SEASON TWO: Episodes 37-42
37. “Like Being
There When You’re Not” – Airdate:
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
Director: Mike Vejar
Synopsis: Television arrives in River
Run, and Ginger finds the new medium both a threat to her radio career and a
new opportunity. Jeff’s own career is
threatened when Judy, ghost-writing for a distracted sports reporter, publicly
reveals his knee injury. Ruth discovers
Mike’s relationship with Judy.
Introduces: WREQ as a radio and
television station.
♫Songs:
“Also Sprach Zarathustra” – Richard Strauss; “As Time Goes By” – Dooley Wilson
Memorable Line: “With
Fletchers you only add water and love.” (Ginger)
Mike Sloan or Bill Clinton?: “I
am not now nor have I ever been intimate with Judy Owen.”
Homefront’s Most Macabre Gag: An
employee at WREQ suffers a fatal heart attack, and it’s played for laughs.
Parallels and Echoes: Judy’s
sports column makes reference to Bernie Pfarffenbarger, Jeff’s teammate and
rival from #25-“By Popular Demand.”
Number of Times Mike Jr.’s Impossibly Well-Done Military Photo
Appears: 1
Number of Times Ruth’s Impossibly Well-Done Photo Appears:
1
’40s Slang: dame
Historic Moments:
Television arrives in River Run. Ruth
discovers Mike’s involvement with Judy and throws him out of the house. Jeff is dropped from the Indians roster due
to his injury and then fired from WREQ.
Judy is hired as a sports writer for the River Run Courier. Ginger is dropped as the Lemo Tomato Juice
girl, but invents a new job for herself as the television host of “The Fine
Foods Family Hour.” Purl Roadhouse gets
a TV. WREQ changes its slogan to “The
Voice and Eyes of Greater River Run.”
Gloria displays her unique towel-folding method adopted by Meg and
Brent.
Inconsistencies, Bloopers, and Plot Holes:
Right before the scene where Ginger discusses her job woes with Linda at
Brandstaetter’s, we see an evening exterior shot outside of the pharmacy; the
shot is recycled footage from the final scene of “S.N.A.F.U.” (when Gina told
Ginger she was suffering morning sickness and Linda told Gina about Mike Jr.’s
death), as we can hazily see Linda helping Gina to a chair.
Great Unanswered Question: An accordion
player in lederhosen, a sailor with a ventriloquist’s dummy, a woman wearing a
Viking helmet – exactly what kinds of radio shows do they air on WREQ?
Did You Know?: Three
hundred television receivers have already been sold in
Insider Trivia: Ginger’s
worries over her radio show being cancelled seem to reflect Homefront’s
real-life circumstances in its final weeks.
Critique in a Nutshell: This episode is very funny and revealing,
setting the scene for much of the rest of the series. The Judy/Mike storyline has come to a head, and the Jeff/Ginger
romance seems on the brink of a(nother) breakthrough. A-
38. “Who What
Where When Why And How” – Airdate:
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
Director: Sharron Miller
Synopsis: The Sloans unveil plans for
their new housing development, even as Ruth plans to divorce Mike. Meanwhile, a newspaper reporter hired by the
Sloans to write promotional material mysteriously dies, and Judy stumbles upon
clues that implicate Mike. Linda finds
professional success and romance at the newspaper.
Introduces: Phil Havel, Linda’s boss the
newspaper. Newspaper reporter Donald
Nadolski.
Missing Characters: Gina,
Ginger
♫Songs:
“Moonlight Serenade” – Glenn Miller
Memorable Line: “I’m not
interested in a fair settlement. I want
everything he owns.” (Ruth)
Cheesiest Line: “That’s a
very fetching outfit you have on.” (Mike)
Lousiest Line:
“Reporters have to make their own rules.” (Phil) – that is a lousy line!
“Happy Days” Moment: The
overhead shot of the record spinning at Purl Roadhouse.
Parallels and Echoes: Judy
offers to call Ruth and tell her that nothing happened between her and Mike;
Judy did just about the same thing to help Jeff patch things up with Ginger
(#18-“No Man Loyal And Neutral”). Phil’s
comment that “Seventeen CIO unions are dominated by Communists” makes a good
newspaper story lead foreshadows events soon to come.
