*Without a Trace*

[CC Fan]

I loved last nights episode as well, because I'm such an X-Files fan. I also loved how Martin called her Scully at the end, which I thought was in reference to the Scully/Mulder relationship. I hope Sam doesn't go back to Jack. I honestly never liked that relationship and I loved the scene where Viv was like "You screwed Sam and then you dropped her to be with your wife." Because it's totally true. He never loved Sam. I feel like that whole thing was interesting but should stay in the past because I love the new dynamic with M and S.

[TVFan]

Definitely didn't have this one figured out until they revealed what happened in the flashback. I was so torn between feeling bad for the mother and strongly disliking her. Her drinking and drugs caused her baby's death, which made me strongly dislike her. But, she wasn't even aware of what she had done and it was an accident. Very sad.

I spent the entire episode going back and forth about June. The writers did a nice job of shifting the guilt on and off her. They painted a very suspicious picture of her, but there was room there for resonable doubt. I was glad it didn't end up being June.

I was SHOCKED when Jack told the parents that their baby was dead. Never in a million years had I imagined she wasn't going to show up alive! That surprise really threw me for a loop.

Overall a good, strong episode.

[Tracylynn]

Tonight's episode was one of the best that I have ever seen. I thought the message that they were relaying was really important to any woman out there. :thumb: :clap:

It was so sad to see how that poor girl saw herself and even how her mother saw her as average. That girl had such low self esteem and her mother and society didn't help make her feel any better. And even with the beauty she got it didn't solved her problem. What made things worse was the fact that the one person who saw beyond her looks and saw the real her was the one she viewed in the same the way as she previously viewed herself. Of course, in the end she realized what was real and beautiful.

What was even touching was that guy, whose name I can't remember, seem to be thinking about himself at the end of the show. I liked how he put himself in her shoes and figured out that she probably didn't get kidnapped. I think he even saw the errors of his own mentality. What a sweetheart.

As a woman, it is really hard not to be critical of one's beauty. Personally, I'm against plastic surgery but I feel it's okay when it's medically necessary. I'm happy with the way God made me.

Tracylynn

[TVFan]

I was pleasently surprised by this ep. I figured it was just going to be The Swan-like show's candidate disappears and the team had to find her. I was really happy that they gave the ep such heart. I agree Tracylynn, it had a wonderful message. I didn't watch The Swan, but I have heard similiar types of complaints from the girls who were on there. I read somewhere that people are obsessed with them being perfect. Actually, this ep was a really sad commentary on our beauty obsessed society. Talk about holding up a mirror! And I for one, didn't like what I saw about how we view people's worth based solely on their looks. Very powerful episode.

[Tracylynn]

Yeah, it was a really powerful epsiode. They really hit it on the nail didn't they? I don't think Elizabeth Berkley portrayed the before girl but whoever the lady was did a fantastic job. Two thumbs up for her.

As for The Swan, well I refused to watch that show. To me that is Reality TV going to an ultimate low. But it just shows how society really is obsessed with beauty.

I don't want to go off on another topic here but I don't have kids yet but I do have neices. My concern is that girls today can not be girls. They have to grow up so fast and they have to look older than what they are. Then people wonder what is wrong with the kids today. We really need to take a closer look at what is around us.

Back to the topic at hand...sorry but that episode was excellent. I think it the subject hit Danny on the head because I think the situation made him think about himself, how he is viewed and how he looks at women. In the one scene when he interrogating the guy who had sex with the girl and the suspect said "You know how it is" and he said "No". I think it really hit home to him. The way he reacted was a sharp contrast to the way the Martin had acted.

Now I can remember the guy's name. Yeah.

Tracylynn

[TVFan]

Tracylynn - Couldn't agree more (although I too don't have kids yet). When I run up to the local mall, it's shocking what young girls (9-13 year olds) are wearing. A lot of it is stuff I wouldn't wear and I'm 24! It makes me sad, really.

Back to the topic. I couldn't think of Danny's name either, but I liked how they made this case personal to him. He really seemed to do some self evaluation. He didn't like what he saw, so he changed his own perceptions. I love when shows have character growth because it makes the character real.

[Tracylynn]

I thought this week's episode started out a little slow but then it got itself going and was pretty good. When "To be continued..." appeared on the screen I had to scream. I wanted the show to go on because I wanted to know what happen to the lady.

Is it me or has Sam seem to be getting touched by cases that deal with a mother and a child? With this episode and another one I saw where she also seemed to have gotten attached to a case, it seems like she longing to be a mother.

