Episode 83
Judgement Day (10-16-05)

Brief Synopsis: A Boston medical examiner haunted by the unsolved murder of her mother goes beyond the call of duty to solve murder cases.

A very fast pace episode with three story lines that all nicely intertwined.  Not by story, but through the morgue staff, with Garret being the anchor to all three story lines.

Lily and her mother: We knew something was up after last season episode Locard’s Exchange where Lily’s mother died.  We learned that Lily and her brother were adopted by their real mother’s sister (their Aunt).  Lily’s mother was in an institution (apparently she was institutionalized when she was 26) and unable to take care of her and her brother and hence they were adopted by their Aunt.  I have a feeling there will be more to the story.  I’d like to know what was wrong with Lily’s mother and if she’s still alive since it wasn’t outright answered.

Lily and Garret had some good moments.  Garret seemed to lose a little of his ‘dark’ behavior when dealing with Lily.  It was interesting how Lily is the only one picking up on Garret being more moody and withdrawn than normal.  Both Bug and Jordan pass it off as normal behavior. 

Jordan and J.D.: Meet J.D. Pollack from the Boston Monitor—a pushy, driven, somewhat moral man.  He and Jordan clashed.  Of course Jordan has clashed with just about every reporter she’s met. 

Jordan uses J.D. to help her cause; only it backfires…who didn’t see that coming?  Rule one: Never trust a reporter—especially one who writes for the ‘Monitor’ a very gossipy paper.  Their case was entertaining.  It’s wonderful to see Jordan back on a mission to help make the world a little better place.

Nigel doesn’t like J.D.  He was smirking every time Jordan made a dig at him.  And he watched them like hawks.  Can it get any more obvious that Nigel is devoted to Jordan?  The poor guy.  I love Nigel for his unrelenting devotion to Jordan.

PS- What was the point of Jordan in the red dress at the end—not that she didn’t look wonderful, but it just seemed random and kind of overdressed.

Woody: Woody again comes off as a first class jerk.  Though he had a good moment rescuing the kids in the beginning.  Then he goes and spoils it.  He should know better than to yell and threaten the mother especially when her kids are right there crying in her arms.  Give Bug major Brownie points for reading Woody the riot act, even though it didn’t seem to have any effect.  Then again Woody comes in and arrests the mother in front of her children, this time Lily’s there and don’t mess with Lily.  She doesn’t let it go.  She takes matters into her own hands getting a lawyer for the mother and having it out with Jeffery.

Woody did show what seems a few moments of concern for Lily when he realized she was in the room with Bailey.

Woody and Jordan were in the room together for a brief and very awkward moment.  What was interesting is that neither seemed to be able to keep their eyes off each other.  There are many unresolved issues between those two, with too many angry words between them.  There’s definitely some big big tension building between those two and one of these days they’re both going to have to have their say…I predict it’s going to be an explosive scene. 

Lily and Jeffery: Jeffery Brandau, a little geeky, but endearing.  I liked him.  It was very interesting seeing Lily and Jeffery together.  Lily was very aggressive.  Normally that’s a role reserved for Jordan.  Lily talks things through with people, uses reason and understanding.  She doesn’t blow up at people.  She however yells at two people: Jeffery and Woody.  I like it.  I like it very much. 

She and Jeffery had some great scenes.  What I liked is that Jeffery came off as endearing.  I look forward to seeing more of him.

Overall it was a good episode.  I had a few pet peeves.  I the courthouse it just didn't seem like it would be so easy for Bailey to get past that many cops without getting shot.  He shots one cop and all the cops are shooting to kill.  Another pet peeve was the City Hall steps.  It was blatantly not Boston, from steps to building to architecture--I understand this is Hollywood though.

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