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Episode Recap: "The Legend of Dylan McCleen"
This week the Journeyman found himself caught in the middle of some spy games. While enjoying a leisurely afternoon with the family, Dan disappears in the middle of a crowd, leaving his son all alone on a busy city street. His flashback takes him to the middle of a forest with no clue as to when or where he is, except that there's a mysterious man and a suitcase full of money. The man identifies himself as Dylan McCleen.
In 2007, Dan returns home to yet another confrontation with his brother and wife. It's one thing for him to disappear from his wife, but when his son is put in danger, these issues need to be addressed. At his office the next day, his boss learns that the paper is losing money and layoffs are expected. Little do they know that Dan is busy trying to solve one of the city's oldest unsolved mysteries. Just the ticket to bring his paper out of the red. On his second trip back, he follows Mr. McCleen through a dry-cleaning business as he searches for the person in a photograph. Dylan quickly realizes something's up when the same stranger he ran into in the woods in the middle of the night is now stalking him. He attacks Dan and grills him with questions, asking about his possible affiliation with the Green Berets. Back in present day, Katie is visited by a detective looking into a liquor-store robbery in which a blurry picture of Dan is the only clue. Katie covers for Dan but when he returns, the two have another discussion about his trips and his latest adventure. I say this every time, but it seems like she's starting to come around.
During trip No. 3, Dan meets up with the man in the photo that Dylan McCleen is carrying. Apparently McCleen promised to bring the man's family over from Cambodia but has failed to do so up to this point. Suddenly Dan's mission becomes clear. In the middle of trying to get to the bottom of McCleen's real identity, Dan is paid a visit by Dr. Langley, the time-travel expert he contacted last week. It was a brief encounter and not much was revealed, but I think we can expect to see a lot more of this guy in future episodes. When Dan is about to take another trip, his son enters the room and watches his father vanish before his eyes. Back in time, Lyvia convinces Dan to seek his father's help with his mission despite her previous advice not to mess with the past. Although he prevented his dad from scoring the story of a lifetime (an attempted assassination of President Ford), Dan's father provides him with Dylan McCleen's real name: John Ritchie. With this knowledge, Dan reunites Ritchie with the man in his photograph so he can follow through on his promise to bring the man's family to the U.S. While it may end up costing him his job, Dan protects McCleen's real identity and returns home to make good with his family once again.
This episode was definitely a major improvement from last week. I've pretty much given up hope that Lyvia will gives us any useful answers, but the addition of Dr. Langley's character could make up for that. I also like that Dan's son has now witnessed his disappearing act. It was getting really annoying that not a single person had commented on watching a man vanish into thin air. Plus, now we don't have to see the baffled look on that little boy's face when his daddy is nowhere to be found. I really hope the writers keep this going, and judging by next week's previews when Dan runs into a teenage version of himself, it seems as though they just might be able to.
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Oct 23, 2007 1:57 AM
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I totally agree with your entire last paragraph, Adam.
I'm thinking that Lyvia is just a totally worthless character. Maybe sometime we'll get some more info about her. But it seems she does nothing really to help him. We get no explanation from her except that she never got on the plane and that she time-traveled before she met Dan. I feel the urge to fast forward whenever she is on.
I definitely think the wife is coming around. I really think she knows he can't help it and I think the real thing that bothers her is that he sees Lyvia.
Cool, re the son seeing him disappear. The son thinks so, too!
Love that we've been introduced to Dr. Langley. He knows he's talked to Dan in the past, I believe. He knows a LOT. Surprising that Dan doesn't pick up on that and pursue it more, but I guess he's preoccupied with his mission.
Any "The 4400" fans out there recognize Dan's father? It's Joel Gretsch, who played Tom Baldwin.
And what about all that money? There must be more to that.
I'm liking this more each week...except for Lyvia.
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Oct 23, 2007 3:42 AM
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I liked this episode. Dr Langley could be very interesting - he should have been introduced much sooner. Loved that the kid saw Dad's 'magic' and didn't freak about it.
I also noticed Father 4400. Tom looked good in 70s! I'm getting the adrenaline junkie vibe from the Dad. I'm also thiking Dad was probably a traveler too. Dr Langley hinted he knew the father in the prior episode. And his comments about "power" were rather ominous.
I agree that Lyvia, who could be acting as a "guide" or a "temptress" character for Dan is doing neither. I'd expect Dan, the reporter, to be grilling her for details at every meeting, just before his real 'case' begins.
The Katie-Dan relationship keeps my interest. The brother seems to be a one-note in his scenes, but that's the writing not the acting (mho).
I liked the case this week and how it was relavent to the present and the past. Boss and his Jimmy Olsen(?name?) helping Dan with the McLeen mystery aspect were good.
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Oct 23, 2007 7:48 AM
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I like this show quite a bit, but I'm getting frustrated that he leaves no matter what his circumstances. I was horrified about him being pulled away when he was caring for the boy. If some mysterious powers use these people to help others, you'd think they'd come up with a little less conspicuous way to do it!
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Oct 23, 2007 8:32 AM
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Any Supernatural fans out there recognize the young reporter that was helping Dan as Andy? Also loved Joel Gretsch as Dan's father. One question that I keep wondering about is, we see Dan take items back on his trips, but can he take other people with him? Something to ponder.
