The Organ Donor
Updated 2008-12-18 09:31:16
Remember that shooting and everything at Patrick's inauguration? That is, like, soooo four weeks ago. This episode starts with, instead of a "previously on" segment, a news guy telling us all about what kind of smarmy rich people the Darlings are. And how there was that shooting. And then the newsman, Pete Bradley, tells us that we're "nearly a month" after the tragedy, and that the family is talking now. And by family, he means Nick, apparently, who is telling him that Chase was angry, and was and is a very confused man. Okay, so Chase is alive.
Pete Bradley explains that Jeremy hit his head when Nick pushed him, and now is living with amnesia. Letitia says in an interview that this is terrible because Jeremy wasn't that fast of a learner the first time. Then we're with Nick again, who apparently was shot in the shoulder. He would tell Chase that his and the Darlings' thoughts are with Chase and his family. Then Pete Bradley tells us that one of Chase's bullets took a life: predictably, Carmelita's. As Pete Bradley asks Patrick and Tripp about it, Tripp is surprisingly more emotional, whereas Patrick seems more like he's phoning it in. And, hey, good press for him, right? The sympathy thing. We zoom out on Patrick and realize we're seeing this all on a TV...
Which Karen and Nick are watching in a diner. She says they rerun that thing "more than the Beverly Hillbillies "... which, I didn't know was rerun a lot, but then, Karen and I are probably on very different TV viewing schedules. Karen wants to disappear, which is why Nick chose this place: It's always empty. Karen asks what happens when Chase wakes up, and Nick says he won't, it's been five weeks. She's afraid he'll go after someone, but Nick assures her he won't wake up after this much time. Then Karen wants to talk about "us," which is supposed to make us all think she wants to be together, and Nick thinks that too, but then she suggest they be "just friends." She will even commit to not falling in love with him this time. Nick's phone rings, and it's Tripp.
Nick and Patrick are in Tripp's office before long, talking about Chase's living will, which is scheduled to take him off life support soon. Apparently his wife is making some noise about fighting his living will. She's distraught and guilty for leaving him, and can't let him go. Tripp says Carmelita's parents didn't want to let her go either. Not a great explanation of what happened, but apparently she was on life support for awhile, too? Tripp thinks Chase's wife isn't doing any good prolonging this, and Nick says he'll stop by the hospital after his mediation with Lisa.
Letitia has the important task of showing cards to Jeremy to see if he can identify things. He's saying "doggie," and when she asks which one, he says, "Midas." Nick walks by and checks in on the progress. Jeremy sees him and says, "Hey! Guy! Nick, right?" Then he pulls out a flashcard that says "NICK" on the front, and reads the back. He reads, hilariously, "Nick George. He... helps me do stuff. Call him anytime. Day or night." Nick sort of shrugs, and Letitia praises Jeremy. Nick says he's improving since he saw him last. Letitia says the neurologist says Jeremy's case is unusual, but they're hoping for a full recovery. Nick leaves, and Jeremy says, "Bye, Dick!" Nick corrects him. Jeremy is my (new) favorite. Comic relief is much needed.
Lisa and Nick are in divorce mediation, where Nick's asking for 50 percent custody of Kiki, which he thinks is appropriate, but she thinks him working for someone who he thinks killed his father means his definition of appropriate doesn't matter. He says she knows he's a good father and wanted another baby, but she said that's before she really knew him. But then she says she's going to Miami for the weekend, and if he wants to prove he can handle joint custody, he can watch Kiki for the weekend. They'll discuss if it goes well.
Brian and Andrea are in bed. She's happy to be out of the hospital and home. She asks what he thinks about Maine for their future, and Brian looks freaked. She says they can think about these things now that she's healthy, with their "very long" lives ahead of them. He looks freaked again. Something tells me he wasn't looking for "long life" when he married the woman who was dying of cancer.
Nick enters Chase's hospital room, and Chase's wife is there. She is bitter and angry. Nick tells her Chase didn't want to live like this, and she snits that Chase didn't know what he wanted once he got involved with the Darlings. So, are we to assume he didn't have a living will until he started working for the Darlings? That seems odd. Anyway, Nick totally shouts out to Six Feet Under when he says, "The longer you let him linger in this... 'twilight' ... the longer it stays in the papers" and their children have to deal with it. She wonders what if he comes back, and Nick points out Chase would be in jail. She reminds him that the Darlings killed his father, and he shouldn't be helping them do the same to Chase. He tells her to let Chase go, and she inexplicably and suddenly starts to realize it... and then Chase's eyes open. It's a miracle. Nick doesn't look pleased.
