Wind Beneath My Wings
The gold standard, though, in my opinion was Michael E. Knight as Tad. Tad was a supporting character for anyone with whom he came into contact, yet one could not keep one's eyes off him. It would take too long to list the number of realistic choices that Knight made during any of his scenes in today's episode, but there was one in particular that stood out as a testament to his skills.
The scene involved JR trying to talk Krystal down from an emotional ledge in order for her to support Babe's last wishes, barely holding it together himself. As JR and Krystal went back and forth, Knight switched his gaze from his adopted son to his wife as each of them spoke, each time shifting his expressions and body language ever so slightly showing different shades of concern, alarm and sadness. In that scene, though he said next to nothing, Knight was engaging in the art of acting every bit as much as Young and Eakes and he was a joy to behold.
Elsewhere, Zach and Bianca were airlifted to the hospital, Greenlee fretted with Jake about whether or to take responsibility for Kendall's operation and Ryan, Annie, Pete and Colby converged on the Chandler mansion to obstensibly search for the missing Emma. For the most part, these scenes did not carry the emotional punch of the others cited above but they were by no means bad, notable for their lack of over the top theatrics. Instead the scenes were more or less played in a very straightforward fashion with the kind of gravitas appropriate for the situation.
As a result, I thought that as good a job as he's done since joining the show, there was something about Ricky Paull Goldin's performance today that really made Jake click at long last. The ghost of Guiding Light's Gus Aitoro finally melted away completely and I finally saw Doctor Jake Martin.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: Another slow CGI day, notable for the CGI helicopter rescue, the approaching storm effect during Bianca's flashback and the tornadic wind activity at the end of today's show. On par with Monday's episode, pretty good work all around.
GENERAL PRODUCTION WORK: Today's episode was mostly confined to the hospital, but was commendable for the effective use of extras, injury effects, and camera work.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: There were a couple of cheesy moments: Babe singing "You Are My Sunshine" to Little A (Dixie's song for baby JR, in a touch many might think as a great nod to the Dixie's connection to JR & Little A but I didn't) and Babe literally smelling a flower before she died. Thank goodness these scenes were saved by Bianca's tenderness and Krystal's loving retort to Babe's maudlin declaration about the flower's beauty, "It's just a dusty old weed compared to you."
At the end of the day, this installment was the strongest of The Great Pine Valley Tornado of 2008, filled with great acting, sharp writing and a wonderful employment of restraint.
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Comments
23 July 2008
17 weeks 6 days
I've been catching up on the tornado episodes and this Babe death is no fun! They have taken all the glee out of watching her die! Who the hell does Pratt think he is?! Making me feel sympathy for Babe! Her crying asking for JR to save their son made me sad and I have refused for the past 4 years to feel sorry for that heifer! I'm very distressed!
________________________
//**SIZ FOR LIFE**\\
12 February 2008
17 hours 58 min
I do feel for Babe....
Where's Dixie???
***///The Hunt 4 Dixie Martin Is On!\\\***
12 July 2008
3 years 40 weeks
Well, I've been rivted by the JR/Babe story- really not concentrating on the special affects- the performances are what have my attention. Jacob and Amanda have been at the their best, imo, BE and MEK also. Every scene they had got to me, including the one with Opal.
in other areas, Debbie Morgan's reaction as Angie to Jesse's news- amazing.
28 March 2008
8 weeks 6 days
He really is trying to make you care about Babe dying. And it's just mean that he uses Dixie and Jenny shout outs to help do it! How am I supposed to enjoy this death when he keeps bringing up beloved characters that died and then make me look at Tad, Opal and JR's faces and start balling my eyes out! That just makes JR losing Babe even worse! Underscoring how much JR has lost in his life, while he watches Babe die is just no fun at all, but sure is some damn good writing and acting.
23 July 2008
17 weeks 6 days
But I will say that they are laying it on pretty thick with the Babe is love and she was my greatest teacher mess.
Also, I felt sorry for Annie. She seemed all alone at the Comeback. Angie was tending to the hurt, Jesse was doing his cop thing, while, also, comforting his daughter and JR and Krystal were at Babe's side. And, there's Annie, sitting on the sidelines w/ Kathy worried about her own daughter. I really hope she didn't plan Emma's kidnapping. Seeing her w/ Kathy really makes me want her to be Ray Gardner's daughter even more. She needs some roots and a familial connection to someone in the town.
________________________
//**SIZ FOR LIFE**\\
19 January 2008
23 weeks 4 hours
The scenes with Babe, JR, Crystal, Tad, Jessie and Angie was all Emmy worthy. For the first time I felt sorry for Babe. Sniff, Sniff! Dahm you Pratt! Dahm you!!
*** "YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE TO LIVE"!!***
18 December 2007
48 weeks 6 days
DarylE
That was BABE not Bianca who sang You Are My Sunshine to her son, Little A ...
9 September 2008
8 hours 58 min
DarylE,
Thanks for the correction. Duly noted and changed to reflect it.
24 January 2008
33 weeks 2 days
i have to say that i haven't watched amc in months, maybe a year. i've never seen the new Babe (i liked her well enough on GH:NS). but u did catch the last few minutes yesterday and the Babe/JR scenes had me in tears. i always say that if actors can pull you in like that then they are keepers. i hope the actress is soon employed again, because obviously she can act, even if it's not as Babe. i agree that the performances were spot on.
25 November 2007
4 years 18 weeks
Michael Knight was my favorite part of that episode
I hate Krystal but I do have to admit with you that Bobbie did a great job....but most of all I agree with the person a couple of posts up....Dixie needs to come back