"An Angel By Any Other Name"

A review by Jenni:
I just needed to see a nurturing, loving Andrew today.  So I watched this episode after "An Unexpected Snow."  I jumped from Adam to Andrew, Thanksgiving to Spring.

What I love about this episode:
I think it's sweet that Tess named her newly created rose after Monica.  I can tell Tess loves her angel babies very, very much.  But I do wish she'd also created an Andrew Rose...

I love how it ends up being the people Carolyn despises that are her greatest gift and help.  It makes me wonder how often in life people talk down to or mistreat the very people without whom their own life would be diminished... if not destroyed.  Earlier today, in the wake of a loss, I found myself imagining God saying to someone who harbored prejudices "Like it or lump it you're all equal, I love you all, and you're all gonna get through this life and into the next together."  I think that idea is depicted in a huge way here.

I love Taylor's revelation scene.  I think it's great to see Monica and Tess display the awe and surprise usually reserved for humans.  And I love that he calls them on not recognizing who he was. 

I'm very fond of this quote from Taylor: "We are all hybrids made up of the best parts of each other.  Like a flower, we have to grow where we are planted."  I should start a JABB newsletter with that sometime.

What I didn't love about this episode:
I think this is a solid episode but some of these people... AAAH!  Carolyn reminds me a lil too much of one of my neighbors.  The way she claims to be out for the greater good but can speak in such a demeaning way about "those people."  It's terrible.

And that other neighbor lady is just plain embarrassing the way she screams and talks so slowly after Carolyn's stroke.  I think it's great that the writers had her echo Carolyn's "You don't know what they're thinking... or if they're thinking" line.  But it makes me wonder what lame school this chick went to that she doesn't seem to know jack about strokes. 

I seriously almost choked on my dinner when Monica tells Taylor "Angels are always patient and they don't judge."  I've seen Monica get pretty darn judgmental and impatient... 

Lingering questions:
What is that music that plays when Carolyn arrives home and is preparing dinner?  It drives me crazy every time I hear it cause it sounds so familiar yet I can never place it.  Is it an actual, published piece of music or just reminscient of other TBAA score?  ETA: Oh my gosh... is it an instrumental version of "Eleanor Rigby"?  I was watching it again and all of a sudden "all the lonely people" started running through my head.

Parts that made me feel swoony:
I love him.  I'll just come right out and admit I'm completely hormonal today so, really, it's taking a lot of self-control to just not write a very sappy and very poor sonnet right now.  But I will say Andrew is wonderful here.  I just want to hug him when he tells Monica he volunteered for this assignment with the group home and does so whenever he can.  He even helps us humans out when he doesn't have to!!! 

I just think it's adorable how Andrew, Jeannie, David, and Taylor all walk away with their arms around each other after Carolyn snaps at them.  I wish I was that comfortable being affectionate.

Andrew really shows off some attitude in this episode and the people totally deserve it.  His bit about "Hi, my name is Andrew" not being the proper response to Carolyn's rant is awesome.  He shows her how rude she's being without being rude himself.  Just protective and completely non-pushover. 

Okay, so my stomach knots a little when Tess refers to Jeannie, David and Taylor as "your kids" to Andrew.  Cause he'd be a wonderful person to raise kids with but... alas, no. 

Andrew's attitude pops up again when he not-so-sweetly assures the clueless neighbor that post-stroke Carolyn understood her thoughtless remark very well.  That biting tone to his voice is very effective when used in those cases.

God love the boy, he's just so nice to Monica.  He gives her a rose.  Lucky her.  And the look on his face as he says "you're welcome"... so adorable.

Andrew said "progrum" again.  I love that.

I feel a lil bit crushed when Andrew tells Stevie "Friends are a very, very important part of life."  Cause I'm just not sure his friends are there for him like they should be...

Random thoughts:
While I think Carolyn's behavior is appalling through most of this episode, I do have a new understanding of her freak out after catching Taylor and Co. staring into her window.  Having once walked into my living room and found my neighbor peering into my window... that is a darn freaking feeling.  Nonetheless, it's the *only* understandable part of her behavior for me.  I wish Andrew had been there to tell my neighbor to "Think about it and think about it again" before she went all Peeping Tom on me...

Andrew's and Tess' shirts in the final scenes are very reminscient of each other.  It makes me think they're waiting to have a mother/son photo taken. 

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(The photographs used on this page are from "Touched by an Angel" and owned by CBS Productions, Caroline Productions, and Moon Water Productions. They are not being used to seek profit.)