Story – Chris simply introduces the episode by stating that it is the conclusion to A Member of the Family. Jana is explaining to Whit that Monty said he wants to stay with Whit because he loves him more than Jana. He explained that he had spanked Monty, and Jana doesn’t like it. He says that whatever she’s been doing hasn’t been working. He then apologizes that he should have phrased it better when he gets a bad reaction from Jana.
Tom says that he’s going to miss Monty. He asks if there has always been trouble between Whit and Jana. He asks why he’s so unreasonable. Whit gets a little angry at Tom when he probes. Whit apologizes, Tom says he shouldn’t have kept asking, but Whit says that it’s fine. He keeps on talking.
“When it comes to dealing with my daughter, I’m fresh out of ideas!”
Whit
In the next scene, Jana is talking about all the things that he’s criticized of her. After their argument, Jana calls for Monty. He doesn’t respond, so she looks upstairs. She finds that he isn’t there.
After a commercial break, Jana and Whit are reporting a missing child. The sheriff, Fred is his name, says that he caught Monty breaking into Whit’s house through a window.
“One week with you and he turns into the neighborhood vandal!”
Jana Whittaker-Dowd
Monty appears for the first time in this episode. Jana is talking to him about the broken window. Monty asks about Whit and Jana’s fight. Whit comes in and and says that Jana loves him more than anyone in the world. Whit says that he hasn’t finished the conversation with Monty yet.
Whit asks if he can tell Jana a story. He says he wants to tell it before they get into a fight again. He explains about how after Jerry died, 14-year-old Jana got involved in anti-war protests and her mother buried herself in volunteer work. Jason was able to cope better than the others because he was younger. Ever since then him and Jana have gotten more distant. They then both agree that they want to get to know each other better. Jana wants him to give her a “real” hug. Monty comes and joins the hug. Jana gives him his punishment for breaking the window.
Jana says that maybe Monty and his sister can come to Odyssey for a vacation soon. Whit says that they happen to be standing in the best guesthouse in town, but it’s pretty exclusive: you have to know someone to get into it. Monty says,
Monty: “I know you, Grandpa. Does that count?”
Whit: “Yeah, that counts! *chuckles*”
The episode fades out on Whit’s chuckles, and Chris does the wrap-up.
Humour – This episode wasn’t especially funny, and I wouldn’t blame it for that. It wasn’t trying to be funny.
Moral – The moral remains the same as that of the previous episode, which I liked.
Acting – Hal Smith as Whit getting angry at Jana was great!
Continuity – Jana and Whit’s relationship does get better, though slowly, as seen in The Mortal Coil, Part 2 (Jana is worried about Whit, even though she is mad at him at the same time) and Between the Lines, Parts 1 and 2 (They don’t have as blown-out of an argument as in this episode). I would like to see more development for Jana, and more between her and Whit. Having a character that can show the other side of Whit is a good choice, but I think that she hasn’t quite lived up to her potential.
Characters – The characters are the same as Part 1, though this time the episode is centered around Whit and Jana with the side characters being Monty and Tom. Last time Tom was the only side character.
Believability – Monty stealing money from Whit after Whit had taken away his (in this episode we find out it was from his own savings account) money is a lot more believable than Monty breaking a window. I’m not sure if it was Whit’s house, or Whit’s End. I think it might actually be Whit’s End, as that’s what they said at the end, though when Sheriff Fred called it Whit’s place I thought he was referring to his house.
Sound design – Nothing popped out at me for sound design this episode. It was just there.
Music – The sad music intro was good. I always like it when they use different music for the intros, though they can’t overdo it.
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