Jarrod The Pretender

These are my comments and reviews of the Show The Pretender from the early 2000's.

The Pretender (1996–2000)  8/10

An AMAZING series. Ends at Junk

What I mean is the series could have and probably should have ended at the season 4 episode titled 'Junk'. The titular character Jarrod is a savant except at the time the show was made, the term 'savant' didn't exist. It's like high-functioning autism. He is guileless, compassionate and when it comes to popular culture, ignorant. Not saying this to disparage but rather the laud the series. Jarrod is driven by empathy and altruism. I discovered the show a year ago and it is GOLD. For approximately 4/5's of itself. Ms. Parkers transition from all business and cold to a woman searching for answers with what her co-workers dub an infuriating moral compass was a delight. Once she warms up it's clear she would do anything for tech geek Broots and goes out of her way for Sydney. They are the three musketeers and Jarod keeps crossing thier path. Sydney the caring, guilt-ridden soul who was a part of keeping Jarrod locked away in the Centre for years. Sydney or 'Syd' was the closest thing to a father Jarrod ever knew and they keep in contact. Their relationship is the heart and soul of the show. Well thier relationship and the close bond that develops between the three Centre main characters.

Sydney learned he had a son in season 2. In season three Jarrod helps him have a relationship with his son Nicholas. Jarrod finds and loses his father in the season 3 finale and season four goes speedily off the rails. The three musketeers barely pursue Jarrod anymore. Jarrod and Sydney barely talk, even before Junk. Instead almost everything was about Ms. Parker and the other two musketeers (Sydney and tech-geek Broots) trying to solve the ever vague riddle of the 'truth' if such a thing exists about Bridget's marriage to Mr. Parker and the conversion/lies of Mr. Raines. And there was no consistency to that storyline. There was no answer found not even a consistent possibility suggested. Parker and Syd's interaction with Jarrod, is reduced to leaving them clues about what's going on with Mr. Lyle and with the exception of 3 episodes that maintain his deep connection with Sydney, it's as if he disappeared from their radar. However interesting the individual missions Jarrod assigns himself, and usually they seemed pretty engrossing, the main plot of the series seemed to have vanished. Which made it hard to watch. Hard to take very seriously even. After a devastating conversation in Junk, an episode which focuses on how far Sydney was always willing to go for Jarrod and involves Jarrod's apparent drug use, Sydney and Jarrod's relationship doesn't implode or deteriorate or change, it just disappears altogether. The show got so caught up in the Centre, it lost it's soul.

The Pretender: Hazards (1998) Season 2, Episode 8

Multiple Ghosts laid to Rest 1 out of 1 found this helpful.

When Sydney is being refreshingly comfortable and with Parker and Broots, he sees a man from his past and suddenly he has one thought on his mind: To get a gun and KILL the man. In the flashback Sydney is having Jarrod draw the man's face and is clearly already haunted. He shows Jarrod a picture of himself and his twin brother at thier first communion and that tells you almost everything you need to know. I was wondering if we knew before this whether Sydney was Jewish or Catholic. We knew he was old enough to have lived in WWII and was from a region in France near Belgium that had been occupied, but not that he'd actually been in a concentration camp. That really is the only explanation for his enraged, single-minded pursuit of the man. Angelo, empath-ing him shoves things into the wall and falls on the floor. Sydney had gone to confession in a season 1 episode, so we did already know he wasn't Jewish. When he's holding a gun to the man "This is for John Mikael, and this is for Greta", Ms. Parker stops him and talks him off that ledge...sort of. Sydney was still haunted by uncertainty concerning Jarrod. Had Jarrod forgiven him or was he still bitter about his part in the secrets and lies all those years. At the end of the episode Jarrod assures him, over the phone. "You're not a monster Sydney and you're still...my family." It's a beautiful moment.

The Pretender: Stolen (1998) Season 2, Episode 18 Powerful And Emotional

While working at a hospital Jarrod becomes involved in a kidnapping, and poses as the boys father. This floods his mind with memories of his own kidnapping. He tries to talk to Sydney about how to deal with his screwed up past. Ms. Parker is doing a good job convincing herself that Jarrod is playing mind games and that she has moved beyond them. She tells Syd the emotional umbilical he has with Jarrod is becoming a problem. Which for a brief moment seems to be true. I could count on one had the number of times Ms. Parker and Sydney actually apprehend Jarrod, even for a couple of minutes. During an incredibly tense confrontation-apprehending, a desperate and ticked off Jarrod yells "How do you face your past Sydney?" And Sydney doesn't seem to have an answer. But he answers it permanently 10 seconds later.

