Classics: Early Edition 1:7 - After Midnight

Plot Synopsis:

On a very rainy and cold Chicago morning, Gary reads in the paper that an unknown woman will abandon her baby on the steps of St. Mary's after midnight that night. Marissa is adamant that Gary look for the woman in question, and Gary, reluctantly, puts on his coat and goes. For a while, he does an excellent job making a fool of himself by questioning every woman with a baby he meets on the street - but then he sits down at the bus stop to get out of the rain and, by chance, meets the most likely suspect. The teenager's name is Samantha, and her ten week old baby is named Jordan. Samantha claims that her husband will be by soon to pick her up, and Gary, after telling Samantha that she can stop by his place at any time, lets her go when a car pulls up and honks for her. Later, however, Gary sees Samantha getting back out of that car, but before he can confront her, she gets on the bus and is gone.

As it turns out, Samantha has fallen in with a rough crowd in her attempt to try to make ends meet; indeed, she has become a delivery girl for a local drug dealing ring and is supposed to make yet another run. This time, however, she can't bring herself to do it. Instead, she dumps the cocaine down her sink and shows up at Gary's. Gary and Marissa take her in, offer her Chinese food, and try to assure her that everything will work out. Then Gary manages to get a hold of Samantha's wallet and discovers the name of her father's company. He leaves Samantha with Marissa and goes to speak to Mr. Butler. Gary tells Mr. Butler that his daughter might be in trouble and urges him to welcome her back home, but Mr. Butler is not receptive, as he feels betrayed by Samantha's choice to run away with her (much older) boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Samantha realizes that Gary has been through her wallet, and she sneaks out of Gary's apartment while Marissa is in the kitchenette. Returning to her small apartment, she is confronted by Paul, the drug runner. Paul is upset that she didn't complete the last run and threatens, subtly, to take her baby. Paul gives her more drugs to deliver and tells her he will "babysit" Jordan while she's away. Scared, Samantha does what she's told. When she returns, however, Paul is gone, and Jordan is being cared for by a neighbor, who rages at Samantha for leaving her baby alone.

Concurrently, a depressed Gary ruminates over what to do next. Chuck believes they should just wait at the church for Samantha to show up, but Marissa insists that they find her before she decides to abandon her baby, as she believes only something truly terrible could drive Samantha to do so. Gary then remembers something and looks again at the paper, where he finds - on the opposite page - a story reporting that an unidentified woman is going to jump off a bridge after midnight. He makes the connection between the two stories and once again visits Mr. Butler, this time telling him his suspicion that Samantha is going to kill herself. Mr. Butler, angry, kicks Gary out again.

Gary decides to go to the police. He sends Marissa back to his place in case Samantha shows up there and sends Chuck to the area around the church. Chuck manages to get himself arrested for loitering, and Gary has similar bad luck with Crumb. Marissa, however, is more fortunate: at Gary's, Mr. Butler makes an appearance. Mr. Butler and Marissa meet Gary and Chuck at the church, where Jordan has already been abandoned. Gary shows Mr. Butler his grandson, and Mr. Butler softens. The four then proceed to the nearest bridge, where they find Samantha climbing over the railing. Mr. Butler talks Samantha down, telling her that both he and Jordan need her.

There is also a subplot: Chuck shares a cab ride with a caterer named Lenore and decides he'd like to pursue her. Lenore blows him off, telling him that unless he can predict the weather the following day, she's not interested. Chuck then goes to Gary to get the forecast, which Gary, after some protesting, does provide. Chuck chases Lenore down and gives her Gary's report, and Lenore agrees to one night out - provided that Gary's report is accurate. In the end, the weather does clear up the following day, and Chuck gets his desired date.

Overall: 7.8 - Another nice, morally grounded story that is weakened only by one noticeably weak performance.

Writing: 8

I really appreciate what this episode tries to do in terms of characterization. It would've been easier, in this perpetually immature media age, to write Mr. Butler as a too-harsh father and Samantha as a good-natured teen who is simply down on her luck. In fact, that's how Gary sees the situation at first. But the writers instead throw a wrench in the works: just at the moment when Gary and we are ready to lose our temper over Mr. Butler's obstinacy, we are given a very explicit reminder that Mr. Butler does care about his daughter - indeed, he cares enough to cover his office wall with pictures of Samantha. We are also told that before Samantha left with her boyfriend, she out-and-out smirked at her father, which suggests a level of disrespect that certainly explains Mr. Butler's refusal to forgive. Thus, by the end of the episode, we understand that the situation is not as clear cut as first impressions might suggest.

Acting: 7

This episode could've hit the 8 mark easily if it weren't for the performances. The regulars, of course, bring their usual strong work to the table, and Virginia Keehne does a beautiful job as Samantha. Unfortunately, John F. O'Donohue's lackluster showing saps much of the intended emotional nuance from the script. The trouble is, O'Donohue delivers all of his lines in a harsh monotone that conveys none of his character's conflict. So, while the writing clearly intends for Mr. Butler to be seen as a secretly loving father who is struggling to forgive his daughter for running away and destroying her promising future, he comes across as merely cold and unsympathetic instead.

Message: 8.5

The (excellent) message here is two-pronged. First, there is a strong implication throughout that father does indeed know best. In the episode, Samantha relates that when she became involved with her twenty-year-old boyfriend, her parents did everything they could to break them up. To Samantha, who was armed only with an adolescent's judgment, this must have seemed like an unconscionable invasion of her life - but her parents were right. As soon as she became pregnant, her boyfriend split, frightened by the specter of genuine responsibility - which just goes to show you, says the show, that you should trust in the life experience of your elders.

