Classics: Early Edition 1:23 - Love Is Blind

Plot Synopsis:

When Gary saves a local psychology professor twice in as many days - first from a bomb and second from a poisoning - said professor, Dr. Price, begins to suspect that it is Gary who is putting her life in danger. Running on the "fireman who sets fires so he can come and put them out" hypothesis - a common hypothesis on this show - Price calls Gary into her office and threatens to contact the police if Gary does not accept her offer of professional help. Gary, naturally, refuses to cooperate and leaves.

Meanwhile, Marissa is growing closer to fellow psych student Jeffrey Craig. Marissa cooks dinner for Jeffrey for their first study date; Jeffrey, for his part, gives Marissa wine and, later, flowers. Aside from having to endure her friends' good-natured ribbing, Marissa is happy in this new relationship. In fact, she eventually decides to make the whole thing official and heads over to Jeffrey's apartment -- where we discover that Jeffrey has been taking voyeuristic pictures of Gary, Chuck and Dr. Price for a reason as yet unknown.

Marissa, of course, doesn't see the pictures Jeffrey has taken, but thanks to the gift of fear, she does feel uncomfortable enough to leave in haste, accidentally taking a few of Jeffrey's shots with her. Later, Chuck sees the pictures and tells Marissa what they are. Marissa goes back to Jeffrey and tests him by asking him to describe what is in the photographs. Jeffrey lies and says they are pictures of sights around Chicago, but when he sees that Marissa is not buying it, he completely changes his tune, becoming suddenly threatening. Marissa flees.

In the meantime, Dr. Price gets in touch with Crumb, who urges her to trust Gary. Dr. Price reluctantly asks Gary to help her comb through her criminal psych files looking for anyone who might be nursing a grudge. Dr. Price, you see, has helped the police put a number of criminals behind bars, and she suspects that one who has recently been released may be out to get her. A search of those files, however, turns up nothing. Gary then asks to see the files of all the perpetrators who are still in jail. Dr. Price thinks this is a waste of time, but Gary discovers that Dr. Price participated in the trial and conviction of Jeffrey's brother, who, it turns out, recently died in prison. Gary checks his paper: a headline reports that Marissa will be killed in the college's auditorium. Gary rushes to the auditorium, where he finds Jeffrey threatening Marissa with a knife. Both Gary and Marissa successfully talk Jeffrey down, and Jeffrey is arrested.

There's also a side plot in which Chuck is tortured by a psych student collecting data for her thesis.

Overall: 6.5

It's too bad the first season ends on such a mediocre note.

Writing: 6.5

Some fans criticize this episode because it supposedly puts Marissa in the role of the "damsel in distress," but I actually disagree somewhat with that assessment for two reasons. First of all, early in the episode, we are treated to a nice sequence in which Marissa confidently gets dressed and cooks dinner for Jeffrey - a sequence that clearly establishes that Marissa is an adult who is quite capable of taking care of herself. Secondly, while I don't believe ducking into the auditorium is even remotely the best way to escape Jeffrey, the fact that Marissa turns off the lights to level the odds shows that despite her panic, she is thinking. So while it's true enough that Marissa is saved through Gary's intervention, I think it's wrong to assert that the writers have infantilized her here. This plot is not particularly "wow" worthy, but I can certainly think of other episodes that write Marissa far more poorly.

No - what really bothers me in this episode is Chuck's subplot. Granted, this show often jettisons realism in favor of whimsy - that's often part of its charm - but in this case, ignoring the procedures involved in real world psych research produces something that is, for the most part, distinctly unfunny. This is a time when abusing Chuck - not to mention exaggerating his less appealing qualities - doesn't work. I think it's cheap - and it doesn't give Chuck enough credit.

Acting: 8.0

I have to admit that I do laugh when Chuck screams that his arm hairs are burning in what is otherwise a painfully ridiculous scene mainly because of Fisher's delivery. I also like watching the realization dawn on Shanesia's face that Jeffrey is a psycho. Bottom line, while the script is nothing to write home about, the regulars don't fail in putting in their usual strong performances - and the guest cast isn't bad, either.

Message: 5.0

The messages in this episode are very muddled. On the one hand, it is good that the writers are pointing out the unreliability of sentiment. On the other hand, it's troubling that the writers are accidentally confirming environmental determinism by portraying Jeffrey as just as much a criminal as his late brother. I also believe the statement that Jeffrey is somehow "paying for his brother's mistakes" is very, very confusing and misplaced. It seems to me, rather, that Jeffrey is trying to make other people pay for said mistakes, and that certainly shouldn't inspire our sympathy.

The Benevolent Hand:

It is quite fortunate that Marissa picks up those pictures while in Jeffrey's apartment. Someone is definitely looking out for her.

Highlights:

(Marissa makes her way through the crowd in the hall.)
MARISSA: So, uh, what's going on?
JEFFREY: I'm not sure, really. Some... guy won't let anyone through. Says the hallway's not safe.
GARY: ... If you won't go home, would you at least go back around the corner? Come on, it's really important that we clear the hallway immediately ...
MARISSA: What's this guy look like?
JEFFREY: Hmm. Dark hair. Average build - about six feet.
MARISSA: (smiling) Face like apple pie?
JEFFREY: (laughing) Yeah, now that you mention it.
MARISSA: I know him - and if he says we should head back around the corner, we should definitely head back around the corner. (Heh.)

CHUCK: A date, huh?
MARISSA: A study date.
GARY: This guy - definitely he had more than studying on his mind. Trust me.
CHUCK: I mean, how well do you know this guy? Did you talk to him before?
MARISSA: Sometimes before class, a little after class. And we sit next to each other, so it only stands to reason that...
CHUCK: I mean, what do you know about this guy?
MARISSA: Well, he seems intelligent... and friendly ... but not in a pushy way. He's got a nice voice.
CHUCK: (deep, "sexy" voice) Nice voice.
GARY: Oh, yes, he's got a very nice voice. I've heard it myself.
CHUCK: Really? And, uh, what does he look like?
GARY: (teasing) Oh, he's a nice looking guy. A little squat, hunchback, big ears - very large ears flappin' around like Dumbo-like, you know?
(Marissa smacks Gary.)
MARISSA: Oh, stop. (LOL!)

CHUCK: Why are we here? I hated college. Deadlines, term papers, cram study sessions... stupid touch football games... dorm food, ugh... communal showers... toilets with no doors... waking up in the middle of the night, drunk, in the parking lot, naked.
GARY: I remember that. (LOL!)

CHUCK: A couple hours with Jensen yesterday, and my eyes have been opened! It finally dawned on me what all the women I've dated in the past have been lacking.
GARY: Taste! (Rim shot!)
CHUCK: Ha ha. Funny. You feel better now? You got that out of your system?
GARY: Mmm, a little bit. (Zing!)

GARY: You, uh, want some company?
MARISSA: Sure. Not a lot of laughs, though.
GARY: That's all right, I'll just... I'll just sit down here with you.
MARISSA: What's the view like?
GARY: It's, uh... it's big. A lot of lights... towers... the road sort of weaves through it like a ribbon.
MARISSA: Funny how you can feel alone among all those people.
GARY: You're not alone. (Awwww.)