REWATCHING: WITNESS FOR THE EXECUTION

[jpen]

I know it's a bit early, but thought I would post while I have a teeny li'l window...Enjoy!

1. As in other episodes, David starts off here considerably the worse (or better, depending on your point of view) for his weekend. What, if any, significance does this have for the rest of the episode?

2. Why does Maddie love Monday mornings?

3. We’re offered an interesting glimpse of Maddie and David’s respective moral compasses here:
a. In light of his religious beliefs, does David’s willingness to help Mr. Everett surprise you?
b. How about Maddie’s point of view? Does this seem to accord with what we already know about her?

4. How do you think David’s “confession” in that first bedroom scene affects their relationship?

5. The Garage: Feel free to analyze, scrutinize, fantasize…(bearing in mind that this is a family forum, people! )

6. Do you see any changes in Maddie during the course of this episode?

7. The epilogue: Why (oh, God, WHY?!?) do they both backpedal? Does this resolution feel right to you?

8. “Extra credit”: Any of you film buffs want to comment on the episode title?

Feel free to add more…witness, I bet you’ve got some good ones! ;D

[lin212]

Great Qs, jen, real noggin' thumpers. This is going to take some deep thinking...

[graycav56]

1. As in other episodes, David starts off here considerably the worse (or better, depending on your point of view) for his weekend. What, if any, significance does this have for the rest of the episode?

I think it nests perfectly.

You have Maddie who lives for work...the Monday to Friday...the nine to five or later.

You have David who works to live...the weekend binge...the late or over nighters.

Then you have Mr. Everett who has nothing to live for in his opinion, no work, no play, just painful existence.

Finally you have his daughter...now, what does SHE look forward to? She has obviously devoted her life...maybe spent most of it, caring for her father. What is next for her but being a footnote at family gatherings, coming and leaving alone.

[graycav56]

2. Why does Maddie love Monday mornings?

Our heroine judges a person's worth by their contributions to society. Get up early, work hard and put in a day's effort for a day's pay. Now some may think that modeling is a job that does not require preparation, effort and long hours...but they be wrong. (We can get into how I know that when we do Perfetc...).

Since at this point Maddie really doesn't have a life outside of the office..well, her weekends are just mandatory time outs from what she really wants to do...at least in THIS episode!

[graycav56]

3. We’re offered an interesting glimpse of Maddie and David’s respective moral compasses here:

a. In light of his religious beliefs, does David’s willingness to help Mr. Everett surprise you?

Well, yes and no. Being a good Catholic boy like David (hey, I heard that snickering!!), I know exactly what he is thinking. The Church does not believe in punching your own ticket...only God should hold that power to wield as he sees fit. The Church doesn't even believe in capital punishment, regardless of the crime, although it allows for absolution in times of warfare.

On the other hand, Dave knows there is life after death. By his estimation Mr. Everett has given it one heck of a ride on this mortal coil and will be accepted into the kingdom of heaven. So he is just trying to get to the big payoff a bit sooner. As we see, when push comes to shove, David reverts back to his core beliefs and won't be a party to the elderly man's demise.

b. How about Maddie’s point of view? Does this seem to accord with what we already know about her?

Maddie, while sympathetic to his pain, believes that once the lights go out, it is game over...no encore...no epilogue. Therefore she is unwilling to assist anyone leave before the scoreboard hits 0:00. And of course she wouldn't want to sully the good name of Blue Moon on anything that REMOTELY smacks of illegality..in this case a combination of murder and insurance fraud.

[graycav56]

4. How do you think David’s “confession” in that first bedroom scene affects their relationship?

Reinforces a few things. First, that Maddie needs to get a better security system. Second, that Dave trusts her more than anyone on the planet...a trust that is proven when Maddie gives the Detective the old brush off.

I thought this was a VERY powerful scene that was well written and stupendously presented from the acting to the lighting to the sound to the makeup to the wardrobe....wonderful.

And how come Dave always has to get drenched??

[graycav56]

5. The Garage: Feel free to analyze, scrutinize, fantasize…(bearing in mind that this is a family forum, people! )

I remember watching this scene and giving Dave a thunderous ATTABOY! Yeah, they did some stuff before..but this was the real deal and it was tremendous. Man, even today, every time I see this scene I can't help but to imagine how wonderful Maddie smelled and marvel at the the wonderful passion, yet innocence of this first kiss.

I also wonder how these people didn't chip any teeth! They collided like two NFL linemen!

