Episode Report Card Deborah: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Desolation
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 23 | Aired on 05.20.2004
The nightmare continues (as does the stormy weather), this time in a large, dark, empty church, as a nurse or orderly wheels an elderly woman in a wheelchair down the aisle. Creaking loudly, they pass behind Helen, who is in her pyjamas, standing at a table full of tall tapered candles (mostly lit), and lighting one herself. She doesn't seem to hear or notice the people moving past her. She puts down the match and starts walking toward the altar, saying, "Look, here's the thing. You can't let my son die. You just…can't. I know I haven't been good, but that's no reason to punish him. Take me, instead. Just don't punish him for what I've done wrong." It's more a demand than a plea. She sits in a pew. The camera angle changes, and in the row behind her, we can see Cute Guy God sitting there, looking concerned. Sars: "I know it's blasphemous, but he's yummy." He asks, "Do you think that's how I work, Helen?" I would have jumped out of my skin (even in a nightmare) but she just turns slowly and asks, "Who are you?" He says, "I'm God." Helen, obviously skeptical: "As in…God." He nods. Helen: "Burning bush, tower of Babel, Ten Commandments God?" He nods, saying, "I've been through this with your daughter." Helen wonders what her daughter has to do with this. Cute Guy God: "Everything." Helen: "Are we talking about Joan? My Joan, can't-finish-a-book-report-on-time Joan?" We cut back to Cute Guy God, only this time it's Joan sitting there in a purple sweater, but it's still Cute Guy God's voice. And it's creepy, let me tell you. Creepy Joan God replies, "She's open to possibility. That's my favourite instrument." Helen asks what he's talking about. Creepy Joan God: "Just be open. That's all I ask." Creepy Joan God gets up and walks out. Helen watches and says, "No, come back. What are you doing? Joan! Joan!"
Helen suddenly awakes and sits up in bed; Will's awake, too, and concerned. He reassures her that she was dreaming as she gasps. She tells him how real it was, and that she dreamt that the cops came to the door to tell her about Kevin. Will strokes her arm, saying he's had that dream, too. Helen: "Do they turn into clowns?" Will, already lying down again: "Almost never." Credits. I hope they redo the cast pictures and clips for Season Two. I'd like to see some new stuff in there. They're going to have to include Christopher Marquette, anyway. And Becky Wahlstrom. Right? Right? During the commercials we discuss the issue of seeing God or other religious personages in one's dreams. Frink mentions that in Islam, it's said that the only two beings who can't be impersonated in a dream are God and the Prophet Muhammad, so if you see either one in a dream, it's for real. I'm not sure if Helen would find this comforting or not. ["I think it's thoughtful of Islam to clarify this eventuality specifically. I told, like, ten people how nifty I thought that was." -- Sars]