October 17, 2006: Burt Landau
It's been a while since we've gotten an episode with a happy ending. Of course, the heartwarming end came after an hour sprinkled with evil, so it was quite worth it. Let me first say that I was surprised when Christian admitted to Kimber that he was just using her for sex. The "using Kimber for sex" part was not what threw me - it was that he was so cruel about it. All this time Christian's been wooing and romancing Michelle, I've been thinking that
Kimber is who he's truly in love with deep down inside and that he'd someday get back with her. Yes, he was drunk and upset with Michelle and that's what brought him to Kimber's place, but still. Maybe I'm just too naive? I felt bad for Kimber since she seemed so happy after they had sex, but then she pulled a Christian on Matt and used
Matt for sex. Oh, Kimber. I don't think Matt's going to be happy when he realizes Kimber used him to get back at Christian. What will the Scientologists say? What would Jesus do? Kidding.
Sean showed his true colors to Liz by first lying about not being a donor match and then taking it back when he realized Liz was one of the few people on a list he made that he would give a kidney to. What helped was that he didn't want his son Matt to give up
his kidney. But then, lo and behold, Dawn Budge came to the rescue. Speaking of Dawn, I was ecstatic when so many of you agreed with me that
Rosie O'Donnell kicked ass in her role a few weeks ago. Several of you were pleasantly pleased after having apprehensions, but others (like me) just knew she'd be perfect. I was so happy to see Rosie back (I've been a Rosie admirer since way back to 1988 when she was a VH1 veejay) and now that Dawn's given Liz one of her kidneys, hopefully she'll be back for more visits.
Some great Rosie-as-Dawn moments:
- After Sean said they could use skin from other parts of her body to patch up her "ear-jacked" ear and then Christian said she certainly had enough extra skin, Dawn said (with a "Gonna have to kill ya" facial expression): "Zip it, pretty boy."
- Dawn, asking why Christian didn't come with Sean to see the mouse with the human ear attached to its back: "The man is terrified of our sexual chemistry. No need to lie."
- After Sean told Dawn that Vincent was the mouse's name and then explained who Vincent Van Gogh was: "Thanks, Sister Wendy," and she told him one of Van Gogh's paintings was now hanging on her bathroom wall: "Every time I take a dump now, I feel artistic."
- When she asked to pick up Vincent: "I want to hold him. I want to bond with my ear" and then whispered into the ear: "Thanks, Vinnie." The lab technician, wonderfully played by Tony winner
Stephen Spinella: "He can't hear you through that." Dawn: "Oh." Stephen just played the hateful Miles on
24, so this shows you how versatile an actor he is.
The scene that I predict should get Rosie an Emmy nomination was the scene where Rosie and Liz bonded while in their hospital beds. Awesome work. While we're talking acting noms, let's throw in one for
Roma Maffia for best supporting actress. She had one of the best lines in the whole episode when Liz said to Dawn: "Too bad they can't grow a
kidney on the back of a mouse, huh?" Nice writing,
Brad Falchuk.
Larry Hagman showed us exactly why he is a TV legend after Burt Landau had his stroke. I really thought it was Michelle who gave him the life-threatening Viagra, but it was Burt who took it himself since he was desperate and feeling risky. Since Burt will be at home recovering from his reconstructive surgery and Michelle says she'll need to take a leave of absence from McNamara/Troy to be with him, I wonder how soon Michelle will be back.
This episode was effectively directed by
Charles Haid, who played Officer Andy Renko on
Hill Street Blues. And while I'm mentioning former NBC shows, for those of you who watched the series finale of
Will & Grace back in May, you probably recognized
Maria Thayer as the woman interviewing Christian and Sean to see if they were suitable organ donors. Maria played Grace and Leo's college-age daughter Laila when they flashed forward to the future. Maria was also Tammi Littlenut on the late, great
Strangers with Candy, as well as in the
film version.
The producers continued to show their
Rolling Stones love by appropriately playing "Under My Thumb" when Christian appeared at Kimber's doorstep drunk. But the best usage of a song tonight wasn't a Stones song.
Don McLean's "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)" was played while Dawn was getting the new ear off Vincent the mouse's back. As poor Vincent was losing his life, we heard the following lyrics: "You took your life as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." Brilliant.
