(photo courtesy cbs.com)
The most shocking thing about this week's episode of Cold Case wasn't the killer. It was the level of service one used to receive from an airline! Did you see the shrimp cocktail, the expensive drinks, and the "world is your oyster" style service?! Now, you're lucky if you get half a can of soda and a bag of peanuts! The good old days, indeed. I had only heard about the days when pilots and flight attendants were treated like rock stars, although the sexual harassment sidebar was absent from those tales. Can't say I found it surprising, though. It was the 60s. The second most shocking thing about this episode was seeing Amanda Schull again (the poor, unfortunate Ally). The last time I saw her she was dancing all over the big screen in 2000's Center Stage. As far as this episode is concerned, everybody seemed like a suspect so no big surprise at the end. I'm not sure that I found Gloria to be the most likely of the lot, though. In fact, there didn't seem to be a very good reason for anyone to kill Ally, but then again, there isn't always one that makes sense in real life either. I just enjoyed the nostalgic look at the airline industry, so the whole killer thing was secondary this week.
Well, she finally did it. Lil stepped out of the stalker shadows and approached her father. And it wasn't a moment too soon, either. I was seriously starting to get VERY bored with this story line. They talked (kind of), but then Lil retreated in her usual fashion. I'm not sure what she's hoping to accomplish with this little project. I guess it would be nice to know that she has some family that she can actually track down and turn to if she needs them. It makes life a little less lonely. I'm hoping that whatever is hanging between these two is hashed out -- in front of us. I'm dying to know what hasn't been said because it seems to be bursting at the seams! Meanwhile, things seem to be heating up between Frankie and Scotty. He's not one to beat around the bush (as opposed to Lil), and it appears that she isn't either. I like these two, so I'm intrigued to see where it leads. Overall, a good episode. CC moves to 10-0-1 on the season.
EDIT: I completely forgot to mention how awesome Kathryn Morris's performance was in this one! She rocked that scene with Lilly's dad. You could tell that part of Lil wanted to wrap her arms around her father and forgive anything and everything that transpired between the them. And then the other part wanted to turn around and forget the whole thing. Add in the sadness, the excitement, the sense that there was so much hanging between them and just wow! Brilliant! I can't believe I forgot to give her mad props for that stellar performance. You can tell that my mind is way too focused on last-minute Christmas details!
7 comments:
I have to say this was the best Cold Case episode I've watched in a while (and that's saying a lot for me given I've lost considerable interest in the show).
I am usually a sucker for any of their period piece stuff. They've thankfully gone back to doing MUCH more of the older case stuff this year, and they seem to have gotten over their 90s/2000s case obsession that plagued the last two seasons. I still just love it when they do a 50s or 60s episode - Corey Kaplan's production design continues to be top drawer. And when they do the 50s/60s, the coloring always manages to pop right off the screen making you feel like you're in the the era.
But what sold this episode for me was Lilly's reunification with her father. Hands down.
Finally.
I've wanted to see this for two plus seasons, and I wanted it to be a GOOD thing for Lilly.
It was.
Thank. God.
Contrary to what I've read elsewhere, I thought the reunification scene was perfectly weighted. There was so much said without being said. I appreciate Executive Producer Jennifer Johnson's less-is-more approach to the dialogue; the actors were left to create that sense of long-lost connection - awkward, yet touching. I absolutely LOVED Raymond J. Barry's portrayal of dad, and I get the sense Kathryn Morris is pulling from deep within herself - and her fondness for her own father - to deliver that kind of poignant performance. It wouldn't be the first time she "gone there." (see Resurrecting the Champ and listen to director Rod Lurie's commentary re: the hospital scene).
Perhaps the best part of the whole reunification is that it seems as if dad is NOT a bad guy. And, I'm starting to think mom was the issue and/or did some manipulating back in the day to paint a certain picture for Lilly of her father that made mom seem as if she was the good guy, whilst dad was the bad guy. Wouldn't be the first time. I love that he tried to stay in touch with Lilly, yet Lilly was the one who never wrote back ... hmmm ... have we heard that one before? James Hogan, anyone? (BTW ... can we bring him back, please?). There was such a tangible longing in Lilly, yet she was just so unsure how to proceed. I giver her kudos for even finding dad in the first place AND actually coming face to face with him.
Progress.
And yet, we still see she is so emotionally fraked up - lying to dad abut mom's death? Makes me want to smack her. LOL! Come on, Lil'. I'll give credence to the argument that she just didn't know how to handle the question, and thus, just tried to push it away in typical Lilly fashion
But my great hope is there is finally a man in Lilly's life who isn't going to hurt her, leave her, ditch her, yank her chain, treat her like crap, use her for a booty call ... and that man could, in actual fact, be her father - that could be the one to help her get through some of her stuff and could be a GOOD thing for her.
She is WAY overdue for having a GOOD family member in her corner, and IMHO, she really needs one in her life right now.
All in all, really lovely episode. Kudos again to Jennifer Johnson for remembering how to write Lilly Rush of old, yet try and move her forward (which tends to happen when the Executive Producer remembers what the show - and its lead character - is supposed to be about.)
Cooper is Lilly's father!?!?!? I did not see that coming :-) I'll bet Detective McAvoy feels like such a fool now... ;-)
I find myself agreeing with you both, TVFan and LillyKat, it was a good episode. The period stuff was well done.
The "someone clipped her wings" line was a little too Gil Grissom-esque for me, though lacking in a cheeky grin. A full on KM smile, as wonderful as it is to behold, would have been in poor taste for the scene.
I liked the whole "Croatia" thing, though I'm not sure where it came from. Was Will joking about going? Are we going to see him written out for a while?
I also agree that the Lilly/Cooper chat was done better than some have suggested. Kathryn was great. Not surprisingly the conversation was somewhat stilted. How would you do in a situation like that? Talking to someone that abandoned you/you abandoned 20 years ago. I did expect a little more from Cooper, he didn't remonstrate much. Perhaps he knows he shouldn't push. Lilly found him, she needs to come to him when she's ready. She liked hearing the "I am so glad you're here" line but being asked about her mother was too much. Lilly clearly hasn't dealt with that and didn't want it to become a part of this conversation. I don't take the lack of mentioning Christina as anything significant, there was no need to complicate the script like that, the moment wasn't about her.
I think Lilly went searching for dad because of losing her mother. She'd parent to Ellen for a long time, she's looking to become a daughter again.
I was puzzled by the "do you work for the city?" line of Cooper's. He gestured forwards, Lilly's car was in that direction, or it may have been a reference to tracking him down.
Lilly looked much more relaxed in the the final scene with the chess pieces than we've seen for a while. A weight has been lifted after much agonising over seeing her father. How/why do they make Kathryn look so much better in these personal moments (like at the bar and bowling alley with Eddie) than when she's policing?
Merry Xmas And A Happy New Year to you both, TVFan and LillyKat. And also to all the readers of PTR.
See you in '09.
RichE.
I think you hit the nail on the head there, TVFan. Lilly is looking for family. It's a carry over from Stalker. "who can we call, Lilly" or something like that said in the hospital and even iterated by her shrink. What I don't understand is why Lilly turns all child like when talking to her dad. She's living her childhood around her family...for which she does so well. Where will this lead? Will it end all inconclusive ...
I have to agree with everybody here, Kathryn did an outstanding job in that scene. For Lilly, she almost cried but didn't.
I'm glad that Cooper isn't like her mother at all, needy or a pathetic drunk
i also liked this episode, but one thing made me really curious. it was Scotty's phone call. i wonder who it was from and if, in any way, is connected to Frankie, who supposedly has many secrets.
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