The Way Home - S04E08 - Tainted Love

[00:00:03] This is a Bramble Jam Podcast. Hi, I'm Bran and I love The Way Home. Hi, I'm Ryan and I watch The Way Home. I'm Dan and there's two episodes left of The Way Home and this is Deck The Hallmark Podcast. Deck The Hallmark gets his podcast. My friends host his podcast.

[00:00:31] We hope you like this jolly podcast. Go, go, go, go, go, ah! Hi, everybody. Hi, welcome back. It's everyone's favorite podcast, especially Way Home fans. The Deck The Hallmark guys review The Way Home. I know we all love it and the fans out there are clamoring for a while. We get a lot of nice people on the YouTube videos by and on who are with us.

[00:01:00] Yeah, we got, there's some folks that aren't and it's fine and that's why we do this. That's why we do it. That's why we do it. You get a nice actual take here. We're not doing any other funny business. We're telling you how we feel about any other funny business. We're not about any other funny business. We're straight, just, we're just, we're critics, you know? We're, we're esteemed journalists who all have backgrounds in this and we're going to be very serious about The Way Home and how it's going. Yes, yes. I mean, that's what we do. That's what we do. That's what we do.

[00:01:28] I do want to give a shout out to this comment that said season four has been frustrating and a sad way to finish the show. I just hope that this is actually just adult Alice's nightmare and wakes up to her same age husband, Nick, there to consult her. Man. We find out that Grandpa Colton never died and is happily married to Del. And who knows if, if, if her father and cat are still married, who knows if Ellie and Jacob were ever missing, et cetera. I gotta be honest. I think I'm with a dream.

[00:01:58] I think a dream is the ultimate finale cop out, but a dream here would be pretty awesome. Yeah. I would really be down. That'd be fun. That's a bold move. I love it. And I will say this. There was a point during this episode where I did feel actually like sympathetic. I felt bad for the show runners at this point, the way we understand it while making episode eight, they did not know that their show only had two episodes left.

[00:02:25] And Rye Guy, I don't know if you saw this, but The Way Home, they were at ATX Festival. They did a panel. I did. They premiered episode seven. Yeah. And they said that they're hoping someone picks them up on Netflix. So you might not be off this beat after all, pal. I mean, listen, I, I liked the first season of the show. Yeah. We all do.

[00:02:49] I, I was, I think, I think I gave a lot more rope than Dan did in terms of season two and season three. So, but I think we've got all in veritable raves from us in season one race. Yeah. I was off the boat the quickest. I would say that. And I, but I know I will, but I like, there were times when I thought they could get me back on board, but I mean, the toughest thing we've talked about this so many times. So I don't want to lament that the toughest thing is that I often worry when we do these, that no one is having fun.

[00:03:19] We're not having fun. And for the reasons that we've talked about at nauseam, like, you know, the way we would poke at this show versus how we would poke at other shows that everyone know are bad. Yeah. It's like, so I actually get a little stressed about doing these because it's the show is not bad enough to be LOL, but it's not good enough for us to have fun with it. And so it's a very tough middle. Well, I think there's times when it's bad enough to be LOL, but there are people that really, really, really love this show.

[00:03:46] And I think all those people, but like those people, like there are people that love when calls the heart, but they love it in spite of the fact that they know that it is LOL bad sometimes. Right. Or that is like maybe the feature, whereas the people that love this show, love it unequivocally for being a quality prestige drama. I think that is the problem. Like Brian, remember last season?

[00:04:07] I don't remember the beats, but like they couldn't recognize Jacob and like, cause he was wearing a hat or something like, you know, like that was just funny. I didn't mean to ask you, who are you? Yeah. Yeah. Who's this guy on the show with his hat? Yeah. Who are you? It's really, I just in case, you know, a ruckus starts up. It's good to be in disguise. It's always good to have a hat. That's right. Shall we dive into the next episode? Let's do it. Episode eight. It's called Tainted Love. Oh, Tainted Love.

[00:04:37] Which is interesting because this song was earlier. They sang that weeks ago. And they actually sang at the time here. I don't know. I don't make the rules. Are you sure? June 7th. You've gotten it wrong before. Yeah, I know. I'm going to look it up. Look it up. Look it up. That makes no sense. That was on the whole channel. And why does Evangeline Lilly call him Ben? Ben. Hey, the internet, when I looked it up, the internet was like, she doesn't. I might be wrong. I watched it twice. She doesn't. Somebody's wrong. Yeah. All right.

[00:05:06] June 7th is when it premiered and it went a little something like this. The episode starts right back in 1925. Elliot clearly staying back on purpose. He goes to tell his mom that she's, that he's staying. She's unimpressed by this revelation. She's leaving here soon to go and deal with the, you know, all the smuggling and whatnot. She's not letting her change her. He's, she's not letting him change her plan. Cliff. Does that happen literally? Yes.

