It's Been A While, SCAN Updates, Katrina and Nip/Tuck: Season 2, Episode 8, Agatha Ripp
Well, it's been almost a month since I've written a review. Unfortunately I haven't had as much time to devote to reviews lately. My part time job and full time student life is incredibly busy, in addition to now being the PR Director of SCAN.
For those of you lucky to live on Campus, Damn That Television!'s second season should start around early October. We're busy getting a new digital switcher online, which will allow much more time for programming and less time for black screen or MUB Cam. Updates will come up in a few weeks once we have a more concrete schedule. I will probably be on 8:30 on Wednesdays after ASSS-TV.
As all Americans are, my thoughts go out to the people in the Gulf Coast reeling from the devastating attack. Hopefully this nightmare will end soon and those who need help and food get them promptly. I encourage everyone to give as much as they can, be it money, items, food or time. Probably the most reliable source for people who need more information would be The Red Cross. Regardless of politics, these people need help now.
On a lighter note, I have a new review for Nip/Tuck. It may not be likely that I will have reviews for the 2nd season done by the time S3 airs, but I'll try to squeeze in a few more.
Agatha Ripp
Original Airdate: August 10, 2004
Writer: Ryan Murphy
Director: Michael M. Robin
While it is an interesting exercise to have an episode revolve more around the patient’s story, it didn’t fit at this point. This episode is a critical point in the season and the series. All the major characters, except for Matt, who is inexplicably absent from an episode, are changed and. This story should’ve received more coverage in the episode. However, Agatha’s story of faith, lies and manipulation nails (no pun intended) what the main characters go through, as they find themselves losing the things they believed in.
We meet Agatha, and learn about her troubled history: prostitution, drug abuse, arrests and multiple abortions among them. Now she has turned to religion, but it’s not as honorable as it sounds. She inflicted stigmata wounds on her wrists so a local church would allow her to stay there. One major problem is that she is being paraded as a genuine source of their faith. She begs them to remove them and tell the church that has taken her in that she is a fraud. Although they are offering her a place to live, she can’t take the pressure of being idolized by the parishioners, knowing that she isn’t for real.
Agatha’s situation ties into what Julia and Christian have been feeling for the last few episodes. Julia is succumbing to the pressure to keep Matt’s parentage a secret. But it has spilled out to Christian and Matt, so it’s inevitable for Sean to learn the truth soon. However, their lies have made their lives good. Agatha isn’t safe outside the church, and Julia’s entire life has been built on the lie that Sean is Matt’s father.
It’s more about Agatha, since we’ve seen the pressure growing among Julia and Christian in the last few episodes. Because of Agatha’s visit, parishioners have rallied in front of McNamara/Troy in hopes of having her help them. One couple asks Christian to let them see her so she can heal their son, who was born with a tail. Though they do help the couple, Sean goes to the church to appeal to the father.
Sean requests that the father admit to his flock that Agatha is a fraud. Sean believes they may have excessive amounts of clients requesting pro bono work on afflictions they believe to be miraculous in origin. Unfortunately, the man of science and the man of faith can’t agree. The Father believes that Agatha has genuine stigmata because she wouldn’t have known the proper way to inflict them. Sean doesn’t believe any of it, dismissing it because it lacks scientific explanation. Sean hubris will provide his downfall when he discovers later in the episode the truth about everything he believed.
Julia, like Agatha, lied to give herself a better life. However, her guilt is becoming too much for her. This guilt has manifested in painful shingles in her side. When Sean checks her out, he thinks that it is from the betrayal from Ava. Although it is wrong, Ava’s betrayal does add another aspect to the theme of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” theme several of these characters have. Christian, Ava and the clergy all came in with a benevolent façade, but each had a dark side that ended up warping the lives of those who bought into it.
Another major aspect of this episode is the lack of faith and disillusionment of the main characters. Sean’s is the most profound, but Liz’s gets the most attention this week. Pregnant and over forty, she is worried about the health of her child. As the mother’s age increases, so do the chances that the child will have a birth defect. It doesn’t make it any easier when Sean and Christian operate on the child with a tail. Later she learns that her child may have Down Syndrome and the doctors are unable to give any definite answer as to those chances. Because of her fears, she has another anesthesiologist take her place during the surgery.
As they prepare, Sean discusses the “sheep’s clothing” quote Agatha said during her consultation. They did hammer in the point of Sean being unaware of Christian’s deception and Christian’s guilt a little too hard. We get that Sean can’t see the truth in his face and Christian feels horribly against it. However, it does set up for the great musical queue, “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones, during the surgery scene when Liz alerts them that Agatha has been punctured again. Of course, this choice leads us to think a certain way about the “devils”.
The doctors inform the Sister, who takes on a position more reflective of Sean’s than the Father’s. In a shocking moment, she ponders an atheist stance. Seeing this episode again, this act is merely appealing to the doctor’s view of scientific explanation. Before she leaves, she plants the notion that they test the blood to see if it is Agatha’s. Since the Sister planted blood on Agatha, this would appear to prove that the stigmata are genuine.
