Where's the rock salt when you need it? 7X08 review (***out of 5)

There’s not much in this week’s episode, Scared Stiff that warrants much scrutiny. As episodes go, this is one I would categorize as adequate. The main plot follows the death of a young woman who bears no obvious signs of murder, leading to a great deal of speculation and conversation amongst the main characters regarding the existence of ghosts and other such paranormal activity. The sub-plot involving John Larroquette’s character, more specifically the sudden discovery of his estranged sister’s corpse, was pretty heavy handed with it’s foreshadowing (getting Mac’s Spidey sense all a tingling) but effective enough for me to be interested in the story’s resolution next week.

I think the word that comes to mind when considering this episode is creepy. Opening with the empty, eerie gaze of a dead woman and the haunting tones of Graffiti6‘s heavily delayed (referring to the echoing sounds) Calm the Storm--the irony of course being the park is hit with a thunder storm--immediately gives the impression that things are going to get interesting. Sid, most notable for his well established creepiness, shines in this scene as he delicately, but deliberately begins manipulating the body, forcing her limbs from their petrified state. Robert Joy has the ability to seem disturbing and uncomfortable (ever seen his episode of Medium? The guy was amazing!), but then he turns around and he is the geekiest, goofiest, silliest character. I am thrilled to see him this season after his criminal under use last season. Similarly, the perp, Gordon Sprouse (brilliantly played by Jeffrey Vincent Parise) was an unnerving balance of being vulnerable and...well...how to put this delicately...freaky as hell. The interrogation scene between Hawkes, Flack, and Sprouse was entertaining and fascinating to watch. About Sprouse, Lindsay observes, “This guy can only relate to dead bodies. That’s really sad.” This perfectly captures the conflict that I felt as an outside observer to his neurosis. Sprouse’s own fears about life keep him living in an abandoned mortuary. He’s as stiff as the bodies he’s attempting to perfect. Eat your heart out Alan Ball!

I thought writer Kim Clements tried to ensure character involvement in the story. While the dialogue seemed a bit contrived, it still tried to give a personal side to those we come to see each week rather than treat them like strangers. She seemed to keep them in character--pretty impressive considering this was her first time writing for the show--and provided believable motivations for their actions. I loved the continuity of Hawkes and his side job as a park E.M.T from season six, and the more I thought about it the more I felt Lindsay’s comment about the 21 grams of weight lost at the time of death was hugely appropriate for her. The small moment before Hawkes walked in, the look of contemplation on her face--a night of great facial expressions from Anna Belknap, she killed that surprised look in the park--I took as a reference to what she had been through. Was she contemplating the loss of Shane Casey’s soul? Or her friends? I like that it was subtle and really open to interpretation.

I was disappointed at times by Clements use of cliches, stereotypes, and silliness. I felt having Lindsay see two ghosts (which looked like it had been created in Window’s Paint; sorry effect department) was completely ridiculous, and instead of adding tension to the scene it immediately took me out of it. And Sully (Lightfield Lewis Helen) was a walking punch line, which wasn’t very creative since most people make fun of those who believe in paranormal activity. And the worse part for me on a personal level was the missed opportunity for a Supernatural reference to AJ Buckley. (Yes, I may have a deep seeded love for all things Winchester).

The story line was fluff, nothing too deep or touching, nothing motivating thought or change, just a bit of fun. I can handle that. I don’t want it all the time, but the occasional bubble gum pop episode is fine. The deeper story line involving Larroquette, however, clearly sets up a more emotional meaning behind his sister’s murder. Did he kill his sister? Is he covering for someone? His nephew perhaps? I really thought Larroquette played it off well, and I can’t believe how much I am enjoying having him on the show. Nothing against the guy, I’ve just never been too involved in any of his previous works. But every time he’s on the screen I feel like he’s a perfect fit, and I like watching him.

The bromance continues between Danny and Don (they are apparently this season’s Danny and Lindsay) which is frustrating. I love the dynamic between the two men, but why make the decision to have two of your main characters marry and start a family if you then choose to neglect that relationship? We’ve had more Ellie references, including one in this episode, then we have Lucy. I try to keep my reviews focused on the episode as a whole and not simply focused on the DL factor, but even if I weren’t a fan of the Messer family I would still find this odd. So far we are at four straight episodes of no DL and no Lucy. And the minimal DL we had in episodes previous were ridiculous in their minuteness. That is pitiful!

This episode was more a pit stop to what I can only assume is going to be an intense episode next week. It had a middle of the road feeling and sometimes that’s ok. It had plenty of character interaction and even a little bit of heart. If Clements develops her humor to a sharper point, and matures a bit more in her presentation then I think she could be a great writer for the show. Next time just leave Casper out of it.

Highlight of the episode: I thought Gordon Sprouse was one of the better villains they’ve had. His crime was so ambiguous, and almost seemed harmless while being absolutely disgusting.

Guilty Pleasure: Mac processing a scene! It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve seen him getting down in the dirt.