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Episode Recap: "Double Down"
Another Monday night, another Journeyman. In recent weeks, the story has been moving along quite smoothly with exception to Lyvia. Can't she get killed off already? Dan knows his deal each week now. What purpose does she serve aside from unnecessary drama in his life? Anyhow, I'm getting away from the point.
Now that the cat is out of the bag with his son, and his brother has laid off his investigation, perhaps Dan could find a bit of stability in his chaotic life. If only he could figure out a way to control his trips, then it'd be just another job for him. However, if there's one thing we've learned about this show, it's that things will never be that easy for him.
During a game of Monopoly, Dan's son spilled the beans about Daddy's hidden cash stash, which sent Jack into investigation mode yet again. He collected some of the bills and brought them down to his buddy at the station, who was surprised at how new the bills from the '70s appeared to be. Meanwhile, as Katie prepares to go back to work as a reporter, she and Dan need to discuss who will take care of their son. Could Katie have picked a worse time to go back to work? At least wait for Dan to be able to control his trips!
As the two discussed their options, Dan disappeared to 2000 in the back of a man's car. Upon discovering Dan in the backseat, the man freaked out and kicked Dan out. Dan exited just in time to see a couple of gang members about to attack the driver. He prevented the attack from being fatal but lost his id in the process. Apparently the man was a lawyer prosecuting fellow members of the gang who shot at him. With the knowledge of where he lives, Dan's new mission was to protect himself. Thanks, Lyvia (or should I just call her Captain Obvious?).
In 2007 Jack passed off Dan's cash to the FBI, who informed him they were related to the Dylan Mcleen case from 1975. Back in 2000, Dan and Lyvia staked out Dan's apartment and watched Dan's past self sneak away after telling past Katie he was exhausted.
They tracked past Dan to an underground gambling spot. Unfortunately, past Dan was also being tracked by the gang members from earlier. In an attempt to save himself, Dan picked a fight with his past self. After a brief but intense fight in which Dan did not reveal his face to past Dan, Lyvia finally busted in and saved the day. Maybe she does have a purpose after all! When they bring past Dan back to his apartment, Dan recalls that the night of the poker game was the night he and Katie fell in love. She went and dragged him out of the game and the rest was history. By interfering and taking past Dan home early, Dan was risking his family's entire existence and so his mission became clear once again.
As Dan and Lyvia plot their next move, for the first time in the series we watched Lyvia jump. She found herself in Dan's home in present day trying to keep Dan's present life in check while Dan tried to find money to buy his way into the poker game to make sure he and Katie fall in love. Lyvia grabbed Dylan Mcleen's cash and brought it back to Dan in 2000, thus allowing him to buy his way into the underground poker game. Mission accomplished! The episode ended with a confrontation between the FBI agent and Jack wherein Jack admitted to getting the marked cash from his brother.
I must admit, this was the best episode of this show so far. I was glad to finally see how Dan and Katie got together and that Lyvia even had a hand in it. It was nice to see that although Lyvia and Dan have many unresolved issues, she stepped aside and let the future play out the way it was supposed to.
Though most of you disagree, I still can't stand Jack. He wouldn't let his brother and Katie work out their own issues and now he's gotten them into an even bigger issue. I get it, he's a concerned relative who's also concerned for the well-being of his nephew, but come on! The dude's gotta have a little family loyalty, I don't care what he does for a living. He should have sought an explanation before ratting Dan out to the FBI.
That's all for this week. Next week, the doctor returns to hopefully shed some more light on Dan's journeys.
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Nov 6, 2007 1:45 AM
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I guess what I find intriguing is that (to me anyway) it seems as though someone is pulling the strings here. Just when Dan needs help (the money), Livia is sent to the future to get the money to get back to Dan just in the nick of time. It has that spooky feeling of everything we do is being controlled by a force of some sort.
There were times during this episode where I got chills, as in spooked. Am I the only one? One scene is when "past" Dan was lying there asleep. He looked like he was made of wax or something. And when he opened his eyes, it gave me the shivers. Another was when Livia was hiding in the closet and Katie had no idea she was there. It was just spooky to me.
As for Jack, I hate the character, but I think the reason most people seem not to hate him is because they love the actor, Reed Diamond. Yep, I agree. Me, too.
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Nov 6, 2007 2:43 AM
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Maybe now all the Lyvia haters can put a sock in it. She was a key part to Dan's mission tonight, and without her he wouldn't have had the buy-in to set the present right. Let's face it, Dan isn't going to ask the one question we want him to, and she's not going to answer it, which I'm not so sure she even can. We're going to get tiny little doses when it comes to the WHY of all this, and I'm OK with that. Well, that's only if this thing gets to play out for a while and not have the rug pulled out from under it.
Pinkie, the scene that gave me the heebie-jeebies was Dan battling it out with himself. Painful and interesting at the same time. I almost was waiting for him/them to explode into so many atoms when they connected.
Jack/Jerk is really getting on my nerves. I get that at the core he's trying to protect his family, but his intensity is leading him to make the wrong choices in going about it. He doesn't seem to grasp the concept of gray areas; it's all black/white, legal/criminal. No in-between. Guess he's the brass knuckle type during interrogations. Not the way to deal with the fam, though, my friend. That's how you drive 'em away.
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Nov 6, 2007 4:25 AM
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I find it odd that the night Katie rescues Dan from himself, basically, is the night they fall in love?
I dunno, seeing someone I was dating acting that way would probably be a deal breaker, not a deal maker. Maybe she felt like he needed someone to help him and she could be that someone...but that's a lot of baggage that's coming with him.
Perhaps I'm alone in this.
And last night's episode actually felt like a way to end Lyvia's character. It sure felt like closure at the end to me! She helped Dan live the life he was supposed to... That's how the movie version would end anyway. But I actually did wonder when she said "Good bye" if her role was actually just temporary. I'm guessing not...but it really did feel like an ending.
