by natalie (little n)

This episode had a lot of different elements running through it. Lucas is driving Gail and Caleb back from the deserted house where "Sol" died. Caleb makes his wishes known regarding wanting to live with Dr. Matt [even over Gail].

We get to meet Dr. Daniel Trulane and his wife Sheryl as well as Miss Loris Holt. A crow, well, several crows pose or do suicide runs throughout the show.

A man who is being prepped by Dr. Matt and Dr. Trulane for gall bladder surgery goes into a seizure. We are led to believe that this was due to Lucas. Everyone and their pet dog just walks into the surgery room and our clueless Gail just stands there with Caleb while all the hullaboo goes on. [Yes, I thought this scene was slightly dumb.] Turns out that the man had an epileptic seizure, something that wasn't on his chart when the surgery started but that was "mysteriously" there afterwards. [Another faux pas I thought was having Lucas use the term "Jacksonian seizures". Who says that, even in the medical profession?]

We switch to a church scene with Daniel and his wife. She goes up to look into a coffin that has a mirror. The members are supposed to look to see the face of evil but see their own reflection. However, Sheryl sees Lucas' face.

Lucas tries to recruit Daniel to testify against Dr. Matt at a dependency hearing that will be held by a Judge Halpern. Daniel doesn't want to.

Several scenes follow where Lucas tries to "twist Daniel's arm" such as a crow taking a dive at the SUV Daniel is driving at night and a gift to Daniel's wife that turns out to be a magic mirror that turns her into a horny chick. Daniel breaks it and this in turn seems to shatter Sheryl's face.

Selena invites Gail to Caleb's class to give a talk on what she does as a reporter.

Gail also walks by the old newspaper business where her dad used to work and has visions of a fire in her past.

Caleb is angered by his friend Boone who suggests that Caleb might not have all his marbles. Merlyn appears and Caleb follows her to a pretty multi-story yellow house where he meets Miss Holt. She recruits Caleb to help her make soup and then has him take some over to a friend.

Gail and Matt discuss Caleb and Matt indicates that he wouldn't be able to take Caleb because of his work.

Lucas meets with Judge Halpern to plant bad impressions about Gail and Dr. Matt.

At the custody hearing, Lucas conducts his own Q&A with Daniel regarding Dr. Matt, who doesn't flinch. I liked this scene because it demonstrated a quiet strength for Dr. Matt, despite his past. He wasn't ashamed to admit that his drinking led to the death of his wife and children. It also led to a deeper bond between him and Caleb, something that was conveniently tossed aside in later episodes, unfortunately. Judge Halpern surprises everyone by giving custody to Miss Holt. Matt looks delightful as they file out of chambers as he starts to bust up over Lucas' "defeat". Lucas is po'd and we are led to believe that he hastened Judge Halpern's death at the end but he was dying anyway from cancer.

Lucas does tell Daniel that he did as Lucas asked by telling the truth and Sheryl is magically "restored".

Hope your e mail boxes don't bust. ; )

1. August 2002