In Tripp's office at Darling Enterprises, Nick's telling Tripp about Chase opening his eyes. Tripp thinks it was a reflex, but Nick says it doesn't matter because Chase's wife's already filing a suit to nullify the living will. Nick says he can offer to represent the hospital. Which is such a stupid conflict of interest, but I will try to ignore that. Nick says he's okay with killing Chase because of what Chase did to Carmelita, and him, and Karen.
Brian, in his minister suit, is with his bishop, who is telling him how many people will be at Brian's big, welcome-back church service. Brian says it's not because of him, but because everyone wants to gawk at his relatives. The bishop's all, "I know! Will Jeremy be there?!" ...Not really, but he does want to know if they'll be there. He wants to thank them for giving $1.6 million. It was an anonymous donation, in Brian's honor, so it's clearly the Darlings. Right? Brian doesn't look pleased. (I'm noticing a theme.)
Kiki and Nick in fake New York City streets. She's asking why they can't be together; she doesn't like seeing Nick only every couple days. He explains that he and Lisa are immature idiots and can't make it work. She wants to know what happens if he moves to Germany. Oh, and this is yet another Kiki, I swear. Unless I am losing my mind, there is a new Kiki almost every time she's on the show. He promises her he's not going anywhere: Germany, France, New Jersey.
Nola, in a pretty red coat in the courthouse lobby, is on the phone with Simon Elder, who wants to make sure Nick can make sure the living will is respected. She tells him not to worry, and he says he's not, but she should be. He explains the nasty truths that Chase would bring out of his coma with him about Patrick, and how that would upset their plan, and make Nola worthless to Simon. Inside a courtroom, Nick's arguing to kill Chase, saying no medical evidence points to Chase coming out of this. Chase's wife's lawyer calls Chase's daughter, Jillian, to the stand, and she cries about how much she wants to see him again. And then you know Nick loses based on the sweet, sappy strings of music playing. And the fact that his objection gets overruled. She ends with, "Please don't make my daddy go away." I'm so brilliant at reading courtrooms. Thank you, television. Nick calls a recess, and in the hallway, Nola tells him he's an idiot and he's going to lose. Only she somehow manages to make it even bitchier than that sounds. Tripp comes up and asks her to leave. Then they have a conversation that makes no sense, in which Tripp agrees with Nick, but Nick gets mad and yells at him anyway. These are two people who do not understand each other at all. Nick's grown a conscience and can't take away a girl's last chance at seeing her father. He tells Tripp he can't just eliminate people whenever he feels like it. Tripp asks what he's talking about, and Nick says that Letitia went to trial, but everyone knows who really did it. He says his dad was a bastard, but he didn't deserve to die either. Then he says he's going to rest the case. Because fathers shouldn't die, ever!
As Nick's hailing a cab, Karen finds him and runs up, trying to be his friend. He's on his way to Kiki's school. She thinks it's cute he's "playing daddy," but he says he is one. She offers to help him by looking after Kiki, but he says the point is for him to spend time with her. She thinks this means he thinks she can't handle it, but he says it's not about that. He also adds that next time he wants Kiki to spend a day getting massages and going shoe shopping, he'll call her. Yeah, he sort of proved that he doesn't think she's capable. As much as Karen is one-dimensional and annoying this season, he's sort of a dick to her, too. In other words: I just don't see any element of either of them liking each other at all. I don't know why we're supposed to think they do. She says he sucks at being "just friends," and then she steals his cab.
Brian's writing intently, and Andrea wonders why he's not in bed. He says he needs a prayer for his "Meet the Pastor" thing tomorrow. She asks if he was going to invite her. He says of course, but he hadn't gotten around to telling her. He thought she wouldn't want to come for "a lot of bad coffee and Jesus." She says she's his wife and he's a minister, and she knows the drill. He acts nervous and goes to get coffee. The cure for your nerves.
Nola and Simon at his place. I wish I could skip all scenes with them, because they're all the same, and nothing ever happens, and it's all completely boring. He's basically mad at her for Nick losing the case, blah, blah, blah, whiney baby blackmailing cakes. She is willing to appeal her suspension and reopen the case, but he says the time for legal remedies is over, and she needs to take care of it by killing Chase instead. He says this in a lot more words, which is boring, so I'm sparing you all. She tries to put up a fight, but he tells her she'll never see her brother again if she doesn't.
