Monday, May 11, 2009

The Sixth Finale

Photo: CBS

OMG, Cold Case just Sixth Sense-d us for the sixth season finale!! I can't believe it. I'm still in a complete state of shock. As I was watching this episode, I kept waiting for Lilly to just keel over. I thought she was suffering from a serious concussion and its effects were escalating as the case moved along. But when that letter showed up on the table in the interrogation room, I knew something was seriously amiss. It wasn't until Moe told her that from where he sits, she's still in that "box." Suddenly I was seeing Bruce Willis, that scary little kid and the entire previous hour flash before my eyes while Lil was watching water fill the room as the mirror began to shatter and her mind raced to figure out what the hell was going on. After all, she'd gotten herself out of that car, right? It was the hospital scene that went wrong because she refused to stick around for further tests. Obviously, she had rushed to clear herself and that error in judgement meant that she was more injured than she thought, right? No! Completely wrong. She was still in that car trapped in the water unconscious and everything that had transpired in the last hour had been a hallucination.

But how, you ask, could Lil possibly solve the entire case (with all its twists and turns) in her head? I haven't quite pieced that together myself. We know she has good instincts (hence one of the reasons Stillman selected her to be the first female detective in homicide), so it's reasonable to assume that she figured out that Ryan and Moe killed/covered up Kate's murder. But how did she know about the murder-made-to-look-like-a-suicide? My guess -- that part was not in Lilly's head but actually part of her comrades' sleuthing, but as I said, I'm still piecing all of this together.

This episode was pretty much perfection for me. It was one big Lilly-fest from start to finish and part of that Lilly-fest included a huge chunk of the missing pieces of her past. We learned for certain that Stillman was the cop who caught the man who assaulted her as a young child (for those who don't remember, Lilly was assaulted -- to what extent we aren't exactly sure -- while running to the store to buy booze for her mother. Serial killer George Marks confronted her with this happy part of her past when he cornered her in the abandoned attic of his childhood home in the season two finale). She, apparently, left an impression on Stillman and when she came up through the rank and file in PPD, he took notice of her astute observations and impeccable instincts and took her under his wing. We also learned that Lilly's father left because of her mother (no surprise). It seems that Lilly's life was not the only one affected by Ellen's toxic force. Paul was right about something -- Lilly is stronger than he. She not only stuck it out, but she continued to take care of her mother for years caring for her up until her alcohol-induced death.

This episode had a lot to digest and it pretty much hit every scene right out of the park. It was everything I could have asked for in a season (emphasis on "season") finale. Cold Case ends the season 21-1-1 (this outing counts 2x in the "win" column because: a) it was in 2-parts and b) it was that awesome).

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please CBS -- don't cancel Cold Case! Lilly has too much work to do. Everyone else, sign the petition and join the email campaign to save Cold Case.

BONUS: Read TV Guide's interview with series star Kathryn Morris. She discusses the special connection she has to the young actress who played her Lilly Rush character at age 6, who did all of those awesome underwater stunts, and whether or not she thinks the show will get another season.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great write up TvFan, I really thought this was probably one of the most unsual episodes but I really did enjoy it. I did like however Lilly's father doing the voiceover at the end, and her waking up to see her father holding her hand. That was touching. I posted a lot of screencaps over at Look Again, but the beginning and ending scene of Lilly getting out reminded me mindhunters a KM Movie

LII2

RichE said...

Good episode and all very well done.

I did not see the "twist" coming and had, like most people no doubt, just assumed that Lilly was suffering from concussion and would keel over at any moment. I was wondering what a suspect would do if she collapsed in the interrogation room. Would they call for help?

In hindsight there were clues. I don't go in for reading meaning into little details but Lilly's cop badge sinking must have been a big sign. The disappearing so effectively in the hospital was next. I thought for a while she was wearing the same outfit throughout, which would have been rather implausible in reality, but I think I'm wrong about that. Lilly being involved so much more than normal was also I sign. Vera using a typewrite in the interrogation room was an oddity too. I'd say her being so pale as well but... you know :-)

I'd say that the bulk of the episode was a sort of mix of Lilly's "dream" and the case as done by the squad in her absence. Near the end after Lilly told the guys about the ledger they would have gone about the investigation much as it played out in the "dream". So we basically saw the investigation as it would have been.

I think we have to assume that Lilly's call to Scotty alerted him and with the time it took for the car to fill with water enough to get to her face on the steering wheel she was found. Anyone driving along the bridge would see the damaged railing.

Based on the contents of the letter read out (I'll post an amended version of what LII2 posted previously below) I'd say that Paul left because he was a big drinker too and thought that both he and Ellen (Lilly's mother) would die from drinking if they continued, and the kids (where was Christina?) would suffer as well. I think he left because he felt it was only way to get "dry" and perhaps it would force Ellen into doing so as well. Maybe Ellen's drinking worsened after/because he left.

