"Hello, I Love You"

A review by Jenni:

I am being old-fashioned tonight and watching this on my TV... not my puter.  Just like the good ol' days!  ;-) 

What I love about this episode:
I like that Gloria says "there's precedent for immaculate conception."  Cause while most would read that as a reference to Christianity as I do, it's vague enough to not be pushy. 

It takes a lot of courage for this mom to tell Danni that she cut off contact with her father.  Not ideal but a much better scenario than what we saw in "Something Blue."

Wow is right...  I think I'd probly fall in love with a guy who wrote me a "100 Hundred Things I Love" list.

I like how Andrew has a seemingly separate assignment that winds up tying into the one Gloria, Monica, and Tess were working on.  Gives you more appreciation for God's plan. 

I like that Walter and Kim illustrate the longstanding effects of an affair.  There's no quick fix a la "Labor of Love" which I always found pretty ridiculous.

I may have my issues with Monica, but she is great with kids.  Her holding Danni after she learns Walter is not her father is sweet.

Dan breaks my heart when he talks about Barbara.  He may be a wanderer but he's got way more class than Walter.  He at least seems to care about Danni at this point.  He gets down on her level and calls her "honey."

"Today is 'some day.'"  That's a really great lil quote from Tess.  Makes ya think about all the times you say "Some day I'll..."  or "Some day things will get better..."  Dreaming is good but it's also good to make things happen.  Seems like it's been a while since Tess lit up.  Good to see. 

"Marriage is a gift from God."  An Andrew quote.  One thing I loved about this show was marriage was very important to the angels and you could tell.  I appreciate that because I've had people assume that just cause I'm not sure I want to be married I must look down on marriage.  I absolutely do not.  I do believe it's a gift from God.  I just happen to think He gives different gifts to different people and singleton status can be a gift, too. 

I love what Gloria says about how fathering a child isn't the only way to be a man, father, or friend.  So true.  I can certainly think of some childless men who are true and great men.  Ditto for childless women.

So far we're 3 for 3 on angels glowing...  Nifty.  And there goes Monica.  Four separate revelations!  Wanna guess my favorite?  ;-)

"You're not a mistake.  God doesn't make mistakes."  From Monica to Danni.  Everyone should be told that.

"Sometimes you start out trying to do one good thing and you end up doing something even better."  I have a feeling that quote from Monica may come in handy...

Well, Walter's kinda redeeming himself...  That was a sweet scene with him and Danni.  I still like Dan better, though.  Not just cause of the flannel, either.

Ha.  I should probly be bothered but I'm amused by Tess purposefully speeding just to get Officer Jackson's attention.  Whatever it takes to finish an assignment, I guess!  And it did appear to be a quiet road.

Aww.  I love that J.T. reveals himself by referencing the list.

Reason #101...  Aww. 

What I didn't love about this episode:
Aww... this poor lil girl.  That "Danni Blake the big mistake" girl is a snot.

I'm a lil disturbed by Monica automatically leaping to Dan Jackson not wanting to be tied down to a family based on his living in a van.  Pete Taylor lived in a van and he would have given anything to have his family back.  Maybe Dan's a wandering spirit but maybe he's also just poor.  Monica can't know at this point.  And she winds up being wrong.

Lingering questions:
I'd still like to know what happened between the two parents.

Parts that made me feel swoony:
This episode title doubles as what I intend to say when I get to Heaven and meet John Dye.  Okay, not really.  I know whatever that is will be unscripted and probly completely goofy.

Be at this house, Andrew, be at this house...  Augh.  No answer.  House 2... really old guy...  House 3... a nice African American man...  House 4... this is torture.  He's gotta be at this one!  Andrew!!!!!!!!!!  Rewind. 

One wonders why Andrew is handling a case comprised solely of marital problems and trust issues...  But as he looks adorable working on that car, I am not gonna question it.  And he really did seem pretty wise about love.  I like that he got to see Monica, too. 

Ha.  I love how he tells Monica she's starting to sound like Tess.  I wonder if that's like a woman being told she's turning into her mom.

Eeek.  How awkward for poor Andrew to be right there as these two go off about their infidelity concerns.  I would so never want Andrew looking down his nose at me!

Oooh.  Andrew being all tough love...  I love our compassionate, soft-spoken boy.  But I also really, really like this side of him. 

This is a lil hard to watch, though.  Thank God for the distraction that is that beautiful lock of hair hanging in the middle of John's forehead else I'd be full blown angst hearing him talk about marriage.

I rewound... cause I can.