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Oct 23, 2007 9:39 AM
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Adanzante: I was asking myself the same question last night. Can he bring a person back with him? That would be cool.
I really liked last nights show. I enjoy the show more every week. Seeing Dr. Langley have that talk with Dan made me believe that he knows way more then he said. I was also thinking that he has run into others who are timetraveling just like Dan. I also thought it was cool that Zach now knows his Dad is magical. That was great!
Yes, Lyvia is frustrating me. I'm starting not to care about her character because she isn't offering us anything. She needs to start explaining things she has learned to Dan or she can time travel away for good and take Jack with her!
I truly love Mondays on NBC!
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Oct 23, 2007 10:24 AM
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Adanzante, Dan probably can't take people with him, because he was hanging on to his son when he disappeared at the street fair. It's good that the kid knows, because it explains Dan's frequent absences and why they can't go to football games together. It'll be interesting to see how involved his son gets in dad's "magic."
Joel Gretsch looking very hot in tight jeans and mustache  ! Dan also got to see how easily his father blew off the wife on the phone and doesn't want to be the same way with his own son.
Dr. Langley wasn't buying Dan's "researching for a novel" angle; he knows the dude has time-tripped. I'm very intrigued by where this is going. PLEASE, NBC, give this show a chance!
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Oct 23, 2007 10:27 AM
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I guess I'm alone here, but I actually like Jack. One of the most appealing things about this show for me is the complexity of all of the characters. I don't think that anyone is one note. There are no bad guys here, these are people placed in difficult circumstances. While Jack isn't blameless in the rift that developed between he and Dan after Dan married Katie, it appears that he tried to step away from the situation. Katie contacted him when Dan disappeared, which makes since under the circumstances, he's a cop and his brother. I also think that on some level she feels responsible for coming between them. She called him again while in custody after Dan disappeared from the plane, again understandable. Dan himself has turned to Jack several times, including asking him to take care of Zack so that he and Katie could go away. Jack has never refused to help; he's showed up each time. From last week's conversation in the men's room, I saw sadness between both brothers for the loss of closeness that once existed. No Jack doesn't believe the time travel stuff, who would? He'll probably have to experience the same thing that Zach has before it sinks in. In the mean time he thinks he's dealing with a sibling with reoccurrence of an addiction and a spouse who is enabling him, and allowing him to put their child in danger, yet he still hasn't walked away from the situation, like many of us would be tempted to do. Jack is by no means perfect, but he is trying.
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Oct 23, 2007 11:23 AM
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I can't believe he kept the money ,but then again he did say mad money. he did have trouble with using new 5 10 and 20 bills do look fake in the past. The money was tracked though.
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Oct 23, 2007 11:32 AM
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I am really starting to think that Dan's father didn't just happen to disappear. I suspect he didn't walk out on his family, the way the scientist asked if the "character" in the book hadn't already been exploited for his power set my spidey senses to tingling. Anyone think we'll be seeing more of his dad in the future or the past?
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Oct 23, 2007 12:07 PM
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The money and the gun are going to come back to haunt Dan.
I love where the writers are going with the series, i hope they can keep it up.
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Oct 23, 2007 12:17 PM
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I think this latest episode was a step up compared to weeks prior. The show & its writers are growing and making the show more solid (if you catch my drift). Like it has been posted before I like the fact Zach knows about his dads "magic". Now the tricky part is will Zach start spreading this fact around to people, mainly Uncle Jack? 
Questions: Did the new girl that Jack is dating (name unknown to me) say she didn't want children? Or Jack just lying to Katie to make her feel sorry for him or something?
Did anyone catch how Katie did not responded to Dan's comment that is she looking for a reason to sleep with Jack in the present if he slept with Lyvia in the past during his trips? ">
Like many people I think Lyvia's character is pointless. However, Dan did imply she possibly has a family that she does not mention in present time. Hopefully, she is alive in the present and has a family that we will meet someday. Hope this robbery storyline does not backfire and Dan ends up in jail.
I agree with you Pinkie about Dr.Langley. Yet, I get the feeling he isn't a "good guy" who will possibly go harm to Dan's family by him knowing his secret. Who knows??
Can't wait until next week
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Oct 23, 2007 12:22 PM
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The money was tracked though.mpolynice, I was thinking the exact same thing. There's going to be consequences attached to that loot, and along with the detective looking into the robbery-assault, The Man is certainly going to be breathing down our Journeyman's neck. Which might lead to the inclusion of Jack in this whole time travel business as a way of deflecting attention on Dan.
I'm also getting annoyed at the whole Lyvia thing, but I'm trusting the writers' vision to let her story play out. Hopefully we'll get some tidbits before/if the plug is pulled prematurely. Not that I want that to happen. It's just that I've become jaded (Threshold, John Doe, Kidnapped, Invasion, Daybreak, etc.)
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Oct 23, 2007 12:30 PM
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Regardless of what you think of Lyvia there's something else I've been wondering. Why is it that Dan goes on these trips and she seems to show up on his missions but it doesn't work the other way around. If the 2 are somehow linked in their trips why doesn't he ever drop in on her when she's trying to accomplish something?
I'd also agree with those that feel Dr. Langley knows a lot more then he said. Contrary to what Adam said I think that was a very meaningful scene because of that unspoken subtext.
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Oct 23, 2007 2:09 PM
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