Project Still Life Recap - "Evidence" blurb
I've got a real quick question for y'all. Do Jensen Ackles fans have a term by which they refer to themselves? Because I would find the term Ackle-ite to be hilarious in its cheesiness. "Acolyte." Get it? What? Don't look at me like that. Is it an old joke? Oh, never mind.
You know how I said that I prefer my "family drama" shows to have something to go with them? Like a mystery. Mysteries are good. Well, guess what. I got one! And it's Jensen's storyline! Woo and hoo!
And this is yet another example of how FOX habitually drops the ball with shows that have promise to be something more than your average show. I admit that the actors and the chemistry between them has a great deal to do with why I'm so engaged in the show (because Jensen is such a joy to watch), and if this show were cast with different actors, I'm not sure how I'd feel about it. And I totally wouldn't trade Jensen as Dean for Jensen as Max, well, ever . . . but dang I wish this could be released to DVD. There's some good stuff here.
So grab your favorite beverage and have a seat. I'll try to keep things as simple as possible this time around.
First we have the previouslies.
Then we open on Emily and Max looking through her room for Jake's journal. She hid it in a wall vent, but it's not there anymore. They're both very concerned, because it might contain important clues regarding Jake's death. Emily did read a page that she told Max about. The page read "37 Channel. Scored." Both Max and Emily are reluctant to believe that the "score" refers to drugs, but they have no idea what it could mean. Max decides to investigate "37 Channel." It must be an address.
When Jake was 18, he talked Max into going halves on purchasing a motorcycle. The cycle is still in the garage, and Dad helps Max get it out to see if it still runs. It was a temperamental thing, but as Dad always said, "If you treat her right, she'll treat you right." Max is totally geeked out and delighted to see "Sexy Beast." Yes, that's what the boys named the cycle. It's really adorable and not un-Dean-like. Before he tries to start 'er for the first time, he whispers to her that if she starts, he'll "get you a gallon of high-octane for lunch."
Emily is planning a nice dinner to have Gideon over to meet the family.
Daisy has Maggie help her with a paper and tells Maggie that regardless of what happens between Maggie and Max, Daisy still wants to be friends. She's sure Jake wants Maggie to be a part of the family. (Daisy is certain that she can feel Jake when he's present, and feel his feelings.)
Max goes to Maggie to look through Jake's stuff for clues. We find out that Jake and Maggie were living together. Max finds a map with 37 Channel circled on it. Maggie wants to come along. They ride together on the bike (which is a Triumph). Max takes a few photos of the neighborhood before approaching #37. Dirt Bag Guy (that's how he's listed in the credits. Honest) tells them don't be shy, ring the bell and go on up. It turns out to be the residence of a prostitute.
Maggie is obviously upset by this and leaves. Max follows her. She and Jake were living together. They were going to get married. And she finds out this.
Emily is in the kitchen at her work at the strip club trying to convince the chef, Stack, to give her one of his recipes. Stack is young and good-looking, and they seem to be really good friends in a co-worker kind of way. She also tells him she's quit her job, but he should call her sometime.
Max goes to check on Maggie at her apartment, to make sure she got home okay. Here we get some of their backstory. Maggie is furious that both Max and Jake cheated on her. Max isn't proud of his mistake, and he deeply regrets cheating on Maggie. When Max cheated on Maggie (one time, with a blonde chick), Jake was there to pick up the pieces. Maggie lays into Max, accusing him of some pretty low stuff, and says but at least with Max it was only once. Jake was paying for it. She accuses Max of being glad that he is now the "good brother." She orders him out of her life.
While Emily is upstairs taking a shower before Gideon arrives for dinner, Stack shows up at the front door. Mom, Dad, and Daisy all assume that this is Gideon. Stack explains that "Stack" is short for "Stackhouse," his last name. Dad and Stack hit it off really well. Much awkwardness ensues when Gideon arrives--25 minutes late.
