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Episode Studies by Clayton Barr enik1138-at-popapostle-dot-com |
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A series of quakes leads the
Porters to believe that a portal has opened. Didja Notice? While attempting to repair the Jeep at the beginning of the episode, Kevin discovers what he refers to as a lizard's nest, a small bundle of twigs and grass, in the air filter. Do lizards make nests?Kevin must be something of a car aficionado/mechanic because he seems to know more about how to fix the Jeep's damaged engine than his father does. At 5:35 in the episode, after the Porters pick themselves up from a quake, Tom compares it to the circumstances which brought them to this world and speculates there might be a connection between quakes and the opening of a portal. Wouldn't they already have presumed this to be true after the events of "Day for Knight" in which the portal that brought (and then returned) Balen was both times accompanied by quakes? Normally the writers and directors of the show have Tasha behaving much too intelligently for an animal, seemingly understanding what's being said by the Porters, etc. But there is a nice touch in this episode at 7:07. Tasha does not seem to know she is being talked about, but she does react to the anguish in Annie's voice when she is surprised that her father will not allow her to take Tasha back to Earth with them. Tom comments that the sun sets in the east in the Land, unlike on Earth where, of course, the sun sets in the west. At 10:35 in the episode, a mat or tarp can be seen blowing in the wind under the front tires of the Jeep. I'm not sure why it would be there; maybe it was to cover up a power cord or something used by equipment on location? At 11:11 in the episode, we clearly see the license plate of the Jeep: California 1MQH438. We can also see that the registration tag expires in June (but the year is not legible).  At 11:16 in the episode, Annie is so eager to try to talk her father out of throwing Tasha and Stink out of the Jeep that she climbs over the back seat and out the open hatch rather than get out through the side door. The scene of Stink and Tasha fighting over which direction to go in attempting to follow the Porters ends with the two of them going in separate directions after trading insults. It reminds me of the scene in Star Wars: A New Hope when feuding buddies R2-D2 and C-3PO behave the same way on Tatooine. The Porters must not have been driving very fast or far because Stink and Tasha catch up to them pretty quickly. Scarface "pulls a Grumpy" in the last act when Stink and Tasha are right there for the taking and he stands there roaring at them instead of gobbling them up! At 17:35 in the episode, Stink shouts "Anu! Anu!" meaning "no". I guess he is telling the Porters not to try to rescue him and Tasha from Scarface; just get through the open portal and escape to home. It's amusing that Tom pulls a baseball bat out of the Jeep to fight Scarface! At 20:15 in the episode, Kevin is about to back the Jeep up to rescue Tom, Christa, Stink and Tasha from Scarface...but pauses long enough to put his seat belt on! I know the show always tried to present positive actions for young viewers, but c'mon! At the end of the episode, Tom caves in and agrees with Annie that the next time they have a chance to go back to Earth, Tasha can come with them. Sorry, but he was right the first time; she could not have a normal life there.
Memorable Dialog what is normal about this place.wav an earthquake got us here.wav the epicenter of those quakes.wav no prob, Dadmeister.wav Tasha can't come with us.wav I gotta bang my head more often.wav back to San Francisco.wav think of all the cool stuff.wav what about your real home.wav poor Tasha and Stink.wav it's not fair.wav remember what happened to ET.wav love you, Annie Porter.wav you really know how to hurt a guy.wav acuba ne, Porters.wav dumb lizard.wav no dumb lizard.wav wahoo.wav Back to Episode Studies
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