Miracles, episode 13: Paul is Dead
Jul. 25th, 2023 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annavereThis one got an instant replay, because it was that good. The first half of this post is about the episode, and the second half is idle speculation and plotbunnies. Farewell, lovely show. At least you're in good company.
The episode!
Paying client alert! And it is finally an Evelyn-centered episode!
David Greenwalt wrote this one. I really should start paying more attention to who writes what when I watch television. I'll try to make a point of that going forward.
Paul levels with Alva about being haunted by Tommy at long last, and in this particular way the narrative matches my other doomed thirteen episode show, Brimstone, in that Paul has been carrying guilt over Tommy's death since the start and here it is quietly resolved, offering some emotional closure, and allowing this final episode to feel less jarring. Well done.
Evie (this appears to be the general fanfic consensus, and is the only variation that my spellchecker doesn't want to kill with fire) finally mentions her ex, serving one to three in the big house. Odds of him getting an early release and causing problems later this season: High. I liked how this was clearly new information to Paul, so as good a friend as he is to Evie, she's not oversharing about her past.
The driving force of the plot finally coming home to all three members of SQ was again (even if accidental) a good way to distinguish this as the final episode. The emotional devastation of Matty's disappearance drove the whole situation into overdrive, right up there with 'Hand of God' for suspense. Paul's confession to Alva, taking the blame on himself, and then Evie's meltdown when she found out was so well acted it was painful to watch. Second go round my eyes were stinging. It's such a raw performance.
Meanwhile, there was the freshly introduced fraudulent psychic Jason Herlock, played by Peter Outerbridge. Aside from having distractingly great cheekbones and a pleasantly soft voice, I had to look him up to figure out why he was so familiar - he was Paul Kinman in one of my more skippable Highlander episodes (I just remember him under a thousand pounds of historical makeup and no one looks good in those white wigs) and also on 12 Monkeys as Elliot Jones.
Anyway, he was the perfect addition to this show, and just screamed new recurring cast member. Between him and the recent focus on Poppi, and now on Evie and her son, it's finally getting together an ensemble cast! Right in time to pull the plug. Damn.
Herlock's even better on rewatch, because there's no distraction from wondering if he's secretly a sleaze. And since he isn't a sleaze, and since he has definitely put his best foot forward torpedoing his career to help find Matty, and since Evelyn read his autobiography and seemed the most sympathetic to his performance in the first place, I've finally got the tiniest glimmer of a possible ship for her. It's not much to go on, and it's not really the kind of pairing I gravitate to, but it's nice to finally have an option and she deserves some attention.
Again there's a touch of humor to proceedings, providing the right touch of contrast. Paul's reaction to Alva's version of war stories from 'Nam is choice. And Herlock finally touching Paul again, only for nothing to happen just long enough for the audience (and him) to relax was a great detail. Actually, his momentarily crippled responses to the visions are completely Doyle. He so should have been a regular. Gah, everything was coming together so well!
And also, after fading into the background, that Paul/Alva vibe is finally back, and there's nothing quite as much fun as seeing Paul attempt more and more dangerous stunts to find Matty while Alva freaks the hell out over Paul risking himself. This is the guy who was so emotionally stunted he couldn't figure out how to demonstrate concern when Paul was nearly blown up, but now they've had a chance to bond and he's far more emotive. I loved him bandaging Paul up after he cut his palm, and then his understated 'I can't believe this is even a thought you are entertaining' reaction to Paul's way too crazy to work plan of dying for information.
And the final haunting question mark to end the story, with the changed words in Paul's blood. I have no speculation to offer on that. Just wow. I got chills.
So Miracles is now complete. It was a lovely experience, and now I get to check out what little fic is available and hope for a few vids and speculate.
Reasonable suppositions and potential crossovers
1. Paul cleared out of the way via hospitalization or something, so that Alva and Evelyn have to work a case by themselves and we can finally see how they interact and get Evie's backstory regarding her near-death experience and why someone so pragmatic got sucked into Alva's world. Also, there's that dream Alva had. They've known each other longer, and yet once Paul arrives she seems to quickly become much closer to him than Alva, and I think that dynamic really needs addressing.
2. Poppi returning to offer assistance as needed, and eventually bonding with Alva because they do after all share a deep concern for Paul's welfare. He would never be a member of the team, but he could be a useful contact within the church, and (maybe along with Georgia) a familial counterbalance when Paul finally meets his father and finds out whatever awful things are in his past.
3. The Paul/Alva tension getting more focus, as well as the implications from 'Hand of God.' Paul questioning his sanity, over-identifying and getting lost in his cases, getting mislead and gaslighted into thinking Alva is evil, or into thinking he's evil - any of those are good. Anything which puts stress on his trust in Alva and yet fails to entirely break it would be awesome.
