By Kim | Season 4 | Episode 16 | Aired on 2001.05.08
Julie listens to the new clue on a CD Walkman. As she hears it, she repeats it aloud, which is really annoying. Plus, we don't get to hear who gave the clue, which was about the only interesting or suspenseful part of each episode. Anyway, Julie tells them that "it's judgment day in the court of public opinion," and then tells Susie (who's not standing there) to jump in the ring. So the clue-giver must have been someone from her season. That's about all I can tell you. Syrus says that it "sounds like a courtroom."
The two teams walk to the Supreme Court building and meet their mission mayor, Michael. Everyone except James is wearing his or her team t-shirt. In an interview, Emily explains that Michael is an "assistant for Judge Mills Lane." Michael explains that they are going to argue their side of the paintball mission, and Judge Mills Lane will decide who gets the $10,000. Julie jumps up and down and sticks her tongue out. Even though she didn't say anything, I'm going to tell her to shut up. Shut up, Julie. In an interview, Kameelah says that she's excited about the mission and "settling the score." In an interview, James says that he doesn't want to relive the day, and that he wishes they could forget it, because it's just money. If his whole team feels that way, I don't understand why they couldn't have just forfeited the mission in the first place. Michael hands each team a briefcase containing videotape of the mission. Julie and Kameelah screech and cheer, because they are so sure that they are right. Michael shuts them down by saying that he's seen the tape, and it's not conclusive, so whoever presents a better argument will win the money. Shots of James standing there with his mouth open are intercut with shots of James cheating on the mission. In an interview, James says that he thinks this mission is about "trying to make someone look horrible," and that "they would try to crucify [him] up on that stand." Well, if the goal is to make someone look horrible, I don't think they need to bother with the case -- just show the episodes as they've aired this season. I don't know that any of them will come out looking good. Maybe Rebecca. No, she dated James.
Laterrian tells Christian that even if the tape shows James shooting the gun in Julie's face, the RR team should still have won. Since we get no context for that remark, I have no idea what he was talking about there. In an interview, James says that he wasn't trying to hurt anyone -- he was just playing the game. I'm surprised they didn't dig out that clip from earlier in the season of James telling Rebecca that he will hurt someone to win, if that's what it takes. Do I have to do the editors' work for them? Michael tells them to "pull together, get [their] stories straight, and make the best possible case [they] can make." The trial will be at noon the day.