Classics: Early Edition 2:15 - Mum's the Word

Overall: 5.0

I love cracky crossovers as much as the next fan, but this one is pretty off-putting for reasons that have nothing to do with the crossover itself.

Plot Synopsis:

Some details on this episode can be found here.

In brief (because our family circumstances are still on-going): two Egyptian nationals steal the emerald eyes from a mummy of Bastet and manage to touch off a plague. Marissa gets pulled into the mix because Ali Bashira, one of the Egyptian thieves, suckers her into wearing the purloined emeralds as earrings with a lot of sweet talk about running away to Egypt together (commence eye-rolling). When Bashira, his accomplice, and Marissa fall ill, they are taken to Chicago Hope, where Dr. Diane Grad is handed the task of figuring out what pathogen is killing them. In the meantime, Gary and PhD candidate Sammi Watts conclude that they must return the emeralds to Bastet's mummy to save Marissa's life.

The Skinny:

Hey, I have an idea: Chicago Hope and Early Edition are both set in Chicago in the same time period -- so why not mash them together?

Okay -- to be fair, it's not the crossover that bugs me in this episode. I actually know and like both shows, so the fact that Drs. Grad, Wilkes and Watters are featured characters in this plot doesn't bother me a bit. No -- what bugs me first and foremost about this episode is the way Marissa is written. Honestly, I don't believe Marissa is so hard up for romantic attention that she would really fall for Bashira's false charms. And even if she is that desperate, the Marissa I know is not an idiot; the Marissa I know would've caught on in a heart beat that Bashira was playing her.

Moreover, this episode violates what I consider to be a hard and fast rule where this show's myth arc is concerned, namely: don't make the source of the magic explicit. Generally speaking, the show does an excellent job keeping the Benevolent Hand behind the paper mysterious, which allows us, the viewers, to interpret that Force according to our own beliefs. Here, on the other hand, it is assumed that Egyptian mythology is wholly true, and that effectively alienates those viewers - myself included - who aren't prepared to swallow that mythology. And for those who would accuse me of being a close-minded Christian, I would only ask this: How would you feel if Jesus delivered the paper to Gary every morning? Would you like it if the show suggested that Christianity is wholly true? I didn't think so.

Writing: 4.0

Assassinating Marissa's character is a big no-no in my book.

Acting: 8.0

I will say, though, that there's really nothing wrong with the performances. They continue to hover at Early Edition normal.

Message: 3.0

Again, keep the Force behind the paper ambiguous. Emphasizing one mythology is a mistake.