swimmyfish

That cutaway to Leo who, even in his enfeebled state, knows he's not going to survive is for me the most chilling part of the finale. Which is not to lessen the impact of the other moments on the list - especially not Laura Palmer screaming (Sheryl Lee really went for it) or "How's Annie?", because that is the stuff of nightmares forever - but the lack of supernatural in his coming demise, in an episode absolutely overflowing with WTF-ery is what makes it so effectively upsetting. On an unrelated but positive note, the banter between Bobby, Shelly and the 3rd waitress in the diner is a callback to their same banter from the series premiere. I thought it was kind of a nice suggestion that someone in Twin Peaks was maybe just as happy as they'd seemed before we all knew any better.

My badminton partner in gym class was wrecked the day after Gary died. So much so that I felt like it was a pretty big bonding moment for us, as well as a seminal moment in my own development as a television watcher, and I never watched thirtysomething.

They really dragged out Dodds' death, but for no reason. I was so sure there would be a "classic" law & order twist, like we'd find out his fiancee wad poisoning him or something. But no - he just staight-up died. And on his last day with the unit. Very predictable and pretty boring. Did it look like Ice-T maybe didn't realize that cameras were rolling when he arrived on the hospital? Maybe his foot had fallen asleep or something, but he looked like a zombie trying to do a jig. On the plus side, Peter Gallagher crying was really very sad. Again, you knew it was coming, but when he finally broke, I admit I teared up a little bit. So is that the end of the Barba storyline? And I'm glad Carisi will stay on the squad but the wrapping up of his becoming a lawyer plot was perfunctory at best.

You guys, after it was revealed that it was Petra in the hospital, I relaxed. Surely, I thought, they won't harm Petra and Michael. But then the snowglobe broke, and I don't think he's gonna get out of this one. I mean, overall it was a lovely episode, but that was a very sad end.

I respectfully disagree. The longer that went on, the funnier it got. And that he took a second hit after finally finishing coughing really was amazing. That was serious commitment to a bit.

God, that was so boring.

What does it mean to "dress earnestly"? Would that make sense if I read the full announcement? Because out of context, it's confusing.

This is probably too obvious, but Juliana Marguiles vs. Archie Panjabi. Because really: what the hell happened there?!

This was the first episode where I didn't really like Jane. I thought it was good that she still expected Petra to be at her wedding despite their fight in the last episode, but the way she approached was maybe too parental considering Petra is also a grown-up? And the idea that she should have any say - much less the only say - in how Rafael should deal with being blackmailed is also very presumptuous. Not that Petra's plan was necessarily any good, but still; it felt like Jane views Petra as an appendage to her own relationship with Rafael, rather than as a whole person who has her own relationship with Raf that is entirely separate from Jane. As for Petra's plan, was there any explanation as to what that construction at the Marbella was? That there was suddenly drilling when a conversation needed to be recorded seemed a little sloppy, plotting-wise. Also, does anyone else think Mutter being left behind is part of the larger plan? I mean, I don't care about the ongoing crime lords and their nebulous plots at all, but the idea of Derek getting the drop on anyone really strains credulity. Besides a drunk Rafael, I guess. Finally, while I generally avoid spoilers, I really do need to know in advance if Michael is going to be killed on his wedding day. I can't take that kind of unexpected grief in my televisual diversions.

I guess I just didn't find it to be that incendiary. I suppose if he had said anything truly offensive, ABC wouldn't have allowed it to air.

