"The Present, Part I"
Episode Summary
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Written by: Jana Veverka and Therese Beaupre
Directed by: Nicholas Kendall
Aired on Nickelodeon: October 7, 2000 at 9:00 p.m.
My Overall Opinion of the Episode:
A good mixture of humorous lines and dramatic tension combine to make Parts I and II of "The Present" an excellent opening episode of the second season of "Caitlin's Way."
The Cast:
Sean Amsing -- Jordan Clarke
Judith Buchan -- Sara Findlay
Cynthia Belliveau -- Dori Lowe
Linsey Eeson -- Melissa
Lindsay Felton -- Caitlin Seeger
Brendan Fletcher -- Eric Anderson
Jeremy Foley -- Griffen Lowe
Jason McSkimming -- Will Findlay
Tania Saulnier -- Taylor Langford
Ken Tremblett -- Jim Lowe
Stephen Warner -- Brett Stevens
The Music:
"Porchlight" -- Neko Case
"Wishing for a Sail" -- Dig Circus
"Kismet" -- Honeysuckle Serontina
"Beach Blanket Blackout" -- The Huevos Rancheros
"Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump" -- The Huevos Rancheros
"Sticka Butta & a Loffa Bread" -- Chris Leavins
"Mystique" -- Mystique
"Nature Boy" -- Pleasure
Episode Summary:
Caitlin is about to have her 15th birthday. She has no idea that it will be a birthday of surprises that she will never forget. Griffen plans a surprise birthday party at the ranch and he invites many of the kids from school. Jim and Dori plan to legally adopt Caitlin to be their daughter and they present adoption papers as a birthday present. A new guy at school named Will begins to spy on Caitlin and follow her around. Will and his mother later claim that Caitlin's horse Bandit may in fact be one of their colts that ran off and joined the same wild herd that Caitlin found Bandit in. Caitlin must face the unthinkable possibility that she may loose Bandit forever. She bluntly declares to Will and his mother, "I will not let you take my horse!"
Episode Highlights:
1. Caitlin's opening prologue: "'Hush little baby, don't say a word; mommy's gonna' buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, mommy's gonna' buy you a diamond ring.' You used to sing me that. I wish you were still here. But, mom, I'm too old for lullabies now. I'm gonna' be 15! I can't believe it! That's seven birthdays without you. I'm so different. I know so much now. And Jim and Dori, well, I guess they're like parents."
2. When Jim and Dori present "Consent by a Child to Adoption" papers to Caitlin as a birthday present, they expect her to be excited. Caitlin, however, is frightened and she excuses herself. Caitlin later asks them why they didn't ask her first. Jim says that they wanted to surprise her. They didn't realize that it could also scare her. Dori tells Caitlin that they just want her to share her new life with them, and that their wanting to adopt her won't change Caitlin's past with her mother. Caitlin asks, "What do you think my mom would want me to do?" Dori responds, "I think your mom would want you to be safe and happy. Are you happy?" Caitlin seems unsure, but says, "I guess. You guys really care about what I do." Jim and Dori tell Caitlin that she doesn't need to decide now. The tension is broken by a moment of humor when Caitlin asks, "Can I still call you 'Jim' and 'Dori?' And Griffen 'Butt-head?'"
3. Several humorous moments break the tension that gradually builds as the episode progresses. When Caitlin asks Griffen to tell her what she is going to get for her birthday, Griffen responds, "Just living with me is a present enough. You should know that now." When Caitlin sees Taylor admiring herself at school as "kissable," Caitlin says, "No one's gonna' kiss you. You never shut up long enough to have your lips closed." When Griffen takes Caitlin out to a movie so that everyone can prepare the surprise party, a large bird dropping lands on Caitlin's jacket as they are walking home from the movie. Caitlin exclaims, "That bird just did it on me! It's my birthday!" Griffen responds, "Well, you know, if you had been walking faster, it would have missed."