So much Lilly has slowed my capping process somewhat, they will appear later though.


RichE.


The LetterDear Lilly,

There are two sides to every story neither which I
think you'll find satisfactory.  Suffice it to say, there's
no way I could've stayed with your mother and
survived.  In that sense, you're already stronger than
me.  I was a lousy father.  When I got sober enough
to figure out how much I missed, it was too late
to undo the damage.  Much to my regret I'll always
be the Dad who bought you a bike but never taught
you how to ride it.  There were a few moments I tried to
to reconnect along the way. But you were on your own
path by then.  Your own woman and you turned out
great kid.   I've missed so much of your life, for that
I am sorry.  Not only to you but for depriving myself
all these times you need a father, someone to protect
you.  When you showed up that day at the park all these
year later my heart about jumped out of my chest. I thought
maybe you came to judge me until I realised I'm the only
parent you've got left. Like it or not, you only get one
father.
Just know, if there is ever another moment in your life
when you need me, I will be there.

RichE said...

That's twice now the bold tag has removed a line break after it in posts I've made. Arrgh!

Remember people if you end a line with a close bold tag </b> add a couple of line break tags <br> afterwards, and use the preview option.


RichE.

Anonymous said...

Thanks RichE, I posted the letter over at Look Again. I don't still think it was a dream, but I think the writers left that part up to our own interpretation.

I really like the last line and then seeing Cooper holding Lilly's hand. Very sentimental..


LII2

RichE said...

I used "dream" as a sort of simple word for it.

Clearly Lilly was not involved in the investigation from the time her car went off the bridge. The aspects such as the water leaking into the interrogation room were aspect of reality leaking into her subconscious.


RichE.

Anonymous said...

This episode really got to me, I really think this was the best episode of Season 6. Where is Kathryn's emmy, she was excellent this one..

LII2

LillyKat said...

I will say this: nicely done, 'Cold Case.' If this is the "series" finale, I can live with it.

Well written by Greg Plageman and Jennifer Johnson. They covered more ground in this episode with Lilly's emotional development than the series has done in 6 freakin' years.

Jeannot Szwarc had beautiful direction once again.

The twist was brilliant. I was so NOT believing Lilly could just walk out of an ER given the trauma she had just endured nor would she even be able to just swim her way up to the surface, walk out onto the road and be, like, 'Taxi!'

I felt as if Lilly was solving the murder in her mind to stay alive whilst under water - and that was really clever.

But the highlight was seeing Lilly finally be at peace with her dad and/or her dad has committed to being in her life for good -- apologizing as best he can for the past, ready to be there going forward. Finally. The woman deserves it. And the voice over of dad reading the letter at the end was beautifully done. Loved.It.

However, if KM reminds us one more time a) David Barrett is her boyfriend and b) his daughter played little Lilly, I'm going to smack KM. LOL! Seriously, I love Kathryn ... I do ... she's adorable ... but she's been a broken record on this, and I'm just, like, over it. WE KNOW, Kathryn. WE GET IT. But thanks for reminding us at every turn. LOL! :-)

All in all, well done, 'Cold Case.'

RichE said...

Has KM been talking about it that much? Or is it a case of the various media outlets repeating the same basic interview (perhaps stuff that came out of a conference call interview) ?

I did think it was a little odd/amusing that David was keen for Kathryn to do the dangerous stuff herself, on the pretext of the fans appreciating it. "I love you Kathryn, now get into the sinking car!" :-)

And LK, if you get close enough to KM to smack her..... ;-)


RichE.

LillyKat said...

LOL! Good point there, RichE. It could just be me reading various versions of stories that recite over and over the BC: Barret Connection. But she does, at least to me, actually "quote" it now - that is, speak about it - vs. always remaining quite mum about personal stuff/connections as was her MO in the past. So, in a way, maybe I'm used to her NOT plugging her personal life so much ...? LOL!

It's totally my issue. And the fact Barrett got her to do her own underwater work was very much appreciated. :-) Totally flashbacked to the "Mindhunters" movie - that training came in handy for ol' Lil' being dumped into the drink. LOL!

RichE said...

One more thing I'll say about this episode is that I didn't feel cheat by it. Normally when a show/film reveals that much of what I've seen up to that point is not "true" it is very annnoying. Either show me what happens or don't!

However, CC managed to avoid that for me. Obviously if it was played out realistically then there would have been almost no Lilly (or just an hour of Lilly in bed... er...) and the case would have been solved in the normal manner.

But the way they did it worked well. We got to see the case solved and some backstory on Lilly. With some interestingly played stuff along the way and some clues as to what was really happening peppered about the place.


RichE.