Part 1

by Stephen

The show opens with Caleb by the river/lake. There are a group of teenagers on a raft who keep shouting abuse at him. Merlyn appears to him, and moans about their behaviour. Caleb, tough skinned as ever, shrugs off the abuse and claims not to be to bothered by the comments. Upon hearing him talking to Merlyn (who he clearly cannot see) Ray sticks up for Caleb, and throws a tyre (transl. tire) into the water near the raft. Merlyn smiles lovingly at the guy who has just helped her brother. As the camera pans back, Lucas is sitting fishing. Any suggestions as to his relevance in this scene?

Back at the boarding house, we meet Christy (Gail's friend from Charleston) who is pregnant. Caleb makes a comment about having other children to prevent the baby from becoming lonely. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only occasion on which Caleb admits to his lonliness. The other real gem of this conversation is the oportunity to see Caleb as a normal 10 year old kid. He asks how Christy knows the baby's kicking, and seems surprise at her answer when she explains. It's nice to see that Caleb is not just an adult in a kid's body. There are somethings that only life experience can teach you, not a good mentor (minotaur?). Fortunately the writers seem to have appreciated this. Merlyn then appears to him and moans about her status. She misses the simple pleasures of life. After (in the next scene) Caleb's art work is criticised by Selena, Merlyn speaks to him and states that she is returning. Suddenly, Lucas appears in the room and asks him who he is speaking to. He gives a dismissive 'no-one' answer.

At the boarding house, we find out that Christy has already had two miscarriages, and her excitement is obvious. Merlyn enters the room, briefly looks at her and then leaves. The next thing we see is lightening, and Christy clutches her abdomen. Outide, Merlyn, now in human form, stands in a Lucas-esque pose as the lightning strikes.

When Gail and Christy (presumably) have gone to the hospital, we see Merlyn and Caleb having a meal with a few of the lodgers. She is clearly upbeat, and talks a lot ('today's gonna be a wonderful day'). Caleb says almost nothing throughout the meal. He later reveals that he fears she may be recognised. She is now calling herself Halle.

It's probably just me being a big softie(!), but I find the scene in the park very moving. Caleb and Merlyn roll in the grass, and eat ice cream etc. - all the things that she describes as 'the good times - not yelling'. Clearly the two Temple kids have not had the happiest of upbringings, but when Merlyn considers 'not yelling' to be a bonus, I couldn't help but sympathise. She does tell Caleb that her return is temporary, but then she leaves him to go rowing with Ray.

At the hosptial, Matt informs Christy that there are no signs of life in her baby. She refuses to accept this. Gail (somewhat bitchilly) snaps at Matt for being too clinical. Matt, unsurpisingly, caves in and admits the eqipment may be wrong. (Where the hell did Miss Emory get her MD from?)

As Merlyn is waiting at the boarding house for Ray, she bemoans her lack of opportunities in life. Caleb is unsympathetic, and wants to know why she is not spending more of her time with him. She dismisses this as jealousy. Ray does eventually turn up, and she rides off on his bike, with him holding on. Lucas pulls them in and starts an interrogation. This scene is probably my favourite from this ep. As Lucas tries to trap her by asking her various questions that he knows the answer to, he is permanently trying to intimidate her with eye contact (compare with Potato Boy!), and she almost never looks up. After it becomes clear to Ray, by the fact that she refuses to look at the sheriff, he jumps in to defend her. Lucas orders him to wait in the patrol car. During the following few minutes, it is clear that Lucas knows that Merlyn knows that he knows who she is, but he continues to pretend not to know, and she knows this. (Beat that for a sentence!!!) After Merlyn leaves, we see some of GC's best comic talents as he threatens Ray in the patrol car. His faces and complete disregard for the law are excellent!

After cutting back to the hospital, where the news is no better for the baby, we see Lucas and Calbe having a 'mentor' speech. Typically (given the fact that he knows Merlyn is NOT spending all he time with Caleb), he speaks about loyalty. He actually traps Caleb by talking about Merlyn. Instinctively, Caleb replies until a few moments later, he realises that he cannot reveal that he is still in contact with his dead sister. In this scene, Lucas reveals that he know about Merlyn ditching Caleb to go rowing. How does he know this? He was not (as far as the viewer sees) there, but he still knows. When questioned how, he claims 'it's my job to know everything.'

As Merlyn prepares for her first date, Caleb puts Lucas's claims of disloyalty to her. She dismisses them and leaves 'his power comes from spoiling things'. She also claims that she has returned by borrowing a baby's spirit for a week or two.

As Merlyn is on her date, Caleb hears the woman who runs the boarding house (not Loris Holt - what's her name?) moaning about Christy's fate. Caleb realises that it is her baby that Merlyn has borrowed. Merlyn and Ray have agreed to meet at midnight on the bridge to leave town together. In the meantime, Ray is taken to Merlyn's grave by Lucas and forced to do a little DIY exhumption

Christy is then seen in hospital, about to give birth. Caleb confronts Merlyn who (because she is in love) is reluctant to return the spirit. As the birth begins, there is still no sign of life.

At the bridge Ray and Merlyn kiss, as the pull away, Merlyn tells her she must go. Ray screams 'noooo!' and morphs into Lucas. He begs her NOT to die, and says that she now deserves to live. She realises that he is only saying this to try and get Caleb to turn against her. She runs away from Lucas (somehow outpacing him easily!) and despite him trying to persuade her not to, she jumps. Back at the hospital, as Merlyn dies, the baby cries as its life returns.

All's well that ends well!

PART 2

1. August 2002