zwolanerd

The last episode was Jaye-centric, but this one really shines a spotlight on Eric, and where he is emotionally since the infidelity of his wife and abandonment of his former life. The parallel that is drawn between Katrina and Eric is not so subtle, although Father Scofield brings some interesting points to light during their “forced” encounter. (I loved how the men’s room served as an inpromptu confessional. When Father Scofield mentions it, it all clicked into place and I loved that little joke from the writers.) The difference between Katrina and Eric, of course, is that there was an actual event that shook trust for Eric, not only suspicion. It would be hard for Eric to go back to his old life with the knowledge he has of who his wife really is. But addressing that the decision isn’t so black and white was a very realistic portrayal. It’s easy for someone on the outside to say that he should just forget her and move on, but he needs to deal with his guilt at doing so. Up until now, Heidi was a big part of his life, and in order to move on, he needs to be able to let go of all of it.

Sparks begin to fly.

I told you that faith and God would come back into the picture at some point, and here it is. The show doesn’t take a stance one way or the other whether God exists. The Tylers are (mostly) practicing Presbyterians. I can empathize with Katrina’s pain over her disbelief, over her sadness over not being able to believe in something. Jaye admits that she “believes in” the muses, that while they haven’t explained to her where they come from, she’s more or less convinced that she is doing good when she follows their suggestions. Aaron’s point of view is a little harder to comprehend in his few scenes. He becomes animated when discussing religion, so it is obviously of great interest to him, especially since he has pursued multiple degrees on the topic. I suppose someone could be offended by the portrayal of religion in this episode, but I don’t offend easily and I felt that both Sister Katrina and Father Scofield were fairly representative of how people of faith could react in this situation.

We see just about all of the muses in this episode, although most of the lines are courtesy of the Wound Up Penguin. The Wax Lion, the Karma Chameleon, and the Brass Monkey are among those singing to Jaye in the opening sequence. The Barrel Bear also lives on Jaye’s table. The Wax Lion is the one who asks her to break the taillight. I know it’s just convenience as a plot device, but I thought it was strange that she would bring the lion around in her car. Just in case he has some brilliant insight for her? I suppose she’s accepted that the muses are a part of her life now, but her willingness to cart them around has always bothered me a little.

TRIVIA & REFERENCES

• “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” is a popular North American folk song.
• Jaye says that she won’t “drink the Kool-Aid” which is a reference to the Jonestown Massacre, where just under 1000 people died by cyanide poisoning. The victims actually drank a combination of Flavor-Aid and Kool-Aid, although both were equally lethal.
• As he’s locking up the bar and Jaye runs up, Eric says “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here!” As far as I can tell, the first usage of this line, in this context, is from the song “Closing Time” by Semisonic.
• The phrase “quiet as a mouse” is referenced, but unfortunately I could not find any information about how it originated.
• The train station used was Union Station in Toronto, and did not have any wooden benches. They brought one in for the scene because the station only had mesh chairs.
• The janitor remarks that if “Johnny Cash had been born an Irish man, his music would have been more lilting.” Johnny Cash was a country performer who died in 2003, and nicknamed “The Man in Black” for his attire choice.
• Jaye turns “Agnes of God” into a verb to express that she is concerned that Sister Katrina was molested. It is the title of a play (and film) where a novice nun is molested and impregnated.
• Karen reprimands Aaron for eating food directly out of a food storage contrainer, saying that Tupperware isn’t an eating vessel. I’m not an expert, but that does not look like Tupperware brand, so it appears to be a case of trademark erosion or genericism.
• Right before Jaye tells Katrina about the muses, she asks for the Cone of Silence. This is a reference to the 1960s TV show Get Smart.
• Sister Katrina snarks that her “other” leg plays Ave Maria when pulled, when she thinks that Jaye is trying to trick her. Ave Maria is a Latin text set to music by Gounod, who repurposed Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C major, in 1853.
• This episode was the last filmed, so consequently we never see the Wound Up Penguin again.