Jeremy's putting together Jenga blocks in the Darling mansion. Nola comes in and he says, "Well, hello! I hope I knew you." She tells him that he does -- that they even had sex. He asks what she wants, and she says she just wanted to see him, to say goodbye in case something bad happens. She basically tells him she has to kill Chase. Letitia walks in and interrupts. Jeremy knocks his Jenga down. Letitia snaps a picture of Nola for Jeremy's flashcards. She might have told Pete Bradley she didn't like this, but you can tell she loves it. She needs someone to take care of.
Andrea comes in wearing the most horrible outfit in TV history. It's a brown and black flowered shirt, with a black layered skirt. By layered, I mean that it's like, separate layers of ruffles. With a leather belt dividing the two completely clashing elements (top and skirt). And then the worst part is this rose on a black chocker that she has around her neck. It's horrifying. So, Brian asks if she's planning to wear that and she gets all upset. And, seriously, show, why? Why would she get upset? She's clearly just wearing this as a practical joke, right? I mean, we've never seen her look this ridiculous. But, no, apparently it's not a practical joke, and she's really upset. She calls him snotty and childish. She asks him to say that he doesn't want to be married to her. Actually, she doesn't ask. She forces him to say it. She tells him marrying her was a beautiful gesture, but the way they're living isn't beautiful. Um, didn't you just get out of the hospital? How do you even know how you two will live together? Anyway, she finally gets him to say, "OkayfineIwantout." But only because she's the pushiest person ever.
The bishop is welcoming back Brian in a packed house. Patrick's asleep. Karen's bored. Jeremy has amnesia. And even Brian's mad, calling himself a "bank" when the bishop is praising him. In the lobby, Tripp's with a lifesized Mary statue that was donated in Carmelita's memory. He's touching the statue's folded hands, and for some reason I find the whole thing entirely creepy. Because who needs a lifesize statue of Mary? Patrick comes up and asks Tripp what he's doing there. Tripp says Patrick's not the only one who misses her. He says the memorial service haunts him. But don't worry: Tripp's just manipulating, because he gets Patrick to say Carmelita was the love of his life so that he can respond that Patrick refuses to lift a finger to see justice done. Tripp says Patrick is either a saint or stubborn. Uh, what? Those are the two options? Tripp is seriously insane. Tripp tells Patrick he missed his chance to grow as a person. Patrick says anger doesn't make him a better person, and Tripp says, "There is a place in this world... there is a place in the human heart... for vengeance." Wow. How very poetic. Then Tripp kisses Patrick's cheek to further manipulate.
Nick's at the organ when Brian walks up. Nick says it's a $1.6 million organ, huh? Brian says it is and Nick says it doesn't look like it's worth more than $1.1 million, tops. Ah, organ value humor. The hallmark of all great TV comedy. Brian says he hopes Tripp's proud, but Nick says Tripp didn't give this money to the church, because Nick would know about it. Brian asks Nick to explain this then, and we see an inscription on the organ of "Mark 1:11," which Brian tells Nick says, "And there came a voice from heaven, saying thou are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." So, if Tripp didn't do it, who did? They both look confused, and I scream, "Letitia!" But instead Brian says he's thinking their father donated the money. Nick says he's dead, and Brian says the building they're in is dedicated to some guy who everyone thought was dead, but wasn't so it wouldn't be the first time. So, wait, was Dutch resurrected?
After the break, Nick says Dutch can't be alive, but Brian says they found his plane, but not his body, so he actually could be. Then Jeremy walks up and says, "Hey, lawyer guy." Then he asks Nick: "What's her name? The Chinese lady with the freckles?" Nick says, "Nola Lyons." Jeremy tells Nick that she seemed "radically torked" about this guy in the hospital. Jeremy says Nola told him goodbye like she was going to do something, tonight maybe. Nick walks off, and then Jeremy looks at Brian and says, "Hey! Brian, right?"
Our new Kiki is on a swing when Karen walks out, and they bond over old church people smelling funny. Karen asks where Nick is, and Kiki says he had a work emergency and left her with Letitia. Karen says Nick's a really good guy. Kiki tells Karen her mom hates her. She asks Karen if her mom and dad will ever get back together. Karen says her parents stayed together and it was nothing but trouble. Kiki explains that she's sad about losing Saturday night as movie nights with her family. Karen says she can still have movie night, but twice: once with each of them. She says sometimes change isn't awful. Kiki tells Karen she's nicer than her mom says, but Karen says, "Not really."
