Body of Proof: "All in the Family"

[icepixie]

Well, that was...not actually as bad as I thought it would be, considering that it was originally supposed to be the fourth episode. (I...did ABC just not care that they completely blew the continuity on two different storylines? Ooof. It's been a while since I had to deal with networks screwing this much with the episode order on a show.)

We finally get some transition between "UR SMOTHERIN' ME!!!" and "Hey, I wanna follow you around at work all day!" in re: Lacey and Megan, which was handy. And there may have been a fist-pump on my part when Lacey's friends declared Megan's diagnosis of the skin disease over the phone "really cool," while Lacey was all, "Guuuuyyyys, the narrative here is that she's my evil mother, get with the program!" I know twelve-year-olds don't have the best judgment, but she had that one coming. (And not just because I love Megan to unreasonable extremes.) Their last scene together in the car at the end was good, too, although perhaps due 90% to the fact that Dana Delany telling her kid she loves her and then getting all teary renders all other arguments invalid.

Heh, of course everyone loved Peter of the three sisters. (And of course Megan criticized his snacks as being tooth-rotting. I bet she rationed out Lacey's Halloween candy so it lasted until Thanksgiving, didn't she?) Now I really want future-fic where Lacey's spending a weekend with Megan and Peter and they all make pancakes or something, I dunno. IT WOULD BE CUTE AND YOU KNOW IT.

I feel like if I knew anything about Philadelphia neighborhoods, Peter's comment that he grew up near where the victim lived, and Megan's response that she'd taken him for an Upper Darby sort of guy, would make more sense. I assume from the giant house the victim and his family lived in that he grew up in a wealthier family than she'd expected?

As for the other storyline...well, if you're unspoiled, I'll just note that this episode was filmed before the ones where Kate has a date and where she's giggling at whoever's texting her on her cell. AHEM.

(Speaking of that storyline...Curtis, did you not notice that you asked the poor kid to drop his pants IN FRONT OF A WALL MADE ENTIRELY OF WINDOWS? I MEAN REALLY.)

My characterization of Todd as "pretty much an asshole" has been completely unchanged by this episode. First he's all snitty at Megan about how not actually getting to spend time with her daughter is "parenthood," then he tries to spin his pro bono case as something he's doing because he's a good guy when in fact it's a requirement to remain a member of the bar, then Kate has to point out the PR value of taking the kid on as a temp before he'll lift a finger to get said kid out an abusive home. Gee, he's a real peach.

[Spoiler; highlight to read] Kate, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY are you going to start dating this jerk? Why? WHY?

I'm a little bit in love with Sam and Bud as partners. They seem like a well-oiled machine. Or perhaps a pair of wolves, considering they snuck up on people from opposite directions no fewer than three times in this episode. I...am not quite sure what the "I hate my kitchen" thing was all about with the construction guys, but I'm guessing it was basically meant as a distraction.

Two things that apparently got left on the cutting room floor:

1. What did Megan's father die of, anyway? Heart attack? Murder? We were left hanging pretty high there. And I'm guessing...her mother was in court and they couldn't get ahold of her before Megan got home from school? Or what? Logistics, people! Tell me what the hell happened!

2. So at some point very soon after the showdown at the victim's house, Peter, Bud, and Sam all got together and gave Megan a VERY STERN TALKING-TO, complete with shouting and perhaps threats of tying her up in a closet next time she gets invested in a crime so she can't do something incredibly dumb again, right? Because THAT WAS SO DUMB, MEGAN. SO DUMB. At least cops who go in without backup have a gun and assorted police training. You had stiletto heels, which, although original, are probably not the best choice of weapon in this kind of situation. 911. Learn it, live it, love it. Or surely you at least had Peter on speed dial? OY.

ETA: Two further things: One, Peter got to do some "medico" parts of his "medicolegal investigator" job! I wondered when they were going to let him do that. Two, I kind of love how Curtis will admit to Kate that Megan has rubbed off on him to the point where he orders expensive tests, but you know he's DAMNED if he'll admit it to Megan. Awww.

