Episode 15
Acts of Mercy (02-04-02)

Brief Synopsis: Jordan teams with Woodrow Hoyt to investigate a death that appears to be a mercy killing.

Tough episode for Jordan—she learns that justice isn’t always merciful.  She does her job and this time it’s far from rewarding.  She caught the ‘bad guy’ but at what cost and was it worth it?  Her inner belief tells her she did the right thing—she believes that suicide is wrong.  Putting a ‘face’ on your beliefs makes it harder—and sometimes can make you question what you believe—however I don’t think Jordan believes that suicide (mercy killings if you want to cal it that) is right and they had her questioning her actions/beliefs.  Another character might react that way, but not Jordan.  Jordan sees things in a very black and white way.  I didn’t like the writers having her take a ‘gray’ view on the topic—it didn’t ring true to Jordan’s personality.

Jordan: Jordan and Woody = chemistry.  So this is only the second episode he’s been in but can’t you see the sparks flying?  He’s such a ‘good guy’.  He’s sweet and kind and you can’t help but like him.  I’m rooting for a relationship between those two. 

Woody and Jordan work well together.  I think this might be because Woody INCLUDES Jordan is the going ons.  She’s not butting heads with anyone or trying to go around his back, because she doesn’t have to.  Woody keeps her informed and discusses the case with her.  That right there earns him major brownie points and earns Jordan’s respect of him.

Jordan and her grandmother—Max tells her to go see her.  For 20 years Jordan’s blamed her grandparents for trying to take her away from her father.  That’s a long time to be made at someone.  Max realizes this and tells Jordan to go see her—to go give her grandmother a chance.  A reluctant Jordan goes and blows up at her, but she comes backs and makes amends.  I’m happy for her.  It probably won’t be the easiest of relationships, but I think Jordan will have fewer regrets.

The Max and Jordan moment at the end was touching.  Jordan gives her father a kiss on the cheek.  Max asks what was that for and Jordan says for being my dad, for raising her.  Despite the earlier (and still present at times) tension between them, you can’t deny that they love each other.  It’s been just them for 20 years, father and daughter—that’s a strong bond.

Woody:  He lost a little of that ‘small town’ boyish-ness in him, but he was still adorable.  He takes more of a ‘lead’ role this time around.  Last case he kind of let Jordan lead him.  He came off as much smarter and even more likable this time.  I can’t wait to see more of him!  I can’t wait to see more of him and Jordan. 

Garret: Maggie shows up and Garret is pulled between her and Lily. (Okay…this is me screaming right now…got it out of my system!  Now I can continue writing).  As much as I’ve been advocating a break up between Lily and Garret it sure as hell wasn’t this way I saw it happening.  First off it’s not fair to Lily.  I didn’t want her to get hurt in the process (I like her—she has grown on me).  Second off Maggie is nothing but a ticking bomb waiting to explode.  There is a reason their marriage didn’t work the first time.  Maggie is manipulative (if you ask me) and I think she’s using Garret to easy her own heartache and once she’s over that and a new guy will come around and Garret will be history.  Plus all the old problems and arguments they first had are going to start surfacing and things are going to get messy.

Two bodies come into the morgue: Otto Newman who was strangled and an Isaac Pilarski who was the one who strangled him then killed himself. Garret and Trey do a good job on this case.  They discover that one was a guard and one a prisoner during WWII—both were Jewish.  Otto sold ‘himself’ out to the Germans—the price his life.  He lived it—with guilt that would never leave.  Isaac also paid—he was obsessed with on thing—finding Otto.  Two lives destroyed by the war.

The sister who comes to claim the bodies makes a wonderful statement that everyone should remember: When you live in the past it cost you the present.

Lily: She earned major brownie points with me.  I would have had a word or two for Garret.  She tells him to take time to figure out his life and what he wants then to come back to her (if that’s still his choice).  She is definitely the even tempered one in the morgue.  She has a unique was of seeing a different side of everything.  Hopefully her heart wasn’t too involved and she’ll get over Garret.  (Hopefully Garret doesn’t come crawling back to Lily…somehow I can’t see him doing that).

Bug and Nigel: I like these two, but they need an episode where they’ve got the ‘A’ story, the major plot line and it has to be separate.  Nigel needs his episode to shine in and Bug needs his.  They play off of each other well, but I’d like to see a little more out of them.  They’re capable of holding our attention and of being the center of attention.

That said, this week they were caught up in the glamour of show biz and the thought of being stars.  I didn’t particularly like this B plot.  It wasn’t very entertaining.  It pulled Bug and Nigel into worlds that weren’t their own and I don’t they’ll be that easily distracted from their work.  They did realize they love their work at the morgue in the end.  Nigel dumped the TV show over Bug and the morgue—even though they were thrilled with him (and not Bug, who froze up when he got on screen) he realized what was more important.  That was the only redeeming part of their story line.

3 1/2 out of 5 Dead Bodies. Decent episode.