Eli Stone: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
By fred | November 12, 2008
(S02E04) And here I was, thinking we might here The Clash during this episode… Anyways. If there is one thing I’ve always praised when it comes to this show, it is change. Changes are usually not a common thing on TV, you don’t often see any real change in the life of a show, but on Eli Stone changes are pretty much the rules. Everything is always changing and evolving, and not always the way you think it would.
Of course the major changes going on at the moment, are the separation of Jordan and his former partners, and the new firm he is now creating, with Eli as a full partner; Seems that Eli will be his successor after all. And as we all expected, during the split every employee is being pursued by Posner, not only because they/some are great lawyers, but also to hurt Jordan.
Some choices seemed pretty obvious, and as the episode was moving forward it looked like, indeed, Maggie would obviously stay, just like Matt could eventually decide to do the same after all. And he was actually convincing, both in that he actually cared for this case he was working with Eli, and that he really was affected and wanted to win it and help those people, and also in that it affected him to much and he didn’t want to do that anymore, didn’t want to live with loosing cases such as this one.
So far I used to think of him as mostly a jerk, and I never really understood what Taylor saw in him, but for the first time I think he actually looked like a nice human being. That’s the Eli effect I guess.
Because this week and for the most part of the episode, I was shocked to see Eli working on this case. Not because of the case or anything, but because it seemed to be the first time maybe ever since he got his aneurysm, and the related visions, that Eli was working a “regular” case. Usually he has visions, visions that lead him to the case, tell him which case to take or how to win it.
But this time, Eli’s visions seemed to be all about Maggie, and not the case. Eli cares about her for some reason, and he really didn’t want her to leave. Turned out his visions actually caused her to leave, and were at the same time - and in some quite twisted way - related to the case Eli was on. About Eli, Maggie, marriage. We did see a future with the two of them together last season, but this season also introduced the idea that all of Eli’s visions, unlike what we first saw and his dad’s, Eli’s visions might never come true.
The whole “Live Brave” could very well never happen now, because Eli changed something. Just like his visions made him do what he (thought he) was trying to prevent : Maggie turning to the dark side. Now while I guess I can see why Eli cares for Maggie, even though it would have to be more superficial than anything, I mean she might have believed him first, but she was also a real incompetent PITA, really.
Which bring me to question : why did Posser hire her ? I know, as she said, he wanted to hurt Jordan and Eli, and he knew grabbing Maggie would probably do just that. But it’s not like Maggie was Patty, it’s not like Eli really relied on her all that same. Plus, they offered her a lot, senior associate and a raise, and still working on cases she wants to, all that to hurt Eli & Jordan ?? Because, while this season she actually behaved, last season she was clearly awful, she didn’t know anything about anything, she didn’t know how to question a witness, nothing.
Really, it was hard to believe she was actually allowed to be in court, because anyone who graduated, just to get your diploma, you had to know more about law than she did. So it seemed to be a bit much for them to go that far, but what do I know.
Now it seems the the new company will have a lot less people around. Of course Eli, Jordan, Taylor and Patty are still there, but we know Matt and Maggie left. It wasn’t really clear, but I’m assuming Keith did stay with Jordan, and maybe will get something to do as a result of it ? What’s for sure is that changes went down, this is a new start for Eli & co, and I’m really curious as to what will come next. What’s great is that because everything is always changing, you never really know what to expect from this show.
For a while now, Eli hasn’t been having his usual visions, linked to a case he got really involved in. There was Jordan being sued, loosing his company, the split and everyone/Maggie leaving, but now that all of this is done, it will be interesting to see how things will actually evolve. That is, if we are given the chance to, because Eli Stone hasn’t been doing very well in the ratings this season, far from it, and it could get canceled, sadly.
What did you think about this episode ? Were you happy to see Maggie go ? Do you want her & Eli to become more than friends ? Did we really need to have Taylor pregnant ?