[00:05:37] What do you mean? No, literally. I got it. Shout out. I thought you said literally. And I was like, I think so. Uh, uh, Cliff comes by and Fern tells him that Elliot's name is Tom Buchanan. Hey, that's the name in the newspaper. Hey, uh, Cliff tells, uh, Fern that it was nice seeing her on his porch again. Uh-oh, these two. Uh, Elliot decides that he's going to join the family business.

[00:06:04] Back in present day, Cat is having a really hard time with the fact that Elliot clearly saw a picture of himself in the paper and decided not to tell her and decided to stay back in time. Uh, Della's like, well, before you jump to any conclusions, wait until you talk to him. Okay. Uh, back in the 1920s, Elliot plays the piano so that Cliff and Fern can dance. He sings time after time. Tessa shows up and it's time to answer some questions. Okay. She jumped with Griff and showed up in 1882.

[00:06:34] She got sick. Griff came back to get some medicine. She never, he never returned. Elliot brings up the letter that was sent to Vic, but she doesn't know what letter he's talking about. He's like, why would somebody write a letter saying that you're dead and sign it as you? And she's like about to answer, but then doesn't. Back in the present, Jacob and Abby kiss big ones. The storyline that we are all on pins and needles for.

[00:07:02] Uh, things are getting serious between them at a party. The reel starts playing. Remember the reel, the second reel that was found? I do. Reel, reel. The reel. The cat was on it. Yeah. In the, in the eighties. Yeah, man. Yes. Well, cat. In the eighties. Yes. In the twenties. There's a twenties reel. There's a twenties reel. This is the eighties. It's just eighties. Um, and they noticed that somebody cut cat out of the reel, which would mean that they

[00:07:30] knew that this person was a time traveler, perhaps cut it out to protect them. Uh, Alice theorizes that that person might've been Evelyn. Evelyn could have cut the reel, which would mean that she knows that Alice is a time traveler. So she jumps in to talk to her. And when she jumps in comes out, she sees that Dell is pregnant this time that baby's going to be cat. Everybody, uh, speaking of jumping cats ends up jumping to go to talk to Elliot in the twenties. And he is thrilled to see her.

[00:08:00] He apologizes for not telling her everything, uh, about the newspapers and whatnot. He says, listen, it's my fate. It's not your fate. And so I didn't want to get you to pull you into this. Okay. Uh, cat gives test a piece of her mind, uh, for leaving Elliot behind all those years ago. And she said, I'd never leave my daughter Alice behind. And Tessa's like, Alice. I know an Alice.

[00:08:29] Uh, Abby comes over for dinner. It gets real awkward when she talks about how farm life isn't for her and her life is still in Toronto. Something that was news to Jacob. Yeah, exactly. Uh, Alice is hanging out with Evelyn. Evelyn begins to question her. Why haven't you gotten any older? So clearly she doesn't know about time traveling yet. Bad news. Turns out Cliff isn't leaving town for a big award.

[00:08:57] In fact, he's staying to capture the big fish. Uh, Fern and cat go to Warren Elliot and Tessa, but it's too late. The feds are here. Cliff has them good as caught. Is that a saying? As good as caught. Yeah. Sure. Thank you. Uh, but when Fern shows up, he lets them go cause he loves her. The next day, cat and Elliot listen in as Fern basically tells Cliff that she loves him

[00:09:27] and they hug big ones. Uh, cat and Elliot go to leave expecting Tessa to come with. And she's like, nah, my life is here. Elliot is like, well, I know that I come back on new year's Eve. So come and find me. Uh, Sam, Sam tells Dell that he knows about the pond. And she's like, what? The Elliot ends with cat and Elliot back. They figure out a code, a cipher, if you will. And Dan, what's a cipher?

[00:09:56] Uh, well, it's a good thing that, uh, you asked because a cipher key is a series of letters that in the correct, they use them in the newspaper and it helps the people reading it know about the bootlegging, what's going on in the code in the paper from post New Year's Eve. The code when you cipher it, it is five people went into the tunnel, but only four came out.

[00:10:22] And Elliot can't help but wonder, did I invite my mom to her own death? And that my friends was the way of season four episode eight. Tainted love. Tainted love. Did you confirm it? It says that on IMDb at this moment. Yes. Go. Yes. So the episode aired, so I don't know why they would change it. Yeah. There's no, the episode already aired. Yeah. They wouldn't change it. They wouldn't change it. If you're lost, you can look. You will find me.

