Pool

Pretender Episode Review

In which Jarod helps an orphan and Miss Parker has Family Issues.

What Happened

Jarod sets himself up as a pool shark in order to prove a racist pig killed the black man who married his (the pig's) ex-fiancee. He does this, is able to keep their daughter from killing the pig, and gets her college tuition in the bargain.

Back at the Centre, Mr. Parker has Miss Parker set up a family dinner at her place so that he can meet Thomas. Despite the thought that this scare will her boyfriend away, Parker complies and is rewarded when her father announces that he and Brigette are getting married that weekend.

The Good

• Jennifer Garner as the Orphan of the Week

The Bad

• "The is for you, Marvin"? And the police could never prove Eddie killed Marvin - they gave up in just two weeks?

The Cliche

• Jarod's typical orphan with murdered parental figure.
• Training montage to perky music.
• Pointed guns. "Would your father want you to do this?"
• "End the hate here." The good person always has to be the bigger person.
• Non-white extras in a party scene will always be dressed up according ethnicity. (Do they even consider what this says, sitting in the midst of a episode on racism?)

What We Learned

• Jarod likes it hot.
• "Hustled" is such a distasteful word.
• Mr. Parker doesn't land in an airport without knowing the conditions.
• A dream can only die if the dreamer allows it to.
• People always have old snap-shots lying around they can pull out to illustrate points.
• We're sure if Brutus had thought a little harder, he would have come up with a better solution than suicide.
• People never want to actually use the restroom; they just want to snoop around your house.
• Use something beside Silly Putty to cover the bullet-holes in the wall.
• Don't stand in the middle of a room spouting exposition. You never know who will over-hear it.

Best Lines

Miss Parker: "Dissect this file and leave no Pap smear unturned."

Thomas: "Relax. Your father and I are going to get along just swell."
Miss Parker: "Swell? ... This is never going to work."

What Did I Think?

Three words: Parker. Family. Dinner.