Episode 85
Total Recall (10-30-05)

Brief Synopsis: Woody and Macy re-open a ten-year old missing persons case when a body is found in the national park. 

Okay where to start.  I have to say these episodes so far in season five have been good.  Very character driven.  Almost too much…we’re starting to lose a bit of the crime aspect, though this episode did a better job.  Jordan and Nigel’s case (minus Jordan’s denial phase) was good.  Woody’s case was there to set up his many outbursts and more interaction with Lu.  Somehow though I felt that the focus wasn’t on the case but more on Woody’s reaction to the case and his persistent bring up of ‘He was right and Lu was wrong.”

Woody and Lu: “I’m right. You’re wrong.”  I would have slapped Woody for acting that childish.  Lu takes it in stride and deals with it (I guess that is her job, but still…She did eventually accuse him of acting childish). 

We might just be getting somewhere.  At the end Woody tells Lu everything he’s dealt with has made him a better cop.

Woody: It's made me a better cop.
Lu: It's not really about being a better cop. That same stuff you don't want to look at and deal with. It gets in the way of other things. Your life for instance.

And there is the underlying issue.  His troubles might have made him a better cop (though I question that) but at what cost?  Lately Woody hasn’t been happy.  He’s been irritable and mean.  He has let a black and white view of his work consume him and he HASN’T had a personal life.  This isn’t about being a better cop this is about getting your life back on track…because somewhere along the way Woody’s train left the tracks and he’s been lost since that point.

Notice how Lu is the first person who’s yelled at him and he’s LISTENED to. 

Lu: I like Lu.  I know one episode really isn’t enough to make a firm decision on a character, but after two I definitely think she adds something to the gang.  She’s strong, keeps Woody in check…is getting the guy to open up, and she’s likable.  I’d love to see her work with other members of the morgue.

So guess who’s wearing a wedding ring?  Yup our dear shrink Lu.  So with that, out went the rumors/theories that Lu and Woody will be romantically involved.  Could it still happen yes…but if I have to make a prediction I’m going to say they won’t be romantically involved—I could be wrong, we’ll have to wait and see. (Personally I didn’t want—from the first we met—Lu…and probably before that, when we heard the rumors of her joining the cast…to hook up with Woody.)

Okay so here's what we know:
1- Allan told us Lu wasn't who we thought she would be. And Allan told us things weren't what the rumors claimed to be. Well he inferred that the rumors where wrong)

2- We know next to nothing about Lu's past except that she got her Psych degree two years ago. Nothing else about her has been revealed to us.

3- She's wearing (what we can assume is) a wedding band. Logical conclusions to draw from this: a) She's married b) she's separated (somehow I can't see her still holding on to the band if she's divorced) or c) she's widowed.

4- She IS Woody's shrink and a relationship between them WOULD BE unethical.

5- Woody nor Lu has acted any way other than professional together. (Well Woody's acted like a jerk...but that's beside the point) There hasn't even been a hint of 'romance' between the two, unlike with J.D. and Jordan.

Conclusion: Lu isn't going to be a love interest for Woody, but she will (I hope) be the one to knock some sense into Woody's head (even if it has to be physically knocking his head against the wall--sorry Woody, but you really need to SHAPE UP)

Jordan: Jordan annoyed me big time in this episode.  Jordan goes with the facts.  She doesn’t ignore the facts, nor does she get weepy when she proves how something happened—even if she wanted a different outcome.  This overly emotional Jordan annoyed me (I have a feeling I’m a minority in this aspect)

I don’t know what exactly caused this ‘change’ in her.  J.D.?  Because if we follow the example with her and Woody, they’ve both disappointed each other continuously if we go down that path.  But why suddenly is she looking to believe in love, marriage and happily ever after to the point she refused to see the obvious and the dead couple she’s autopsying?

Once she got past the denial phase she got much better!  I’m not a fan of weepy Jordan though.          

Jordan and J.D.: I keep getting this sense that Jordan likes Pollack and enjoys being with him, but that her heart isn’t totally into it.  I do think she’s trying to commit to this relationship and NOT go running.  I think she genuinely cares for J.D. but I don’t get this sense that she’s thinking permanent.  I’m not a huge fan of Pollack—he doesn’t excite me or upset me.  He’s just there.  The thing is Jordan (nor Nigel or anyone else) is giving me a reason to invest in him.  Nigel though supportive of Jordan hasn’t said one way or another what he thinks of Pollack and the rest of the morgue seems clueless to the fact that Jordan is even seeing Pollack.

Jordan and Woody: The two never exchanged one word in this episode but the look  that passed between them…Woody looked unhappy.  Jordan—I’m still not sure.  Was is a look of longing or a look of ‘see I can move on’.  Either way there was some tension there.  The point is, is that neither seems to be able to get the other out of each others head.  (Of course having to work together isn’t going to help matters any either)

PS—Woody and the ice pick comment: Tell me he still doesn’t want Jordan (somewhere deep inside despite what he claims) after that comment.

Nigel: Nigel is the ultimate friend.  I’m not sure if he likes/approves of J.D. (I haven’t got a feeling one way or the other…it’s almost as if he’s remaining neutral) but he’s supportive of Jordan. A little early in the relationship to be sabotaging yourself isn't it?  The guy looks out for her.  He takes care of her. 

Lily and Jeffery: Jeffery reminds me of the geeky high school kid.  He’s so nervous around Lily.  He’s adorable.  What’s great is Lily IS showing interest in him and the poor guy can’t—or doesn’t—know how to deal with it.  Slamming the door in Lily’s face…what can you do but laugh. 

Garret: Something better start happening with Garret.  Either someone needs to notice (Where are you Jordan?  She or Lily (though Lily has notice but was shot down by the others) need to really start paying attention to other things that their lives.  Jordan (through four years) has spent many a ‘end of day’ moments with Garret.  We haven’t had one since the season premier.  Honestly the morgue staff seems to be ignoring (or not paying attention) to Garret.  Garret’s character is getting very bitter and very much forgotten.  Something’s gotta blow.  Question is when?  One word: Self-destructing. (Okay that was two, but that’s how I see Garret at this moment)

Bug: I felt like Bug was forgotten in this episode.  Yes he had a role, but he hasn’t really had a story line of his own and I’d love for the focus to shift away from Jordan and Woody.  At least not all the focus on them all the time.  Bug and Nigel have much to offer…

So there were a few parts that bugged me—Jordan’s case—but I liked the Woody and Lu interaction.  I can see a progressing from the mad, temperamental Woody from the first episodes to the upset and easily ignited Woody of now.  He is starting to (slowly) come to terms with what’s bottled up inside him—asides from the Jordan aspect.

3½ dead bodies out of 5