[00:10:50] Time after time. You can fall. You can fall. Let's take a break. We'll come back. We will break this episode. I will be waiting. Episode down with, and listen closely. Okay. Time after time. Nope. 3W4RL1983. Ooh. Put it in the cipher key.

[00:11:22] That's right all you cipher heads, we're back! Yeah, you cracked the code! You cracked the code! Wow! Congratulations. Be sure to drink your Oval Team, too. All right. Let's break this episode down. Starting with you, Ryguy. We're going to start with our hot take, if that's okay with you. I know that's a little wacky, a little weird. What did you think of this episode? Yeah, this show is operating in a complete state of sunken cost fallacy. Yeah. It's really good. That's really good, Ryguy.

[00:11:52] They invested their entire slate of resources into whether or not they knew it was the last season, which they did not. But a full season of the show invested their entire slate of resources into an A-plot about Elliot and his mom. That's right. And everything else is, you know, orbiting around that. And a plot we didn't ask for. Nope. A Capone element, which is absurd. Crazy. Makes no sense.

[00:12:22] In between last week's episode and this week's episode, Brian, correct me if I'm wrong, we time jump about a month. And Elliot has become one of Capone's soldiers. But as now is the trend with this show, we see none of that. We only hear about it. And well, it's no, I don't think so.

[00:12:43] I think that he's he is helping his mom when he comes back, though, I think is when he is going to be full. Like that picture, like the big tuna picture, the big fish that happens New Year's Eve, which is when he's like saying I'm going to come back on New Year's Eve. I think he maybe takes the fall. Yeah, the picture clearly looks like he's like, I think it's I don't know if he's ever truly the big tuna.

[00:13:12] I think he's acting like yes, but I think by helping his mom, he is helping Capone. Right. Correct. I don't think you're like fully integrated. I don't know what I'm saying. I don't know. I'm not saying that. Yeah, I think it was a big time jump is what I'm saying, though. I think that's fair. What you're saying is, is we are building towards what he does with his mom and Capone to take the fall in our last two episodes. Take the fall. Act hurt. Get indignant.

[00:13:39] Like, though, we're building towards that in our last two episodes of a four season series. That's what you're saying. Which I just I think that by and large, we still have just heard about most of it. Correct. Yes. Like if you told me at the final season of the show is this, but we're casting Capone and we're doing all of these things, I'd be like, oh, that's interesting. By and large, we're just having a lot of meldrama. We don't even see his mom do anything nefarious. Exactly.

[00:14:05] We're it's a lot of melodrama between Elliot and his mom, a lot of convoluted nature around it. And so, like, you know, to this point, not the A plot, but one of our B plots is that Jacob is in love and not that we wanted to. But we also don't really see any of that. Like, like we we get to the dinner scene. You see more than I want. I'll be like, we've done the Romeo and Juliet stuff. But like, like, I don't know.

[00:14:35] Maybe it's just because they're moving quickly. Yeah. Well, yeah, I mean, but also not talking about the big stuff. The show is just very disjointed. We talked about this some last week. And again, maybe this is where I'm admitting that I'm a little checked out. So maybe I'm not paying attention the way that I need to. But, Brian, I believe you brought this up.

[00:14:55] Wouldn't Elliot's mom know that there is so many better ways to make a living with the knowledge of the future than saddling herself to Capone? Or am I missing something really obvious? Yes.

[00:15:09] I so I actually had this thought, right guy, while watching this episode, I think she kind of has this conversation with Elliot during this episode where she more or less implies that she is like she realized she wasn't a good person. And I and I remembered back in the the diner where she randomly stole money. And then she went to Alice. Do you remember this? Yes.

[00:15:40] A couple of episodes ago, like I think she might just be a thief like she might just like and she's given herself over to that. Sure. There's better ways to make money, but she likes the thrill of being bad. Unless she doesn't understand the rules of time travel, though, she'll know that Capone's shelf life like there would be better crime organizations like ones that are under the radar.

[00:16:05] If we are operating your points well taken brand by but I but it is well taken as the simplest solution. Yeah, but if that is true, this shows worse than we think it is like like they are clearly doing a thing where Elliot's mom had to do a thing because she's a good mom. That's what they want us to believe anyway. The simplest explanation is that she's just a no gooder and she just but you're right.

[00:16:32] And also, but the dumb no gooder though, because there there are plenty of crime organizations that are that don't get caught that don't like money and live a comfortable life. Like she has the knowledge of the future. Yes, that's right. That Capone's operation. Yes. Well, there would be no reason a do gooder from the future would join Capone. Capone. Yeah, you would find a under the radar, whatever, where you could have the knowledge of oh, they this this group never gets caught in the future.

