It seems that many aspects of this episode are connected to the characters' pasts; Ned is reunited with his half brothers and learns that they too were abandoned by their mutual father and Dwight Dixon; the former friend of Ned's father is asking Chuck's aunts questions about a pocket watch which ended up buried with Chuck... or it would have been if she was actually dead! Ned's brothers invite the gang to watch a magic show being put on by their mentor 'The Great Herrmann'; Emerson isn't impressed even when the magician approaches him to solve a case... the 'murder' of his animal stage assistants! It isn't long before they have a peal murder on their hands though; 'The Great Herrmann' gets encased in a trunk full of concrete when a trick goes wrong.
This was a decent episode which advanced the overall plot of the series in a way that makes it more likely that people will discover that Charlotte is still alive. The story wasn't as jolly as most as Ned had to confront is abandonment issues along with his half-brothers. The mystery was as bizarre as one would expect from this series and had a satisfying resolution. The acting was solid as always; I particularly liked Swoosie Kurtz's performance as Lily Charles; Chuck's acid-tongued aunt/mother. After the episode's conclusion I really want to know the significance of the watches and what Dwight Dixon will do now he knows Chuck's grave is empty.
This was a decent episode which advanced the overall plot of the series in a way that makes it more likely that people will discover that Charlotte is still alive. The story wasn't as jolly as most as Ned had to confront is abandonment issues along with his half-brothers. The mystery was as bizarre as one would expect from this series and had a satisfying resolution. The acting was solid as always; I particularly liked Swoosie Kurtz's performance as Lily Charles; Chuck's acid-tongued aunt/mother. After the episode's conclusion I really want to know the significance of the watches and what Dwight Dixon will do now he knows Chuck's grave is empty.