When he physically stands in Ms. Parker's way. This is a question Syd had been struggling with more and more. And he is ready to do something about it. Choosing a side in this episode makes it easier for him to act in the season finale. Also, Sydney actually already answered the question. He's able to deal with what happened to Jarrod knowing that some great good came out of something so Egregiously hellish and stupid. Jarrod stopped asking the question after this. Which, along with their collaboration in the season finale, is why Jarrod and Sydney can be so beautiful together and so close in season 3.

The Pretender: Crazy (1998) Season 3, Episode 1

 8/10 Completely Amazing

I love this episode. In high school and college I did personal research on the different kinds of schizophrenia and other related disorders, for Gen Psych class and for my own sake. Schizophrenia and other such disorders are very real to me so I know Jarrod's research is valid and on point. Also, his description of a place that was real to him, being deliberately told in such a way to convince people he was crazy was jaw-dropping acting. He was always, in every episode doing research not out of personal curiosity but in preparation for his next pretend. Sydney realizes this... that Jarrod's research wasn't because he was genuinely concerned for his but in order to fit in among crazy people. The doctor in charge of the facility doesn't do a half bad job of it either. Among other things, she figures out that for whatever reason, Jarrod wanted to be put there. He did just enough to get put in a place that felt familiar to him.

At the end of last season Sydney finally took a stand against the Centre, casting ALL loyalties except his loyalty to Jarrod aside. He couldn't fix what happened to Jarrod but he could help now. That allows the growth and closeness in Jarrod and Sydney's relationship for this entire season. He had this attitude already but now it's a declaration: I'm not interested in saving myself. This may be my last chance to help Jarrod...or you. It was brilliant! Everything that is built here is destroyed almost halfway into the next season but so what? Right now al the characters we care about are in thier prime. It is nothing short of a-maz-ing.

The Pretender: Parole (1998) Season 3, Episode 6 Truly Stunning

Jarrod has a journey of discovery. In both his becoming an Ex-con and learning the wild and yet helpless world of those less fortunate as much as anything with Sydney and Nicholas. Jarrod's genuine surprise at the seedy exoticness of the criminal/ blue-collar world is an illustration of his innocence and guilelessness. He learns how easily people can be taken advantage of and fall into the trap of 'making the most of a bad life'. And by listening in on Sydney's conversation with his son, inexorably and beyond contestation learns how Sydney TRULY feels about him. It's amazing Sydney telling his son that the man who raised him was in every way his father. And without realizing it, teaches Jarrod the exact same thing. Sydney has kept his parental feelings of Jarrod inside as best he could for the last 2 years He was always his protector, friend and clearly guilt-ridden over the part he played in keeping Jarrod locked up. He had previously flat out lied to Jarrod, denying any parental feelings. And now through eavesdropping Jarrod learns Sydney the depth of Syd's emotions for him. Sydney was always the closest thing to a father Jarrod ever knew and for the first time Jarrod learns that Sydney felt and feels the same way. It was a heartfelt declaration trying to convince Nicholas that the man who raised him is every bit his father as if they'd shared the same DNA. It's also the first truly open conversation Sydney has with...really anyone except Jarrod.

The Pretender: Countdown (1999) Season 3, Episode 15 Ms. Parker's Closer Than Ever

In the only episode in which Sydney does not appear Broots, by pure happenstance finds where Jarrod is and they chase him together. Fortunately Jarrod is also chasing someone else. Jarrod tracks down a dying boy's biological father, while also encouraging his mother Jenny Wells to tell her husband the truth, that thier son isn't his. The criminal is all for getting out of prison, he has no interest in helping save this kids life. Freaking General Elling/Clancy Brown what did you expect? Jarrod's personal interest in helping this kid and this couple goes beyond what we normally see. Because it actually hits closer to home for him. Without overtly sharing his own story, Jarrod is able to help the family stay together. "If there's anything I can do for you --" The father says and right then Jarrod sees Parker and Broots over Mr. Well's shoulder. "It's funny you should mention that!"

