"Statute of Limitations"

A review by Jenni:

What I love about this episode:
I think this is a pretty well-balanced episode as far as using all three angels.  And that's always a good thing.  The scenes of them trying to puzzle everything out together don't happen often enough for me.

I *love* that the writers had Claudia angrily cut Monica off when she starts saying "I understand how you feel."  That's something I have tried to delete from my vocabulary cause I just think it can sound so presumptuous and condescending in many cases.  Cause even if a person is having an experience we think we can relate to, they're experiencing it as themselves.  It may not be the same as it was for us.  So good catch there.

I really appreciate the overall theme of enmeshment.  Enmeshed relationships are a point of interest with me and Claudia and Morgan are a good example of how it can seem positive yet have dire consequences.  Tess puts it so well when she says "God wants every person to be a whole person: a completely unique individual, not half of somebody else."

Minor thing but I think it's cute when Tess says "Back to you, kids" after she finishes the interview in the hospital room.  Cause even though Tess is very clear on Monica and Andrew not being her children, I still sometimes get that vibe from em.

This quote from Monica should be memorized by every Catholic child who has ever been asked why they worship saints, angels, etc.: "We don't make anyone okay.  We just introduce you to the One who can."  That's much like what Catholics believe about saints and angels and angelic saints and Mary.  We don't believe they call the shots nor do we worship em, we just believe they're very close to the One who can and so can pray along with us.

Finally, I appreciate the show demonstrating at least a couple ways in which guilt can manifest itself even years later.  Here's hoping the episode helped someone face whatever guilt may be haunting them.

What I didn't love about this episode:
I think this may be our only glimpse of Andrew during the 1960s and he is completely lacking in grooviness.  Oh well.  That is what Tour of Duty is for.  Not really but we can pretend.  And we can also imagine Andrew in bell bottoms and a flowy shirt with embroidered flowers. 

I like that we got to hear from the mother who had a heart attack.  I forget her name, unfortunately.  However, I wish something would have been said about whether she would now have contact with the child she adopted out.  That's great that she feels more at peace but what of that young woman who has now seen her birth mother's happiness while she still feels abandoned?

Lingering questions:
I guess just what happened to the daughter?

Parts that made me feel swoony:
I love the absolutely *thrilled* look on Andrew's face at the start.  Yes, I'm being sarcastic.  But that "Why me?!" face is super cute.

Also cute?  Andrew pondering what Monica would look like with a safety pin through her lower lip.  Sure, outta context it makes him sound like a serial killer but in context: pretty adorable.

It's sweet that Andrew planned to walk Morgan to her car.  I love chivalry.  And Andrew being chivalrous?  That's just dangerous.  In a good way.

I think Andrew's various outfits are super cute in this.  I love his more casual ensembles.  So to the crew jacket, casual jacket over button-up with jeans, flannel shirt, and what appears to be either a beige hoodie or zip-up sweatshirt: I salute you.

Andrew's sarcastic reaction to the joy of watching someone else's home movies: priceless.  As someone who has been made to watch others' home movies: right there with you, lovely one.  Luckily for Andrew, in Dyeland mode he gets his own home movies so maybe he can get some payback.

This episode is another perfect example of why I love the concept of angels of death.  When Andrew helps Claudia and Morgan to remember it's very meaningful.  Because that means Andrew was there with them and he held their experience in his heart for years.  That's... wow.  So while I love the idea of AODs as special angels who lead us Home, I also love their position as witnesses and memory keepers.  In a way, it's like all of Andrew's assignments have immortality not only in Heaven but also in his heart.  He carries them with him and you never know when the memory of them might help bring peace to someone else.  Or, dare I hope, to him.

He looks so wonderfully beatific when he and Monica appear to Claudia.  Love him.

Random thoughts:
Ah, the good old days when $46 for a prom dress was splurging in a big way!

Morgan saying "I hope it's Mel Gibson" when the surprise guest is brought up just doesn't quite have the same ring to it anymore... 

This episode always makes me wish TBAA had done an episode about anorexia or bulimia.  Cause then maybe I wouldn't feel like I had to somehow tackle it with JABB.  Eventually.

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