The scene where Danny catches Martin rubbing Sam's neck was priceless. Of course, I was coughing at the time but it looked like he was a little surprised and disappointed. Or is it me that thinks that? Of course, they looked surprised when he knocked on the window.

What is so sad about the episode is that the woman only did what she did because of her son. I really feel for her because it was obvious that she was struggling to make ends meat but she really loved her son and his well being came first and foremost. As the saying goes....desperate times calls for desperate measures. Even though what she did wasn't right it's understandable why she did it. It was nice to see a mother who put her child first and not her.

Can't wait to see what happens next week.

Tracylynn

[misguided freak]

Did anyone else get a Lilly vibe with Sam, when she started getting really worked up and, I guess, relating herself to the case? She reminded me of Lilly in Fly Away and Sherri Darlin'.

I don't know how I feel about Martin and Sam, but I can always live with more Danny!

[Ryebeach]

So I finally watched an episode of this series and I have mixed feelings.

I watched the repeat of "Coming Home," which was on last nite. It was originally broadcast 12-18-03.

The storyline was good and unpredictable, about the former class president who dissapeared after his 10th High School reunion.

Some of the twists I NEVER saw coming and the end was very sad but I guess it was the main characters who just didn't seem all that interesting. I liked Sam and Danny who did the majority of the investigating in this ep. They worked well together and were tough yet compassionate. However I did not like the character of Jack. He seemed too wooden. No facial expressions and rather uninteresting when he had scenes. He just went around yelling at people and bossing them around. To be fair though, I don't know if he always acts this way. The other two main characters had some backstory going where one of them had shot someone and they were covering it up and finally Jack found out. It was never fully explained though, so I guess this was not the episode that a newcomer should watch first as I was really turned off to those three characters.

I think I'll give this show another chance though but I will probably rent the first season on DVD to watch from the beginning just so I can fully understand the characters and their motivations.

[TVFan]

I finally got to watch my recorded ep from last Thursday (I had gotten about 15 minutes into it Thurs night and fell asleep - thank goodness for TiVo since this is a two-parter). Anyway, I think this is a very interesting story. It's amazing how money is truly the root of all evil. I feel bad for Colleen. She was just trying to do the best thing for her son, even if that meant putting herself in danger.

I thought that Sam made a really good point near the end. She said something to Martin about Colleen's abduction (possible murder) wouldn't even have made a ripple if it hadn't been for her son. It seemed like this realization was really bothering her. I couldn't help but think of all the people who go missing each year, and yet, the public only hears about a fraction of them. Sam's comment really hit this fact home.

I wasn't sure whether Danny was upset about Sam/Martin or just taken back by it. I don't hink he had suspected anything, so seeing them together might have just caught him off guard. Although, he did ask Sam what her type is when they were walking up to the house where Colleen worked as a housekeeper. At the time, I thought he was just making conversation (and he very well may have been), but he might have been asking b/c he was intrested to know if it was him.

Overall, a solid ep (part 1). The previews for part 2 look very tense. It looks like Sam is going undercover.

[CC Fan]

Haven't posted in this thread for a while, but I just wanted to comment on last weeks episode. I really enjoyed it. I thought the acting was great and I'm liking the whole TBC thing. It's nice to know the writers realize most cases don't get wrapped up in an hour.

BTW: Loved the scene with Martin and Sam and Danny catching them. Now I just cant wait for Jack to catch them. He bothers me so much now!

[TVFan]

Great episode (conclusion) last night!

First, the story -
I really liked the idea of having Sam go undercover. Even though I just knew that Colleen wasn't going to turn up alive, I thought her death and Sam's reaction was sad. These drug cartels are ruthless. It was nice poetic justice that even though Colleen's life went unnoticed, her death led to important arrests that will at least put a dent in that drug cartel. Sam was tough in this ep. She wasn't going to say die, and she fought until the end. I liked her trick with the metal debris. She really knocked that guy hard! Even though it ended up exposing her, her hurtin' on Joanna's(?) boyfriend was awesome! You go Sam!

Second, Sam's personal connection-
Sam was drawn to that little girl at the extended stay motel. She had a really nice connection to her, and I wondered if she related to her. Then, we got the flashbacks, and it seemed like her mom was always too busy. I got the impression that it was just Sam and her mom, so her mom had to work long hours just to make the ends meet (like all the women in this ep). The one thing that confused me was the running away scene. So, she ran away as a teenager? I'm confused why they showed this, other than to show that her relationship with her mother was/is strained. I guess the case forced her to look at her own upbringing, and in doing so, made her more appreciative of what her own mother went through. I liked the (predictable) touch at the end when Sam called her mom.

