...And So It Starts to Wind Down...

Well today's episode was again not available on the FOTF Media Player, so if you can't find Part 7 on YouTube (because I couldn't since FOTF has deleted almost all of them), then if you're really desperate like I was, you can go to FAIO's website here and have a listen. I know there was a controversy about them a while back, but think of it this way: you would have listened to it for free already today anyway, it's just that FOTF's version isn't working, so it's perfectly legal. Just make sure you don't download it or go ahead and listen to the rest of the saga that's posted there. Oh, and when you listen to the episode, there will be a list of comments that you can scroll down and see. Don't scroll down!! I can't stress that enough! I made the mistake of doing so before thinking, and saw a comment that someone was rude enough to post about who the Stilletto is, and now I know. Now they didn't specifically say it was the Stilletto, but this was the comment form: "I knew it was ********!" so I assume.... Anyway, with that said, here's my review:

This episode felt like the shortest one so far. We didn't really learn anything new. There was just a bunch of comparing notes among the three main storylines. But I was really glad that happened, because all this time Whit and Polehaus, Eugene and Katrina, and Wally and Jay. Whit finally gets a clue about Katrina's investigation about Buck, and Detective Polehaus finally agrees to work with Mr. Haggler. And both are focused on Buck, Mr. Skint and the fake address. Hopefully there'll be more action in the next episode.

If this title wasn't already taken, and if all of the episodes in this album weren't called The Green Ring Conspiracy, this episode could have been called Love is in the Air. I mean seriously! Can they shove any more mushiness and annoying "smitten"ness down our throats? Could Wooton be any more unintelligent? Since when does he get smitten so easily. And he's so predictable that Connie was able to tell him exactly how he was feeling! "It's like you're living in a refrigerator box in the Municipal Park of my mind!" He wasn't even this slap-happy with Victoria! And he nearly immediately went and asked her if she was saved. But Penny apparently is different enough to get past his brain and take hold of his heart. But I guess the heart is "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked," so it makes sense. But isn't Wooton a Christian? Isn't his heart being conformed to the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit? I dunno anymore.

And then Emily and Buck. UGGH! I cringed and crossed my eyes with practically every line between the two of them. And I haven't even listened to it with the rest of my family yet! That's going to be interesting. I have a bunch of younger siblings. I can't believe Emily's throwing Matthew out the window for a suspicious kid who's obviously older than her who has an extremely annoying accent! But haven't I stressed that enough already? At least she tried to make up with Matthew at the end of the episode. I'm very interested to hear what occurs when Matthew and Buck officially meet up next week.

I appreciated that Agent Tanner was finally back in the mix. But it seemed that they were trying too hard to make Agent Tanner suspicious. Something's telling me that she may not be who we're making her out to be. But maybe the writers were just making her that way for the little kids who enjoy saying, "Oh, I can tell she's not telling the truth. She's the bad guy!" So I'm really not sure what to think. She doesn't seem to have a higher boss that she's reporting to. Back in the Novacom days, when Jason was with Monica/Paula, we would hear subsequent scenes where she reported to Mr. Charles about her progress. And in Darkness Before Dawn, we heard Bart and Phillip Glossman at times when they reported to Dr. Blackgaard (before we knew it was Dr. Blackgaard). Maybe we'll hear some of that soon. Or maybe Mr. Skint will say something about her at some point.

Buck's toothpick finally came into play! Now we know why it was so prevalent in these last couple episodes! The only thing is, how in the world did Detective Polehaus notice that on the ground so quickly? And how did he connect it so quickly with Buck? Couldn't an adult have been chewing on a toothpick in that area too? I mean, if practically all the men (and some of the women) who work at the carnival look like Mr. Skint, you'd figure there might be at least a few other people who chew on toothpicks. But I guess Polehaus has trained himself to trust no one and be suspicious of every one, so it kinda makes sense.

The thing that probably redeemed this episode all by itself was the scene with Jay and all of his hilarious lines. I'll give you some samples: "You heard me! Or do I need to say it again in Braille?!" "You're a regular Judas Benedict Arnold!" "I'll bet my case is bigger than your case!...Like, yours is probably just a little case with those clip-lock combination thingies, where my case is like a big trunk with lots of compartments and huge steel padlocks that are strong--Oh, I got lost in a metaphor for a second." And then later in that scene Emily tells Buck, "I couldn't have done it without you...or Jay, unfortunately." That made me laugh.

But there are still so many questions, including ones that were added as a result of events in this episode: "Will Buck get the AppleBerry from Matthew before someone can stop him? What information is on the phone that Buck and Mr. Skint are so concerned about? What will happen between Wooton and Penny? Will Emily ever come to her senses and let go of Buck? Will Buck ever stop lying through his teeth and tell anyone the truth? How will he do with his first day on the job at Whit's End? Will he end up causing any trouble? Can we trust Agent Tanner? Or will she ever be exposed? Will Polehaus be able to set aside his prejudice against the Hagglers long enough to see what Wally has discovered? Will Katrina continue to get "too personally involved" with Buck, and eventually uncover his secret? And will any of you listen to my warning not to scroll down the comments on the FAIO page and keep away from finding out who the Stilletto is? ;D

I guess we'll have to just keep listening. Thanks for reading my review! Tell me what your opinions are in the comments!