Since Andrew mentioned his nose... I would just like to take this opportunity to say I think John had an adorable nose. 

"Love doesn't just run away, ya know?  It hangs in there."  Yep...  Wise man.

He's so beautiful...  Holy cow!  That was awesome!  I had to rewind again.  I dunno why but him slamming the hood down as he glows is way studly.

He has the most adorable smiles...

The fellow looks mighty fine in that turtleneck.  And I do think that kid with the air guitar would do well to take a couple cues from him...

And that oh-so-adorable leap to grab Tess' shoulder!!!  I, you guessed it, rewound.

Random thoughts:
Music: Awful heavy metal at the 3rd house Danni and Monica visit...  The one at which Andrew was NOT present. 

Scenes Hallmark cut:
- They cut some of the conversation between the three lady angels at the start.  After Tess makes the remark about there being more to the case than meets the eye, Gloria asks her why she always talks in circles at the beginning of an assignment.  Tess responds "I do not!"  Gloria repeats the "more than meets the eye" thing and says they need more information.  Tess is riled.  She retorts "Well, try talking less and paying attention more."  Monica sighs.  Tess informs Gloria that she says what she needs to say when she needs to say it and that's all she's gonna say.  Then it goes to Danni asking the other girl about the sleepover which is where THC resumes.

-The segment after Monica and Danni meet Dan actually begins with Danni telling Dan jokes as he washes a window.  He calls over to Monica to please do something with her kid as he has to work.  Danni is downcast.  Monica hugs her.  (This scene does make me like Dan a bit less.)  Then it goes to the scene outside with Dan and J.T. which is where THC opens the segment. 

- Gloria gets another cut scene.  THC chops some off the end of the scene of her and Dan talking about his lifestyle.  After he tells her he doesn't have someone special any more.  She replies with "Ah ha!" and remarks that something in his past must account for his commitment phobia, he's just not telling her.  Dan tells her that what he likes best about his life is not answering to anyone.  Then it goes to a two second scene during which you see the caddy and hear Danni telling Monica they need to hurry cause her mom'll be waking soon.  Then it goes to Kim asking Andrew about when the car'll be fixed which is where THC starts up again.  However...

- They also cut into that scene!  After Walter tells Kim she's gotta give him something to work with, Andrew asks "Umm, do you guys want me to take a break or something?"  Kim tells him no, just to fix the car.  Andrew turns silently back to the car and then Kim launches into the "Every time I leave the house..." speech.  THC keeps Andrew's reaction shot but not his offer to leave. 

-After Monica tells Danni she never knows who's out there making things happen, Gloria adds "Oh... He's the Catalyst King."  Andrew looks at her as if she's crazy then back to Monica with a befuddled look.  Then it goes to Tess' speeding scene.

Further on down the road...
I'm in one of those modes where I'm so sleep deprived that this is about all I'm good for.  My heater stopped working Thursday afternoon so I barely slept that night cause I was worried it was beyond being fixed.  Also, I was cold!  Then it was fixed but I wasn't sure it'd stay fixed...  Hopefully tonight will be better!

Scratch my statement above and I can't believe I didn't catch onto this before but... Gloria's reference to immaculate conception makes zero sense.  First, the Immaculate Conception refers to Mary's conception, not Jesus'.  And Mary had both a mother and father (Anna and Joachim, traditionally).  So the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception in no way implies the lack of a father.  Some people, Gloria included possibly, get it confused and think it refers to Jesus' conception.  But even going by that mis-definition, it's shaky.  Jesus has no earthly biological father but He still has a Father. 

Nicole's reasoning for keeping Danni from her father seems really weak to me.  If he was a major creep then I'd totally get it.  But he's not...  Sometimes I feel like TBAA was too easy on parents who put their own issues above their kids.  So it might have been awkward and sad for you to co-parent?  Too bad!  But I spose maybe something a lil stronger woulda been said to Nicole if not for the accident.  It would be quite harsh to go off on a woman who nearly died.

How weird for Walter and Kim to have such a fight in front of Andrew... 

With all due respect for Andrew, I think infidelity is reason enough to no longer hang in there.  Now, I'm not saying people should split up all the time after an affair.  That's a very personal decision and one can't make blanket statements about it.  But I don't think we can fault anyone who opts not to hang around after that or say they're not loving.  It's not just a matter of broken trust and broken hearts though those are huge.  Anyone who has an affair risks the health of their spouse.  I don't blame anyone who leaves after that. 

I really hope Danni and both her parents had a long heart-to-heart after this and both parents signed a no-bailing clause. 

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