Third, Sam and Martin and oh yeah Jack too -
You guys know that I'm against the whole inter-office romance storylines on these procedurals, but gosh darnit I LOVED Martin's concern for Sam last night. When he told her that they found Colleen's body and he saw how sad that made her, I was so touched by his simple kiss on her forehead. It was so sweet. I can't believe I'm saying all of this considering my dislike of these storylines (as long as WaT doesn't go into soap opera land I'm ok with it though).foujylos.notlong.com [/IMG] About the Jack part in the heading above, I think Jack knows something's going on between Sam and Martin. He looked a little crushed when Martin said he was riding with her to the hospital. I noticed he made a slight move on her when he offered to (and did) massage her shoulders. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this doesn't turn into a love triangle.

Anyway, an excellent ep!

[Trublu]

I thought the two-parter was an excellent two episodes <although two parters kill me because i have to wait a week to see the second part> I thougt having Sam go undercover was excellent, seeing as she was really consumed by the case.

The one thing that confused me was the running away scene. So, she ran away as a teenager? I'm confused why they showed this, other than to show that her relationship with her mother was/is strained. I guess the case forced her to look at her own upbringing, and in doing so, made her more appreciative of what her own mother went through. I liked the (predictable) touch at the end when Sam called her mom.

Yeah. Sam ran away when she was 18, and tried to hop a bus (as you saw) but her mother found her. I believe they [revealed] this in the first season, which i havent really seen much of, but the fact that she ran away seems to be commonly accepted. A lot of people seem to think that she kinda wanted to be found--- thats why the obvious running away spot. Think she just saw more and more of herself in Amy. I thought the bond that she developed with her was really sweet. And the call to her mother at the end... i thought was exceptionally sweet, esp. with her strained relationships. Go Sam

I have to admit that i wasnt surprised that they didnt find Colleen, ive seen a lot of drug cartels in SVU and such, and they are ruthless. People just kinda stumble into them without meaning to.

And then i laughed my head off when Danny spotted Martin and Sam on the balcony. I think he was a little surprised to see the two of them together. But a priceless moment none-the-less. And at the end, i think Jack is beginning to suspect that something is going on between the two of them. I'm all for seeing how he reacts, as long as he doesnt interfere. I like seeing Martin and Sam together, as long as they dont focus on it, and if Jack were to interfere... we'd have soap opera city. <blech>

[CC Fan]

LOVED IT! ahh! Brilliant. And the Martin/Sam stuff was great and this episode would've been perfect except for 2 scenes. 1.) The scene where Jack felt he needed to molest.. I mean rub her back. Stay away! Far far away!
2.) When they saved Sam and Jack ran to her and Martin had to run to the perps. It all worked out though when Martin said, and not asked, that he was going with Sam. HA! I HATE YOU JACK!

[Trublu]

CC said:

LOVED IT! ahh! Brilliant. And the Martin/Sam stuff was great and this episode would've been perfect except for 2 scenes. 1.) The scene where Jack felt he needed to molest.. I mean rub her back. Stay away! Far far away!
2.) When they saved Sam and Jack ran to her and Martin had to run to the perps. It all worked out though when Martin said, and not asked, that he was going with Sam. HA! I HATE YOU JACK!

Haha CC, i love your reasoning. I felt SOOO bad for Martin when they rescued Sam because he had to go to the perp to make sure he was properly restrained since Jack went for Sam. I loved how he just inserted himself, and was like "I'M going to ride with Sam <NO, NOT YOU JACK!> Like Vivian said, Jack hurt Sam real bad when he had an affair with her and then DUMPED her to try and fix things with his wife, who then DUMPED him, and he ended up screwing everyone up by coming back. <but i think we all knew that they wouldnt get rid of Jack anywhays>

[Ryebeach]

Here's kind of an interesting article about producer and actor Timothy Busfield's work both in front and behind the camera and why his recurring character is in a wheelchair.

I liked Timothy Busfield when he was on The West Wing. He had great chemistry with Alison Janney.

Source:http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271|91664|1|,00.html


Timothy Busfield could do more jobs on "Without a Trace" ... but he already has enough, thank you very much.

Best-known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of perpetual screw-up Elliott on the seminal 1980s series "thirtysomething," Busfield has done lots of behind-the-scenes work since. He's doing it in one place this TV year, as a co-executive producer of the hit CBS Thursday crime drama "Without a Trace." And that's not all: Busfield also directed the episode airing Thursday, Nov. 18, and he's also a recurring guest star as the divorce attorney for FBI missing-persons investigator Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia).