[graycav56]

Wow...I seem to be flying solo tonight... ah well.

6. Do you see any changes in Maddie during the course of this episode?

One of the several changes are that she starts out, rightly so, seeing that David's behavior is detrimental to him, and to the agency. As the show goes on, she also sees that his ABSENCE is likewise detrimental to HER, and to the agency.

[graycav56]

7. The epilogue: Why (oh, God, WHY?!?) do they both backpedal? Does this resolution feel right to you?

I think it was a bit of a smack back to reality for all of us. Come on, you didn't think they were going to have them go all lovey dovey this soon did ya? On the flip side, I don't think anybody thought it was going to take another YEAR for them to get horizontal either...but I digress.

[graycav56]

8. “Extra credit”: Any of you film buffs want to comment on the episode title?

"The management of this forum suggests that for the greater entertainment of your friends who have not yet seen the picture, you will not divulge the secret to anyone, of the ending of Witness for the Prosecution."


Wow, I made it through all the Q's by myself...alone...solo...sans buddies. It wasn't...well, fun.

[beesnbears]

Great googly dang moogly!! Are these great Q's are what?!

Gray, you get an A++ And your avatar is beautiful and it's not even blue!!

Sorry to be late...we have started HS softball season down here.

I ditto Gray's answer to #1. Only thing to add there would be that the daughter had some insurance money to look forward to perhaps. Was never really sure if she suspected her father's fraud, but love how Maddie uses her detective skills to reveal that she knew her father could walk. Way to go Maddie!!

2. Why does Maddie love Monday mornings?

Because she spent the whole weekend quite possibly alone and getting back to work means less solitude even if she has to find David hungover in his office.

[beesnbears]

3. We’re offered an interesting glimpse of Maddie and David’s respective moral compasses here:
a. In light of his religious beliefs, does David’s willingness to help Mr. Everett surprise you?
b. How about Maddie’s point of view? Does this seem to accord with what we already know about her?

David's willingness to help does not surprise me at all. It's exactly the type of thing he would want to do. However, I do think his religious beliefs kept him from going through with it. Maybe what spurred him on was the fact that Maddie was so against it? Not that he was going to do it anyway out of spite, but the idea that she didn't seem to have enough sympathy for him to want to help him, regardless of the legalities, religious beliefs or morals.

As far as Maddie, she puts her foot down to protect the agency, and rightly so. But, she clearly sees how passionate David is and seems to give him her personal okay with what he wants to do. As Gray said, she believes the party is over once the lights go out. Could it be that death scares her a little so she doesn't want any part of some elses? ....

[beesnbears]

4. How do you think David’s “confession” in that first bedroom scene affects their relationship?

Well, for me, it's not really so much of what is being said, but instead the fact that David came to Maddie in the middle of the night. The other thing to me is the way Maddie reacts to David's confession. She find herself seeing a whole other side of him and probably realizes then that their relationship is more than working partners.

[beesnbears]

5. The Garage: Feel free to analyze, scrutinize, fantasize…(bearing in mind that this is a family forum, people! )

WHY, after holding back tears, not wanting David to leave, pulling him into an embrace and letting the tears flow, does Maddie tell David he smells awful?!

Maddie, Maddie, Maddie! He was being nice and sincere...just the way you always want him to be....sigh!

That has always bugged me about as much as the epilogue!

[beesnbears]

Feb 2, 2010 21:39:38 GMT -5 graycav56 said:

Wow...I seem to be flying solo tonight... ah well.

6. Do you see any changes in Maddie during the course of this episode?

One of the several changes are that she starts out, rightly so, seeing that David's behavior is detrimental to him, and to the agency. As the show goes on, she also sees that his ABSENCE is likewise detrimental to HER, and to the agency.

Nailed it Gray!

Which brings me to the question about the epilogue. I have always carried a love-hate thing for that scene!! They were geniuses to write it the way they did...kept us tuning in and begging for more. And it is what they do, right? Backpedal?!

But what I love-hate about the scene is that we see Maddie come into David's office ready to discuss the kiss in the garage...until she sees David take a step away from being the first to admit that it really did happen. She seems ready to admit it herself, but believes down to her soul...or maybe her toes...that she must hear David say it first. The look of disappointment on her face makes me feel bad for her every time I watch it.

As for David, do you guys...Gray in particular, think he picked up on her disappointment? What kept him from being the first to admit it?

It's one of those "put your head in an oven" moments!!