’40s Slang: wiseacre
Historic Moments: Ruth
moves out. The Sloans unveil their new
housing development,
Inconsistencies, Bloopers, and Plot Holes:
It sure is easy to take off work at Purl Roadhouse anytime you feel like
it. Hattie Winston (Gloria) always
seems to be wearing a wig in scenes where her hair is down.
Great Unanswered Question: Why do
Mike and Judy both insist that “not one blessed thing” happened between them –
even to each other – when they did kiss?
Did You Know?: The
Sloans’ banker is Glenn McClellan.
Insider Trivia: The scene
in which Judy fearfully grabs a butcher knife in her dark apartment echoes
Kelly Rutherford’s later role in Scream 3.
Critique in a Nutshell:
It’s a bit of a strange turn for Homefront to introduce (at least what
initially appears to be) a “murder mystery” storyline. Sure, the Sloans are powerful and
manipulative, but are we really meant to suspect they are capable of
murder? Was this plot a last-ditch
effort to improve ratings, or were the writers headed somewhere bigger with
this (perhaps a season-ending cliffhanger) and had to wrap it up fast once the
show was canceled? Linda’s first
storyline in a long time isn’t terribly compelling. While it has good moments, the episode feels
“off.” B
39. “
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
Director: Mike Vejar
Synopsis: When the Sloans find
themselves cornered by a blackmailer, Ruth immediately suspects Judy. Linda catches the scent and soon discovers
the extent of the Sloans’ shady business dealings. Threatened with public exposure, the Sloans make a last-minute
maneuver that shocks all of River Run.
♫Songs:
“Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)” – Benny Goodman
Memorable Line: “I hope
you can keep m’secret!” (Ruth)
Cheesiest Scene: Satisfied
that their phone call has frightened the Sloans, Linda and Phil share a
celebratory “thumbs up.”
Parallels and Echoes:
Caroline’s comment, “All men are heels, love.
Heels or louses,” echoes her line from episode #29-“A Nickel Plate
Romance.” Ruth’s line, “Three guesses
and the first two don’t count,” was recited by Anne in episode #33-“Life Is
Short.”
’40s Slang: tie one on
Historic Moments: Ruth
moves back in with Mike but vows to file for divorce. Jeff begins applying Satchel Paige’s secret liniment to his
injured knee. The “mystery” developed
in the previous episode is resolved: newspaper reporter Donald Nadolski was not
murdered by the Sloans, but rather died in a drunk-driving accident as
originally reported. However, before
his death, Nadolski had uncovered the Sloans’ housing scheme and demanded money
from Mike to keep quiet. Caroline, who
and been having an affair with Nadolski and was riding in the car with him the
night he died, found Nadolski’s research and threatened to reveal it unless the
Sloans paid her $10,000.
Inconsistencies, Bloopers, and Plot Holes:
Why does Ruth keep referring to Judy as “the blonde” when she too is
blonde? Linda asks Ginger if she’s ever
dated a coworker, but wouldn’t she know since she and Ginger are best
friends? How exactly did Mike sneak
into the Roadhouse after hours to threaten Judy?
Great Unanswered Question: Regarding
her LONG late night at the newspaper with Phil, Linda says, “I’ve never acted
like that before.” Exactly what
happened that night?
Did You Know?: Using
phony corporations, the Sloans bought and sold the land under Heritage Village
to themselves three times in twelve months in order to inflate its value and
get around the National Housing Agency’s ten-percent profit ceiling on homes
sold to veterans. This episode takes
place around Valentine’s Day. The
Sloans offer Caroline two percent of privately owned stock in
Insider Trivia:
Lawnfield, the home of President James A. Garfield, is located in
Critique in a Nutshell: Though
not as funny as we’d like, this episode has an impressively intricate plot and
a jarring twist at the end. Mike’s
angry (and misguided) confrontation of Judy is unpleasant, and the perfunctory
“break-up scene” between Jeff and Caroline feels like a lame afterthought – did
anybody even still remember that they had been involved? Kudos to the powerful final scene: as
reporters turn their attention to Al and allegations of Communism, the empty
window of the Sloan office and the ominous drums on the soundtrack effectively
suggest that the Sloans have gotten away with it again. B+
40. “By Word Or
Act” –
Airdate:
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
Director: Sharron Miller
Synopsis: The Sloans have successfully
turned the public’s attention away from their suspicious investments, as River
Run is rocked by the Red Scare. Both
the Metcalf family and the
Introduces: Ginger’s even darker,
slightly curlier hair
Memorable Line: “I am
very sneaking. Am I Communist?” (Gina)
Parallels and Echoes: The
dialogue makes references to Jeff and Ginger’s
’40s Slang: pinko
Historic Moments: Anne and
Al celebrate their one-year anniversary.
