"Sandcastles"
A review by Jenni:
I don't love this episode. But I really love some of the lines in
it. And there's a certain fondness attached to it given it was
the first TBAA episode I saw after a winter storm hit. I was at
my grandparents'. My immediate family lost power for over a week
and so we were staying with various relatives. But the prior
Sunday pretty much the whole city was without power so I missed "The
Pact"! After that disappointment even "Venice" woulda looked
great!
What I love about this
episode:
If you ignore the $1.33 gas sign, this episode seems really
current! I mean we've got Larry and Leo whose homes have been
foreclosed on, one due to medical bills. We've got Dennis who
lost his job. And there's Lee who may lose his business because
he's being pushed out by the big guys. It's like all of the major
financial issues we're facing now brought together in one episode!
Not
being a Rafael fan, I am impressed by this episode's ability to get
me to relate to him... a lil. I, too, get people thinking I'm
younger than I am. Just last week a cashier told me she'd assumed
I was 19. I'm 26. So I do feel for the guy bemoaning his
lost, maturity-granting beard. And the poor guy gets called "kid"
and "boy." That's not cool. This still doesn't make up for
the Sleazy comment, though.
As I said above, this plot may not be my favorite but I love some of
the quotes. Monica says at one point that "God gives us
what we need, not what we want." Beautiful and something we
should all be reminded of on occasion.
This quote from Tess moves me, too: "God hears every prayer,
Rafael. The spoken prayer, the silent prayer, and the prayers
sent in lil, bitty bottles." I love that TBAA often stressed that
you don't need some grand words to speak to God. God will hear
you however, whenever, and wherever you call out to Him.
The Romantic in me really loves these two quotes:
"He [God] suffers the pain of His children but even in pain there is
growth." ~ Monica
"Life without feeling isn't really life." ~ Rafael
Cause I think emotions, even negative ones, are important. They
allow us to grow and they're just plain a part of being human.
And likely a part of being angels, too. And, yeah, I believe in
an emotional God.
I
think it's really lovely that Scooter's story ends with his throwing a
second bottle into the ocean, this one reading "Dear God, Thank
you."
Lovely ending.
What I didn't love about this
episode:
Why's Tess care so much about the guys' facial hair? Right off
this episode informs us that Tess made Rafael get rid of the beard
because she doesn't "like angels with dirty faces." I mean that's
just a lil power-crazed to me.
If
Tess is going to be so angry about Andrew not fixing her car right
then why doesn't she just hire a mechanic??? Lay off him!
I'm all for the occasional bit of "angel magic" but I think this
episode kinda ODs on it. Rafael catching a bullet, Monica
stopping that car from falling, the camera equipment malfunctioning so
Rafael can do a revelation, and just the suddenness of the revelation
scene. Not really too my taste. I wish they would have
focused more on the Jeannette/Scooter plot line and let all the stuff
with the townspeople go. It's just a lil too fantastical for me.
Lingering questions:
So when Monica and Rafael go into the cafe, Monica tells Rafael that
the waitress wasn't ready to hear about God's love. Yet no more
than 5 or so minutes later, Monica announces to them all that Rafael's
an angel. Really? Five minutes before hearing about God's
love was too soon but she thought they were ready to hear that her
friend was an angel?
Parts that made me feel
swoony:
Tess pretty much irritates me in the first scene with the car.
Nonetheless, Andrew does look pretty cute arguing with her about what
needs to be done with the caddy.
How adorable is it that Andrew opts to stay with Tess? He wants
some bonding time clearly. Poor, lovely Andrew. I hope he
got some before Tess sent him off on that errand to fetch parts.
I feel a bit wretched when she tells Rafael and Monica that's where he
is. He wanted to spend time with her and she sent him
away!!! If she doesn't want him then I'll take him!!!
When Tess says "They [humans] mistake angels for superheroes," I can't
help but think "Ah, yeah, sorta like you and Monica do with
Andrew." Cause Andrew seems to have developed what I call
"Granite Superhero Syndrome." He puts on this brave, unshakable
front when he feels that others, especially Monica, would most benefit
from a calm, consoling person. And of the few times Andrew
actually manages to escape the syndrome, it blows up in his face.
Like when Tess mouths off at him in "The Violin Lesson" or Monica
ignores him in "The Journalist." I just wanna hug him and tell
him he doesn't need to be a superhero and that he'd be loved simply for
being Andrew. If only I could get into the TV...
Andrew's so gentle in this episode. I love the way he strokes
Jeannette's cheek and puts his hand on Scooter's shoulder after
Jeannette dies. I desperately want someone like that with me when
I die. And I draw a lot of comfort from believing that someone
like Andrew was with loved ones I've lost. It's comforting to
know God is there but somehow having a fellow child of God there is
important to me, too.
It gets to me when Andrew is talking about Jeannette's death and the
peace she made with Scooter and he says to Tess "Wish you coulda been
there." Why would Andrew say that? Andrew has mentioned
several calm, love-filled passings that it might be inspiring to
witness but he doesn't usually say that to Tess. So why
then? I think it's because of the mother-son bond. I think
Andrew wants to have such a moment, albeit not involving impending
death, with Tess. One hopes he'll one day get that...
Tess threatened Andrew's hair!!!! NOOOOO!!! I love Andrew's
hair! We all love Andrew's hair! We could totally take Tess
if we 
had to... Just
saying... ;-)
Now for one of my more depressing realizations... So at the end
Rafael is complaining about Tess making him get rid of the beard.
Monica suggests he might be allowed a goatee. Tess puts the
immediate kibosh on that as Andrew laughs. Got it? Now
think about Season 9, the later episodes. What does Andrew
have? A goatee. So despite hearing Tess' ban on goatees,
Andrew grows one. Is he staging a rebellion against Tess?
If so then is it because he thinks it's a way to get attention?
Undoubtedly. And does Tess then give him more attention?
NO!!! Andrew can't even get negative attention! It makes me
very, very sad for Andrew. This is so not a comforting episode
for those of us that get concerned for him.
Random thoughts:
Rafael says in this episode that prior to getting into Caseworking he
was with Crisis Management. I believe that's the first reference
to such a department. So we can add that to the list of potential
roles for angels!
I think this episode highlights why I have a difficult time with
Rafael. He's got a very different working style. If you
like him you might describe it as persistent. If you don't...
pushy might seem more appropriate. The guy's definitely not
subtle. And since I prefer the "still, small voice" route, it's
no surprise I don't veg well with Rafael.
I can still remember standing in my grandparents' kitchen after this
was over and seeing the promo for "My Dinner with Andrew." And
worrying... very much. Cause it was soooo misleading and made one
think Andrew might fall to be with Kate. And that just woulda
been devastating to me.
I find it comical that Tess threatens to have Andrew's hair
chopped. If memory serves, Della Reese was actually a lil
disappointed when John Dye chopped his hair.
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