[00:17:00] You go through the archives of the records or whatever. And so like unless I'm missing something, I want to make it very clear. I could be missing a very obvious plot point, but I don't believe I am. But okay, so but let's let's continue down this rabbit trail if we want to which I guess we can. I guess we do. Okay, so she I like if she loves her kid, you either have to start with she loves her kid or she is a no good reason why she jumps with Griff.

[00:17:29] Yes, whether it's like to get by whether maybe she was on the run and it's she thought it would be better if her kid and her husband didn't know that she was a wanted criminal or something. Maybe that's what it is in the 80s. And this is what made the most sense. We're going to go back and try to figure out something. I don't know, but I don't think so. I don't think it's her linking up with Capone though doesn't necessarily have to be premeditated right?

[00:17:54] Like it could be she's in the 80s as a as a as a as a as a I'm sorry the night the 1880s as a younger younger person. And when she gets to the 20s the one big thing she remembers from her history classes is Capone.

[00:18:14] So maybe there's an inroad there like she didn't have the luxury of going back to the the 1980s to research an underground crime syndicate that never got caught. Sure, sure. That's a lot of hoops, but yeah, you're doing a lot of legwork there. So I'm thinking through guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm trying. I mean the my broader point is a grant of brand. I don't necessarily disagree with a lot of what you're saying. I just think a lot of it's a leap, but listen, there's 90 minutes.

[00:18:44] There's going to be leaps if that's the best. We have two episodes left. That's right. How much of that? They'll actually unveil if that were the case in the last 90 minutes of showtime left, right? And so to go to my broadest point of sunken cause fallacy, we got barrel after everything they revealed last week. We got barely any nearly nude Sam this week and then pick your pick your other plot. No, Casey. Yeah, Casey. I even like smaller stuff like Danny and Jacob. And again, some of this is not their fault, right?

[00:19:13] Like, you know, they probably found out this week and or last. I felt bad for legitimately as the this episode was nearing its end. I felt actually not like bad that they're making bad television bad that when they believe they had five seasons and they have four. This feels like a multi multi-season arc that we're setting up. Yeah, now we're going to have to pivot hard. But to my point, and I agree, I genuinely have empathy. But to my point, the only part of this they could have controlled was to not have season four be about this thing that none of us asked for that.

[00:19:43] If you ask my opinion, we weren't really building up to for the first three seasons. Nobody was talking about it. Nobody. Yeah. Yeah. And so and then so they again, all of the resources were put on this one thing. Maybe I'm missing a few beats along the way here, but I think there's a lot of inconsistencies, a lot of gaps in logic. And it's just not how I would have orchestrated season four, whether or not I knew there was going to be a season five brand. That's yeah. I don't know. I agree with a lot of what you're saying. One hundred percent.

[00:20:12] I think that I'm definitely frustrated with the amount of time that we're giving this Elliot storyline. I think like absolutely no Casey in this episode. Absolutely no Nick in this episode. They set up this Nick thing. We haven't seen him again. We will not see Nick again, which is great. We will not see him again. I bet. That's my guess. Nick is like more people talk about Nick. One hundred percent.

[00:20:35] He's the number one fan question mark is Nick in the resolution with Nick and what's what's the deal there. I could be wrong, but I'd be. And then in one short conversation with a big revelation from from Sam, which is I know about the pond. Yeah, and she just kind of. And then that's the end of like clearly we're going to get more of it, but like you would think you would think you would think you would think. But those are like for me.

[00:21:02] I am way more interested in Casey Sam Nick to a certain extent, but mainly because of the Alice cat. Like just them. The product like they they they. And so it's tough because that's just not what the season is about. And we've got two episodes to answer a lot of questions about a thing that I don't care about. And I worry that we're going to spend more time on that than the things that we do. Oh, that's a hundred percent. Yeah, we're doing it. And then we don't need to worry. It's happening. We're going to be left frustrated.

[00:21:31] So, um, yeah, the this was a of a heavy Elliot episode and I was not a fan of that. Yeah, I I'm over it. I just be clear. I there's I want to enjoy these last two episodes. I am over this character of Elliot, this whiny. Correct. I'm over it. And that's all on the show real quick. Then sorry. That's what we've talked about. We've talked about this before.

[00:21:55] Like it's the writing that's making Elliot on like that's legitimately the like the genesis of all that. Like I think Evan Williams is a talented actor. I do like I believe he's a talented actor. The show thinks they're writing him as a sympathetic figure. They're not the show how it actually how the show is writing him unbeknownst to the show is that he's a very unlikable character. It's he's become Ozzy when he got voted out of 50. He's a Moby dingus about I would have.

