"The Heart of the Matter"

A review by Jenni:
Next weekend is Valentine's Day and since I'm not sure I'll get to an episode then, I thought this was the perfect time for this episode.

What I love about this episode:
In general, I really like this episode.  I'm all for angst and drama but this has such a zany, romantic comedy sorta feel to it.  It's nice for a change and I kinda wish TBAA had more episodes like this. 

I thought it was kinda different and interesting to have Tess only appear on a screen (either a [very, very old] computer monitor or a TV.)  It really added some humor to a couple of scenes that wouldn't have made sense with her being physically present.  Like when she uses the TV to get the sirens going at Smokey's.

Robin offering her tattoo as ID made me laugh.  This episode has lotsa great lil jokes in it. 

What seems to be one of the more popular TBAA quotes ("Sometimes endings are just opportunities.") comes from Monica in this episode.  It's a good one.

The flower seller's lil smile after Monica revives his flowers is just so cute!  I love it!

It's a lot of fun to watch the pool scene with Monica pulling off all those amazing plays *and* calling them exactly before she does.  Really that pretty much typefies this episode: fun.

Tess says that the minuet and similar dances "kept the hormones in a state of perpetual anticipation.  That's my kinda dance."  One wonders why Tess would care about hormones being in anticipation but I'm agreeing with her.  Dancing now... not so great.  And maybe Tess cares about hormones cause I bet, as an angel, it's a lot more pleasant to watch things unfold that way than to have to watch a couple do some of our more modern mating dances.  Eeek.

I liked how Robin's special spot on the roof of the convent figured in.  At one point my spot was on my parents' roof so I appreciated that aspect.

It's way fun to watch Monica freak out the thugs at Smokey's by bending that pipe into shape and then telling Smokey about his past.  A lady scaring the heck outta two big guys: awesome.

I like watching this episode for many reasons, Robin's clothes being one of them.  She makes me miss our leggings and oversized tops!  And glitterizing stuff...

I think this episode may just have the longest kissing scene in TBAA's history.  It's cute!  And "That's the Way Love Is" seems so perfect at the end!

What I didn't love about this episode:
Charles Rocket is in the credits yet Adam is no where to be found.  Disappointing!  And the fact that the main guy is named Charles doesn't help cause then it kept reminding me of that disappointment.

The song played as they're returning Robin's purchases just seemed too random and loud to me.  The lyrics seemed like maybe they woulda been appropriate for the relationship further into the episode.  But so early on they just seemed thrown in.

Lingering questions:
Monica says that the sarcophagus Robin purchases reminds her of an old friend.  So does that mean Monica worked in ancient Egypt at some point?   Or maybe she just knew an Egyptologist?

Why does this episode have one of the "Touched by an Angel will continue" commercials in the middle of it?  Don't get me wrong, it was a treat to hear and see that again, but why then?

Was Adam supposed to be in this episode but the scheduling didn't work out?  Or were his scenes cut?  I'm trying to think when it woulda made sense to have him show up.  But, then again, Adam can show up whenever as far as I'm concerned!

Parts that made me feel swoony:
Despite the tease with Charles Rocket's in the credit there are no AODs to crush on here.  Sad.  But at least the episode is sweet and romantic.  But it doesn't make me swoony...

Random thoughts:
I thought Tess talking about convincing her assignment he wasn't the Second Coming was humorous.  But it also took me back for a minute as TBAA so seldom outright mentions specifically Christian beliefs.

 Monica reviving the drowned flowers in the van makes me think of Ned from Pushing Daisies.  Cept Ned just touched dead stuff, he didn't breathe on it.  Sigh...  RIP Pushing Daisies.

 Tess tells Monica not to look at the high-heeled shoes which she refers to as "sexy things."   Then she starts lusting after some red high heels.  I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything during that scene cause I'm pretty sure I woulda choked and started sputtering.  It was funny but... odd!

It was kinda funny to realize that Tess being on the TV with the static and the rolling image will soon be a completely dated image since the U.S. is going digital.

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