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The Corpse of the Week scene doesn't even try to fake us out any more these days. Like this week -- a dog-walker gets hit by a car while Rollerblading. It's clear from the opening shot that that's what's going to happen, and that is indeed what ends up happening. You want more detail? Fine: this woman is Rollerblading through a subdivision up in the Hollywood hills somewhere while chatting with a friend on her hands-free cell phone. She's got three big dogs on leashes, and she mentions having to feed a cat later, so we know this is her job. So you think she'd know better than to be skating along in the middle of the street like she is, regardless of the present lack of traffic. She finds herself at the top of a hill which she describes over the phone as "really, really steep." And although she realizes she should take off her skates and walk down, she says, "Call you right back," and takes off down the hill as the dogs hurry to keep up. The road curves to the left and we see it from her point of view, but as if she were wearing blinders and a neck brace because the camera's locked straight ahead. She laughs joyfully, all King Of The World. Finally they reach the bottom and she pants, "Now we're safe!" Right on cue, a car comes out of nowhere and creams her ass. The stuntwoman (or dummy) does a great job of bouncing off the hood and the windshield and crashing to the pavement. The three dogs -- all of whom actually are safe -- slowly approach the body and start barking as we hear the driver get out of his car and scream for help. And Pilar Sandoval (1970-2005) serves as a cautionary tale that high-speed Rollerblading and a freakishly narrow field of vision just don't mix.
Brenda's in her OB's examination room, all ready on the table with a pink sheet draped over her lap. And what's Nate doing? Well, Nate's not there -- Brenda's boss Jackie is. Brenda bitches about Nate's plan to drag her to a Quaker church service that night. Jackie's a little incredulous. Brenda says Nate's done with couples therapy, since they went once and he felt ganged up on (which, I don't know, could be a sign of something, like Nate being WRONG a lot). Jackie says it might help, but Brenda's doubtful, and adds that she wishes Nate would take as much interest in his baby as he does in Quakerism. Jackie points out that Brenda should have made it clear to Nate that she wanted him at the appointment. Which is when Brenda confesses that she didn't want Nate at the appointment -- in fact, she didn't even tell him about it. "I didn't want him here," she says. "It's not good for me, it's not good for the baby." "Huh," says Jackie doubtfully. It's nice to see that Jackie is starting to develop a more healthy level of sympathy for Brenda, i.e., none.
The OB enters the room for the exam. As Brenda lies to the doctor about Nate not being able to get away from work, the doctor squirts the sonic goo on Brenda's belly and begins the scan. She hears a strong heartbeat and says that everything looks to be developing normally, although she still wants Brenda to have an amniocentesis. Brenda's still refusing, because we have to stretch out the suspense as long as possible. "Do you want to know the baby's sex?" the OB asks. Oh, come on, doctor, don't you realize by now that Brenda wants to be surprised? By everything? You're lucky she let you tell her there's a human being in there and not an opossum or a carburetor or something.
“ But he's not speaking or moving, and there's nothing behind his staring eyes but a Blue Screen of Death. Maggie runs to the phone and dials 911. This couldn't have happened an hour earlier? ”
Ruth and Begley have reached their campsite as Ruth, her hair now in a braid down her back, comments on how good it smells out in the sticks. "This is the way the world is supposed to smell," Begley comments from right behind her as they start unloading the car. The world is supposed to smell like Begley? I want off now. Begley says there's a stream where they can go fishing in the morning. Ruth happily says she feels completely free, with nobody waiting for her or expecting her to do anything. "You can do anything you please," Begley says. Why she's doing Begley, then, shall remain a mystery for now.
Nate and Maggie snuggle under a blanket on her sofa as Nate comments that they missed the church service. After a long silence, he asks if she's crying. She isn't, but she doesn't look far off. Nate actually rolls his eyes a little. How quickly he becomes disenchanted. ["I seriously have not loathed anyone on television as much as I loathe Nate since I had to recap Dawson Leery every week." -- Sars] She sadly says he should go. Nate asks if she's sure she's all right, and she insists she's fine. He and his boxer briefs hop up and they start getting dressed. All I'll say about Maggie's boobs is that they're clearly real. "This wasn't planned, you know," Nate says, pulling on his pants. Maggie knows. Well, that changesnothing. Nate gets into his shirt, and seems to have some stiffness in his arm as it slips into his sleeve. He waggles his hand in confusion. Maggie asks what's wrong. Shaky-voiced, Nate says, "My arm is numb. Numb arm." His eyes roll back in his head as the camera angle gets all dizzy. "Numb arm. Narm! Narm" And he topples backward onto the floor. Wuss. I had a migraine last week that interfered with my ability to speak, and I got in my car and drove home. This loser swoons like some corseted Victorian. But it might be something more serious in his case. A relapse of the brain thing that was supposedly fixed at the beginning of Season Three, perhaps? Clearly, his hard drive has crashed in some catastrophic way. Maggie runs to kneel over him, asking what's wrong. But he's not speaking or moving, and there's nothing behind his staring eyes but a Blue Screen of Death. Maggie runs to the phone and dials 911. This couldn't have happened an hour earlier?
No previews for week, so we'll have to wait until then to see just how dead Nate really is. And what Brenda has to say about it.