[00:22:24] I actually would disagree with the simple like I think they may have started writing him like that this season, but now he is like a catch all for every emotion. Like this episode features Elliot in a variety of emotions that are completely unearned. Like I just you're the way you said it was perfect brand. I couldn't be more over this character and I think the actors very talented and the way he played season one.

[00:22:53] I thought he was maybe like the best on the show aside from Andy McDowell, but what what is going on right now when and I know that there are people listening and I don't know why you're listening. If you're this person you should probably take the next couple weeks off and then join us for all the hilarity that ensues. That's not the way home, but every week like I gear up to watch this show like it's not like when calls the heart where it's like God I got to watch this like it was when calls the heart.

[00:23:20] I legitimately going with a bad attitude and I and it's got to win me over and that sucks for when calls the heart, but we're in season 85 and you know God isn't real and it happens. You know this show every week. I still have enough like, you know juices to just be like this is it like we're gonna they're gonna make it right in these last three these last four and so it's deflating every time especially when I know we have three left and we get to this one and it's all Elliot and his mom and it's like.

[00:23:49] Guys, guys, Kat, Alice, Colton, Dale, Sam, Casey, Nick, Danny, like there are so many characters in this show that deserve more than what you're giving them right now. And I try to keep reminding myself. They didn't know they didn't know they didn't know at this point.

[00:24:13] I'm sure if they knew there were three episodes left in their series, they wouldn't have spent an entire episode with Elliot and his mom. They wouldn't have done it, but they did it. And it's really hard with us knowing we've got two left to make it make sense and to be OK with it. But everything else you guys said, I just agree. All right, let's get to all the feels. I'll start with you, right? Yeah, Jacob at one point says I'm from that farmhouse over there, which is almost identical to a very famous Boy Meets World quote.

[00:24:43] And it made me really happy to that farmhouse over there. Yeah. Yeah. And so couldn't have been a coincidence. There's no way it could have been a coincidence. It was nice to think about a show that brings me a lot of joy. Shout out Boy Meets World. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Evan Williams got to sing again, and he's good. Oh, lovely voice, by the way. Lovely voice. I'm never crudding on Evan Williams as a talent. And they also announced at the ATX they're going to release the songs, which is great. Yeah.

[00:25:13] I mean, I want all those Sadie Laplaine shows. He can sing. Yeah. I think his version of Time After Time is already out. Like, he released that before the show or whatever. But all the other songs, like the Hit Me Baby One More Time and stuff, hopefully, is finally supposed to be coming out after the show. Yeah. Very excited about that. You? No. I mean, Time After Time was it. That was the only one I had, was the Time After Time. That song's such a banger. I don't know if there's a bad cover. It's so good.

[00:25:43] And Evan Williams' cover was no exception. What? Dr. Kent! I think of you! I tell you what, that proved my point right there. What a banger. What a banger. And you look and you... If you lost and you look. Did you get the words right? Yeah, I did. What's your name? I'm Peter Alpert. Peter Alpert? Time After Time! Great. Peter, you're crushing it. Thank you.

[00:26:12] When's that dropping? Next Tuesday. Great. Next Tuesday. Awesome. Tuesday week. We got a week and a half to... Great. Awesome. It's your banger. Everybody, welcome back. It's great to be here today. Okay. It's time for the way. What is before we talk about what in this episode of Minusco? What else are we doing, right guy? What is Elliot's girlfriend's first name? What's her name?

[00:26:42] Elliot's girlfriend? Oh, excuse me. No, Jacobs. Jacobs. Jacobs. Abby. Abby. Sorry, I wrote Elliot. Abby says, Jacob, I've never met anyone who talks like you before. To which I was like, I would hope not. Yeah. The guy talks exclusively in soliloquy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He breaks out some wild ones out there. Yeah. You'd think after... He's been back for over a year now, right? Like at least? Yeah. Probably two or three years? Yeah. Even as somebody who...

[00:27:12] All of us, we don't know anyone who time travels, right? Not that I'm aware of. Right. Not that I'm aware of. But if we were to meet and talk with Jacob, I'd like to think that we would figure it out pretty quickly. Pretty quickly. Just the way that he speaks. He's ironic. He's like, that for sure. What is it? Did he write that? What did he say at one point? At one point, he goes, you know, I've just been raised to think that when you commit, you commit. But you know what? There's phones now. Yeah. Dead giveaway, guys. There's phones. There's phones. And Abby, flags should be flying up. There's phones now? There's phones now?

[00:27:41] You mean since Alexander Graham Bell? You mean in the last 150 years? Yes. Yes, sir. There are phones now. Not a red flag for the old abster. Like, that is, Abby not blinking at there's phones now is an all-timer. There's phones now. Like, you gotta have a follow-up. Hey, Jake, are you alright, buddy? There have been phones for your entire existence, sir. There's phones now. Like, you gotta dig in more there.

