Also on the boy, what was the point of him overhearing Nigel?  To make Nigel feel bad?  Why?  What was the point of that scene?  What did it add to the episode?  It’s like writing a novel.  I might write a scene I love, but if it doesn’t fit in, if it’s no longer relevant, or if it is no longer relevant to the story—it doesn’t matter how well it’s written it’s got to be cut.

 

The B case: I LOVED Bug and Amy.  This was by far my favorite part of the episode.  It was a perfect case for Bug.  Pessimist that Bug is, he still wants the story to have a happy ending for Amy.  So even when it looks like her father really hadn’t kicked his old habits, Bug still searches for something to prove otherwise.

 

Jordan: The ending scene was the strongest scene of this episode and probably (when we look back on events) will be one of the ‘biggest’ moments in the Jordan-Woody saga.

 

 The issue has been laid out on the table and Woody knows it now.  He has not ‘grown’.  He and Jordan are on two completely different levels at the moment.  Can he climb up to the level Jordan is currently occupying?  Sure.  And what’s better yet is Jordan is giving him a chance.  She didn’t say their time had passed.  She told them they were at different points.  There is still hope for the two.

 

 Note: I'm not sure I really understood the point of the Jordan-Woody-Lu kiss.  I laughed when it happened, but after the fact when I tried to find the point...it just kind of eluded me.  Cause it seemed added just to be added and for a 'wow' effect rather than a 'move the story' forward reason. (Could just be me on this topic...but I don't think it was needed—then again I felt there were quite a few scenes that could have been cut to leave more room for the other stories…with so much going on in this episode every minute was precious.)

 

Nigel: He's too funny.  Where would we be without his theories? 

 

Bug: Remember Death Toll?  Where Bug talked about change and how he was changing but found himself wanting to go back to the old ‘Bug’.  It’s amazing how much Bug has grown.  It seems we’ve missed this fact with the events of Jordan, Garret and Lily overshadowing him.  I’ve absolutely loved Bug this season.  There’s been this inner strength and growth in him that amazes me.  Bug’s always been the quite one who seems to go about life doing what is right.  He’s longed for Lily for years and this season he sees Lily moving on.  At first he’s depressed, then he gets bold and expresses his feelings, then he deals with them realizing that maybe their time has passed and that’s just how life is sometimes. 

 

 He accepts this fact and moves on.  He’s been much happier over the past few episodes.  That change—that he wasn’t sure he wanted to happen—has happened and he’s embraced it (rather than trying to cling to the old).  It’s been a wonderful growth and it allowed him to be open to the possibilities Amy brought when she walked through the morgue door.

 

 Bug and Amy—has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?  I liked Amy instantly.  I liked the easy flow between her and Bug.  Their interaction was fun and easy to watch and oh so sweet.  Amy liked Bug for one of his best qualities—his kind-heartedness.   

 

 (Note: I want to see this played out, but I’m not sure if it’ll be given a chance.  I’m not too keen of the idea of Lily running into the two of them on a date.  Bug needs to NOT be reminded up Lily every five seconds—especially when he’s on a date.  I want Bug to have a chance with Amy.  I think bringing Lily into the picture can/will be Bug’s downfall.  He’s embracing his ‘new’ change, but it’s very easy to fall back into old ways if it’s right there tempting you.)

 

Lily: It looks like the events of Death Toll are playing out for a lot of our characters—Lily’s no exception.  She has a job she no longer likes.  She has a life that she’s not sure where it’s going.  She has a boyfriend she’s not sure she loves. She has a good friend she knows could have been more.  The girl is a mess.

 

Maybe this explains her ‘on my high horse’ attitude of the past couple episodes.  Maybe that (attitude) was her last attempt to make her job seem worth it.  Or MAYBE—it’s the reverse—it made her realize it’s not that she’s ‘too’ good at her job—but that she’s no longer putting her heart/passion into the job.  The over zealous attempts at fighting for the sad and grieving was her last attempt at trying to find some feeling and compassion.  I’ll let you guys decided, which you think it is.

 

-->Jeffery: I’m sorry, but I think I’ve been pushed over the edge into not just finding Jeffery annoying, but disliking him.  I sure as hell how she doesn’t marry him.  The guy is not only jittery, indecisive, and weak he’s also a ‘mama’s boy’.  God help us all.  I was surprised Lily said yes to Jeffery—she sure as Hell didn’t look too happy about getting engaged.

 

--> Elaine: I liked her.  She was outrageous.  Many of us would probably have gotten up and left the table saying screw it, he’s not worth it.  I don’t love him that much.  She was the ‘mama’ of mama’s boy.  Stereotypical, yes, but sometimes that’s just fine.  It’s what made her interesting and enjoyable to watch.  Honestly, I wanted to see Lily get grilled and then told she wasn’t good enough.  I wanted to see how Lily could handle her.  She didn’t let me down.  I was glad Lily stood up to her (unlike whimpering Jeffery).

 

--> Garret: Got to give Garret credit in this episode.  He dealt well with Lily.  First she hits him up with the news that she’s quitting and he calmly asks her questions and tries to get the reasoning behind her decision.  Then he asks her about Jeffery without making any judgements—getting her to really think about how she feels about him.  I like having the old Garret back.

 

 One quick side note on Lily quitting: Can you say season 1...just another plot device...play with our minds...I don't think she'll be gone for very long if she even makes it to the 'quitting' stage.

 

Note:
Did anyone notice how the first image of the interior of the church was on the prayer candle the flame flickering at the bottom of the glass holder.  And when they show the reenactment of the murder they show the father lighting that same candle only it's brand new. I know it may seem insignificant but to me I loved the continuity of it and the fact that they tied the two images together.