Anne stands on her own for the first time since being stricken with
polio. Charlie moves out of the Metcalf
home to avoid being put in the position of spying on Al. Father Dreher urges Anne to annul her
marriage to Al. Al resigns from his job
as a union organizer. The oft-mentioned
but never seen Mrs. Seniff finally appears!
Inconsistencies, Bloopers, and Plot Holes:
The first scene of this episode takes place only moments after the final scene
of the previous episode; yet while the previous episode was set around
Valentine’s Day, this episode takes place around Anne and Al’s first wedding
anniversary, which would be sometime in April.
Great Unanswered Question: Why is
Caroline still attending Union meetings?
Did You Know?: Al has
been a union organizer since 1925. The
Sloans first bought the land under
Insider Trivia:
Wendy Phillips’s (Anne) father, Tony Award-winning actor Wendell Phillips, was
accused of being a Communist during the
Critique in a Nutshell:
The parallels between fears of Communism in the 1950s and fears of terrorism
after 9/11 are striking, and the serious philosophical and moral issues
regarding personal beliefs, privacy, public responsibility, and the nature of
patriotism debated by the characters are as relevant as ever. The episode underscores the insanity of the
witch hunt mentality provoked by the Red Scare: the federal agent from
41. “Shabbat
Shalom” –
Airdate:
Writer: Dianne Massock & James
Stanley
Director: Mike Vejar
Synopsis: As her Jewish identity grows
increasingly important to her, Gina questions her engagement to the Gentile
Charlie. Al faces difficulty finding a
job now that he’s been publicly branded a Communist. Finding themselves in the middle of the Sloans’ unpleasant
divorce proceedings, Abe and Gloria arrive at a long-awaited decision.
Introduces: WREQ-TV’s “The Fine Foods
Family Hour,” hosted by Ginger Szabo.
Missing Character: Judy
♫Songs:
“Get Happy”
Memorable Line: “If you
really believed I was a Communist, you’d buy this mop from me just to make me a
capitalist!” (Al)
Cheesiest Line: “God
bless you, my beautiful little pumpkin.” (Charlie)
Parallels and Echoes: The
fantasy sequence in which the
Historic Moments: Ginger
announces her upcoming wedding to Arthur on live TV. The fourth and final “famous” storm window-changing scene. Anne gets job addressing envelopes at
home. Charlie gets Al job as Fuller Brush
salesman. Emma receives her 47th
stuffed bunny from Charlie. Robert is
top of his class at Wilberforce. Gina
breaks off engagement to Charlie. Jeff
gets Al job as short-order cook at the Roadhouse. The
Inconsistencies, Bloopers, and Plot Holes:
During the scene in which Anne is stuffing envelopes, there is enormous
discontinuity of her actions from shot to shot. Newsreels wouldn’t still be showing footage of the discovery of
Nazi concentration camps two years after the war.
Great Unanswered Question: If Ginger
helped make three dozen tissue paper flowers for Hank and Sarah’s wedding, why
couldn’t she have made a better one on TV?
Did You Know?: Gina
wasn’t religious before the war.
Charlie wears a St. Christopher medal given to him by his (presumably
deceased) mother.
Insider Trivia: The title
“Shabbat Shalom” never appeared on-screen during its network original airing,
since this episode’s broadcast was delayed due to the Waco Branch Davidian
tragedy and paired with episode #42 as a two-hour series finale under the title
“All Good Things.” Ginger’s on-air
problems (such as her difficulty opening the refrigerator door) are based on
famous real-life bloopers from the early days of live television.