[00:28:07] He also had, yeah, he also had 10 years of phones before going back in time. Yep. Yeah. He did. Yeah. 100%. Phones were pretty prevalent in the 90s. Yeah. Pretty big. Part of the 80s even. Yeah. 70s, you wouldn't believe it. Elliot cosplaying as Geppetto was, like, the funniest thing ever. Like, he's in the past, and he's stuck there. He's like, oh, I did so stupid.

[00:28:35] I should have just went back with Kat, and he's really stressed. And then next scene, playing time after time, looking like Geppetto. Yeah. And was as comfortable as could be. Yeah, he had a weird face. He, like, jiggles his head around when he's playing the piano. He's just loving it. Yeah. I'm loving it. Anything else? I didn't have anything else. Kat jumped to the 20s, and it's raining outside. Yeah, cut to the next scene, and she's instantly dry. We're still doing this. Yeah, we are. Yep. One of the cronies gets shot directly in the leg and doesn't even fall down.

[00:29:05] Tough guy. Didn't even say owie. How could they not see Elliot and Kat hiding behind that tree? That's it for me, Brent. Yeah, fair enough. I got a kick out of Tessa talking to Elliot and telling her about her story. When we jumped, me and Griff jumped, and we came out, and we land in 1882. There was such a pause after 18. Lean in. Listen, and I do want to apologize to you guys.

[00:29:33] You guys both said we're definitely going back to the 1800s, and they did for one shot. They did one shot. Oh, we did. We nailed it. Tessa, 1880s walking up. It feels like a weird way to be right and win. I don't love it. I will give it to you guys. I didn't even think about the fact that we would see for a split second the scene of her showing up on the shores in the 1800s. You should have thought about that. I don't know if I'm willing to take that. That's bad. I think I'm willing to say you would. You guys want to stand by it, though? We got two more episodes left.

[00:30:01] Will any of it be spent in the 1800s? I mean... I think it's less likely, but I still can't rule it out. I will say that I believe I said that before I knew they didn't know it was the end of the show. So, like, my whole theory on that was they're going to connect all the time periods. And then since I heard they didn't know it was the end, I don't think they're going to. But I technically... We'll win on the cards here with the fact that they did it, but also doesn't feel great. Yeah, we'll win on the cards.

[00:30:29] That Thomas inclusion, by the way, from when he's the ghost a couple weeks ago, makes even less... It's just all very strange. Yeah. It's all very strange. They clearly thought they had two seasons. They just did. Why wouldn't the ghost have been Papa Landry? It doesn't matter. No. Thomas. He didn't have a thing with Thomas. No. Not that we know of. Not that we know of. Yeah. 1800 would have been scandalous. Would have been great. All right. My last one is this. Alice is talking with Evelyn.

[00:30:58] Evelyn is a bit on the sauce, and she goes to lay down. Kat puts a blanket on her and says, you know who I am. I am your friend who's always here for you if you need me. And no, you are not. No, you're not. That is her entire... Miss years at a time. That is her whole point every time she needs you. No. Every time she sees you, she's like, where have you been? I could have really used you. You can say a lot as a time traveler. Yeah.

[00:31:27] You can't say that. I am here every time you need me. No. No, I don't think so. Time after time. I don't think so. Dan? Elliot mansplains cipher key to Kat in this episode, and I couldn't... In season four of The Way Home, a show where Kat has been time traveling more than Elliot, Elliot goes, oh my God, it's a cipher key, and Kat's in, and then he takes an aside to go, now Kat and a cipher key is, and he starts explaining it. And one, we don't have time for this.

[00:31:57] Time's of the essence. But two, do you think she's not seen Christmas Story? Like, we all know what that is. Like, come on, buddy. Be better. Fern and the Dan Janot character, what's his name? Cliff. Cliff. Fern and Cliff have the most chemistry of any love interest on this show, in my opinion. They, he gets mad at her about lying, and she's like, you lied to me too. And then they kind of declare like to each other, like feelings for each other.

[00:32:27] And it's a pretty good moment. And then they run to each other, and you're like, all right. And then they don't kiss. They run to each other full speed. And I am fully expecting like a passionate kiss. And instead, it's a weird hug. A spin hug. It's like when you pick your family up from the airport. Like, it was weird. It was a weird thing. It was the 20s. They didn't kiss in the 20s. Sure. They've already kissed in this show. It was uncommon.

[00:32:54] And then lastly, and I have to bring this up because this show has decided to bring it up. The last line of this episode is Elliot looking off into the distance and saying, I think I just sent my mom to her death. Of something like that. No, you didn't. Unless you did, it doesn't matter. You, there is only one timeline.

