(S04E14) Well this was certainly a nice surprise. I was hoping that Gina would be back since Wilbur had come back, but I didn't expect her return to be this good. Jessalyn Gilsig is a great actress (minus her turn as LJ's mother in Prison Break), so it was good to see her back in the role that I associate her with. That being said, she hasn't changed a bit. She'd like to think she has, but she is just as mean as she was before. She sold her shares in the spa, started going to her sex addicts anonymous meetings again, and even renewed her real estate license. Rather than drag her story out though, she quickly realized that she is still in no position to be a mother. But her life is still a mess. She isn't the only one though.
Two big things in this episode. Sean's epiphany and the writer's decision to "hastily wrap things up." First we'll go with Sean. It seemed like everything that happened in this episode was supposed to be some sort of metaphor for his life and how he felt: being second to everyone and everything. Especially Christian. From Willy Ward and his dependence on a ventriloquism puppet to Matt wanting sexual advice from Christian as opposed to Sean, everything seemed to be against him. What it sets up for next week's finale is something that's a) logical and b) a long time coming. Sean has decided to have Michelle and Christian buy him out so that he can leave Miami and open his own practice. I think this was a smart move.
Now as I said, a lot of things were wrapped up -- quickly too. For no discernible reason, other than the assumption that Alanis Morrissette won't be back next season, Poppy and Liz broke up. Then James committed suicide. That came out of nowhere. The reasoning? She saw how happy Michelle was with Wilbur and it brought back memories of her own son who died of kidney complications. Coincidentally, that was the reason she got in to black-market organ thievery. Makes sense... or not.
All season long I've defended this show, but the James thing bugged me. I don't want to say it "jumped the shark" because it didn't. It's far from that and I think people use that phrase too liberally. This was however a poor way wrap up Jacqueline Bisset's story. I think they could have done better. Same goes for the Matt and Kimber porno. Funny idea, but not really relevant to anything. This is just a culmination of those two really having nothing to do all season long. All it serves is a way to wrap up the Scientology storyline because it appears the two of them will be kicked out of the church. I absolutely loved how they poked fun at Scientology and how ridiculous it sounds by mentioning the "story" of Xenu. Balderdash I say.
The big revelation, though it's a bit too easy if you ask me, was the connection between James and Gallardo. She worked for him. This does makes sense I suppose because if you recall during season one, Escobar made his money by using heroin filled breast implants and girls as mules. So organ theft and export doesn't seem too far off. But now that James is dead, Escobar has come after Michelle to pay off the rest of the debt. So that sets up the finale too. Sean wants out, but now Escobar is directly involved again -- plus he still has knowledge of Silvio Perez. He can hang that over Sean and Christian no problem. So that's where we stand. Any predictions for next week?
Best quote:
Porn Director (yelling during a scene): "Don't block the money shot Matt!"
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-06-2006 @ 1:07PM
Omar said...
someones going to die next week, that much is clear. it could be escobar (michelle kills him) or michelle gets killed by escobar or wilbur ends up getting killed (for his valuable kidneys). but my prediction is death.
also, what is going to happen if sean 'leaves'? is this show done after this year? it finally got on track and i cant imagine fx has many more profitable shows in the works. dirt or whatever that courtney cox show is called doesnt seem to make any sense to me.
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12-06-2006 @ 12:51PM
Brian said...
Interesting scene in the doctor's office with Matt and Kimber. Like stated in the review, this storyline was kinda lame and "tacked on" this season just to include the characters.
But in last night's scene in the office, when Kimber and Matt learned that their porno ended up on the internet somehow and the "church" was aware of this, there was a good look on Kimber's face that was a cliffhanger in itself.
Kimber looked at Matt as if she was angry, but not furious that his porno idea backfired. The scene earlier in the episode when "bad Kimber" was telling "scientology Kimber" about how goofy the religion is we learned that she has reservations about he involvement. It sounds like she almost wanted to quit the religion anyway.
The big question for next week (or next season?) is whether or not she will be mad at Matt and split with him over this or she will actually end up thanking him...
Otherwise the episode was pretty good.
But I do agree with the reviewer that MUCH seemed rushed in this episode, as if the writers are making a mad dash towards the finish line to wrap up the season. Felt kinda awkward, I the next and final episode will not have this feel.
But kudos for the bait-and-switch scene towards the end of the episode in which Christian and Michelle left Wilbur alone on the swing. It became obvious that Wilbur was going to be kidnapped and the obvious kidnapper was to be James. I fell for that one hook, line, and sinker. Gina was the kidnapper, as it turns out.