4. Jason Herlock returning, still adjusting to the reality of his genuine psychic abilities. There's plenty to work with in his abhorrence of being anywhere near Paul, plus his ability to relate to Alva through his violent experiences in childhood. Any degree of friendship with Evie would be appreciated.
5. I'm torn over how much I actually want explained about Alva's past. Probably as little as possible, but something would be nice, I'm just not sure what.
And there's me taking notes again. *Sighs, adds to growing list.*
So far as likely crossovers go with other things I've seen, it's tricky because Miracles is both quite subtle and yet very broad in its sweep. This makes it a terrible fit with something brash like the Buffyverse. However, I think it could work with Highlander fairly well, provided Alva knows about Immortals and has reason to avoid investigating them - I can picture Paul and Evie discussing why Alva avoids any cases involving headless bodies or certain types of electrical storm. His backstory is vague enough he could easily be an Immortal himself, and the way paranormal events are often inexplicable on both shows lets them mesh. I can see Alva being this weird Immortal who dedicated himself to investigating all the stuff most Immortals just shrug off as unimportant: The precognition, psychic links, light and dark quickenings, etc.
The other easy crossover for me would be with American Gothic, because these three are made to order for a visit to Trinity. Evelyn as an ex-cop would absolutely loathe Lucas. Paul could connect with troubled teenaged Caleb (which Lucas would take thoroughly amiss) and he already routinely gets contacted by ghosts so Merlyn could start appearing again. And then Alva has a nice murky past which leaves plenty of room to have had a run-in with the Sheriff before. They would play off each other's themes quite well, I think.
However, the very show whose lore is most similar to Miracles would not actually work very well as a crossover. The problem with Jeremiah is you really need Immortals to survive into that world. Therefore both Highlander and Brimstone qualify easily, because those characters don't really have a choice in the hand they're dealt. But while I could see handwaving Paul, Alva and Evie as being immune to the virus, I can't picture them all surviving, Paul especially. His reaction to the loss of Matty is so severe, there's no way the end of the world wouldn't kill him. He's not going to handle a world of orphans. He'd blame himself for failing to understand the signs and the first noble cause he could die for, he would. It doesn't seem in character for him to still be around fifteen years later and that's on the depressing side.
So, having gone on a bit, those are my thoughts. It's a shame they were denied a full season here, and yet they ended on a high note and so much potential remains.
The episode!
Paying client alert! And it is finally an Evelyn-centered episode!
David Greenwalt wrote this one. I really should start paying more attention to who writes what when I watch television. I'll try to make a point of that going forward.
Paul levels with Alva about being haunted by Tommy at long last, and in this particular way the narrative matches my other doomed thirteen episode show, Brimstone, in that Paul has been carrying guilt over Tommy's death since the start and here it is quietly resolved, offering some emotional closure, and allowing this final episode to feel less jarring. Well done.
Evie (this appears to be the general fanfic consensus, and is the only variation that my spellchecker doesn't want to kill with fire) finally mentions her ex, serving one to three in the big house. Odds of him getting an early release and causing problems later this season: High. I liked how this was clearly new information to Paul, so as good a friend as he is to Evie, she's not oversharing about her past.
The driving force of the plot finally coming home to all three members of SQ was again (even if accidental) a good way to distinguish this as the final episode. The emotional devastation of Matty's disappearance drove the whole situation into overdrive, right up there with 'Hand of God' for suspense. Paul's confession to Alva, taking the blame on himself, and then Evie's meltdown when she found out was so well acted it was painful to watch. Second go round my eyes were stinging. It's such a raw performance.
Meanwhile, there was the freshly introduced fraudulent psychic Jason Herlock, played by Peter Outerbridge. Aside from having distractingly great cheekbones and a pleasantly soft voice, I had to look him up to figure out why he was so familiar - he was Paul Kinman in one of my more skippable Highlander episodes (I just remember him under a thousand pounds of historical makeup and no one looks good in those white wigs) and also on 12 Monkeys as Elliot Jones.
Anyway, he was the perfect addition to this show, and just screamed new recurring cast member. Between him and the recent focus on Poppi, and now on Evie and her son, it's finally getting together an ensemble cast! Right in time to pull the plug. Damn.
Herlock's even better on rewatch, because there's no distraction from wondering if he's secretly a sleaze. And since he isn't a sleaze, and since he has definitely put his best foot forward torpedoing his career to help find Matty, and since Evelyn read his autobiography and seemed the most sympathetic to his performance in the first place, I've finally got the tiniest glimmer of a possible ship for her. It's not much to go on, and it's not really the kind of pairing I gravitate to, but it's nice to finally have an option and she deserves some attention.