[00:33:19] Every season, someone says, you cannot, what is the line that they say? It's not, you can't change. Whatever happened will happen. This is what I'll say, Dan. This, do you remember how frustrated Elliot was getting when Kat was continually trying to change. Correct. Her death, the death of her dad. And turns out she caused it. Yeah. This is the same, but flip it in reverse. Exactly. Why?

[00:33:46] If you're going to, if you're going to create a show where you tell me whatever happens, happens. Why keep making the mistake of that conceit? Like why keep like, you can still have fun in a time travel show. If you believe in that single timeline of integrity where nothing changes and past, present, future happens all at once. And that's how someone from the present, someone from the present could go to the past and change because it never happened any other way. That's fine. That's not how I would do it. That's fine.

[00:34:15] But if you're doing that, why are you trying to convince us, the viewer of a cliffhanger that would never, Elliot knows this. He would never go. I think I just, that's always what was going to happen. There's nothing he could do about that. But instead they're doing exactly what you said. And it's, we don't need this guys. The show's already bad. Like we don't need you to do this. You're already making a bad television show.

[00:34:41] Like you just don't, don't add like this to it. I am really, really frustrating. That's how we end this show. And what is he going to do? Fix it? Like, no, he's not. Whatever happened will happen. Unless they've been telling us that for four seasons to flip it on us. You know? And that would be bad. But that would be better. It'd be better bad. That's all I got, Brian. Sink or swim. That's what we're talking about. What we're sinking or what we're swimming.

[00:35:10] I have a group activity that I thought we could do. Unless you guys have specific ones. No, I was just going to say sink and move on. But I love this. Do you have something? I mean, can I do mine and then we do the group activity? No. Like, respectfully, I did work on this. It's one or the other. So. Well, I'm thinking, well, this is something I could have pivoted to the hot take. But I really hate the thing the show does where like, so they've shown Kat in that reel. And so they want us to drum up stakes about how Kat can't time travel.

[00:35:40] But then since they've shown us that reel, Alice has to go. Don't worry. We know you finally get like, you can't tell us that it's stressful. That cat is stressed about not being able to time travel. But then have to have Alice say, don't worry, you go back. Because they've already told us. But they're just trying to have it every which way. And it bums me out. But you know what doesn't bum me out, Bran? It's group activity. Group activity. Here's what I want to do. Some open-ended things. I'm going to throw them out to you.

[00:36:08] And you're going to tell me, are we going to get the answer before the end of the show? Just a yes or no? Just yes or no? Okay. Just yes or no. Let's start with the reel. Are we going to get the backstory or the what happens when Cat runs into that reel? Yes. Okay. You would think so, right? Are we going to find out why Tessa left in the first place? Probably. Okay. All right. Very good. Are we going to find out whether or not Evelyn actually does know that Alice is a time traveler?

[00:36:38] No. No. Are we going to get any more conversations between Sam and Del about him knowing about the pond? Yes. Is there more that we don't know about Sam and the pond? No. No. Will we see Casey again? Yes. Probably. Okay. Will we find out who Nick's wife is, whatever her name is? I can't fathom it.

[00:37:07] I, my guess, can I tell you this? Season four cliffhanger. Yeah. I think the plan was she shows up and we know who she is already and it's a cliffhanger and that is a real sucky way to end your series finale. So I'm going to say, unless they retconned the last three minutes, that we do see her and it was supposed to be the big cliffhanger at the end of the season. So yes. Brian, are you doing all of these off the top of your head? No, I don't. Top of the down. Oh, wow. Top of the down. Very impressive.

[00:37:37] Top of the down. Any other, well, also cat does run into that reel in the eighties, which we haven't seen happen yet. I, somehow that I think will, but you would think maybe, uh, any other big open things that you would, for this? I mean, you, but the problem with, will we, will we get Casey's identity explained to us? It doesn't seem like we have the time, right? Yeah. Yeah. We will. Yeah.

[00:38:07] We will. Alice, will Alice time travel again? Yes. Yeah. Oh, for sure. Alice is going to time travel again. Yeah. I mean, in this episode, she just went and looked at a baby real quick at the pregnant. Oh, she wouldn't talk. She, she, she, she, you're right, you're right, you're right. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Will Elliot, no, Elliot's definitely time traveling again. How are they going to do all this in 90 minutes? Well, what's interesting is we said, yes, on some of those. Yeah. I got it. You, you and I were on the same page. I said yes to all those things.

