509 Trilogy Part III <AKA The Last Door>

[alsplacebartender]

Trilogy Part III
July 28, 1978

Baton Rouge and Potterville, Louisiana


In the final installment of a three-part saga, Sam leaps into Larry Stanton, a lawyer who defends Abigail on trial for the murder of Leta Aider. Secrets are revealed, the family history comes unraveled, and surprises are in store for Sam as he discovers the heritage behind Abigail's daughter, Samantha Jo Fuller.


Written by: Deborah Pratt
Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.


Rate and comment on the final chapter of this trilogy!

[Vince Beckett]

This is an excellent end to a trilogy. Sam has a daughter who is almost as intelligent as he is. She ends up working on the project and thinks she can bring him home.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

this part of the trilogy i did not mind as much but i am not too fond of Sammy Jo.

[Samantha Beckett]

Why not? The whole scenario is bloody brilliant, especially now that she works at the Project. I liked that the girl who played Sammy Jo was the same little girl who was Abigale in the first trillogy ep.

If it's her accent u find annoying Cyd, then you wont want to hear me talk...i sound like her a wee bit.

Samantha Beckett

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Samantha_Beckett

Why not? The whole scenario is bloody brilliant, especially now that she works at the Project. I liked that the girl who played Sammy Jo was the same little girl who was Abigale in the first trillogy ep.

If it's her accent u find annoying Cyd, then you wont want to hear me talk...i sound like her a wee bit.

Samantha Beckett

lol are you sure you're southern and not british, you say bloody and bleeding a lot like the british lol. and both my best friend and i don't like that Sammy Jo is a total Abigale clone, we think she should have at least dyed her hair to look the least bit like Sam, but other than that she was cute in her personality, better than Abigale as a little girl cuz she was kind of annoying, in my opinion.

[Samantha Beckett]

Originally Posted by SamBeckettfann

lol are you sure you're southern and not british, you say bloody and bleeding a lot like the british lol. and both my best friend and i don't like that Sammy Jo is a total Abigale clone, we think she should have at least dyed her hair to look the least bit like Sam, but other than that she was cute in her personality, better than Abigale as a little girl cuz she was kind of annoying, in my opinion.

Haha, I get that alot Cyd. I know for a fact that I was supposed to be born in England but was born in the South by mistake. I'm a misplaced Brit, LOL. Plus, I can say "bloody" all I want in front of my parents and stuff, and they'll have no idea i'm swearing in front of 'em,

Samantha Beckett

[Aging Boomer]

I thought it would have been a neat twist if Abagail had been guilty after all! Did anyone else find Abagail a bit "off"--not crazy, just a little creepy and not as wonderful as Sam kept saying she was? When she first appeared in this part of the trilogy, I didn't believe it was her--she hadn't aged a bit in twelve years! I didn't care for the girl playing young Abagail/Sammi Jo either, and it had nothing to do with her accent. Or rather she seemed a little miscast; she looked perfect for an Outwardly Sweet Evil Child character!

[LunarCrystal]

Originally Posted by Aging Boomer

I thought it would have been a neat twist if Abagail had been guilty after all! Did anyone else find Abagail a bit "off"--not crazy, just a little creepy and not as wonderful as Sam kept saying she was? When she first appeared in this part of the trilogy, I didn't believe it was her--she hadn't aged a bit in twelve years! I didn't care for the girl playing young Abagail/Sammi Jo either, and it had nothing to do with her accent. Or rather she seemed a little miscast; she looked perfect for an Outwardly Sweet Evil Child character!

Yeah, I may be beating a dead horse - but I never liked the trilogy. The whole thing seemed "off", in my opinion. But, it's the fifth season, and something tells me they were thinking of just about anything to keep the series going. Personally, I pick and choose what I consider acceptable from the fifth season and disregard the rest of the canon - in the fifth season. Not the whole canon.

*sigh* I wonder if they had let the fans write in their suggestions for episodes they would want to see and did it that way . . . I wonder if it would have been better. It certainly would have been different, and it would have catered directly to the audience. Just a thought. I've been known to be totally and morbidly wrong.

[bluedana]

I've gotta admit, I love the moment when Sam realizes the significance of the telephone bill. I wasn't crazy about the looney mom testimony - it was done much better in So Help Me, God - and I can see how people wouldn't really like this episode or the whole trilogy, but specific moments really sold me on the story. Of the three parts, I think the final installment is the strongest, in terms of storyline.