Comments

[kaitlia777.livejournal.com]

Now I really want future-fic where Lacey's spending a weekend with Megan and Peter and they all make pancakes or something, I dunno. IT WOULD BE CUTE AND YOU KNOW IT.

Totally cute. And you know Peter would know how to do things like different flavors and fruit toppings.

As for the other storyline...well, if you're unspoiled, I'll just note that this episode was filmed before the ones where Kate has a date and where she's giggling at whoever's texting her on her cell. AHEM.

OMG, I somehow missed the spoiler that her mystery, giggle inducing man was Todd, but when I saw tonights ep, I was thinking, "Huh, they're kinda flirty. Kinda meaning way!"

So at some point very soon after the showdown at the victim's house, Peter, Bud, and Sam all got together and gave Megan a VERY STERN TALKING-TO, complete with shouting and perhaps threats of tying her up in a closet next time she gets invested in a crime so she can't do something incredibly dumb again, right?

I know! Common sense woman! Also, I could see Peter coming in one day and putting a prettily wrapped box on her desk. She opens it to find a taser. Cuz he knows she's going to keep doing whatever the hell she wants to do, damn the lectures.

Ooooh, he could take her to the firing range....

[icepixie]

And you know Peter would know how to do things like different flavors and fruit toppings.

Of course! He and Lacey would totally band together and get Megan to eat a chocolate chip pancake or something equally tooth-rotting.

OMG, I somehow missed the spoiler that her mystery, giggle inducing man was Todd, but when I saw tonights ep, I was thinking, "Huh, they're kinda flirty. Kinda meaning way!"

Yeeeeeah. I hate this whole idea with the fire of a thousand burning suns (seriously, they had to go with THAT particular cliche, REALLY??), but maybe the awesomeness of Jeri Ryan and her hair will make it not suck.

I know! Common sense woman!

I spent that entire scene yelling at the TV. "Megan, you have officially become That Teenager who runs back into the house with the mass murderer! GET SOME SENSE!"

Also, I could see Peter coming in one day and putting a prettily wrapped box on her desk. She opens it to find a taser. Cuz he knows she's going to keep doing whatever the hell she wants to do, damn the lectures.

That would be hilarious.

Ooooh, he could take her to the firing range....

I've actually be contemplating writing something very much like that scene! It would be part of a longer fic where she tries to stop a gunman, nearly gets shot, and he pushes her out of the way, then yells at her a lot about how dumb that was, then says he's going to drag her to the firing range so she can see exactly what bullets can do to their targets. To which she would reply that, uh, she's an ME, she knows, and he'd respond that obviously she hasn't really gotten it into her head if she's still doing stupid stuff like that, and of course the whole thing would probably end up with her getting into it and him being like, "I have created a monster. At least she'll be well-armed when she does something like this again?"

Although I actually think Megan is probably very anti-gun. I can just see her speechifying about how she can't imagine wanting to handle one after all the destruction she sees every day, or something along those lines...

[kaitlia777.livejournal.com]

I've actually be contemplating writing something very much like that scene! It would be part of a longer fic where she tries to stop a gunman, nearly gets shot, and he pushes her out of the way, then yells at her a lot about how dumb that was, then says he's going to drag her to the firing range so she can see exactly what bullets can do to their targets. To which she would reply that, uh, she's an ME, she knows, and he'd respond that obviously she hasn't really gotten it into her head if she's still doing stupid stuff like that, and of course the whole thing would probably end up with her getting into it and him being like, "I have created a monster. At least she'll be well-armed when she does something like this again?"

Awesome.

I can see where she might be anti gun...Never was into guns myself, nothing against them, just not my thing. But, on my Birthday, to do something new, my fiancee took me to a range and it was pretty exhilerating to fire a gun. I'm not a bad shot, either :)

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Ooof. It's been a while since I had to deal with networks screwing this much with the episode order on a show.

I know, what is this, Firefly?

