Episode 20
The Gift of Life (04-15-02)

Brief Synopsis: When a former mentor dies, Jordan recalls the arrogant surgeon's effect on her life and the circumstances that led to her meeting Garret.

After Digger this has to be my favorite episode.  Digger was just an awesome episode all around.  Here Lily’s storyline started to get to me, but the other two were strong and emotional (serious emotional and hilarious emotional).  Wonderful background on Jordan and Garret’s relationship and how she came to be at the morgue.  Wonderful.

Jordan: This was a wonderful episode for Jordan.  The background we learned about Jordan and her relationship with Garret was insightful and believable.  It seems Jordan’s talked back to Garret since the day she met him. 

Jordan was just as ambitious and still had an attitude when she was younger.  She has those morals that get her into trouble today.  She eventually comes forward and tells it as it is.  This gets her in trouble and leads to the pill overdose, but it also sets her on the path she was meant to be on.  I’m glad Jordan had the same view on right and wrong seven years ago as she has today. 

So Jordan was going to be a heart surgeon—and probably a damn good one too.  Interesting how life takes the twist and turns it does.  Jordan realizes that she doesn’t want to end up like Elliot.  She realizes she’s forgotten about life and the things that make her happy.  She doesn’t sleep, she’s up for 36 hours at a time and she’s unhappy.  Her revelation at the end that it was Garret and not Elliot that saved her life back then was a sweet ending to her story. 

I loved the title in reference to Jordan (not Lily).  Jordan was given a second chance on life and she realized what she should be doing with it.  Her place was in a morgue (bit ironic since the morgue is simultaneous with the thought of death) dissecting dead bodies and not in the operating room saving lives.   The gift of life—learning where she needed to be to be happy.

Bug and Nigel: This was the humorous side of the episode—in an episode that needed humor.  Between Jordan’s issue and Lily, Bug and Nigel brought smiles to our faces.  Thank God for Nigel.  He goes about playing middle man between Bug and Mr. Hummer.  That Mr. Hummer believed his crock of a story made it so much fun.

Bug’s dislike over the whole thing was justified.  This guy screams ‘scam’ and Bug has issued with doing anything to help this guy.  Nigel goes with the flow and constantly plays mediator.  He and Bug are a great pair.  The working chemistry they have makes the morgue quite interesting.

Lily: Lily’s story left me flat.  I know her personality is to do good for everyone, but she grated on me in this episode and her whole speech to Garret in the end (which they tried to incorporate the title into) was one big mumble jumble speech that didn’t make any sense. 

She should have let Garret say his apology (which was more than Lily deserved.  He is the boss and makes the calls whether she likes them or not.) and then thank him for doing what he did (going out of his way).  Instead she gives a righteous speech about who she is.  We know who she is and we let her be emotional and caring and give her more leeway than any of the other characters.  Anyway I wasn’t too impressed with Lily’s end speech—she really came off as childish and self centered.  I think it ruined the fact that she did something good by finding a resting place for the man.

Garret: I really liked Garret in this episode.  He was caring, concerned about doing the right thing and making sure Jordan did too.  I liked how he hassled Jordan.  Right from the beginning those two have had that bantering relationship.  They were true to their personalities.  Garret’s a good man.  He offers Jordan a chance (in the past) and helps Lily (in the present).  It was a strong outing for him.

By the way how’d the doctor die?  Jordan autopsies him and never tells us exactly how he died.

4 ½ out of 5 Dead Bodies. What a great episode.