[JuliaM]

Originally Posted by Aging Boomer

I thought it would have been a neat twist if Abagail had been guilty after all! Did anyone else find Abagail a bit "off"--not crazy, just a little creepy and not as wonderful as Sam kept saying she was? When she first appeared in this part of the trilogy, I didn't believe it was her--she hadn't aged a bit in twelve years! I didn't care for the girl playing young Abagail/Sammi Jo either, and it had nothing to do with her accent. Or rather she seemed a little miscast; she looked perfect for an Outwardly Sweet Evil Child character!

It's not you at all. I though Abigail was a bit off myself - especially as a child. You're description is exactly what I always felt about the way she was portrayed. Put in Sam's place, I wouldn't have been reciting all the ways I loved her so much a sleeping with one eye open. I'm sure that's probably how they wanted to character to seem to keep the viewer guessing. I think it just went a little too far and I felt no symptathy for the character at any age.

[bluedana]

Originally Posted by jmoniz

It's not you at all. I though Abigail was a bit off myself - especially as a child. You're description is exactly what I always felt about the way she was portrayed. Put in Sam's place, I wouldn't have been reciting all the ways I loved her so much a sleeping with one eye open. I'm sure that's probably how they wanted to character to seem to keep the viewer guessing. I think it just went a little too far and I felt no symptathy for the character at any age.

Snerk. There's definitely a "Patty McCormack in The Bad Seed" vibe going on there.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

I kind of like this part of the trilogy. I rather think that Abigale finally shaped up. She's pretty, lost the distzyness and is now finally mature since she's a mother now. I also really like the concept of Sam feeling Larry's Heart problems although I dont understand how taking his medication helps because Its just a feeling Sam's actual body is not experiencing it as he's very healthy. So wouldn't Larry's drugs possibly hurt him. Shouldn't Larry himself in the waiting room be taking the drugs. And yes I know the drugs are with Sam so how can he? Well I was thinking that Dr. Beaks could arrange to get him some medication kind of like they were able to reproduce Dr. Ruth's glasses they could reproduce Larry's medication. I don't know.

Originally Posted by lunar crystal

Yeah, I may be beating a dead horse - but I never liked the trilogy. The whole thing seemed "off", in my opinion. But, it's the fifth season, and something tells me they were thinking of just about anything to keep the series going. Personally, I pick and choose what I consider acceptable from the fifth season and disregard the rest of the canon - in the fifth season. Not the whole canon.

Yeah it is out of place but then again most of fifth season is, because like you said they were doing just about anything to keep ratings up which its the new NBC guy's own fault they had to struggle to keep good ratings in the first place as he is the one that moved it so it was conflicting with Full House.

Originally Posted by Jmoniz

I think it just went a little too far and I felt no symptathy for the character at any age.

I also agree with this. While I don't mind her in this episode, I still never smpathized with her. Because she's annoying especially in the first one the way she described how angry she got at that other girl and was hitting her mostly over a stupid necklace. I also found it annoying how many times she kept asking Sam to recite all the ways that he loved her like you said Julia.

[cookiemom6067]

I like the trilogy, especially the 2nd installment, but it borrows heavily from The Bad Seed. I think they did a good job with the "creepy sweet" little girl character in the 1st installment. I noticed, when I watched this installment on the DVD that they cut heavily from the courtroom scene - the prosecution's opening remarks were completely eliminated!

[Lightning McQueenie]

I love the starting scene...

"Come over here you great Southern Rebel... and melt me dooooooooown..." Hahaha!!!

[cookiemom6067]

Originally Posted by naggindragon

I love the starting scene...

"Come over here you great Southern Rebel... and melt me dooooooooown..." Hahaha!!!

Yeah, I'd like to have Scott melt me down! OO baby.

His reactions to Cheryl Lynn in that scene were priceless, as were her reactions to him: "Well, you can just hang your holsters up until next Saturday night, because I am no longer in the mood! (pause) Well, aren't you going to stop me?"

"Stop you?"

"I'm callin' my MOTHER!!!!!"

[isz]

I found this part excellent. A very good Trial episode in my opinion. well written(Except the end when Sammy-Jo says she saw what really happend to Letta in Abigail's kitchen).
Another thing i want to say is,that after this part i understand,that in part one it wasn't the actress, who played abigail(and Sammy-Jo in this part) that was irritating, it was 10yo Abigail charecter. Though i stiil found the mature Abigail and Sammy-Jo Accent a bit annoying.
And befor i'll post my review for the episode,there is one more thing i want to say - I can't understand what's your problem with the character of mature Abigail.I think she was a fine written character. I can also understant why Sam could fall in love with her.But i gotta say i think that some of the feeling sam had for Abigail were an impact of Will and Sam's mind merging.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by cookiemom

Yeah, I'd like to have Scott melt me down! OO baby.