[00:38:34] And then I realized that all three of those people are going to time travel. I'm going to go back and say the, what was the one you asked about Dell and Sam? Will there be more to that conversation? There'll be more to, I'm going to go back now and say, no, there's not more to that conversation. Nothing more than just a thanks for telling me. Yes. Which is interesting about what you just did there is that in some ways it does feel like the series is going to end with a lot of open-ended questions and maybe it will, but I guess if

[00:39:02] you want to look at it a different way, last season's finale really tied up the proper universe. And so I think this is like a spinoff. Yeah. It's like, yeah. Like honestly, that this is like scrub season nine, but it's a great comp, but if you remember the, the, what all they had to. You're on fire today. The, the, the, the sunken cost and scrubs nine, you're crushing it today. Right guy.

[00:39:28] What all they had to wrap up in that final episode of three to, to close all those loops that they were trying to close by the end of the three. That episode was jam packed. I was, I, it was, it was, I w I had such a hard time writing that synopsis because it was literally nonstop. Yeah. So I'm worried that that's going to be the next two episodes. It's like, we're just going to I, listen, I was wrong last season. Cause that season three finale was great. But the, the way this season is trending. I just also like, I would love if the next two episodes are just jam packed. That would be great.

[00:39:58] I would too, but the difference brand, and I don't want to sound like I'm being so over harsh all the time, but like the difference there is we were frustrated with seasons two and three because we thought those threads were interesting and they were missing the mark. Whereas here we don't find any of these things interesting. This is worse. Yeah. So even if they're jam packed, I mean, it's still about Elliot and his mom. What have you? Those were great pizza, bad pepperoni. This is bad pizza. Yeah. Brand, the question you're not asking though, which a hundred percent is a no.

[00:40:26] And again, if they had the knowledge, maybe they would have pivoted. I brought this up three or four weeks ago. The question that we won't even ask much less get any answers to is why does the pond operate this way? And why are the land? Oh my God. And that's what the last season of this show should have been about. And you can say whatever you want about loss, but they answer that question. They answer the, why were all of these people here question? And this show, it doesn't even, it's not even. Hasn't asked. No. Aside from it's their property. The dirt and the horse.

[00:40:56] Are we going to get any more horse? Not. Is there any more horse talk? I think there was no horse this week. I think the horse was just a metaphor for Jacob. Yeah. I don't know what that was. Oh, Colton. Colton is the character of old Colton played by that dude. Who's great. Is he going to make an appearance the last two episodes? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I would. Wow. We're just, we're jamming it full guys. One last, one last thing that I forgot about in that conversation between Tessa and Elliot.

[00:41:27] Will we find out who sends the letter about her being dead to Elliot with the ring? Will we get those answers? I think we will get one line of dialogue that happens to explain that. So what is that? That's, I think the problem. It's like, I mean, that's kind of been a. The big question is why did she jump in the first place? Right. And then what, how did, how did the letter with the ring get back to him and his dad?

[00:41:56] If they, if she was seemingly unaware that it happened. I don't care about that at all. I would feel decently confident. Confident, confident, all the vowels. Give me. Vows. You get decently on the consonants, but the vowels is where you shine. I'd like to solve the puzzle, Pat. I, I, I, I feel like all the Elliot and his mom stuff will probably be resolved, but that loops back around to kind of all of our hot takes. They're going to answer those questions and I don't care. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:42:26] So maybe we should just watch the season three finale. Will we, last one, will we see Capone? No, there's no world. No, there's no world where we see Capone and I hate it. Exactly. Yeah. They actually Capone's been casted. It's by a Brian Harreld playing the role of Al Capone. Jason Alexander shows up as Al Capone. And you're like, what the, what the, why is he here? Capone is Alice. Dude. I don't know how it makes sense. Capone is Nick's wife. Oh, that'd be good. Who is Alice?

[00:42:56] Who is Alice? I don't know if you've heard. All right. We did it, everybody. Congratulations to us. Two more episodes left. Come on back. Well, yeah. Until then, maybe the first to wish you a Merry Christmas. Deck the Hallmark's a Bramble Jam podcast produced by Brandon Gray. And yeah, that Greenville, South Carolina. For more information on the show, you can go to deckthehallmark.com or follow us on the socials at Deck the Hallmark. Leave us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Help others find the program and help the show out financially and get the best community on Facebook and the best corner of the internet by going to bramblejamplus.com.

[00:43:25] You'll also get ad-free podcasting, live video watch-alongs, movie chats, and so much more. Bramblejamplus.com. You're about to hear some ads that help keep the lights on here in the old studio. Thanks for listening or don't listen. It's really up to you at this point. It's at the end of the show. I mean, you're listening to me. Hi. But here they come. I promise they're coming. Yep. Here they are. Happy day.