I was really hoping that Cyrus's meeting with Liv at the beginning of the episode would be him enlisting her assistance in getting his daughter back. But, no, it appears he's completely forgotten that happened. As much as I enjoyed her drop-kicking David, that better not be the end of Susan Ross on my television. I don't understand why Edison's statement on Hollis Doyle automatically ruined his candidacy. He thought it was a good idea before discussing it with Rowan, and although Rowan strongly disagreed with him, Rowan has also murdered actual busloads of innocent people to protect his own power. Those aren't really related, but it does make it difficult for me to fully comprehend why anything Rowan says should be believed. We're obviously supposed to agree with Edison's actual statement, because it's true of Doyle and it is true of Trump, which makes it even stranger to me that it's presented as his big driving off a cliff moment. Also, I have to say that I did not really enjoy the Doyle/Trump storyline at all. I am sure that it was very satisfying for everyone involved to have a platform to expound on all of the many horrifying things about Trump, and the truly ugly side of the American people that his candidacy has exposed. And while the Doyle storyline is probably the only time I've actively rooted for Huck's "guy" to come out and kill someone, it hewed too close to reality to be interesting. There was no spin, no twist, no shocking revelations or even humor mined from the situation. It was just a rehash of upsetting real-life events that are, unfortunately, still going on and are not going to be tied up so neatly.

Seriously. Abby is one of the few characters on this show who hasn't brutally murdered someone, yet she is unbearable.

Based on her reveal that Frankie had had an affair with a foster mother, my theory of Courtney is that she knew Frankie as a child from the foster care system. I would imagine that she decided to look him up online a few years ago, found this very tragic story, and wanted to reach out to the family in some fashion. I can only imagine she then chose the persona of a psychic because of her own issues. That's a lot of supposing based on a small piece of information, I know, but I don't buy that Courtney is genuinely psychic, and I am extremely disappointed in the show for not doing any kind of research on her background. Just because she isn't profiting monetarily from this arrangement doesn't mean she isn't harming Kayla and Shannon, who seem like kind, if extremely naive people. Courtney's continued involvement with them is weird and unhealthy (based on my years of experience not being any kind of therapist.) I would also guess that a lot of "Frankie" 's animosity toward Shannon is due to Kayla at some point revealing to Courtney that Shannon doesn't trust Courtney. I am also not a medium, but from having watched The Ghost Whisperer for many years on Ion, I'm pretty sure you're not required to tell someone that a spirit called them a bitch. Especially when your claim is that you're speaking with the spirit, not possessed by them. I really hope the show does some kind of follow-up on this, and finds out exactly what Courtney's deal is, because this ending was extremely unsatisfying to me.

To the first part of your question: Olivia then told he should go through with his wedding because she doesn't love him and doesn't want to be with him. Jake seemed suspicious of her motive in doing that, and although we the audience knew she was lying, it was weird to see his suspicion because he's kind of always had an inflated sense of importance regarding their relationship. Anyway, he gets married to Vanessa, and in flashback he goes back to his childhood home and kills his abusive father. That happens off-screen, but Jake comes out of the home with blood spattered all over his army whites, so it's pretty obvious what happened. To answer the second part of your question: No. You shouldn't care about any of it. Unless Jake killing his actual father is foreshadowing him killing Rowan, his surrogate father, none of this had anything to do with anything excepted manufactured angst.

I have entirely lost track of every character's motivations on this show.

This episode got off to a very slow start for me - it wasn't until Santiago started listing all the possible professions for the female lead in a romantic comedy that I actually laughed. Fortunately, things really clicked into place after that, it the episode finished (and season) finished strong. It's hard to pick a favorite line, but Charles "I don't want to hang out with a stupid baby that doesn't know Jake," was definitely up there. It's funny on its own, and it was a good reminder about a side-plot that had no real place in this episode but is still moving forward. I can't decide whether it was Gina or Holt's idea to have her & Bob straight-jacketed to get them out of the hospital, but whoever it was: kudos. That was a great plan. I also really enjoyed Jake's "No take backs!" after Holt called him "son." It reminded me very much of Rogelio after Jane calls him "Dad" for the first time on Jane the Virgin, and I love Rogelio SO MUCH. And, while I liked the reveal of Jake & Holt in Florida in witness protection at the end, I'm a little wary of where this leaves us for next season. The weakest part of this season - and the whole series - was the beginning when Holt and Gina were away from the squad in the marketing department. Holt and Jake are a great team, but we've seen over and over again that the '99 works best - both as a precinct and a show - when everyone is working together. Greg and Larry better get back to Brooklyn soon.

