How do you wrap up the short yet convoluted season of a show like Touch? With a “touch” of course.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The two-part finale was all about loss and recovery. Yes … the usual interlocking numbers were there once again, but they took a comfortable back seat and played a supporting role, they weren’t placed in the forefront of the story as they have been so many times before.
So … how do you finalize a show like this? How do you leave us hanging and wanting more?
- You ignore the Aster Corps story. (Granted, the corporation wasn’t totally disregarded, but they didn’t play as big a part as I’d hoped for. And that’s all right. That door was left wide open with Amelia and Teller’s research and Sheri Strepling and, now, their search for Martin.)
- As mentioned, capitalize on the theme of loss and recovery. The writers did this niftily for every single situation in the two hours. (Well … in the case of the care facility, it was more like recovery and loss. *heheheh*) Still, the theme was done quite nicely and in many and varied forms. For example, the Friendly Floatees story, from Jake’s initial voiceover. You caught the “what goes around comes around, too, throughout … right? I did multiple times, with Randall and Wade and Clea, to name a few.
- Keep the mystery of Amelia alive. We really don’t know for certain if Amelia is still breathing … but, based on Martin’s findings, there are indications.
- Up the villainy of facility director Sheri Strepling. Sheri (Roxana Brusso) got her vilification quotient up’d, didn’t she? Don’t you just love it? Clea’s call out of her underhanded doings was applause-worthy. The only thing better would have been an old fashioned beat down.
- Toss in a titular reference, just to end the season with a nice nod. And the writers did. Of course, it was the aforementioned touch Jake gave to Martin at the pier.
All in all, this was a subdued finale that didn’t so much wrap up the short season, but set the stage for more to come. Because, really, didn’t you wonder how this show was going to sustain itself through the course of its freshman year? I did. And I dug the way they put the finishing touch on it … no pun intended.
From the get-go, I wondered if Tim Kring (who also wrote “Gyre”) was going to muddle this show somehow. Thus far? I’m on board. I look forward to season 2.
Notes:
- Martin and Jake may be on the lam from Aster Corps, but one of the things that really bugged me was Martin’s careless use of his cell phone. With his sister-in-law Abigail. With Clea. Honestly, any devious mind or organization (like Aster Corps) is well versed in knowing how to track someone with phones, phone records, etc.
- With the taped revelations showing Amelia actually communicating verbally, I held hope the end of the finale would find Jake doing so himself. Well, he did. Just not in the manner I thought. And the Touch writers way was better then I would have guessed.
- I absolutely loved the pain and loss of Mr. Osugi in Japan. Lost job, missing heirloom, disgraced name, confused about his career direction and family and his own self … only to be “rescued” by the seemingly silly obsession of his son. Kind of gets you right about here (*thumps heart*), doesn’t it?
- All that metal debris washed ashore Wade (Ian Gomez, Cougar Town, The Drew Carey Show) was pulling out of the Pacific Ocean? Come on: You expect me to believe a 10 pound metal scooter isn’t going sink to the bottom of the briny blue, instead ending up on the California coast?
- Maria Bello (Prime Suspect) as Amelia’s searching, angsty mother. Loved that.
- Speaking of love, I really enjoyed the rewind of a few memorable characters: The Invisible Prince Walt King (Rob Benedict), Randall Meade (the always engaging Titus Welliver) and pawn shop owner Arnie Klepper (Jude Ciccolella) who reluctantly helps Martin out.
Photo Credit: FOX
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