Episode 80
There's No Place Like Home II (09-25-05)

Brief Synopsis: Oliver returns to test Macy once again.  Jordan tries to help Woody find Wayne Riggs.

Oh what a season opener.  I have to say this was by and large my favorite.  There’s No Place like Home (season 2) was good, but it was all about getting Jordan back on track.  O Brother Where Art Thou…well we never saw that opener until it became a finale.  And After Dark (not originally schedule to be the season opener) was an awesome episode with almost as much intensity as this premier, but There’s No Place Like Home II was awesome.

Garret, Oliver and Solkum: This was an excellent case.  I loved Wizard of Oz.  And there were tons of clues to figure this one out right from the get go.  The first was Nigel’s comment when they arrived at the house out in the middle of nowhere.

Nigel: I feel like I’m in Kansas.

“We’re not in Kansas.” My initial thought, and it dawned on me I was thinking of the Wizard of Oz.  May I take one moment to comment on Nigel’s hair.  I practically had a heart attack when I saw the hair.  Thank GOD it was a wig.  Nigel, Bug and Garret all understand the evilness of Oliver.  They’ve seen the two crimes he’s already committed.  The understand the pure evil at Oliver’s core.  Slokum, either to be a pain, or out of ignorance to take Garret’s words seriously, doesn’t put much faith in the gangs theory.

While in the conference room Oliver murmurs in an eerily calm voice, “I learned a lot in those three years.  Mostly that there is no place like home.” Oh my the second reference to WofO.  That was enough to get me thinking.  Oliver’s plan was starting to take shape…to show itself to us.

Clue 3: The Tin Man…a guy without a heart and The Wicked Witch.

“I hate to speak ill of the dead, but he always was a heartless son of a bitch.” 
“She called him boring.  He called her witch.”

In two sentences he made two references…so did you pick up on the pattern yet?

I was once again furious when Nigel comes out with the comment, “Unidentifiable meat.”  The poor dog (and clue #4: Toto)

I was happy to see Seely back.  He still had his quirkiness, but he wasn’t nearly as ‘snobbish’ and ‘jerky’ as his normal behavior.  I’ve always liked Seely and this was the most likable I’ve ever seen him.  And of course he’s still his clueless self (he could have been the scarecrow) Seely: Oliver’s right he’s brainless—Clue #5.  By this point Garret had figured out the WofO reference and it was a matter of time before they figured it out.

“I walked away so now I’m the cowardly lion.”  I was a bit disappointed at the very end with Oliver.  He shows up and he wasn’t nearly as creepy as he was through the rest of the episode and the seen seemed almost anti-climatic.  You knew Seely was waiting in the wings.  It was still a great play on the WofO and I enjoyed the storyline.

Jordan and Woody:  Two thoughts.  Jordan was justified.  Woody was an ass.  On that note I loved the storyline between them.  I’m a Woody-Jordan shipper and I want to see them together, but I’m liking this new twist and an almost reversal in character roles the two of them portrayed. 

This is the first time Jordan outright said she pushed him away.  She screwed up.  I didn’t think we’d see the day.  The tension between Jordan and Woody could have cut through the toughest steel out there.  It was like watching them walk on eggshells.  Jordan never seemed quite sure what to say to Woody and when she did say anything she seemed to be on a cautious-defensive mode.

Jordan however was trying.  She warned Woody about his fingerprint.  She kept things from the police—for a time.  She gave Woody the benefit of the doubt, helping him find evidence.  All she gets for that are false words from Woody.  (I don’t think the spiel he gave to Jordan was real.  I think he was saying what he needed to get Jordan to help him.)  

Woody’s one angry man and it seems it’s all being taken out on Jordan.  His last words to Jordan were cruel.  Uncalled for and mean.  I don’t care if he was shot at, if he did go through six weeks of Hell and if he is still haunted from the experience.  He has no right to treat Jordan (or anyone) that way.  The two definitely are hitting their first ‘rocky’ patch in their relationship.  (I know technically they’re not together, but they’ve never been together but somehow are always connected to each other) 

So I see this as their first challenge in their relationship.  I’m looking forward to the trip we’ll take with them.

Slokum: Now I’m glad to see Garret back, but I HATED the way they brought him back.  I’m sorry but it was a copout.  Slokum is this man who doesn’t care what the world thinks about him.  He’s a hard-ass.  He’s a jerk.  He’s not a softy.  He took pleasure throughout this entire episode in poking wholes in every ones theories.  Why would he hand things back to Garret when he’s worked gleefully at making everyone’s life miserable?

That said it was a great episode and wonderful season opener.

4 ½ dead bodies out of 5.