And there may have been a fist-pump on my part when Lacey's friends declared Megan's diagnosis of the skin disease over the phone "really cool,"

Awwww, I like Lacey better knowing that she has the good taste to have little tweeny friends who think winning with science is awesome.

Heh, of course everyone loved Peter of the three sisters.

You just know that someday he and Megan will be working late one evening and out of the blue he'll be all, "Can I braid your hair? ...Why are you looking at me like that? THREE SISTERS." Lol, maternal!Peter.

Now I really want future-fic where Lacey's spending a weekend with Megan and Peter and they all make pancakes or something, I dunno. IT WOULD BE CUTE AND YOU KNOW IT.

OMGFLAIL!!!

Curtis, did you not notice that you asked the poor kid to drop his pants IN FRONT OF A WALL MADE ENTIRELY OF WINDOWS? I MEAN REALLY.

Well, to be fair, they don't seem to have any office space there WITHOUT giant window-walls. Such a hardship!

Gee, he's a real peach.

Yeaaaahhh. I wonder how Megan ended up with him in the first place. Maybe he was only proto-obnoxious 13 years ago?

I...am not quite sure what the "I hate my kitchen" thing was all about with the construction guys, but I'm guessing it was basically meant as a distraction.

I feel like that was a shout-out to some reality home makeover-type show, but I have no idea which one.

What did Megan's father die of, anyway? Heart attack? Murder?

Oh PLEEEEEEEASE let it be natural causes! The last thing we need is another procedural with an unsolved-parent-murder mystery, ugh.

Because THAT WAS SO DUMB, MEGAN. SO DUMB. At least cops who go in without backup have a gun and assorted police training.

She's lucky this is a procedural and not a horror movie! And yes, she so should have called someone (*ahemPeter*) to at least mention where she was headed considered THERE WAS A MURDERER ON THE LOOSE.

(Speaking of which, it's sad when the victim looks like an even worse parent than Megan. Seriously, you come home to find your husband murdered and your FIRST ASSUMPTION is that your wimpy emo teen did it? To the point that you're not really interested in pursuing other theories? That's harsh.)

[icepixie]

I know, what is this, Firefly?

Sewwiously.

Awwww, I like Lacey better knowing that she has the good taste to have little tweeny friends who think winning with science is awesome.

True...at least she has good taste in something...

You just know that someday he and Megan will be working late one evening and out of the blue he'll be all, "Can I braid your hair? ...Why are you looking at me like that? THREE SISTERS."

WAAAAAAAAANT. Alternately, maybe he could finally get fed up with her lax attitude toward keeping her hair out of the corpses' innards and stealthily put it in a bun for her while she's occupied with poking and scalpels?

Lol, maternal!Peter.

Indeed. Awww. (Although I don't remember my carpools featuring snacks. I think the most I ever got out of someone's parent was when a guy's dad offered us all quarters if we could learn all the states' capitols in second grade. [Probably relevant: This was on the way to a gifted program we were all in.] Thus began my lifelong appreciation for random geographical trivia.)

OMGFLAIL!!!

It would be SO CUTE.

Well, to be fair, they don't seem to have any office space there WITHOUT giant window-walls. Such a hardship!

Bathroom? Although that might be even skeevier. (Also, seriously, the growth plates Kate mentioned were surer proof than the method they originally went with. Why not just do that?)

Yeaaaahhh. I wonder how Megan ended up with him in the first place. Maybe he was only proto-obnoxious 13 years ago?

I've wondered that since the pilot. So far, there's absolutely nothing likeable about this guy. Maybe her mother set them up, and she kept going out with him just to keep her mom happy? Wait, she wouldn't care about that. Yeah, I got nothing. I also wonder what on earth possessed her to have a child. I'm thinking Lacey was a surprise, or else Todd really wanted a kid. They really need to have a scene between them where they make it vaguely plausible that they loved each other once.

I feel like that was a shout-out to some reality home makeover-type show, but I have no idea which one.

A reality show where construction day laborers compete to get a contract to make over someone's kitchen? I guess that would fit right in with the Dirty Manly Men Doing Dirty Manly Things...I mean History Channel.

