A Televisual Feast

A solid episode, but a little too cute. It ties up loose ends and introduces big surprises in what appears to be an attempt to change the series ground situation. It’s pretty good–a couple decent surprises–but I’m not comfortable with “The Practice” pulling out big surprises, good or not.

A lot of the episode’s quality has to do with the guest stars–Martin Ferrero in a fun role, an ex-hippie who’s been on the lam twenty-five years, and Annie Corley as an ER doctor involved with Lindsay’s drama. Corley, being Corley, is underused, but she’s just so fantastic in her scenes it doesn’t matter. Ferrero’s scenes are all with Bobby and it’s nice to see Bobby doing something light for a change (something even commented on, when he and Helen Gamble talk late in the episode).

As for Lindsay’s drama… (I’m skipping Jimmy’s Erin Brockovich case because it’s just Jimmy being sweet and they’ll be more in subsequent episodes I’m sure) it’s okay. It sorts out the Lindsay the drug lawyer thing from earlier in the season (the real season two, not the first season burn-offs) and it’s fine. But it’s too open-doored, with a thread dangling and maybe not dangling toward anything good.

But lots of good stuff, even if it is a little too loose.

3