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Pretender Episode Review

"I'd forgotten this basement was here." In which I wonder how the hell you forget a basement?

What Happened

While helping out at church, Jarod meets his orphan of the week, Ryan, who isn't really an orphan. In fact, his big problem is that he has too many parents: his mom lied about who is father is, so when he needs a kidney transplant, neither mom or the man she conned into marriage is a match.

Real!Dad is a drug dealer currently serving time in a Mexican prison. Jarod busts Luther loose, falling for his "I want to start making up for my life" sob story, then has to retrieve him when Luther knocks Jarod out and takes off.

After keeping Luther from killing his back-stabbing partner, Jarod performs surgery in a greasy motel room and removes Luther's kidney. Ryan manages to pull through, while the Mexican authorities are alerted to Luther's whereabouts and he is hauled back to jail.

The Good

• Jarod versus the Luther was interesting, but the wrap-around story was absurd.

The Bad

• Jarod's just going to send the lab tech who was doing her job away so that he can run his personal business?
• "I'd forgotten this basement was here." How do you forget a basement?
• The woman in charge of the Mexican prison gives a big speech about how she doesn't want to be held responsible if she lets Jarrod take Luther to a hospital and something goes wrong and refuses his request. Then, post guilt-trip, encourages Jarod to break Luther out? An obviously escaped prisoner is better than the possibility that something might go wrong? That has to be the single stupidest prison warden ever.
• Why is Ray so annoyed that Jarod took his money? It isn't like Ray was doing anything with it. And who keeps ten millions dollars hidden in a storage space?
• Jarod just steals the guy's kidney?

The Cliche

• Family in "all the ways that count."
• Searching the streets; bribing the bar-tender; run-down bar full of tough types.
• The hard-ass bureaucrat who softens after you play the "what if it was your children?" card.
• Did anyone really think Ray shot Jarod?

What We Learned

• A bus trip isn't a bus trip until someone tosses their cookies.
• Broots has a TV in his shower.
• Pray to the Lord, but buy a lottery ticket.

Best Lines

Lyle: "Forgive me."
Miss Parker: "For?"
Lyle: "For being a neglectful brother?"
Miss Parker: "Just because I was in the hospital... on death's door? You're too hard on yourself."

Luther: "You're not a doctor?"
Jarod: "Technically, you're right, but I do enjoy that er program."

What Did I Think?

The idiotic plot just annoys me too much to recommend it.