First off, let me start off by saying I'm appalled at the stupidity in some of the comments regarding this episode. For the folks that are degrading David for "allowing a body to be thrown and left in the street"- UM HELLO??? He was being KIDNAPPED at GUNPOINT!!! Have YOU ever had a GUN pointed at your head?? You're not going to care about anything except YOUR own life. And people in circumstances like these react differently. I have gone through traumatic experiences. Trust me, you often freeze up. There is no logic. You're in survival mode- and also in a "WTF" mode. I really can't stand the fact that some commenters actually are claiming David's character was in the wrong. Blame the victim? I think not.
The power of this episode is the fact that a good 1/3 of it revolves around a continuous setting, vs quick jumps from scene to scene. After Keith goes away on business, David is left doubting his relationship and see's an attractive hitchhiker. He picks him up for 2 reasons I suspect. One- he's cute, and David was already "getting guys on the side" so to speak. And Two, this exhibits his overall kind nature to strangers. He has compassion. He believes this guy is in trouble. It may also show a hint of nativity on his part, but remember this is LA. Lots of crazies. And this was the first time the series dealt with a main character being put in a traumatizing situation with a complete stranger.
Remember, the series focuses on death. Both on how the main characters deal with it on a daily basis in their funeral home, and also how the people coming to them deal with it. Every episode opens with a way someone can die. And in David's case, this was terrifying because it basically hinders on the possibility that someone innocent can be taken for granted, by heartless people in this world.
The first 20 minutes also focus on other characters. The lunch between Brenda and her mother is quite funny- I always like their chemistry. Ruth getting told she's meddling by George with his past son is also the beginnings of the troublesome marriage the two will soon share.
But it is indeed David's storyline that is the highlight. And the actor playing the hitchhiker really nails the sociopath, bully role; you don't know what he's going to do or say next. The ride the two take is truly scary. Because we don't know whether David will live through it.
Kudos to the writers for coming up with a episode that broke barriers and thought outside the box. For someone like David, who often took life for granted and was uptight and often worried about meticulous things- this was a definite life changer for him. And in future episodes, he learns what he's truly fearing in life. Was it this experience that opened him up a bit more? And realized- It's HIMSELF he fears, and it's HIMSELF he must come to terms with, in order to except his life and be content with his family, and his relationship with Keith.
Four stars. A masterpiece.
The power of this episode is the fact that a good 1/3 of it revolves around a continuous setting, vs quick jumps from scene to scene. After Keith goes away on business, David is left doubting his relationship and see's an attractive hitchhiker. He picks him up for 2 reasons I suspect. One- he's cute, and David was already "getting guys on the side" so to speak. And Two, this exhibits his overall kind nature to strangers. He has compassion. He believes this guy is in trouble. It may also show a hint of nativity on his part, but remember this is LA. Lots of crazies. And this was the first time the series dealt with a main character being put in a traumatizing situation with a complete stranger.
Remember, the series focuses on death. Both on how the main characters deal with it on a daily basis in their funeral home, and also how the people coming to them deal with it. Every episode opens with a way someone can die. And in David's case, this was terrifying because it basically hinders on the possibility that someone innocent can be taken for granted, by heartless people in this world.
The first 20 minutes also focus on other characters. The lunch between Brenda and her mother is quite funny- I always like their chemistry. Ruth getting told she's meddling by George with his past son is also the beginnings of the troublesome marriage the two will soon share.
But it is indeed David's storyline that is the highlight. And the actor playing the hitchhiker really nails the sociopath, bully role; you don't know what he's going to do or say next. The ride the two take is truly scary. Because we don't know whether David will live through it.
Kudos to the writers for coming up with a episode that broke barriers and thought outside the box. For someone like David, who often took life for granted and was uptight and often worried about meticulous things- this was a definite life changer for him. And in future episodes, he learns what he's truly fearing in life. Was it this experience that opened him up a bit more? And realized- It's HIMSELF he fears, and it's HIMSELF he must come to terms with, in order to except his life and be content with his family, and his relationship with Keith.
Four stars. A masterpiece.