As Liz collects a blood sample, she tells Agatha about her worries. In her desperate need, she turned to a fraud for something to believe in, which is a bad sign for what will happen next. Liz is more likely to believe someone like Agatha, especially when Agatha reassures her. Agatha’s confidence proves to be very effective, especially when she declares the baby is a boy.
To the frustration of the doctors, the blood from Agatha’s wounds is found not to be hers, so the church allows her to stay with them longer. Despite this discovery, Sean refuses to give them the results as evidence that it is genuine. The Father reminds him that science isn’t everything, and that beliefs are important too, further setting up the revelation later.
Liz decides to have the abortion after recently having her faith restored. Murphy here didn’t do a good enough job establishing Liz’s realization that her faith was placed in a false prophet. Of course, it has a lot to do with the central theme, but with that, Liz’s disillusionment needed to be further explored for this to be effective.
Julia’s scabs have healed over, but after her ordeal, she feels that it is time for her to be honest to Sean. It probably was an even worse decision to tell him this after the day he had. Many wondered why Julia even needed to know, much less let others who didn’t have a clue know either. However, this needed to happen to culminate all the actions of the first half of the season. It’s unfortunate that so much of this episode dealt with Agatha considering how potent the scene where Sean finds out the truth is. It’s terrifically acted, but the emphasis on Agatha detracted from the importance of this episode.
At the office, Christian asks about the baby, and is devastated to learn what Liz did without his knowledge. Only a few weeks earlier did he lose his son Wilbur to the biological father. Despite the reassurance she got from Agatha, she still doubted Christian’s commitment to the child if it came out with a birth defect. He isn’t given a moment to take it in before Sean enters, punchin him several times in the face. After losing another child, his betrayal has been found out by his best friend, who “loved him the most”.
Now without anything to believe in, he finds himself at the church where Agatha is staying. She sees him, and she admits to being a fraud. She did it because the church was in danger of closing and as we know, she desperately needed a place to live. Like Liz earlier, Sean turns to her for some kind of hope, only to be told that there is nothing to believe in. Now everyone is demoralized enough to allow the story to get even more interesting.
Despite the pivotal moment of Sean learning that he isn’t Matt’s father, it is bogged down in Agatha’s storyline. While it helped to have the patient tie in to this week’s themes of faith, lies and belief, the shifted focus hurt the impact. And where the hell is Matt in the middle of this? Considering he’s the offspring involved in this conflict, it’s not as if he’d have nothing to do. Still, it’s a bit of a let down for what should’ve been a major moment. At least the remainder of the season makes up for it.
Score: 7/10
For those of you lucky to live on Campus, Damn That Television!'s second season should start around early October. We're busy getting a new digital switcher online, which will allow much more time for programming and less time for black screen or MUB Cam. Updates will come up in a few weeks once we have a more concrete schedule. I will probably be on 8:30 on Wednesdays after ASSS-TV.
As all Americans are, my thoughts go out to the people in the Gulf Coast reeling from the devastating attack. Hopefully this nightmare will end soon and those who need help and food get them promptly. I encourage everyone to give as much as they can, be it money, items, food or time. Probably the most reliable source for people who need more information would be The Red Cross. Regardless of politics, these people need help now.
On a lighter note, I have a new review for Nip/Tuck. It may not be likely that I will have reviews for the 2nd season done by the time S3 airs, but I'll try to squeeze in a few more.
Agatha Ripp
Original Airdate: August 10, 2004
Writer: Ryan Murphy
Director: Michael M. Robin
While it is an interesting exercise to have an episode revolve more around the patient’s story, it didn’t fit at this point. This episode is a critical point in the season and the series. All the major characters, except for Matt, who is inexplicably absent from an episode, are changed and. This story should’ve received more coverage in the episode. However, Agatha’s story of faith, lies and manipulation nails (no pun intended) what the main characters go through, as they find themselves losing the things they believed in.
We meet Agatha, and learn about her troubled history: prostitution, drug abuse, arrests and multiple abortions among them. Now she has turned to religion, but it’s not as honorable as it sounds. She inflicted stigmata wounds on her wrists so a local church would allow her to stay there. One major problem is that she is being paraded as a genuine source of their faith. She begs them to remove them and tell the church that has taken her in that she is a fraud. Although they are offering her a place to live, she can’t take the pressure of being idolized by the parishioners, knowing that she isn’t for real.
Agatha’s situation ties into what Julia and Christian have been feeling for the last few episodes. Julia is succumbing to the pressure to keep Matt’s parentage a secret. But it has spilled out to Christian and Matt, so it’s inevitable for Sean to learn the truth soon. However, their lies have made their lives good. Agatha isn’t safe outside the church, and Julia’s entire life has been built on the lie that Sean is Matt’s father.
It’s more about Agatha, since we’ve seen the pressure growing among Julia and Christian in the last few episodes. Because of Agatha’s visit, parishioners have rallied in front of McNamara/Troy in hopes of having her help them. One couple asks Christian to let them see her so she can heal their son, who was born with a tail. Though they do help the couple, Sean goes to the church to appeal to the father.
