Saturday, March 21, 2009

OMG's JFC Discussion

Keeping yesterday's literary Austin open and while we look at a more mystical Austin, ok his character in this one. But can you imagine John reading Ayn Rand? Or Milch 's rewrite of The Fountainehead? Holy!

Episode 4: "His Visit Day 3"






Day 3 starts with John in the empty field looking at the skeleton of the structure in Mexico, taking us back to Day 1. Is it me or does anyone else see a connection of one of the greatest films ever there?

Not getting a bone (with Kai) he gets taken for a ride - while walking he gets picked up by a van load of hoodlums. And John being John scares them and they stab him and leave him for dead along the side of the road. What did you think about that scene? Is there a significance that it happened on that day?

What about John and Vietnam Joe and John's healing? He has Joe put Joe's hand over John's heart, and this somehow draws some cosmic energy from Cass? What does that mean about Cass? Cass' vision? Her transformation from "tricking" with Mitch for Linc to finding her spirituality through John healiing. And John's transfiguration in other places? And what does Scarlett O'Hara have to do with any of this?

What do you think about Linc doing the dishes for Cissy who would do anything to get Shaun, but has a history of pimping, first Butchie surfing, and now Cass? But that's after Linc and Dr. Smith have a little interaction showing truest of intentions about Shaun and his miracle.

And Butchie and Kai? Butchie and Kai seek out John they recruit Bill's help hunting down John. Promising to put word out with his friends in the department, Bill takes control of the search, dividing Imperial Beach into quadrants. But find something else besides John or is it because of John?

What about Bill and Zippy and Bill's rant about ending his relationship with the Yost family, but Zippy has the final say, determineing he should make peace with Freddy. Bringing coffee and doughnuts Bill tells Freddy, "My bird Zippy conveyed to me, despite the obvious dissimilarities between us, we should become friends." Freddy tells him " I got a lizard back home, changes shapes." Bill nods, "Chameleon, they're called."
Mitch is back at the Yost compound. Butchie and Kai are entwined, John is preparing to make Cass see God too, then trouble shows up at the motel in a Mustang.

What bout Dr. Smith? His resignation? The Avon Lady? What about Ramon, Dickstein and Barry?

Any favorite quotes? Did Bill win for best quote for a couple of his greatest of the series? And what about that Milch swear jar, overflowing yet?


11 comments:

Special K said...

Anyone catch the Gone with the Wind mention?

John telling Joe "tomorrow is another day"

And the opening with the large profile of John filing the forescreen with the construction of the ring behind him. It's similar to Citizen Kane.

Anonymous said...

"I'm here on orders from my bird."

One of my all time favorite quotes.

Wicked said...

Is this the episode where Bill says, "My testicles are on display in the neighborhood" or something like that? That was hands-down my favorite quote from the series.

Special K said...

Loved both of those quotes from Bill. And I do think he got some of the best quotes of the series in this episode.

I love Cissy yelling at Linc, "You wanna help. Do the dishes!"

And Bill's
"Hey, I'm in my underwear, and I don't want any magazines!"

Special K said...

Is this the episode where Bill says, "My testicles are on display in the neighborhood" or something like that? That was hands-down my favorite quote from the series.

Yes it was Wicked.

destiny said...

I forgot this was this weekend, so I haven't had a chance to re-watch the episode. Telling LInc to do the dishes, isn't Cissy doing the dishes in the later episode when John appears outside her window?

Bill really does have some great lines, and what is it about Zippy that makes him follow his order in the first place? Is Zippy a substitute for his wife, perhaps?

John getting stabbed is disturbing even though I knew at the time he'd recover. Is this taking turn the other cheek to the extreme?

As you can see, I'm always full of more questions than I am insight when it comes to JFC.

Special K said...

Ok, this is from my religious background, but did anyone think that Cass, was like Mary Magdalene, and setting the ending with her and Kai in the last episode?

Also I thought it was interesting how John healed. He took Vietnam's Joe's hand and put it on his heart. Others would have written it to have put his hand on Joe to take from him, putting Joe's hand on him is more than that Joe is giving to him, rather than John taking from him.

It was also important that John showed that he could heal himself, that showed that the healing of the others around him was because of his presence.

Great thought Destiny about turning the other cheek. Milch has said that John was all about love.


Cissy washing the dishes with John outside talking to her, is coming up. And again it is another thing to add to the theme of water and purifying, redemption, renewal.

destiny said...

Another thought about the dishes, Cissy wanting someone else to clean up her messes in life, rather than dealing with them herself.

Wicked said...

It was also important that John showed that he could heal himself

But only with help.

Anonymous said...

This episode was chock full of interesting images and revelataions.

Something about that first scene with John in the foreground put me in mind of something from "Close encounters" but without all the lights... the old structure in the background looks like the skeleton of a space ship perhaps.

I've always loved Bill's conversations with the others and especially his with Zippy. He conveys this dumbfounded certainty that he must do as instructed by the bird, so matter of fact. He just doesn't seem to hesitate to follow his instructions, and yet he's a retired cop, someone who has likely seen everything in his career. To me Bill has a great deal of Faith.

Linc at the sink is such an odd piece in the show, but he takes his instructions from Sissy with little hesitation and does something quite usefull.

In Vietnam Joe's placing of his hands on John invokes a image of Christ taking the hand of Thomas and placing it on his wounds at some point. Joe is such a doubter and yet he is such a broken individual in search of salvation or forgiveness for what he had experienced while on duty in 'Nam'

I'm sure there is much more and I haven't seen this episode in some time, but I recall this one being the one that advances the story in a myriad of ways.

Cheers to everyone...

S.

Special K said...

Seaweed - great comparison of Thomas and Christ between Vietnam Joe and John.

And you're on target about Bill and Faith.