I was initially actually angry that it was filmed in a way that was sooo obvious that Wilbur was going to be kidnapped and James the kidnapper as the scene was playing out. I thought it was sub-par filmmaking until I was the fool who believed it and didn't suspect Gina.
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12-06-2006 @ 12:51PM
slutty_whore said...
OK, I am so sick of Sean's woe-is-me attitude! First, he not just pushes Julia away, but shoves her and then wonders why he's alone! What a baby! I mean, come on! Matt is an adult, Christian has his own life now, and I'm just sick of Sean not taking responsibiility for his actions. All Sean does is react to things and he doesn't take stock of what he needs to do to improve his lot in life. Sean is the most annoying character to grace my TV screen since Everwood's Ephram Brown!
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12-06-2006 @ 12:53PM
MacGuffin said...
This whole organ-selling business has been a disappointing story arc. It had the potential to be really interesting, instead it has kind of festered and devolved into nothing. I'm sure that the final will answer all our questions, however.
I'd like to know why Michelle has been going along with James on this. Is she that weak? dependent? or is there something more sinister?
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12-06-2006 @ 2:45PM
Alex Davis said...
That's not the exact reason James killed herself. From what I gathered, she realized how low she had become. She was almost ready to murder a child for financial gain and to save her life. Oh next week all shit breaks loose. I can't wait.
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12-06-2006 @ 8:29PM
A Sasso said...
Something that was interesting to me was how Gina kind of saved her son's life and no one really knows it. James was standing outside the playground and would have swiped Wilbur away had Gina not done it first. I thought that was a really cool plot point.
But I agree about rushing things. There were plenty of slow story lines this season that could have been devoted to some of the more interesting elements. For instance, James was definately one of my favorite characters on the show and they just killed her off. She should have had a better death and more story than that. We could have found out more about her love with Michelle and her past. She was a master manipulator and a good "villian" for the show.
The whole Poppy thing could have been good too. Considering that those two were not in like 5 episodes since the one that they were introduced as a couple shows how much more they could have devoted to their story lines.
Great show, but definately a disappointing turn.
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12-06-2006 @ 8:34PM
The Jeremy said...
With all the hallucinations going on, I was expecting to see Baltar or Number Six show up in the episode! :)
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12-06-2006 @ 8:11PM
The Jeremy said...
With all the hallucinations going on, I was expecting to see Dr. Gaius Baltar or Number Six show up in the episode! :)
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12-06-2006 @ 8:35PM
tv junkie said...
Very disappointing episode! first, the pacing was way off.
then, the puppet was just plain silly (the fact that Sean is so pathetic that he can even take advice from a loser with a puppet? come on.)
and Why, after more than ten episodes of James cutting people left and right stealing kidneys and all that they decided to end her story so soon and rushy!?!? (she only appeared in like 3min in the episodes and all her scenes were feature in the preview last week!) What a let down for such a long build up! hello? did anyone in the show forget about last week?
And, why, if they're gonna bring back the always terrific Gina to spice things up that they wrap up her storyline so clean and easy???? She could have stay longer and stir things up quiet a bit, instead, it was like "i want my baby" then "goodbye"? She left Christian off easy!
Finally, I'm very tired of writers not planning enough good plot for Kim or Matt this season. whenever they came out for those tiny scenes squeezed into the episodes for no reason, their storyline is so unnecessary that even if it was cut out, no one would notice the difference. oh, not to mention Liz. i thought her losing a kidney was gonna buy her more screen time, but no, they had to have alanis come in for a couple useless guest spots then gone.
I've been supporting this season so far, but this episode really let me down.
hopefully they give me a kick ass season finale...
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12-08-2006 @ 2:37PM
Brian said...
I guess it makes sense that things were so rushed. It wasn't that long ago (likely after they wrapped filming for this season's episodes) that it was announced that Nip/Tuck was signed on for an additional season in 2007.
This past episode was the second-to-last episode for this season in which it probably was not determined at the time that it would continue on. Nip/Tuck is close to running its course and likely next season will be the last. When this season was written perhaps it was unclear whther or not it would be the end.
Most likely the loose ends are starting to be tied because next week's finale could have been the series's finale.
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12-17-2006 @ 7:24PM
tanya said...
I am a faithful nip/tuck viewer and i have watched every episode of every season and for some reason last week i missed my first episode. i was mad!!! but thanks to you guys i got the main points of it. my opinion on the whole season is sadly it has been the worst one so far. i just hope next season is better. but either way i will always be watching every episode.
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