(S01E08) Man, Eli got whupped this week! I'm not talking about a physical beating here...I mean something worse. On this week's episode of Eli Stone our main character got emotionally and metaphysically beat up. And, the wounds that those beatings created take a lot longer to heal than physical injuries. Hence, the reason why Eli had a bit of a meltdown this time around.
It was probably bound to happen sooner or later, for Eli is a man with much on his shoulders. First, he has that whole "prophet" thing going on. Then, he has this supposedly inoperable brain aneurysm that has refocused all of his daily activities. Finally, to top it off, he has not one, not two, but three women in his life that are causing him nothing but grief. Gosh, Eli has been pretty strong to get through all of that. But, he couldn't remain stoic for long. So, tonight he threw up his hands and gave up.
Really, it was probably the first time in this series' short history that we've really seen Eli angry. Oh, he's been loud with some people, and somewhat snippy with others, but never chair-slamming, pencil breaking angry. Heck, he was even screaming angry with Dr. Chen, which hasn't happened too much. Of course, Chen instigated that by saying to Eli 'I know how you feel'. No, I don't think Chen really knows how he feels. I don't even know how Eli feels!
The only person who knows how Eli feels is probably the man upstairs, who seems to be giving Eli these visions and causing problems between him and those he likes and loves. If it is a higher power that's controlling his visions and not the aneurysm, the question is why it's doing this to Eli? A test of his faith, perhaps? Or, maybe it's to see how much Eli will sacrifice to do the right thing. If that's the case, then by setting up an "agreement" between the judge and the developer he was defending. Eli may have passed.
Which I guess is good news, but really isn't for Eli. For, in the process of securing the "agreement" with the judge in order to kick the residents out of their building, Eli got some of his favorite people angry. Taylor and Patti are two of them. Taylor was angry because her former fiancee set up a shady deal so his client would get off scot-free without informing her. Patti was upset because, not only was Eli defending this apparent shyster, but he wanted the residents of her old apartment complex to get out for fear of being crushed in an earthquake. Then again, maybe it wasn't anger. Maybe it was pity. From what Patti said in the church -- the same church Eli saw collapse during one of his visions -- she was praying for him because he was sick and needed to get better.
The third woman of Eli's life, Maggie, wasn't angry, per se. She was more confused, if anything. Here Eli was setting up boundaries after she kissed him last week, and then he's kissing her after a moment between them. How could she not understand what's going on. You know, I don't want to say this, but Maggie is growing on me to the point I'm beginning to feel bad for the way Eli is treating her. I'm actually starting to root for them to get together. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
On the earthquake...on one hand I wanted there to be a quake so Eli would be vindicated. However, that would have probably been bad television because it was too predictable. Plus, by not having the quake happen, it left doubt in the viewer as to whether Eli is really seeing visions or not. I hope that it's revisited sometime towards the end of the series though, just so we can get some type of finality should the show be renewed (and, I'm starting to feel that it should be given another season).
To the Jayson Turk trial. Come on! You could see that it was all a setup as soon as Mrs. Turk got on the stand. That little glance between Jayson and his wife after a mistrial just confirmed it. I didn't feel bad for the prosecutor, who was really out for Jayson's head. I did feel bad for Matt Dowd, who really supported Jayson's innocence. Dowd really showed a ton of growth by going to Jordan and expressing his interest to drop Jayson from the law firm. He impressed Jordan as well. So much so that Matt may become the Jordan's heir apparent now that Eli has dropped in status.
Next week -- Eli meets George Michael. No, for real.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-21-2008 @ 11:23AM
Jake said...
Who ever is the actress who plays Maggie is teh hotness.
Same with Shannon Woodward on the Riches.
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3-21-2008 @ 11:45AM
Craig said...
