Reunion

This episode is Reunion. I call this a Simon episode because it revolves around him. We have a couple of Simon episodes, Survival being the best one in my opinion. Reunion is a very good episode, though. As always, plenty of spoilers and observations of the many attributes of Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg.

I enjoy the opening scene a lot. Our boys are traveling in Jim's truck to drop Simon off at his high school reunion. They are going on to camp and fish while Simon mingles with his old classmates. Simon is showing Blair his high school annual. Blair chuckles and remarks quite nicely how it's pretty cool that he wasn't the only one who was a nerd back then. Jim and Simon chime in together with, Was? Apparently, they think our sweetie, Blair, is still a nerd. Man, are they ever wrong. If Blair's a nerd, I'll take a dozen, please. Jim did call him a dork in The Switchman, though, didn't he?

Lets see, Blair has on his red and green plaid coat. He wears this jacket in several episodes. He also has on a grey henley and jeans. He looks yummie as usual. Jim looks quite handsome in jeans (Yea!), a dark blue t shirt and his green jacket with the brown collar. Simon is dressed very smartly in one of those collarless shirts that I like a lot on him. It is dark blue and he has on a grey paisley vest and grey slacks. BTW, when Simon goes to light up his cigar, Jim ixnays the idea quickly. Not in his car, he says.

Let me say something about Simon Banks. I love Simon. I think he is a hunk. He has a great raspy voice. Must be those cigars, but I love it when Simon laughs. It's deep and tickles me to death. He's big, black and beautiful. Too bad he got ate in JP3 so soon!! Also, I'd like to brag he's just as hunky in person, and those 'Bruce' hugs <sigh>... Anyway, I also love that Blair is sitting up behind Jim and has his arm wrapped around the back of Jim's seat just close enough to Jim so that he is in touching distance. Oh my.

We get to the hotel where the reunion is and meet the major players. Sheriff Becker, a rival of Simon's from his high school days, Peggy, Simon's old flame, and Billy, Simon's old mentor. Seems that the Sheriff still has a chip on his shoulder from the olden days. When Simon introduces Jim and Blair, Becker makes that smart remark about how Blair must do a lot of undercover work. I always love that remark.

Simon spies Peggy and his apprehension at being at the reunion quickly vanishes. There is a slashy scene between Jim and Blair when Jim suggests to Blair that they high tail it out of there to go and catch some dinner. Those two give me goose bumps.

The plot progresses with Peggy telling Simon the story about being in some sort of trouble but before she can explain Simon is diverted and by the time he comes back to the room, Peggy is no where to be seen and Simon is conked on the head. When he comes to, it seems that Peggy has been killed and with Simon's gun. This is when the Sheriff shows his true colors and after handcuffing Simon to the chair, pummels him with the gun and then tries to kill him. Simon gets loose but the Sheriff manages to shoot right through the door, hitting our poor captain in the leg.

We are treated to a very cute scene. Seems Blair has navigated Jim the wrong direction and they aren't where they're supposed to be, but it doesn't matter anyway because Simon manages to raise them on his cell and yells for help. The guys take off to come back to the rescue. There is then a very stupid scene when three of the deputies think they have the escaped outlaw cornered in the kitchen storage room. They open fire with everything they have shooting many helpless boxes and cans of food.

I should mention the one slimy deputy chews gum through the entire episode. I guess they really did want us to hate this guy. I certainly did. Only the bad guys can possibly do something as irritating as chew gum. Ha! In time our injured hero drags himself into an empty room where he had told Jim and Blair to meet him.

When our other heroes show up, the Sheriff jumps them and seems to think they are in on the whole caper. Jim is calmly irritated at the attitude of the Sheriff. The Sheriff sends one of the hapless deputies to follow Jim and Blair and this leads to one of the cutest scenes in all the episodes. It is just so funny. I love the humor when it manages to sneak in. Picture this. The camera is trained on a wide hallway. On each side are three doors. Jim and Blair go from one door and across the hall to another. The deputy goes into the other door and out another. Criss-cross, back and forth, about a half dozen times, and then Jim and Blair take off, leaving the confused deputy behind. It is really quite amusing.

Oh, and one of the deputies informs the Sheriff that he doesn't think Banks is guilty. Surprise, the Sheriff kills him own deputy. I would have never guessed the Sheriff was crooked. Who would have thunk it? So now Becker has killed two people and working on a third.

The guys all meet up in the empty room and Jim gives Simon first aid. I like that Blair is telling Jim they have to get Simon to a hospital. Simon growls at Blair for talking like he's not even there. Very good scene. They leave Simon to rest while Blair goes in search of medical supplies and Jim goes to scope out the crime scene. Jim uses his abilities and finds a button. I like that he sniffs the button. He smells gunpowder, he says. Meanwhile, the bad guys close in on Simon so he goes into the ventilation system to hide. By now he's really hurting and can barely walk and he's leaving a trail of blood to follow.

Then we finally find out the reason for all this killing. If you're interested, it seems that a guy named Sturgis owns the paper plant and is letting the water be polluted. Peggy had proof that his environmental report was faked and was passing it on to a tv person, Carrie. The tv person didn't make the meeting in time and Peggy is killed. When Carrie is telling her story, I always like that Jim and Blair glance at each other while listening. They do this in a lot of episodes, passing silent messages only they can hear. I wrote that part in myself. Part of the Sentinel/Guide bond, you know.

Well, this is where Jim whacks one of the deputies and steals his uniform. We are treated to Jim in a uniform and a deputy sheriff's hat, kind of like a cowboy hat, not like a state patrol hat. I personally don't like it on Jim, but then Jim always manages to look good anyway. I do like when he wears his Jags cap though. I'm not much on cowboy hats myself. While Jim is following the sounds of Simon's moans and breathing to locate him, Blair overhears the bad guys plan to burn the whole place down to cover the evidence. He calls Jim on his cell and Jim is surprised at the measures these guys will to go cover up their crimes. Good heavens, these people will stop at nothing to get rid of everybody in town. Blair looks especially good skulking around outside the hotel. He calls the FBI to help out also.

Jim finally manages to get Simon out of the hotel with the help of Simon's mentor, Billy. When Simon collapses in the hallway, Jim can't budge him. Even for a guy of Jim's size, Simon is just too heavy. They find their way out the front door and the stupid sheriff orders his men to shoot them! How stupid can you be? Pretty darned, it seems. The camerawoman jumps up and starts filming. Jim and Blair tell the onlookers what has happened with the camera rolling. Simon manages to pull himself together to confront the sheriff and after a very nice speech telling him off, Simon faints. And guess who is right next to him and catches him? Blair. He is a strong guy for his size and manages to keep Simon from hitting the pavement.

The final scene is our captain being loaded into the ambulance and his friends are by his side. Of course, Simon wants a cigar. Simon and those cigars. The guys figure he's had enough smoke for today and they go off together into the night with Simon still begging for just one stogie.

All in all, an enjoyable episode. Next, Payback. Gangs on the rampage.

The End

Back to Episode Review Main Page