Oh PLEEEEEEEASE let it be natural causes! The last thing we need is another procedural with an unsolved-parent-murder mystery, ugh.

Oh, you knooooooow they're gonna milk that one! But seriously, it seemed more like natural causes than anything, the way they put it. Though I'm betting come season finale time, it will turn out to have been something quite different...

She's lucky this is a procedural and not a horror movie!

Indeed!

And yes, she so should have called someone (*ahemPeter*)

*ahem ahem*

to at least mention where she was headed considered THERE WAS A MURDERER ON THE LOOSE.

There MUST have been a lecture after this. Presumably with raised voices.

(Speaking of which, it's sad when the victim looks like an even worse parent than Megan. Seriously, you come home to find your husband murdered and your FIRST ASSUMPTION is that your wimpy emo teen did it? To the point that you're not really interested in pursuing other theories? That's harsh.)

Yeeeaaaaaah. She was special.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Alternately, maybe he could finally get fed up with her lax attitude toward keeping her hair out of the corpses' innards and stealthily put it in a bun for her while she's occupied with poking and scalpels?

Yes!! "Oh look, I found a hair from the killer on the body!" "Uhhh, Megan, that's your hair." "We should send it off to the lab just in case!" "But it would just be a match for you... like the last twenty mysterious hair samples we found. ::::hands her a hair net::::" Seriously, she doesn't even pull her hair back! You know she's shedding all *over* the bodies! Scully would never have stood for this!

I think the most I ever got out of someone's parent was when a guy's dad offered us all quarters if we could learn all the states' capitols in second grade. [Probably relevant: This was on the way to a gifted program we were all in.] Thus began my lifelong appreciation for random geographical trivia.)

Ohhhhhh the nerdiness! : O (I missed out on the joy of carpooling, myself.)

(Also, seriously, the growth plates Kate mentioned were surer proof than the method they originally went with. Why not just do that?)

...budget? Yeah, I dunno. Although you'd think if Todd wanted a solid case, he'd ask for more than one type of evidence of the kid's minority in the first place.

So far, there's absolutely nothing likeable about this guy.

It's like he's trying to be charming, and he almost pulls it off, but.... sleaze.

I'm thinking Lacey was a surprise, or else Todd really wanted a kid.

Or else Megan was all, "La la la I can totally juggle my career and a kid, no problem!" at first. Um, yeah, my money's on "accident."

They really need to have a scene between them where they make it vaguely plausible that they loved each other once.

That would help, yes. Even a flashback wouldn't hurt! (In small doses, perhaps.)

I guess that would fit right in with the Dirty Manly Men Doing Dirty Manly Things...I mean History Channel.

I guess it's a step up from The Hitler Channel?

Though I'm betting come season finale time, it will turn out to have been something quite different...

OF course...

There MUST have been a lecture after this. Presumably with raised voices.

And DIAGRAMS, even!

[icepixie]

Yes!! "Oh look, I found a hair from the killer on the body!" "Uhhh, Megan, that's your hair." "We should send it off to the lab just in case!" "But it would just be a match for you... like the last twenty mysterious hair samples we found. ::::hands her a hair net::::"

So much contamination of evidence! *sends them many hair nets*

Scully would never have stood for this!

Scully was all about the proper gear, yes. Well, usually. Some days she apparently didn't feel like bothering with anything besides a white coat. ;)

It's like he's trying to be charming, and he almost pulls it off, but.... sleaze.

I'm not sure he's even trying. Certainly not with Megan, anyway, and not even really with Kate. He's just kind of an asshole.

Or else Megan was all, "La la la I can totally juggle my career and a kid, no problem!" at first. Um, yeah, my money's on "accident."

Yeah, I think she probably figured she could juggle with no problem after the accident that produced Lacey, but I'm not sure I can believe she initiated the whole "let's have a kid!" process.

(Although apparently this week focuses on her being all motherly or something? I'm not sure, but someone has screencaps from the episode already--it aired in Russia or somewhere earlier this year--and the last page of them has some entertaining pictures. The kid's out of frame, but it sure looks like one's involved. Perhaps she's not completely incapable of interacting with small humans?)

