Warning do not read unless seen episode.
This is one of my favorite episodes of the show, it's emotionally heartfelt and even heartbreaking. What makes this episode unique is that Sam for once is more of a supporting character and yeah there is some plot line involving a partner on the force but that's really not important. It's really Al that is the main protagonist and the real plot line is with his first wife and true love Beth, whom is about to make a mistake.
We really get some depth into Al and the experiences in Nam he went though. But what made it even worse was his homecoming when Beth lost her patience mistakenly thinking Al was dead and remarrying with the wrong guy. You really feel for Al because that's awful, not just going though hell with only the love of his wife keeping him alive but to have to come back home seeing you only love is gone from you life; that fraking sucks. Sure Al throughout the years has remarried but none of those marriages stuck and he just never got those same feelings back.
Al is desperate trying to get Sam to steer Beth in the right direction but it's just not in the cards of fate. I even like this one little argument he has with Sam about the inability to helping yourself, which is kinda the same argument brought up in the two parter "The Leap Home". I sort of agree with Al a little bit, if you had the opportunity to stop someone you love from making the worst mistake of their life, why wouldn't you take it; it's really not selfish when you think about it. And sure both Sam and Al will help and save other people that need help but they can't help everybody.
The final scene was touching as we see Al is dancing with Beth despite her unable to see him, and I really liked the choice in song which is ironic to the episode. I really like what he says because that's exactly what we all feel hoping Beth will wait for Al and for one second before he leaps it seems like she can hear him; it shows despite how far Al may'be his is always with her. In the words of an old song, "Love takes time."
Rating: 4 stars
This is one of my favorite episodes of the show, it's emotionally heartfelt and even heartbreaking. What makes this episode unique is that Sam for once is more of a supporting character and yeah there is some plot line involving a partner on the force but that's really not important. It's really Al that is the main protagonist and the real plot line is with his first wife and true love Beth, whom is about to make a mistake.
We really get some depth into Al and the experiences in Nam he went though. But what made it even worse was his homecoming when Beth lost her patience mistakenly thinking Al was dead and remarrying with the wrong guy. You really feel for Al because that's awful, not just going though hell with only the love of his wife keeping him alive but to have to come back home seeing you only love is gone from you life; that fraking sucks. Sure Al throughout the years has remarried but none of those marriages stuck and he just never got those same feelings back.
Al is desperate trying to get Sam to steer Beth in the right direction but it's just not in the cards of fate. I even like this one little argument he has with Sam about the inability to helping yourself, which is kinda the same argument brought up in the two parter "The Leap Home". I sort of agree with Al a little bit, if you had the opportunity to stop someone you love from making the worst mistake of their life, why wouldn't you take it; it's really not selfish when you think about it. And sure both Sam and Al will help and save other people that need help but they can't help everybody.
The final scene was touching as we see Al is dancing with Beth despite her unable to see him, and I really liked the choice in song which is ironic to the episode. I really like what he says because that's exactly what we all feel hoping Beth will wait for Al and for one second before he leaps it seems like she can hear him; it shows despite how far Al may'be his is always with her. In the words of an old song, "Love takes time."
Rating: 4 stars