The Pretender: Road Trip (1999) Season 4, Episode 5

10/10 Probably the Last Great Episode 3 out of 3 found this helpful.

Or the next to last. All three main characters from The Centre run around on Jarrod's wizard of Oz adventure. Despite her complaining Ms. Parker seems to trust that whatever they will find at the end of this yellow brick road will be worth the mystery. Sydney seems almost giddy at the thought that... "Perhaps Jarrod wants us to run around like rats in a maze". He's enthusiastically jumping through these hoops even recognizing that may be all they are. Maybe he feels that he owes Jarrod this after keeping so many things secret for so many years. Broots shows more emotion than he has ever shown when not talking to or about his daughter. And by the end the three of them are just standing there like "Jarrod has a point." Jarrod has an eye opening encounter and more than just a romance. He goes with what conclusion only makes sense or is likely - that the girl is a criminal and the cop is chasing her because he's a cop not because he's her boyfriend. The one time he goes with the most natural conclusion, wjhat only makes sense, rather than what he feels and knows of the person he is talking to, he is disastrously wrong and she is thoroughly insulted. He jumped to the only reasonable conclusion and not only offends Zoe, but realizes for the first time how trapped and alone people can be even when they do have a home. And then at the gas station learns why innocent people hide 'I wonder what she could have does to deserve something like that'. Jarrod learns he should have trusted her, and goes with her down a journey of discovery, life, hope, heart and eventually even romance for both of them. Zoe and Jarrod seem to be each-others first honest and deeply committed relationship. So of course they are as close to soul mates as can get. It's beautiful. Jarrod's relationship with Rachel, brief and powerful was in its sister show. Making this the first romance we have seen him have. Jarrod leaves because while no longer searching for what he has found, he is still running from people who are chasing him. it is hinted that Sydney, Broots and Ms. Parker might not be chasing him for much longer.

The Pretender: The Inner Sense: Part 2 (2000) 2 out of 2 found this helpful.

 3/10 Too many things out of Nowhere...

...with no actual answers or closure. There are so many people and secrets in this episode that were never even hinted at in the episodes leading up to it. In fact the one thing that is consistent with previous episodes is Ms. Parkers intense and inexplicable hatred and mistrust of Jarrod. The heart of the story, other than Ms. Parker and Jarrod both searching for the truth was Sydney's relationship with Jarrod. This was especially true in Road Trip and Junk earlier in the season. But Sydney and Broots barely say anything to Jarrod the entire episode. Catherine Parker having that extra-normal sixth sense and Sydney already knowing she faked her death were never even hinted at the entire series. No one could ever have imagined Catherine Parker HAD faked her death since who Killed her had been driving motivation for the characters the entire series. And all the sudden she hadn't even died that day? This 'revelation' and betrayal was the biggest part of this episode. Well biggest part besides having 2 people who can barely stand each other sharing a sibling in common that we'd never heard of. Which would be pretty powerful if done believably. This was anything but a natural unfolding of events. Jarrod never says goodbye to Sidney and in fact Sydney had been fading further and further away from him for at least 6 episodes. There was no mystery, no event destroyed their relationship, just a lack of interaction. I don't think they had spoken since Junk.

Weirdly this was a fitting end to what the show had become recently. The plot line which was the heart of the show was minimized to allow more time for the Parkers to become enigmatic characters with unclear motivations. A mystery the Broots, Sydney and Ms. Parker spent thier time trying to solve rather than finding Jarrod or communicating with him on the phone much. If you know the series you know what a big part of the story Parker and Syd's phone conversations with Jarrod always were. A series finale should wrap up the series, not take things from across the most recent season, ONLY the most recent season, make them center themes, try to create a new mystery in the twelfth hour. When there will not be time to address it. Ms. Parker's search for answers to her families mysteries - a recurring theme since near the end of season one - ultimately went nowhere with very few answers ever found. There should have been at least one goodbye between the four main characters. Certainly Sydney being in the same room with Jarrod for the first time all season would have merited some emotion between the two of them. But it's like they're strangers to each-other who don't even bother to say Hello OR goodbye.