Sean requests that the father admit to his flock that Agatha is a fraud. Sean believes they may have excessive amounts of clients requesting pro bono work on afflictions they believe to be miraculous in origin. Unfortunately, the man of science and the man of faith can’t agree. The Father believes that Agatha has genuine stigmata because she wouldn’t have known the proper way to inflict them. Sean doesn’t believe any of it, dismissing it because it lacks scientific explanation. Sean hubris will provide his downfall when he discovers later in the episode the truth about everything he believed.
Julia, like Agatha, lied to give herself a better life. However, her guilt is becoming too much for her. This guilt has manifested in painful shingles in her side. When Sean checks her out, he thinks that it is from the betrayal from Ava. Although it is wrong, Ava’s betrayal does add another aspect to the theme of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” theme several of these characters have. Christian, Ava and the clergy all came in with a benevolent façade, but each had a dark side that ended up warping the lives of those who bought into it.
Another major aspect of this episode is the lack of faith and disillusionment of the main characters. Sean’s is the most profound, but Liz’s gets the most attention this week. Pregnant and over forty, she is worried about the health of her child. As the mother’s age increases, so do the chances that the child will have a birth defect. It doesn’t make it any easier when Sean and Christian operate on the child with a tail. Later she learns that her child may have Down Syndrome and the doctors are unable to give any definite answer as to those chances. Because of her fears, she has another anesthesiologist take her place during the surgery.
As they prepare, Sean discusses the “sheep’s clothing” quote Agatha said during her consultation. They did hammer in the point of Sean being unaware of Christian’s deception and Christian’s guilt a little too hard. We get that Sean can’t see the truth in his face and Christian feels horribly against it. However, it does set up for the great musical queue, “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones, during the surgery scene when Liz alerts them that Agatha has been punctured again. Of course, this choice leads us to think a certain way about the “devils”.
The doctors inform the Sister, who takes on a position more reflective of Sean’s than the Father’s. In a shocking moment, she ponders an atheist stance. Seeing this episode again, this act is merely appealing to the doctor’s view of scientific explanation. Before she leaves, she plants the notion that they test the blood to see if it is Agatha’s. Since the Sister planted blood on Agatha, this would appear to prove that the stigmata are genuine.
As Liz collects a blood sample, she tells Agatha about her worries. In her desperate need, she turned to a fraud for something to believe in, which is a bad sign for what will happen next. Liz is more likely to believe someone like Agatha, especially when Agatha reassures her. Agatha’s confidence proves to be very effective, especially when she declares the baby is a boy.
To the frustration of the doctors, the blood from Agatha’s wounds is found not to be hers, so the church allows her to stay with them longer. Despite this discovery, Sean refuses to give them the results as evidence that it is genuine. The Father reminds him that science isn’t everything, and that beliefs are important too, further setting up the revelation later.
Liz decides to have the abortion after recently having her faith restored. Murphy here didn’t do a good enough job establishing Liz’s realization that her faith was placed in a false prophet. Of course, it has a lot to do with the central theme, but with that, Liz’s disillusionment needed to be further explored for this to be effective.
Julia’s scabs have healed over, but after her ordeal, she feels that it is time for her to be honest to Sean. It probably was an even worse decision to tell him this after the day he had. Many wondered why Julia even needed to know, much less let others who didn’t have a clue know either. However, this needed to happen to culminate all the actions of the first half of the season. It’s unfortunate that so much of this episode dealt with Agatha considering how potent the scene where Sean finds out the truth is. It’s terrifically acted, but the emphasis on Agatha detracted from the importance of this episode.
At the office, Christian asks about the baby, and is devastated to learn what Liz did without his knowledge. Only a few weeks earlier did he lose his son Wilbur to the biological father. Despite the reassurance she got from Agatha, she still doubted Christian’s commitment to the child if it came out with a birth defect. He isn’t given a moment to take it in before Sean enters, punchin him several times in the face. After losing another child, his betrayal has been found out by his best friend, who “loved him the most”.
Now without anything to believe in, he finds himself at the church where Agatha is staying. She sees him, and she admits to being a fraud. She did it because the church was in danger of closing and as we know, she desperately needed a place to live. Like Liz earlier, Sean turns to her for some kind of hope, only to be told that there is nothing to believe in. Now everyone is demoralized enough to allow the story to get even more interesting.
Despite the pivotal moment of Sean learning that he isn’t Matt’s father, it is bogged down in Agatha’s storyline. While it helped to have the patient tie in to this week’s themes of faith, lies and belief, the shifted focus hurt the impact. And where the hell is Matt in the middle of this? Considering he’s the offspring involved in this conflict, it’s not as if he’d have nothing to do. Still, it’s a bit of a let down for what should’ve been a major moment. At least the remainder of the season makes up for it.
Score: 7/10
posted by Matt @ 3:13 AM
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