"At first, it was the producing end only," the amiable Busfield recalls of being hired for the show. "Hank [Steinberg, the series' creator and another producer on it] started writing the first episode, as he was carving it out, he started thinking of me ... which inevitably happens on a lot of shows. A writer or director will suddenly look up and say, 'Wait a minute. Why not him?' It worked out really well here."

Then came the opportunity for Busfield to develop a continuing character on "Without a Trace" as well.

"This man was in a car accident, or at least that's the reason we came up with" for the fact that his alter ego uses a wheelchair, Busfield explains. "In reality, the day before I started work on the show, I tripped and broke my right leg in four places while carrying a beanbag chair down some stairs. I also tore all the ligaments in my right foot, so I was unable to move, really. Since I had to work the next day, we decided the guy would either be on crutches or in a wheelchair, so we went with the wheelchair."

Busfield says he's fine now. "I'm not limpin' around. I was very fortunate that the breaks lined up enough that I didn't need surgery, but it was bad enough that I couldn't put any weight on the leg. I was actually using the wheelchair for about four or five weeks, so we just decided to keep it. I've gotten to play a lot of characters, but never one in this condition. Maybe I'll even act better like this, though I don't know that's possible."

The upcoming "Without a Trace" episode directed by Busfield is a sequel to a story from last season, with Tony Goldwyn ("Ghost") reprising his role -- or, more precisely, roles -- as twin brothers suspected of being involved in another murder after a woman vanishes from a shelter for the homeless. "I really didn't know the show that well before my first meeting with Hank on it," Busfield admits. "I saw an episode just before that, and I thought, 'Wow. This is pretty doggone good.' Hank sent me a few more tapes, then it became a ritual for me to watch every episode with my wife. By the time I came on board, I was infatuated with the writing, the camera work, and the incredible performances by this great cast."

With a TV career dating back to his stint as the son of "Trapper John, M.D.," Busfield isn't the only actor who has gone into series producing this season. Tim Matheson ("The West Wing," "National Lampoon's Animal House") is serving that function on another CBS show, "Cold Case," also under the domain of "Without a Trace" executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Previously, Busfield also was a producer of "Ed," the now-defunct NBC series on which he made several appearances as the title character's hapless brother.

"I think a lot of it is probably that I know why I'm there," he reasons, "having been a part of 'thirtysomething' and having been a part of 'The West Wing' (as reporter Danny Concannon), shows that worked their way through 'hit' status to the point of questioning how you keep up the quality. Primarily, I'm here to free up Hank so he can focus on the writing and to be in charge of how the show is filmed and performed."

Since "Without a Trace" and NBC's "The West Wing" are both made by Warner Bros. Television, it's not impossible for Busfield to turn up again on the White House drama, where he's usually teamed with fellow Emmy winner Allison Janney (as press secretary C.J. Cregg). "Hey, Danny buried stories about assassinations for C.J.," muses Busfield, whose brother-in-law, Joshua Malina, is also on "The West Wing." "He'd have done anything if she'd slept with him just once. It's all in the writing, except maybe for that element between an actor and another actor. I hate to use the word 'chemistry' because it gets so overused, and everyone tries to target what it is. When Allison and I worked together and we'd see each other, we'd just start to laugh. It was like, 'Let's play' every single time."

For "thirtysomething" fans longing for DVD sets of the show, rest assured the actors are, too. Busfield that reports the cast of the drama -- about a group of spouses and friends in their 30s -- "reunited for dinner recently. "Everybody showed up, and we had a spectacular time. We are all still incredibly close. With Kenny (Ken Olin, who played Michael) co-producing 'Alias' while I was on 'Ed,' we'd compare notes. Now Peter Horton (alias Gary) is involved in making (the midseason ABC show) 'Gray's Anatomy,' It's kind of odd, and kind of neat, that we're all producer-directors now."

[CC Fan]

I thought the episode last night was really boring. I kept waiting for something really interesting to happen, but nothing did. I didn't like that they just found him... it's more interesting when there's some sorta struggle or theres more twist and turns.

[anna16profiler]

Hey!
I´m from Germany and since lately a big fan of WaT.
But at us the third season isn´t running, old episodes run again.
i love the cast, sam is my favourite character, i think she´s very clever, nice and extremely beutiful, isn´t she.
Do you think sam and jack or sam and martin fit to each other?
What´s happening about this??

[Trublu]

Ive always been a Sam/ Martin shipper. what their doing about this is....
The first ep of season three, they sleep together. Funn stuffs, let me tell you!

[CC Fan]

Yes... that was hot if I do say so myself. I like the direction they're taking the relationship. It's not the focus of each episode, but still, it's nice to see how different they act in terms of their jobs. Martin worries about her all the time and they seem to really care about eachother.