Again there's a touch of humor to proceedings, providing the right touch of contrast. Paul's reaction to Alva's version of war stories from 'Nam is choice. And Herlock finally touching Paul again, only for nothing to happen just long enough for the audience (and him) to relax was a great detail. Actually, his momentarily crippled responses to the visions are completely Doyle. He so should have been a regular. Gah, everything was coming together so well!
And also, after fading into the background, that Paul/Alva vibe is finally back, and there's nothing quite as much fun as seeing Paul attempt more and more dangerous stunts to find Matty while Alva freaks the hell out over Paul risking himself. This is the guy who was so emotionally stunted he couldn't figure out how to demonstrate concern when Paul was nearly blown up, but now they've had a chance to bond and he's far more emotive. I loved him bandaging Paul up after he cut his palm, and then his understated 'I can't believe this is even a thought you are entertaining' reaction to Paul's way too crazy to work plan of dying for information.
And the final haunting question mark to end the story, with the changed words in Paul's blood. I have no speculation to offer on that. Just wow. I got chills.
So Miracles is now complete. It was a lovely experience, and now I get to check out what little fic is available and hope for a few vids and speculate.
Reasonable suppositions and potential crossovers
1. Paul cleared out of the way via hospitalization or something, so that Alva and Evelyn have to work a case by themselves and we can finally see how they interact and get Evie's backstory regarding her near-death experience and why someone so pragmatic got sucked into Alva's world. Also, there's that dream Alva had. They've known each other longer, and yet once Paul arrives she seems to quickly become much closer to him than Alva, and I think that dynamic really needs addressing.
2. Poppi returning to offer assistance as needed, and eventually bonding with Alva because they do after all share a deep concern for Paul's welfare. He would never be a member of the team, but he could be a useful contact within the church, and (maybe along with Georgia) a familial counterbalance when Paul finally meets his father and finds out whatever awful things are in his past.
3. The Paul/Alva tension getting more focus, as well as the implications from 'Hand of God.' Paul questioning his sanity, over-identifying and getting lost in his cases, getting mislead and gaslighted into thinking Alva is evil, or into thinking he's evil - any of those are good. Anything which puts stress on his trust in Alva and yet fails to entirely break it would be awesome.
4. Jason Herlock returning, still adjusting to the reality of his genuine psychic abilities. There's plenty to work with in his abhorrence of being anywhere near Paul, plus his ability to relate to Alva through his violent experiences in childhood. Any degree of friendship with Evie would be appreciated.
5. I'm torn over how much I actually want explained about Alva's past. Probably as little as possible, but something would be nice, I'm just not sure what.
And there's me taking notes again. *Sighs, adds to growing list.*
So far as likely crossovers go with other things I've seen, it's tricky because Miracles is both quite subtle and yet very broad in its sweep. This makes it a terrible fit with something brash like the Buffyverse. However, I think it could work with Highlander fairly well, provided Alva knows about Immortals and has reason to avoid investigating them - I can picture Paul and Evie discussing why Alva avoids any cases involving headless bodies or certain types of electrical storm. His backstory is vague enough he could easily be an Immortal himself, and the way paranormal events are often inexplicable on both shows lets them mesh. I can see Alva being this weird Immortal who dedicated himself to investigating all the stuff most Immortals just shrug off as unimportant: The precognition, psychic links, light and dark quickenings, etc.
The other easy crossover for me would be with American Gothic, because these three are made to order for a visit to Trinity. Evelyn as an ex-cop would absolutely loathe Lucas. Paul could connect with troubled teenaged Caleb (which Lucas would take thoroughly amiss) and he already routinely gets contacted by ghosts so Merlyn could start appearing again. And then Alva has a nice murky past which leaves plenty of room to have had a run-in with the Sheriff before. They would play off each other's themes quite well, I think.
However, the very show whose lore is most similar to Miracles would not actually work very well as a crossover. The problem with Jeremiah is you really need Immortals to survive into that world. Therefore both Highlander and Brimstone qualify easily, because those characters don't really have a choice in the hand they're dealt. But while I could see handwaving Paul, Alva and Evie as being immune to the virus, I can't picture them all surviving, Paul especially. His reaction to the loss of Matty is so severe, there's no way the end of the world wouldn't kill him. He's not going to handle a world of orphans. He'd blame himself for failing to understand the signs and the first noble cause he could die for, he would. It doesn't seem in character for him to still be around fifteen years later and that's on the depressing side.
So, having gone on a bit, those are my thoughts. It's a shame they were denied a full season here, and yet they ended on a high note and so much potential remains.