Critique in a Nutshell:
With
only one more episode to go, the series shows no signs of tying up loose ends,
but rather actually adds new dilemmas for its characters. This episode deserves an “A” for the
hilarious fantasy sequence alone, in which the Sloans and Davises do dead-on
impressions of one another. The
42. “All Good
Things” –
Airdate:
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
Director: Sharron Miller
Synopsis: Charlie pursues Judaism but
finds the path to conversion full of obstacles. While preparing to sell their house and divorce, the Sloans have
second thoughts. Branded a Communist in
River Run, Al decides to look for work in the East. Realizing Jeff and Ginger still love each other, Coach Zelnick
provides the ill-fated couple one last chance at reconciliation.
Missing Character: Judy –
What a shame! But perhaps the writers
wanted to showcase the surviving original cast members.
♫Songs:
“I’ll Never Smile Again” – Tommy Dorsey
Memorable Lines (Hey, it’s the Series Finale):
“With all the Jews killed in the
last war, you’d think you people would be looking for a few replacements.”
(Charlie)
“If I quit again, do I get more
money?” (Linda)
“Miss Szabo, your latest fiancé.”
(Miss Westcott)
“He is so a ballplayer again!”
(Ginger)
Anne: “The world isn’t what it used
to be.” Linda: “Neither are you.”
“I have seen so many changes in my
lifetime. Lord only knows what’ll
happen next.” (Gloria) – the last line of dialogue in the series.
Parallels and Echoes: Charlie
talks with Ginger about his romantic problems at Brandstaetter’s while “I’ll
Never Smile Again” plays in the background, just as he did in episode
#8-“Kids.” Ginger references the series’
theme song: “You have to accentuate the positive, just like the song
says.” Jeff and Ginger make reference
to the “Gift of the Maji” plot of the second season’s premiere episode (#25-“By
Popular Demand”). Gina goes out with
Aaron Mendelvine, who first appeared in #26-“The Lemo Tomato Juice Hour.” The dialogue in the car between Jeff and
Ginger as they decide what to tell Arthur is a verbatim repetition of the
conversation between Jeff and Sarah as they decide what to tell Hank in the
first episode (#1-“S.N.A.F.U.”). Anne offers Jeff one of his father’s
neckties to wear at his wedding, just as she did for Hank (#4-“So All
Alone”). Jeff wears Hank’s infamous
orange and green plaid shirt! Ginger
gets angry when Jeff tells her they’ll have to postpone their wedding for
several months, just as he did when she told him the same thing
(#28-“Appleknocker To Wed Tomatohawker”).
The dramatic trumpet and piano background music from the early episodes
of the first season returns one last time.
Ginger arrives at the train station in a wedding dress, just as she did
in the first episode (#1-“S.N.A.F.U.”).
Historic Moments: WREQ
televises its first “live” baseball game.
Jeff’s beloved Town and Country is repossessed. Linda gets a raise at the newspaper. Anne walks again! Anne and Al leave River Run to find work in
Great Unanswered Question: The Sloans
have gotten away with a massive and highly illegal money-making scheme by
exploiting the town’s entire working-class population and destroyed Al’s
livelihood and driven him and his wife out of town…but we’re supposed to be
happy that Mike and Ruth have reconciled and aren’t divorcing???
Did You Know?: Charlie
is circumcised! During his first season
Jeff made only three errors in 107 games.
The license plate on Jeff’s Town and Country was 5973-R. Abe’s nickname in the Negro Leagues was
“Stretch”
Insider Trivia: Jewish
tradition dictates that a rabbi turn away a prospective convert three times to
make sure he’s serious, which is precisely what Charlie encounters. Miss Wescott’s worry over use of the word saffron
was based on real
incidents: according to Bernard Lechowick, “We’ve read where the word ‘saffron’
was banned [on television] because it was thought to have sexual connotations”
(Stuart Elliot “In One Show, Ads of the 40’s Look at the 90’s” New York
Times Oct. 22, 1992). Originally,
Jeff was to be assigned to a minor-league baseball team in
Critique in a Nutshell: The
writers have made a valiant effort to wrap up the series with a premature
finale that still manages to reward its devoted and long-suffering fans. Jeff and Ginger’s rushed wedding is a bit
of an anticlimax, but it’s certainly fitting for the screwball couple. Charlie’s earnest commitment to religious
conversion is touching and a testament to how he has matured perhaps more than
any other character. This episode
offers (mostly) satisfying conclusions (Where’s Judy?) as well as one amusingly
out-of-nowhere never-to-be-resolved cliffhanger (Coach and Caroline???). It’s clear that this is indeed the end of
the series, as the