After explaining to Em that he needs to skip out on dinner (kissing her on the top of her head before he goes), Max goes back to the prostitute's house to talk to her. He shows her a pic of Jake, but she denies ever seeing him. When Max is leaving, the bike won't start, and Dirt Bag Guy comes over to talk, says he would have thought Max would have gotten rid of the bike by now, it was always trouble. DBG obviously recognizes the bike. Max, of course, has never been there before, but obviously the bike has. Max shows a pic of Jake, and DGB recognizes him. Says he would sit outside watching #37 but never got the nerve to go inside.
Daisy receives a call from an upset Maggie and begs off the rest of dinner to go talk to her. Maggie wants to know if Jake says anything about her. Daisy tells her it doesn't work like that; she doesn't "hear" him talking to her. She just feels his presence, his feelings. And yes, Jake loved her so much.
Dad and Stack are really hitting it off, and Ben (Dad) is ignoring Gideon, much to Em's chagrin. Gideon gets called away from dinner by a work phone call (he says he works in web design), and so leaves before dessert.
Max stakes out #37 and sees Eddie Marble show up and go inside. When he gets home, he asks his dad about it, and Dad tells him that yes, they've investigated that angle, it's a dead end. The hooker doesn't know anything. Max tells him that's because Jake wasn't there for the hooker. How does Max know this? Because Max talked to a guy who recognized the bike. Eddie Marble was there for the girl. Jake was there for Eddie Marble. This is news to Dad.
Emily decides to go see Gideon to make sure he's okay and isn't mad at her about dinner. When she gets to his apartment, the place is completely torn up, and there's no sign of Gideon.
Max goes to Maggie's to tell her that Jake wasn't sleeping with the hooker, he was waiting for Eddie. He can see that she's been drinking and offers to help her get to bed. She asks Max to stay the night. Not like this, he refuses.
A few final notes. Jensen looks good, as usual, but I really wanted to take a comb to his hair for this ep. And so far this role hasn't given him the opportunity to play a wide range, but I do like his dynamic with Audrey Marie Anderson. They just seem very comfortable with each other playing siblings. I like the chemistry they've got going.
You know how I said that I prefer my "family drama" shows to have something to go with them? Like a mystery. Mysteries are good. Well, guess what. I got one! And it's Jensen's storyline! Woo and hoo!
And this is yet another example of how FOX habitually drops the ball with shows that have promise to be something more than your average show. I admit that the actors and the chemistry between them has a great deal to do with why I'm so engaged in the show (because Jensen is such a joy to watch), and if this show were cast with different actors, I'm not sure how I'd feel about it. And I totally wouldn't trade Jensen as Dean for Jensen as Max, well, ever . . . but dang I wish this could be released to DVD. There's some good stuff here.
So grab your favorite beverage and have a seat. I'll try to keep things as simple as possible this time around.
First we have the previouslies.
Then we open on Emily and Max looking through her room for Jake's journal. She hid it in a wall vent, but it's not there anymore. They're both very concerned, because it might contain important clues regarding Jake's death. Emily did read a page that she told Max about. The page read "37 Channel. Scored." Both Max and Emily are reluctant to believe that the "score" refers to drugs, but they have no idea what it could mean. Max decides to investigate "37 Channel." It must be an address.
When Jake was 18, he talked Max into going halves on purchasing a motorcycle. The cycle is still in the garage, and Dad helps Max get it out to see if it still runs. It was a temperamental thing, but as Dad always said, "If you treat her right, she'll treat you right." Max is totally geeked out and delighted to see "Sexy Beast." Yes, that's what the boys named the cycle. It's really adorable and not un-Dean-like. Before he tries to start 'er for the first time, he whispers to her that if she starts, he'll "get you a gallon of high-octane for lunch."
Emily is planning a nice dinner to have Gideon over to meet the family.