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Nov 6, 2007 7:14 AM
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I got that same impression about the way they ended it with Lyvia. I wouldn't mind if her role were down-graded a bit and she only showed up when it was completely necessary. This was the first episode that her random appearance was actually important to the story.
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Nov 6, 2007 8:55 AM
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Kevin McKidd gave a great performance last night. I really liked the scene where he was frantically phoning people to get money. You could see how disgusted he was with his past self.
It did feel like Livia's character was saying goodbye for a long time. Who knows? I hear Journeyman has 13 out of 13 episodes completed, but with no full season order and the writers' strike, I bet this solid show will not return. Which is a real shame. It started slow, but now I look forward to it every week. I only hope episode 13 gives some closure.
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Nov 6, 2007 10:18 AM
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Well Adam we disagree yet again:
> Lyvia. Can't she get killed off already? Dan knows
> his deal each week now. What purpose does she serve
> aside from unnecessary drama in his life?
b]Livia
Not only has she provided some much needed guidance to Dan over the past few weeks, but IMO there have been several hints that she's still carrying a major personal secret that will have major consequences for Dan, Katie and Zack.
> Now, I've obviously got nothing against women in the
> workforce, but could Katie have picked a worse time
> to go back to work? At least wait for Dan to be able
> to control his trips!
Katie's return to work
How modern of you not have issues with women working.
Katie wants to return to work precisely because of the destabilization caused by Dan's condition. His job is on the line and his continual disappearances could leave them without an income. Not to mention the position that she and Zack might be in if Dan never returns from one of his trips. She's needs a plan to provide for herself and Zack should something happen.
>Though
> most of you disagree, I still can't stand Jack. He
> wouldn't let his brother and Katie work out their own
> issues and now he's gotten them into an even bigger
> issue. I get it, he's a concerned relative who's also
> concerned for the well-being of his nephew but come
> on! The dude's gotta have a little family loyalty, I
> don't care what he does for a living. He should have
> sought an explanation before ratting Dan out to the FBI.
Jack
I thought last week's episode got at the heart of his situation. While I really didn't expect him to turn Dan's name over that easily, he did go to Dan and Katie first for an explanation. Dan couldn't be found (Jack thinks he's on another bender), and Katie refused to explain. After experiencing exactly how self destructive Dan was in past, I get a better idea of where Jack is coming from. He's worried with good reason. These characters are not written in black and white, they all have flaws and complications, and I'm loving it.
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Nov 6, 2007 10:19 AM
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One thing really bothered me. If the FBI showed up two seconds after one of the Dylan McLeen bills showed up in the present, what happened when he gambled away all that money in the past?? Surely that money would be spent and eventually tracked back to some of those people at the poker game. Since even the people at the poker table looked surprised Dan had a wad of bills like that, SOMEONE would have remembered when the FBI came snooping around.
Seems like Dan's past self in 2000 would have been in a lot more trouble over spending at least $10K of the McLeen money than his present self is at possessing, as far as the FBI knows, only one $100 bill.
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Nov 6, 2007 10:28 AM
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Is it just me, or does it seem that Lyvia can control her time traveling? She knew where to get money for the poker game, and poof! She's in Dan and Kate's closet. She also disappeared right on cue after saying goodbye.
Interesting that Dan can time-travel with bags of trash, but not people..as far as we know. Can't wait for Dr. Langley's return next week!
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Nov 6, 2007 10:44 AM
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I loved last nights episode and I think it was the best of the season so far. I just really enjoy it more and more every week. I think Kevin McKidd is doing a fantastic job as Dan and I like the relationship he has with his wife and son. I do care about these people.
Yes, Jack is still getting on my nerves. I thought after last week he was getting better but to force himself into someone else's personal affairs is wrong. It's none of his business as to what is going on in his brothers life. He's a cop, go out and do your job arresting criminals.
I also felt that there is someone bigger than both Dan and Lyvia that is controlling their trips. Could it be our mysterious Professor who definitely knows about time travel? Can't wait until next week!
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Nov 6, 2007 10:48 AM
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If someone were drinking heavily and losing lots of money($5,000 bets)at the poker table I was at I wouldn't call his girlfriend to come and take him home. As long as the money was flowing I would do all I can to keep him playing.
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Nov 6, 2007 11:51 AM
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This may be nothing but I just have to mention it. When Dan "travels" it is a white light. When Olivia "traveled" it was a red light. I am a long time scifi fan and it made me think of Quantem Leap. When same met the evil leaper her leap color was differient from Sam's.
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Nov 6, 2007 11:56 AM
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huntress~ Is it just me, or does it seem that Lyvia can control her time traveling?
In my other post on this blog, I stated that I felt she was sent on that mission. I'm sure she wasn't in control of the situation. When she arrived in that closet, she looked confused as to why she was there. I think it dawned on her pretty quickly, but I don't think she had meant to arrive there on her own.
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Nov 6, 2007 12:34 PM
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Pinkie - I too think Lyvia has some control over her time traveling. The moment she said "I know what to get you the money", she disappeared, almost on cue. I attributed her confused look in the closet to not knowing where she was (inside a closet in Dan's 2007 home) rather than why she was there; I don't think she has been to Dan's home at all.
harris4 - I think Lyvia's secret is that she found out Dan's father was also a time traveler. I'm also speculating that this discovery factored heavily in her leaving Dan in the first place.
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Nov 6, 2007 12:59 PM
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!. I did get a little spooked at times during the episode, especially when Livia travel forward in time to Dan's house.
"> However, I think Reed Diamond is doing a wonderful job. I really loved his scene with Katie where he as demanding to know where the money is. 
