Julie's Review of There Are More Things (Than Dreamt Of)

When Max Cavanaugh is attacked in his home, Woody gets the call as the emergency contact of record, and once again, Jordan is away from the morgue dealing with personal drama. Kate is frustrated that it seems like Jordan is always doing that, but Nigel sets her straight, telling her that Jordan gives more of herself than she should for every case she's involved in. At the morgue, a couple presents to the morgue, both apparently dead of heart failure—on the same night, but it's soon found out that there is a phantom print, and that print belongs to Jordan's brother James. Is Max's injury just a coincidence, or does James's reappearance have something to do with it?

Strengths

Storyline: The storylines in this virtual episode were masterfully written, as at first, they didn't appear related, then they were, and then there was quite an interesting twist regarding who was where in the end. The story was great for fanfic fans and television fans alike, as there was enough explanation of James's character to clue in fans who may have been unfamiliar with the character but not too much that it would have annoyed avid television series fans.  

Dialogue: Nynaeve, as always, handled conversation with ease and perfection. Each character was so genuinely written that it was easy to visualize them delivering their lines. Kate, Nigel, and Seely were particularly well written, and when Nigel delivered his speech to Kate regarding Jordan's giving of herself more than she should, it was just so…Nigel.

Emotional Growth: In this episode, Kate comes to finally recognize the crew at the morgue for what it really is—a family. And she begins to reveal a bit of herself to Nigel, letting him know that at one time, she went through a Goth phase. While the revelation isn't all that earth shattering, it's a big step for Kate, who has in the past had difficulty…relating on a personal level.

Continuity: This virtual episode many interesting references to the television series, particularly involving insertion of a reference to Pandora's Trunk. References to other things that seemed trivial in the beginning of the series also came out (like the comment about Woody's tie), but they truly show the author's attention to detail.

Artwork: Harbor Runner also paid great attention to detail; particularly in the picture of Max after the attack…viewers who looked closely noticed the picture of Jordan that was on the floor with Max. Additionally, the picture of the glass, flower, and fingerprint was an important shot, and an interesting departure for the typical "human" photos.  Music: The musical selections in this episode were enjoyable. Dar Williams was a particularly a good fit for the opening scene—both in title and in tenor.

Favorite Quote: This week's accolades go to Kate… No one finds out. You understand? If I hear one word of this outside this room… I will prove that a forensics expert can commit the perfect murder.

Areas for Improvement

Editorial: Only a couple of things kept this episode from perfection. One more major item was a comment that indicated Max Cavanaugh was a cop for nearly 40 years. He was off the force in many fewer years than that. A couple of other spots in the episode would have benefited from some editing, but those issues were minor—an extraneous or an omitted word here and there. Artwork: The shot of Max after the attack was a bit off perspective-wise, but it was brilliant in every other aspect.

This Virtual Season 7 episode brought to us by writer Nynaeve and artist Harbor Runner was an impressive total package with a number of twists and turns and the return of James. I'll give it 3.75 stars out of 4 for a rollercoaster of a ride!