Episode Report Card Manimal: C+ | 1 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Color-Blind
By Manimal | Season 1 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.24.2001
Alt-rock fades out as Sydney, in a new red outfit, answers the door. It's Will and Jennie. Will introduces them. Jennie is flustered, and hands over a bottle of Martinelli's cider, confessing that she got carded. Sydney is a little surprised. Will tells Sydney that she looks great. Sydney does a weird proprietary thing where she touches Will's waist and asks if that's the sweater she got him for Christmas. He says it is, but that's not the reason why he wore it. Jennie has a great reaction shot, as she looks a little jealous, clearly discomfited, and slightly weirded out at witnessing an intimate moment. She offers to chill the cider, and walks away. Sydney comments that she's cute. Will says that her parents are in Europe, so he brought her over. Sydney says, "So that's Jennie," meaningfully. Will says it's strictly business. Sydney gives him a look that says, "She's cute, but your ass is forever mine, bad-haircut boy."
Pump up the alt-rock. Cue slo-mo scenes of happy friends eating Thanksgiving dinner. Goddammit, now I'm hungry. I'm so susceptible -- like an advertiser's wet dream. The alt-rock dies down just in time for Will to ask Jennie if her parents are really away. Jennie looks guilty, then cracks up. She sounds about twelve.
Charlie knocks his fork against his glass and does some stuttering speech about how someone has to bang the glass, and this time it's him, and how he wanted all of them to be there for this moment. He says that "this thing" is burning a hole in his pocket, and then whips out yon velvet-covered box with yon sparkling diamond ring and proposes to Francie. Congratulations abound. As do acceptances.
Sydney hugs Francie just as someone knocks at the door. It's Sydney's dad! He's holding a newspaper. She says it's her neighbor's. There's a moment of silence. Sydney asks him in just as Jack tells Sydney that Shepard killed Danny, and he's assuming she knew that. Sydney says smartly that if she hadn't, she wants to thank him for breaking the news to her so gently. Wow, recapping a moment that's totally in the subjunctive is really difficult. But you guys get the gist. Jack says he's telling her because he doesn't want her to think it's his mission in life to keep things from her. She snips, "Then why do you?" He hands her the FBI report clearing him of all espionage charges, and adds that he was being investigated during the Cold War, when everyone was under suspicion. He says that her mother's death was his fault, since the FBI was chasing him, and that if he could give her back to Sydney, he would. Sydney doesn't take the letter, saying she doesn't need to see it. She asks him to come in again. He says he can't -- work. He congratulates her on her trip being completed successfully, and then exits, chased by a bear, or very much looking as if he is. Sydney looks after him. All in all, not a bad little scene.