Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Lies, Lies, Lies, Yeah
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 3 | Aired on 02.13.2008
Taylor gives a short closing argument to the court, pointing out that the only evidence against Robert is "the emotional accusations of a very troubled boy," and that it's the responsibility of everyone involved in the process to help Brian. Unlikely to change anything, but probably about the best she could do, given the circumstances. Eli takes a few moments, still looking heavy with uncertainty both about the case in general and about how he's going to finesse his speech, and then he stands and tells the judge that Taylor is absolutely right -- Brian could be lying, and the only thing they know for sure is that Brian is in crisis, and has been since his mother "shipped off to a war without end." Eli goes on that whether Brian is being abused or he's lying, he still needs his mother, and regardless of what the judge may think about whether Private Swain should still be beholden to the military, she volunteered to join the Guard, but Brian didn't. I'm certainly not saying there weren't some problems with this storyline, but it's still night-and-day better than the treacly feelgoodness of the first two episodes. It's dramatically satisfying to see characters having to make hard choices, and heartening as far as the interest of the show goes to know that there are going to be real consequences and sacrifices for Eli in order to follow the path of the prophet. One of the best things about Joan Of Arcadia was the fact that Joan was flawed and often disobeyed God, and it wasn't because she was defiantly willful -- it was that doing good is in the eye of the beholder, and when the beholder is a human being, he's not always going to get it right.
All right, enough ruminating. Outside the courtroom, Eli finds Taylor and tells her that whatever happens, she's the best lawyer he knows. She's certainly the tallest lawyer he knows, as she's slouching against the wall and is still the Sam Winchester to his Dean. He starts to bring up the party, but she cuts off discussion of that subject, and then asks if "the craziness" isn't ever going to stop. He honestly says he doesn't know, which sounds like the start of acceptance, and then a court person comes out and tells them the judge has made a decision. They head back in...
...and then the judge unceremoniously hands custody to Private Swain. She adds that the court will advise the California Guard of the decision, and she expects that Private Swain will be discharged "with all deliberate speed." "Deliberate speed" sounds like the kind of contradiction in terms with which only a government agency could come up. ["Ha ha ha! Funny you should mention that -- so funny that I am totally telling this story. You are entirely right. A year after the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board Of Education, in which it ruled that public schools had to be desegregated, it had to address, in a case called Brown II, just how quickly you had to desegregate them. Obviously, this was a hugely controversial issue, as areas with segregated schools badly wanted to be able to desegregate slowly -- so slowly, of course, that maybe they'd never actually have to do it. The Supreme Court was trying to present a united front and decide these incredibly contentious cases unanimously in order to avoid unrest and endless relitigating and so forth (Brown I had been unanimous), so the compromise that kept all nine justices on board was coming up with language stating that desegregation had to happen 'with all deliberate speed.' In other words, 'with all slow quickness.' So you are exactly, 100 percent right; it is a mealy-mouthed government term, though intentionally so, and it slowed the process of desegregation terribly for that reason. That's where that phrase comes from. Ta-da! That is totally worth the money I spent on my J.D." -- Miss Alli] Mother and son hug, but the moment gains gravity when two law-enforcement types appear and take Robert into custody. The timing seems convenient, but it is the catalyst for Eli and Taylor to exchange a long, unhappy look.
Eli comes in to see Jordan, who congratulates him on passing the physical, although he does semi-sardonically note that the examining physician's name is also Stone. "Small world." Is that...some kind of light irony? Because I'm pretty sure, as mentioned already, that Jordan could request another examination, and besides, has he not met Nate already? Maybe we're meant to feel that Jordan, unlike Tom Amandes, feels ambivalent about having subjected Eli to this move in the first place, but I'm not sure about that. Jordan tells Eli that he realizes it was "petty and wrong" of him to think that the removal of some of Eli's perks would snap him back to the person he used to be (I'm paraphrasing somewhat), and adds that whatever crisis he's going through will only marginally affect the firm, but will have larger repercussions as far as his daughter is concerned. Eli flatly says he loves Taylor, and would never do anything to hurt her. Jordan: "Look at that. Common ground." Heh. Jordan then lays it out: He wants to know, once and for all, if there's something really wrong with Eli, and if he finds out that Eli's answer isn't truthful, it will forever alter their relationship. He does not sound like he's kidding, but Eli, after taking a moment, says there's nothing wrong with him, "just like the form says," an addition that serves to show that he's in no position to sell Nate out now. With a note of defiance, he asks if they're done, as he has a bus to catch, and Jordan smiles briefly and acknowledges that the meeting is adjourned.