On the other hand, the episode continues, parents have responsibilities as well. They must guide with a firm hand, true, but they must not forget forgiveness. They should be willing to recognize when their children have matured; they should love their children, and love them unconditionally; and they should always be there to provide a safe haven when their wayward children are ready to admit their mistakes, not to shield them from the consequences, but to provide them with much needed moral support.

The Benevolent Hand:

Marissa here is particularly insistent that Gary go up stream and sort out the root causes of Samantha's fateful choice. Given that what follows is a reconciliation between father and daughter and an averted suicide, I believe it is not out of bounds to read in Marissa's stubbornness the actions of the Spirit.

Highlights:

SAMANTHA: So, how long have you known Gary?
MARISSA: Couple years.
SAMANTHA: Are you guys, uh...?
MARISSA: No, we're just friends.
SAMANTHA: He's really cute.
MARISSA: (smiling) I hadn't noticed.
(Samantha looks like she regrets what she just said.)
MARISSA: I know he's cute. He sounds cute. - (Aww.)

GARY: Mr. Butler, I think Samantha needs you.
MR. BUTLER: Hundred people on the payroll. Started with six. Sam's mother and I worked days, nights and weekends, and for what? For her.
GARY: Look, I think she wants to come home, but I don't think she will unless you make the first move. She doesn't feel welcome.
MR. BUTLER: She's not. (Ouch!)
GARY: Look, I know this is none of my business, but -
MR. BUTLER: That's right - it isn't. Do you have any idea what we've been through? She was gonna go to college. She was a beautiful, intelligent girl.
GARY: She still is!

GARY: You know what I think? Opportunity doesn't knock. It presents itself when you beat down the door. - (Darn tootin', Gary!)

CHUCK: Hi.
LENORE: (gasping) Are you out of your mind? You know, there's a law against stalking in Chicago.
CHUCK: I'm not a stalker! I'm giving you a ride! And in case you haven't noticed, it's pouring rain out, and I've been in this stinking cab for thirty minutes, and the fare is fifty bucks, which I don't have, and all because I just want to give you the damn weather report! (That all comes out in one breath.)
LENORE: Are you sure you're not a stalker?
CHUCK: Do I look like a stalker?
LENORE: I don't know what a stalker looks like.
CHUCK: Well, I'm not! (LOL!)

CHUCK: I'd like a date.
LENORE: Define date.
CHUCK: A date... is when you... rush home from work, take a quick shower, re-do your hair and makeup, put on something black that cost you and arm and a leg even though there's very little material, and I show up in an Armani suit with flowers, and I take you to my favorite restaurant... on Taylor Street.
LENORE: And?
CHUCK: And then I... walk you home, we go into your apartment, and I give you a kiss good night... (Lenore isn't sold.)... on the cheek... and then I leave. (Smart, Chuck!)

GARY: Mr. Butler -
MR. BUTLER: I told you -
GARY: She's in trouble. I think she's gonna try to kill herself.
MR. BUTLER: She'd never do something like that.
GARY: Look, she's been through a lot in the last year. She's desperate -
MR. BUTLER: She left! She's the one who should be -
GARY: No, she's your daughter! She's seventeen! She made a mistake - a big one - but not as big as the one you're making right now! Don't you care? Don't you -
(Gary stops. He realizes that Mr. Butler has pictures of his daughter prominently displayed on the wall.)
MR. BUTLER: I think you should go. (And that's why we should never make assumptions.)

GARY: I'll go to the police station. You keep walking.
CHUCK: What, all the way across Chicago?
MARISSA: No, just three or four blocks around the church, that's all.
CHUCK: Why don't I just hang around the church until she shows up?
MARISSA: No! Because something's happening - or something's gonna happen - that's gonna make her leave that baby. Now, she's in some kind of trouble, and if we can prevent that from happening -
CHUCK: Oh, I get it. In case she gets mugged by a group of knife wielding psychos, you want me to save her, is that it?
GARY & MARISSA: Yeah.
(Later, Chuck is pacing in the rain near the church.)
CHUCK: What a sap... walking all across town... Sure, Gar. What ever you want, Gar. I'm not the one that gets the paper, you know. I'm not the one that's responsible. My feet hurt... it's almost midnight... I'm cold, and I'm alone... (Awww. Poor Chuck.)

(Chuck enters Gary's room without announcement.)
GARY: Aren't you ever gonna learn how to knock?
CHUCK: Next time, lock and bolt your door. My phone is sort of out of order, so I thought I'd borrow yours. (He picks up the phone, then gives Gary a look.) Can I have a little privacy please?
GARY: Could - use the other phone!
CHUCK: Good idea.
(Chuck goes to use the phone by the bed.)
GARY: This better be a local call.
CHUCK: Sure - is Zimbabwe local? (LOL!) Do you mind?
(Rolling his eyes, Gary turns around and starts reading the paper.)
CHUCK: (on phone) Hi, this is Chuck Fishman. Is Lenore in yet? Oh, she knows me. We go way, way, way - Hello! Why yes, it is a nice, sunny morning, isn't it? Well, I'm glad, too. And my big toe is glad. And my grandmother's big toe is glad.
(Gary's look in the foreground here is hilarious.)
CHUCK: Okay - Friday night? 7:30? Well, I'll see you then! Bye!
GARY: (dryly) Congratulations. (They are so cute!)