This episode was probably my second favorite in this series, I like this show, therefore, it will be cancelled. Everything, I like gets cancelled or takes forever to come back. At any rate, Eli's meltdown really has me wondering what's next, I mean there are a lot of nexts but will he really have the surgery if he finds someone to do it. And I'm wondering when Chen wanders out of the office and seeks out the people who mean something to Eli, like Jordan, Taylor, Patti, Maggie, and Nate....I mean no one seems to believe Eli, except Maggie but now she ran away...I feel like at some point, Chen's character has to go out there and partially help Eli restore his faith but also point those we cares about to some of what's going on. In case you were wondering, my favorite episode was the one where he almost got disbarred...that one had me on the edge of my seat and damn near on the verge of tears, with the way things fell more apart.
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3-21-2008 @ 1:20PM
kickit said...
I really like this show. I hope it gets renewed. It's just an enjoyable show, that's basically how I would describe it to someone who had never seen it before.
There was just one thing that bugged me about this episode. That was Patti. I found her actions in this episode to make her out to be a big hypocrite. She was bitching to Eli about the case he was working on, and has said that she didn't like the person Eli had become when he was dating Taylor, and basically all around saying that the firm they work for does bad and evil things. All the while.... SHE WORKS THERE. Yes, she's a secretary... but there are many places she could be secretary. You'd think with all of her so-called morals she wouldn't be working there... yet she DOES work there and sits on her high-horse judging everyone else who works there. No matter how you look at it, she contributes to the law firm, and in effect she contributes to the negative cases they take. She should have gotten a job at a public interest law firm..
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3-21-2008 @ 8:40PM
Craig said...
Kickit, I totally agree with you about Patti. Although, I have to say she is kind of that character that sort of keeps Eli real...imagine a show without her....I think she really showed her stuff though in the courtroom scene when she was making objections and moves for contempt that was awesome, although, in real life, I'm pretty sure that'll get her held in contempt. Plus, I mean what's that whole thing she had going on with Posner....that was the Hawaii episode but seriously, your right how does she fly so high when she's been on the low path before herself.
All other thoughts aside, if Jordan left the firm could it move to Weathersby, Posner, Dowd, and Stone....I just can't see Eli not getting that top seat nod, you keep winning for your firm or against and eventually I mean the record speaks for itself. Matt is gullible and fell into the Jason Turk trap granted he got some balls at the end but come on if that earns he "heir apparent" status then that's bull.
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3-22-2008 @ 1:53AM
kickit said...
Yeah I agree with you, that Patti does add to the show. It was just that one particular thing in this episode that bothered me. But as a whole, I agree with you about how she keeps Eli real and all that.. and how she really is knowledgeable about law and everything.
3-21-2008 @ 10:01PM
jayr2345 said...
This was my favorite episode of the series so far. I don't think I've ever seen Johnny Lee Miller in anything else before this but he is a great actor I must say. That church scene was just so raw and emotional, the tears in Eli's eyes looked real. you could just see how this was all affecting him. And how could it not, stuff just kept piling on top of him, he had to sacrifice his ethics, his friendship with Patti, and made his relationship with Taylor more strained than it already is. Another great scene was at the end in Chen's office. I almost thought that the earthquake was gonna be right then just so God could send a message to Eli, "Hey stupid I am real and you will do what I say". I'm glad they didn't though, it would have taken the show in another totally different direction. The whole seeing the future thing is different enough they don't need to suspend belief anymore.
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3-21-2008 @ 11:08PM
bc said...
It's probably too much to hope for, but it would be hilarious if Eli is defending George Michael after he's arrested for cottaging in Golden Gate Park.
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3-22-2008 @ 1:13PM
Gordon Werner said...
So was the earthquake metaphorical? the shaking and destruction was only a shaking-up and destruction of his friendships and not real as in physical damage?
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3-22-2008 @ 1:13PM
Gordon Werner said...
So was the earthquake metaphorical? the shaking and destruction was only a shaking-up and destruction of his friendships and not real as in physical damage?
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