Nick arrives at the hospital just as Nola's sneaking into Chase's room. She's standing there staring at him, and about to pull a cord out of a machine, when Nick comes up and asks what she's doing. He wants to know if Tripp or Patrick put her up to it. She says no, but she says she can't tell him why she's doing it, or she would. He believes her, but says the police are on their way. He's not going to have her arrested, but will have police posted with specific orders not to let her near. He drags her out, and Patrick sneaks into the hospital room after they leave.
Patrick tells Chase he took the life of the only person he ever really loved: Carmelita, who was everything to him. He wasn't alive until he met her. He says that now he's like Chase -- alive, but dead. He says he has no reason to keep breathing and asks Chase if he gets why he has to kill him, as he's about to pull a cord off the machine. But then the little Carmelita on his shoulder tells him not to do it. And so Patrick tells Chase to go on living, which is punishment enough.
Brian comes in as Andrea's packing. He asks what she's doing, and she says she'll stay with a friend for a few days until she figures things out. He doesn't know why she's leaving, and she reminds him that he wanted her to. He says he doesn't want her to, but she thinks he just doesn't want to be alone, which is how they ended up in this mess. But he has his family and the church. He says, "You know what, screw the church!" He's my favorite pastor ever. Then he tells her the church had this shindig to dig deeper into his pockets. But she never cared about his money: She refused child support and ripped up checks for Brian Jr. She's the only one in the world who doesn't want him for money, but for who he is. He's sorry if that makes him uncomfortable. He says he jumped into the marriage for some wrong reasons, but is staying in it for some good ones. If she'll have him. (And if his other divorce ever comes through.)
Karen's dropping Kiki off at Nick's, and he wonders what took so long. Apparently they went for ice cream. Kiki comes in and tells Nick she loves him. And she calls Karen "Aunt Karen." He apologizes for not trusting her, and she says that's not enough, but she'll forgive him because that's what friends do. They have an awkward moment that's probably supposed to be flirting, but it's hard to tell because they have no chemistry. And then she leaves.
Jeremy's playing his Wii when someone knocks on his door. It's Nola. She comes in to thank him if he had anything to do with saving her ass. She says he was more of a friend to him today than he ever was to her. She owes him, and won't forget that. She gets up to leave, but he stops her and asks how she's going to repay him. He says he recalls some of her neat tricks. She asks if he remembers her now, and he says he remembers everything. He never had amnesia. She slaps him, and says, "What the hell?!" He says he wanted to tell her before, but there were always people around. And he says it was very hard to pretend not to remember her. They start to make out. She asks if he's doing this for fun, and he says no, he's staying under the Elder radar, because Simon caught him going to Nick to talk about Nola. So when he hit his head and woke up and they were asking him questions about his name and what year it was, he used to his advantage and played dumb. He tells her he really wants to help her find her brother.
Back in mediation, Lisa's freaking out that Nick left Kiki in the care of Karen Darling, who she describes as "that spoiled, selfish, emotionally stunted brat." He says it was only an hour. The mediator asks everyone to sit. Lisa says she won't be staying, and asks Nick if he even knows what Karen and Kiki did together. He says they weren't out scoring coke. Nick, cool it with the sarcasm, dude. She's clearly pissed. He says they went out for ice cream, and Lisa says that's because he took off and left her, which proves he can't handle even a weekend, let alone joint custody. He says something came up, and she says it always does and he always puts his family last. He says that's not what this is about; it's about Lisa always being irrational about Karen. (Huh. I wonder why.) She says if he wants rational, she'll give him rational: She'll see him in court, where she's suing for full custody. Then, for good measure, she tells the mediator to "Mediate that."
Nick returns to his office, and Tripp's in there hiding. He tells Nick that Chase passed away in his sleep last night. Nick asks how, and Tripp says he doesn't know, but that it was a blessing, because Chase was an organ donor and his kidney saved the life of a girl Kiki's age in Pittsburgh. Nick asks if that's why Tripp came by, and Tripp says of course not. He says Nick accused him, once again, in so many words of having killed Dutch and he hasn't been able to get that moment out of his head. He says Dutch was his best friend, and he never wished ill on him. But since Dutch's death, after learning about Dutch's betrayal of him and the family, he has lain awake many nights wishing it had been him. But he didn't do it. He says it may seem as if he did it, but not everything is as it seems. Nick says, "I believe you, Tripp." And Tripp tells him to have a good night and leaves. The end. No next time on, because who knows when or if we'll get those last three episodes.
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DeAnn is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com .