Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B+ | 900 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT John 3:16
By Cindy McLennan | Season 5 | Episode 6 | Aired on 2009.02.18
Later we find Jack seated at a bar. His posture indicates he may have been there a while, but he seems to be nursing his Scotch on the rocks when his phone rings. We jump to what looks like a retirement home, but seems to be run like a nursing home. A suit tells Jack, "This is the fourth time he's left. He has to follow the rules or he'll have to move to our fully-assisted facility." I think this plot point is terribly sloppy. The "he" is Jack's grandfather -- Ray. He seems of sound mind and body (he uses a cane), and not old enough to be Christian's father and Jack's grandfather, while I'm picking nits. Jack meets up with Ray in the facility's common room. He's watching magician who has just revealed a white rabbit. On the way back to Ray's room, Jack tries find out where Ray was headed, but he won't come clean. They enter his studio apartment, which is why this makes it all so confusing. Typically, people in a retirement home can leave. They live there. They're not imprisoned there. But apparently Ray is, but he's imprisoned such that Jack tells him, "If you take off again, they're going to throw you out of here." Um. I think Ray's good with that. While Jack unpacks Ray's suitcase, Ray asks if he's still with Kate, but Jack confirms they're no longer together. Jack explains to Ray that he might be going away, but is no more forthcoming about the "where" than Ray was. It's then that Jack spots a pair of black wingtips in his grandfather's suitcase. They're not Ray's -- they were Christian's. Jack stares down at them, then with (more) tears in his eyes, asks if he can take the shoes.