Finally, another good episode. It's been a few. While the last one was very Walker: Texas Ranger, this one has a super Quantum Leap-y vibe... which can only be a good thing.
Here's Carl Robinson, friend of Duncan's. In this flashback he's in dire straits at the hands of Dickish White Guys, because back in the 19th century South apparently all White Guys were Dickish.
Well, except this one. He drives up all "the hell" and interrupts.
He interrupts what was going to be a hanging, saving this guy. Wouldn't it suck for an immortal to get hung...and left up there? They'd get stuck in a death-loop.
For his trouble, Duncan gets shot...
...by one of the Dickish White Guys. Yikes!
So far, this is Donald Sterling's favorite episode.
So far, this is Donald Sterling's favorite episode.
In the present, Carl stalks around the hood in a trench coat while hip-hop plays.
Know what would be zany? If Donald Sterling tried to revamp his image by showing up at a basketball game and being super-down with the players.
"Yo yo yo, my n*****z, what is happening? How is it hanging in the hood this evening? Gotta get them ho's, am I right? F'real, f'real though. I do enjoy seeing them young ladies get down with the big booties. Shake that thing, know what I'm saying? Straight ballin' and pimp juice. Shortie crunk up in this whaaaa!"
Know what would be zany? If Donald Sterling tried to revamp his image by showing up at a basketball game and being super-down with the players.
"Yo yo yo, my n*****z, what is happening? How is it hanging in the hood this evening? Gotta get them ho's, am I right? F'real, f'real though. I do enjoy seeing them young ladies get down with the big booties. Shake that thing, know what I'm saying? Straight ballin' and pimp juice. Shortie crunk up in this whaaaa!"
Meanwhile, Duncan explains how sex works to Charlie. "You gotta hold onto their hips and thrust a lot"
Charlie: "Is there anything you don't know how to do?"
Charlie: "Is there anything you don't know how to do?"
Carl finds douchebags peddling drugs in his hood, and responds by DRAWING A SHOTGUN ON THEM~! Is this guy like a vigilante 'hood superhero?
He then steals a car that happens to belong to Charlie and drives it around like a maniac before plowing into a parked vehicle. Okay, Carl can't drive at all.
What follows is a bizarre chase, as Duncan and Charlie take off after Carl.
"CITIZENS OF SUBURBIA! THERE IS A BLACK MAN ON THE LOOSE!"
Carl escapes, and we go back to the past. Duncan and Carl managed to escape from the lynching guys and their dogs. Carl says he wants to be a professional baseball player, but that'll never happen because it isn't allowed. Barring that, maybe he can go to school eventually.
There's a great blues song playing during this scene, and it's sung by Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson). He's got a lot of talent, that guy.
There's a great blues song playing during this scene, and it's sung by Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson). He's got a lot of talent, that guy.
Getting so many Quantum Leap vibes. Duncan actually looks happy in some of these flashback scenes.
In the present, not so much. He drives around in his sweet convertible with a frown on his face.
After some investigation, Duncan finds out where Carl lives and drops by. The guy isn't there, but it looks like he ended up going to Howard. Pretty sure Duncan is aware of all this, and feels like Carl squandered his life since then.
They finally run into each other, and much arguing is had. Duncan wants to know why Carl is acting all crazy and being a vigilante, while Carl wants Duncan to bug off.
Meanwhile, Super Evil Looking Racist Cop is our villain of the day. He's a renegade watcher, and a very contrived character in general.
Charlie shows up at the pad and finds Carl talking to Duncan. Charlie wants to kick Carl's ass for stealing his car, and Duncan has to play peace-maker.
Seedy Officer Norm Macdonald is looking for black people to plant drugs on while his partner Officer Young Fox Mulder looks on apprehensively.
Duncan and Carl have a semi-friendly battle at this point. Carl fights like Kurgan, lots of giant swings with no finesse. He loses pretty handily.
Charlie walks in all "you're still here?" to which Carl is all "DeSalvo, now what kinda name is that for a black man?" while Duncan groans in the corner.
Duncan tells Carl to get rid of the chip on his shoulder and stop committing crimes. Carl believes that he has to because he isn't going to be anything else, or something like that.
The seedy cop tries to kill Carl by running him over and getting an axe, but he gets interrupted by a bunch of onlookers.
Carl cites this as a reason why nothing has changed and why he shouldn't bother trying.
Another flashback. This one is more recent, and features Fonz Duncan being all cool.
Elvis Duncan and his buddy are all ready to enjoy some fine cuisine, except...
NO BLAX ALLOWED
The best part is that by this point, it was illegal to put up signs like that. Duncan points this out, and the local sheriff refuses to uphold the law because he's on break and ain't the sheriff right now.
...so Duncan beats the crap out of him!
Girl in background: "A black man!"
Other girl: "Let's get inside quickly!"
Other girl: "Let's get inside quickly!"
"Black man and white man talking! ALERT!"
Back in the present, they set up the creepy evil cop, and he gets shot by his partner. This subplot was fairly unnecessary, as is often the case with this show.
Officer Fox Mulder did the right thing. ...even though he sorta just killed a guy. Onward.
At the end of the day, Carl starts playing baseball again and finally achieves his dream of playing for a team.
He says he wants to be the first black president. In 1993 when this aired, such a thing seemed fairly impossible.
The crowd roars as Carl runs upstairs, and that's it for this one.
I feel like I didn't do a very good job recounting the story in this one and it has a story worth recounting, so here's a synopsis:
-Duncan meets Carl in 1929 when he rescues him from a lynch mob
-He liked Carl because the guy had all kinds of ideas and plans for things he wanted to do in the future
-In the present, Carl has long-since given up hope on accomplishing any of it
-He randomly runs into Duncan after he steals Charlie's car
-Duncan tries to get Carl to believe in himself again, but Carl thinks the world is out to get him
-Crooked cop tries to kill Carl, so our heroes end up bringing down crooked cop
-Carl decides to give the world another chance
Fourth episode in a row with a mortal vilain...strange. Other than that, the episode was decent. Carl Robinson returns later in the series.
I feel like I didn't do a very good job recounting the story in this one and it has a story worth recounting, so here's a synopsis:
-Duncan meets Carl in 1929 when he rescues him from a lynch mob
-He liked Carl because the guy had all kinds of ideas and plans for things he wanted to do in the future
-In the present, Carl has long-since given up hope on accomplishing any of it
-He randomly runs into Duncan after he steals Charlie's car
-Duncan tries to get Carl to believe in himself again, but Carl thinks the world is out to get him
-Crooked cop tries to kill Carl, so our heroes end up bringing down crooked cop
-Carl decides to give the world another chance
Fourth episode in a row with a mortal vilain...strange. Other than that, the episode was decent. Carl Robinson returns later in the series.
Yes. That song by Jim Byrnes. I want to know what that song is, and I want that song. It's a great song.
ReplyDelete1929 isn't the 19th century!
ReplyDeleteI always thought Carl was going to have issues in baseball due to the whole immortality thing, it's a little bit too much fame. (to say nothing of being President)
...then the show addressed this more with Young Richie Ryan and racing later.
Carl comes back? I didn't know that, it must be in one of the later season episodes I haven't seen yet. I hope he doesn't come back to get killed.
Nope. He lives.
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