Yeah me too, ROOOOOAR!

Originally Posted by isz

I can't understand what's your problem with the character of mature Abigail.

Who was this directed at, I haven't noticed anyone saying they have a problem with Abigale in this episode, surprisingly not even me, I actually don't mind her in this episode because she's a great mother figure. Most of us just are annoyed with her as a child and some of us in the second one as well, *ahem*. But as I stated above in the third one her charactor really shaped up being a mother now. I was pleased by her charactor in this episode. Although as I also pointed out just because she had a better attitude in this ep does not change my sympthay for her. In the first episode with the issue of Abigale being accused of stealing the locket, and killing Violet; I can actually understand Lita's point of view given Abigale's attitude and the fact that she beat Violet senseless.

Originally Posted by Aging Boomer

I thought it would have been a neat twist if Abagail had been guilty after all! Did anyone else find Abagail a bit "off"--not crazy, just a little creepy and not as wonderful as Sam kept saying she was?

Exactly I feel exactly the same way. And in the second episode her body that of an adult but her attitude had not aged a bit since Sam had last met her at least in my opinion. She was selfish and a still brat, she said that she loved the little boy yet when hes lost and all alone and in danger she is worried about her stupid wedding. Weddings can be reschueled, that little boy's life can not be. This is why I was very pleased with her charactor in the third episode because finally now that she's a mom her attitude cought up to her body.

and touching on your comment about Abigale should have been guilty I must say it would make sense consitering her conflicts with the Aiders especially Violet, the way she beat the poor girl senseless over a stupid locket and it's also curious that she happens to have killing history in her family from her grandmother(Laura's mother that killed all her children and then herself)

Originally Posted by isz

But i gotta say i think that some of the feeling sam had for Abigail were an impact of Will and Sam's mind merging.

Yeah exactly my thoughts exactly, but I think more of Will was talking than Sam because he really merged with him deeply to the point where he even was left with the guy's stutter.

[isz]

I ment to Abigail character in part 2 and 3. and the "question" were directed to each and every one of you who didn't like Abigail(mostly in part 2).

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Oh I see. Well you have my answer now, above you somewhere in there.

[marie1439]

I watched the thrird part of the trilogy last night. One part I don't quite understand. When Al and Sam go to see Laura in the mental institution they see that her head and arm had been burned. How did this happen?

[Sherdran]

Originally Posted by marie1439

I watched the thrird part of the trilogy last night. One part I don't quite understand. When Al and Sam go to see Laura in the mental institution they see that her head and arm had been burned. How did this happen?

Because it proves that in Part 1 of the triology, that the woman that Sam saw in the fire at the sheriff's house (when he rescues Abgail) really WAS Laura (Abigail's mother), and not a ghost or a mirage.

Eleiece

[marie1439]

That's right. I got confused. I know that Al and Sam went to visit Laura in the first one but that was before the fire.

[julieannboo]

very touching between sams' character the lawyer and abigail and sammy-jo.

great end to this great 3 parter.

[julieannboo]

Originally Posted by Sherdran

Because it proves that in Part 1 of the triology, that the woman that Sam saw in the fire at the sheriff's house (when he rescues Abgail) really WAS Laura (Abigail's mother), and not a ghost or a mirage.

Eleiece

wow - i didn't realise this! maybe they could have made that a bit clearer to the viewer - when he is looking at her scars maybe they could have done a quick flash back to to the fire where she 'appears' - to remind the viewer that she was there.

[sonea]

First, let me say that I love the trilogy.

But, you know, there are things that don't sit right with me. The first thing, as I've read in this thread a lot from all of you, was young Abigail. I guess we were meant to suspect her as the possible villain here and this is why she was protrayed as she was.

I remember when I saw these episodes for the first time I was a little creaped out when we went from Sam as the dad to Sam as the lover in a matter of seconds.

When Sam sees Laura in the hallway through the bedroom door we can't tell if she's really there or not. But later we find out she's alive. The only way Sam could have seen her is if she was really there. Yet Abigail doesn't see her? Sam runs to the hall and sees Abigail, yet she didn't see her own mother? And she was in the burning house (and may have actually started the fire when she appears to have confronted Lita Aider)? The woman seems to get around just fine, yet we are told she hasn't left the institution since she got there. She called a cab without being noticed??

It's these things that bug me. Having said that, though, just looking at the trilogy as a whole I find the whole story quite good and always like seeing an episode when Sam is in love. I'm just finishing off this third episode right now and am enjoying it all over again--despite those little things.