Daisy has Maggie help her with a paper and tells Maggie that regardless of what happens between Maggie and Max, Daisy still wants to be friends. She's sure Jake wants Maggie to be a part of the family. (Daisy is certain that she can feel Jake when he's present, and feel his feelings.)
Max goes to Maggie to look through Jake's stuff for clues. We find out that Jake and Maggie were living together. Max finds a map with 37 Channel circled on it. Maggie wants to come along. They ride together on the bike (which is a Triumph). Max takes a few photos of the neighborhood before approaching #37. Dirt Bag Guy (that's how he's listed in the credits. Honest) tells them don't be shy, ring the bell and go on up. It turns out to be the residence of a prostitute.
Maggie is obviously upset by this and leaves. Max follows her. She and Jake were living together. They were going to get married. And she finds out this.
Emily is in the kitchen at her work at the strip club trying to convince the chef, Stack, to give her one of his recipes. Stack is young and good-looking, and they seem to be really good friends in a co-worker kind of way. She also tells him she's quit her job, but he should call her sometime.
Max goes to check on Maggie at her apartment, to make sure she got home okay. Here we get some of their backstory. Maggie is furious that both Max and Jake cheated on her. Max isn't proud of his mistake, and he deeply regrets cheating on Maggie. When Max cheated on Maggie (one time, with a blonde chick), Jake was there to pick up the pieces. Maggie lays into Max, accusing him of some pretty low stuff, and says but at least with Max it was only once. Jake was paying for it. She accuses Max of being glad that he is now the "good brother." She orders him out of her life.
While Emily is upstairs taking a shower before Gideon arrives for dinner, Stack shows up at the front door. Mom, Dad, and Daisy all assume that this is Gideon. Stack explains that "Stack" is short for "Stackhouse," his last name. Dad and Stack hit it off really well. Much awkwardness ensues when Gideon arrives--25 minutes late.
After explaining to Em that he needs to skip out on dinner (kissing her on the top of her head before he goes), Max goes back to the prostitute's house to talk to her. He shows her a pic of Jake, but she denies ever seeing him. When Max is leaving, the bike won't start, and Dirt Bag Guy comes over to talk, says he would have thought Max would have gotten rid of the bike by now, it was always trouble. DBG obviously recognizes the bike. Max, of course, has never been there before, but obviously the bike has. Max shows a pic of Jake, and DGB recognizes him. Says he would sit outside watching #37 but never got the nerve to go inside.
Daisy receives a call from an upset Maggie and begs off the rest of dinner to go talk to her. Maggie wants to know if Jake says anything about her. Daisy tells her it doesn't work like that; she doesn't "hear" him talking to her. She just feels his presence, his feelings. And yes, Jake loved her so much.
Dad and Stack are really hitting it off, and Ben (Dad) is ignoring Gideon, much to Em's chagrin. Gideon gets called away from dinner by a work phone call (he says he works in web design), and so leaves before dessert.
Max stakes out #37 and sees Eddie Marble show up and go inside. When he gets home, he asks his dad about it, and Dad tells him that yes, they've investigated that angle, it's a dead end. The hooker doesn't know anything. Max tells him that's because Jake wasn't there for the hooker. How does Max know this? Because Max talked to a guy who recognized the bike. Eddie Marble was there for the girl. Jake was there for Eddie Marble. This is news to Dad.
Emily decides to go see Gideon to make sure he's okay and isn't mad at her about dinner. When she gets to his apartment, the place is completely torn up, and there's no sign of Gideon.
Max goes to Maggie's to tell her that Jake wasn't sleeping with the hooker, he was waiting for Eddie. He can see that she's been drinking and offers to help her get to bed. She asks Max to stay the night. Not like this, he refuses.
A few final notes. Jensen looks good, as usual, but I really wanted to take a comb to his hair for this ep. And so far this role hasn't given him the opportunity to play a wide range, but I do like his dynamic with Audrey Marie Anderson. They just seem very comfortable with each other playing siblings. I like the chemistry they've got going.