How about the Moose-jawbreaker?

I love them, too! I always forget about them between their appearances, and then am completely surprised when they show up again. Like - oh, right, that's still going on. And it's actually to me an interesting portrayal, that this apparently vital information for national security is being collected by a bunch of fratty buffoons. Also, while Canadians may not usually have the same smug condescension for Americans the judge had, as an American I think they absolutely should have. So I enjoyed that particular portrayal. I didn't love Diane's jealousy of Megan Hilty. At all. Maybe it's time to update your list of personal flaws, sister. I does seem strange that they'd book Megan Hilty for a role with basically two lines. I wonder if Diane's incredible rudeness to a female entrepreneur will have repercussions for her planned lady-led firm?

It's really hard to look at that picture of Brenda and not think of that incredibly mean chapter about her looks in the I Hate Brenda book. I mean, I love Shannen Doherty until the end of time, but she almost looks like she's had a stroke there.

I think Blaine asking about Natalie was to set up her eventual return next season. One of the other unfrozen zombies did state he'd seen her; since that whole crew had a view of the zombies who'd been used to test Max Rager's cure, I imagine he would have mentioned that she went full Z if she'd been a test subject. And, while I do hope we see Natalie again, I agree that it was probably also helped cover Robert Knepper's absence from the episode as well. I also really liked how all the unfrozen zombies recognized Major and were starting to put it together that he'd kidnapped them. I hope that gets picked up next season - it felt like it got dropped a little quickly. Another point the episode distracted from is the precarious position Major is in. Since he's reverted to zombie, we know it's only a matter of time before he, like New Hope, deteriorates into full Romero-esque zombie. So, even though he's out of prison, he's still in exactly the same place of having to choose between losing his memory or losing his life.

That was so stressful, you guys! My heart hurts and I feel like I might throw up. I am very relieved we got through that with Clive and Ravi mostly unscathed. My main question from the episode - is that the first time we've seen Clive's apartment? That was some gorgeous real estate. I'm glad he'll survive to enjoy it, but I am sorry to see Dale go. Good as the finale was, I do wish that had been spread over 2 weeks. That was a lot to take all at once.

I don't know - I liked this episode overall, but I didn't really buy the blow-up between Jane and Xo. I mean, yes, Xo behavior this episode was terrible, but it didn't really feel like it was in keeping with Xo's character as we've come to know her over the past 39 episodes. I mean, she ended her engagement with Rogelio because she's happy to be done being a mom, she's had recent successes with her recording career; this sort of aimless, out-of-sorts Xo seems to me to have come out of the blue. I don't think Jane was wrong to be super angry with her mom after her behavior at the party, but this is the first time I've felt like a storyline was wholly manufactured just for the sake of drama. And this in an episode that featured an out-of-nowhere identical twin for Petra!

Holt's follow-through on the high five with Rosa was maybe his best moment this episode. Although we did have an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

The make-up people did such a good job with that. It was subtle enough that anyone who didn't already know him wouldn't notice, but the hair was just a touch too dark. I got a real kick out of that. I originally thought the security guy was outing Major in some way - either as storing the bodies, or that his recent purchases of spray tan & hair dye had pinged him as a zombie. But it does make sense that the head of security would have been notified of a SWAT team in the building looking for the person who happens to be visiting the boss at that very moment. So I don't know.

Babineaux seemed deliberately unruffled at the claim that there might be zombie drug dealers in Seattle. I wonder if he'll get the whole story by the end of the season? I like seeing Major on optimist brain! A nice opportunity for Robert Buckley ti stretch a little bit. And Don E. & Chief on folk musician brain was cute, except for how they're murderous drug dealers and all. Otherwise, this was a good place-setting episode. Not the best but we're exactly where we need to be for next week's finale. I am really looking forward to it.