Episode 44 & 45
Pandora's Trunk Part 1 & 2 (04-28-03)

Brief Synopsis: Detective Woody Hoyt and the medical examiner's office try to solve a triple homicide of unrelated victims.  Jordan continues to search for her mother's killer which leads to the 23-year-old skeleton of a murdered detective; Woody gets a new partner to aid in his search of a cop-killer.

Well as far as season finales go, this one had it all—intriguing case, emotional upheaval, little bit of greed, murder, the truth about a half brother, a 20 something year old dead body hidden in a trunk of a car Jordan’s been searching for, and more questions about the death of Jordan’s mother.

So I’ll start with Woody, since that’s where the episode opened.  Triple homicide—Woody’s a nervous wreck—totally lost his sense of humor, loved the opening scene between him and Jordan.  Here he is, his future as a detective depending on how he does on this case and he gets not just ‘a’ homicide, but a ‘triple’ homicide to deal with.  One is hard enough—three and I’d be close to having a melt down too.  The spiel about the Kewaunee curse added a great tough to the scene—so for all you folk out there living in Kewaunee—don’t leave town on bad terms…

Not to worry the coroner’s crew had his back.  They really did put all their collaborative efforts into figuring out who killed our three victims and why.  It was great seeing the ‘guys’ work together.  On that same note, it was nice seeing the ‘girls’ bond.  We don’t get a whole lot of ‘just guys’ or ‘girl bonding’ and it add a great sense of normality to the episode—I guess what I’m trying to say is it made them seem all the more human-able to relate with, understand.

Woody’s case dealt mainly with greed.  Greed on the robber’s part, the jeweler’s part and greed on the group’s part (by group I’m referring to the 4 people who found the necklace and decided to split the profits) and greed on the killers’ part.  Granted that much money is tempting especially for the group who had average to low living styles/wealth.  Their greed ended up getting them killed though.

At the scene Jordan gets a call informing her the car she’d been search for has been found and it’s in a junk yard waiting to be ‘demolished’ in twenty-four hours.  And so begins a soul-searching, heart wrenching, eye opening journey for Jordan. 

The first half had Jordan dealing with her inner demons—should she or shouldn’t she go forward.  Once she decides to go forward, things really spiral out of control.  The second part of the finale dealt with the aftermath of finding the body.

First Half: In that trunk might lay the answers to all the questions Jordan’s ever had about her mother’s murder—answers she’s been searching for since her mother died.  Yet, she’s afraid to go open the trunk—afraid to go confront it.  That’s when Jordan invites Lily over, and Lily tells Jordan that the reason she’s not at the junk yard right now finding out the truth is because she’s (Jordan) afraid of the search ending.  The past 23 years of Jordan’s life has been about this search for her mother’s killer.  Her entire life has been shaped on the events that happen 23 years ago and now those answers she’s been searching for could be answered.  She’s afraid if she gets those answers she won’t know who she is anymore—she’s afraid of herself, if we use the wolfman analogy that Lily used.

Jordan doesn’t like hearing that and kicks Lily out.  After some time and thought though she goes and apologizes—sort of—to Lily.  She opens up—something Jordan doesn’t do much of.  She gives Lily the key asking her to hold on to it.  I like her comment when Lily asks her if she’s sure.  If she were sure she’d have thrown the key in the Charles…

Onward—Woody gets hit up by Malden to spy, keep tabs on the Cavanaughs.  Woody keeps an eye on them, but he acts more as a friend.  He’s trying to keep them, especially Max out of trouble rather than keep Malden informed of their going ons.  Woody follows Max to James’s apartment where he learns of Jordan’s half brother.   Everything starts to add up when Woody and Max realize that James’s father was indeed, most likely Malden.

Jordan and James seemed to click.  I believe they’d be good for each other if they could ever get together and just get to know each other.  They’re two lost souls who might actually provide the comfort and love they each so desperately need—want in life.  Jordan lets James stay at her place and heads on over to her father’s bar, where she overhears the information about Malden.  She slips out and heads to Malden’s office, where she confronts him and wants answers.  He gives them to her, but has conveniently drugged her so she’ll not remember anything of what’s happened.  He heads after James and…well he didn’t come out on top.  It’s left for us to wonder who actually shot/killed Malden since James is gone and Max is standing over his body with a gun in hand.

We end with Woody protecting the Cavanaughs once again.  

Who shot Malden? Who killed Malden?  Where’s Jordan?  What has Woody gotten himself into?  And who tipped Jordan off about the trunk?  Was it really James even though he claims other wise?  Lots of questions that leave us eagerly waiting for next season.

4 out of 5 Dead Bodies.  Nice ‘non-conclusion’ to Jordan’s mother’s death.  At least now we know who fathered James.