Even a flashback wouldn't hurt! (In small doses, perhaps.)

A flashback would help. Though maybe a "Hey, remember when we...?" "Oh, yeah, that was fun, wasn't it? And you..." [laughter] would work better.

I guess it's a step up from The Hitler Channel?

No, I think they're still The Hitler Channel as well.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Scully was all about the proper gear, yes. Well, usually. Some days she apparently didn't feel like bothering with anything besides a white coat. ;)

Well, sometimes you just have to sacrifice science for fashion.... But really, it was nice how (especially in the beginning) they were never afraid to put her in bulky nerd-gear, like giant protective eyewear. Oh Scully, come back. Tv needs you!

I'm not sure he's even trying. Certainly not with Megan, anyway, and not even really with Kate. He's just kind of an asshole.

You could see some attempts, with Kate. Not very successful ones (unless you were Kate, I guess), but they were there.

Yeah, I think she probably figured she could juggle with no problem after the accident that produced Lacey, but I'm not sure I can believe she initiated the whole "let's have a kid!" process.

Lol, yeah, I can't quite see an initial, out-of-the-blue "You know what we need? BABIES!" inspiration.

it aired in Russia or somewhere earlier this year

Bwuh? Since when does Russia get stuff early? Crazy!

Perhaps she's not completely incapable of interacting with small humans?

Somehow I suspect that she handles tiny children better than tweens. Tweens start to act like little surly adults, and it's adults she's particularly not good at. : )

Though maybe a "Hey, remember when we...?" "Oh, yeah, that was fun, wasn't it? And you..." [laughter] would work better.

It is tiiiiime for their relationship to have more depth than just sniping!

No, I think they're still The Hitler Channel as well.

Dirty Nazi Hitler Doing Dirty Nazi Things?

[icepixie]

Scully's giant protective eyewear was indeed excellent.

Not very successful ones (unless you were Kate, I guess)

Oh, Kate. You were shaping up to be so smart and awesome, but wow, judgment FAIL.

Bwuh? Since when does Russia get stuff early? Crazy!

Apparently half of Europe got it starting in January! I guess because it was originally scheduled to air in the fall on ABC, but got pushed back because...I think a lot of things were tanking, and originally it had been scheduled in the Friday Night Death Slot, so they decided to hold it until they could put it on another night and hopefully salvage at least one drama from the last three years. (Castle was the last one that got renewed.) It's not a good time to be ABC. But it is a good time to be a mediocre show on ABC...

Somehow I suspect that she handles tiny children better than tweens. Tweens start to act like little surly adults, and it's adults she's particularly not good at. : )

True, and yet...little children are loud and annoying and you can't explain to them that dammit, they need to shut up and let Mommy think for thirty seconds. She'd have to pay attention to a small child or fatal consequences could ensue. I think it would go badly. ;) Although if she really honest-to-god had the day off and had no way of getting caught up in work, then yes, I think she'd probably be better at interacting with children under ten...

Dirty Nazi Hitler Doing Dirty Nazi Things?

Sewers by der Führer!

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

But it is a good time to be a mediocre show on ABC...

Awwww.

True, and yet...little children are loud and annoying and you can't explain to them that dammit, they need to shut up and let Mommy think for thirty seconds.

Oh, I'm sure she and Todd had a nanny, what with her being a surgeon and him being a lawyer. I suspect many many parenting duties got delegated, which probably didn't help Megan's case in the divorce proceedings...

Sewers by der Führer!

I would watch that!

[icepixie]

Awwww.

Although then again, given the rash of cancellations they just announced, maybe it wasn't such a good time after all...

Oh, I'm sure she and Todd had a nanny, what with her being a surgeon and him being a lawyer.

All the more reason she probably wouldn't like small children...

I suspect many many parenting duties got delegated, which probably didn't help Megan's case in the divorce proceedings...

Indeed, indeed.

I would watch that!

We should suggest it to The History Channel!