"Caitlin's Trust"
Episode Summary
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Written by: Therese Beaupre
Directed by: Gary Harvey
Aired on Nickelodeon: July 23, 2000 at 8:00 p.m.
My Overall Opinion of the Episode:
If I were to make a list of the top five episodes of the first season, this one would be on it.
The Cast:
Nathaniel Arcand -- Garth Crowchild
Cynthia Belliveau -- Dori Lowe
Bob Chomyn -- Joey Delvechio
Lindsay Felton -- Caitlin Seeger
Brendan Fletcher -- Eric Anderson
Jeremy Foley -- Griffen Lowe
Ken Tremblett -- Jim Lowe
Roxanne Wong -- Doctor
The Music:
"I Can't Get Over You" -- Carson Cole
"Old Guitar" -- Carson Cole
"Wishing for a Sail" -- Dig Circus
"Livin' Right" -- Cindy O'Neil
Episode Summary:
Dori and Jim have just bought a new jeep. Meanwhile, Caitlin discovers that Dori and Jim have been receiving money from the government for being her guardians. Because she was never told about this, Caitlin assumes that Dori and Jim are only taking care of her to get the money. Caitlin strikes back by stealing their new jeep. Griffen and his friend Eric ride along with her. Later, when Caitlin is alone in the jeep, she accidentally crashes it and injures herself. The Lowes' love for Caitlin is put to the test...and passes flawlessly! Caitlin recovers from the accident and learns that Dori and Jim weren't taking the money for themselves. They have been putting the money into a trust fund that Caitlin will eventually be able to access when she is older. More so than ever before, Caitlin realizes how much the Lowes truly care about her. Caitlin begins to think about all the great things that she will be able to do with the money when she finally gets it.
Episode Highlights:
1. Jim is a character who is very much concerned with discipline and individual responsibility, two traits that serve him well as the sheriff of High River. Dori is a character who is very much concerned with compassion and mercy, two traits that serve her well as the local veterinarian. Dealing with Caitlin, however, is far more complicated than what either of them encounters on their jobs. This is made evident at one point in the episode when Jim and Dori actually discuss whether or not to legally charge Caitlin with stealing the jeep. Dori asks Jim, "Do we have to charge her? I mean, we are the owners of the jeep." Jim responds, "She broke the law!" Dori argues, "Jim, one of the conditions of her being here is that she stay out of trouble! If you charge her, they're just gonna' send her back to another foster home!" Jim says, "If I don't charge her, it'll look like I'm protecting her!"
2. While at the hospital, Caitlin overhears Eric and Griffen discussing plans to deny that they were with Caitlin when she took the jeep. Eric says, "We gotta' be cool! Nobody saw us with her when she took the jeep!" Griffen says, "We can't let her take the rap! They could send her back to juvie hall!" Eric says, "She's got a record. You know? We don't! Do you wanna' go to jail?" Griffen agrees to lie. Although Caitlin feels betrayed, she promises Griffen that she will "keep him out of it." Later, however, Griffen has serious regrets when he realizes that Caitlin may be sent away. He tells Caitlin that he doesn't want her to go. Griffen then confesses to Dori and Jim that he was with Caitlin when she took the jeep. Dori is surprised and says, "But Caitlin didn't say anything about that." Griffen says, "She was protecting me. I asked her to." Dori asks, "And Caitlin did that for you?" Griffen responds, "She's really not that messed up." Caitlin enters the conversation and says, "That means a lot ... coming from you. But, I am messed up. I never should have done what I did and I'm really sorry." Jim says, "You should be sorry. What you both did was a serious breach of the law." Jim and Dori, however, decide not to charge them. Rather, they make them work to pay off the damages.
3. At the end of the episode, Caitlin reflects on Dori and Jim's love for her, and on how awesome it is that her trust account is earning interest even now. A portion of her closing epilogue is as follows: "There's a million things I'm gonna' buy with all my money when I finally get it. But I'm gonna' save a few bucks for Dori and Jim. They're the ones who gave me my first trust fund. And gave me a reason to trust them."
Episode Image:
