The first season finale of Sullivan’s Crossing promised to be an emotional one, as Maggie headed to Boston to face her wrongful death trial and Sully was confronted with losing Sullivan’s Crossing. The episode certainly delivered, ending with multiple unexpected cliffhangers.
The storytelling throughout the series has
been beautifully done, and the finale was no exception. Roma Roth, show runner, and her crew should be proud of what they have accomplished with Sullivan’s Crossing. They have created a heartwarming, family drama that is so rare on television these days. Every episode took viewers on an emotional rollercoaster, and the final episode took us on that ride multiple times in the span of an hour. So many new revelations were made and a ton of questions were left unanswered, that it will be excruciatingly painful for viewers to wait for season 2 to premiere. Luckily, they have already begun filming for the Canadian Television Network in Nova Scotia.
The episode began with Maggie preparing to head back to Boston for her trial. Maggie visited Jackson before she left and thankfully, he was on the road to healing. She told him and his parents that she was heading back to Boston, and Cal overheard. He was obviously sad about Maggie's departure, but he understands the position she is in and her need to figure out her path in life. Cal and Maggie have one last walk together and he tells her that she is special, which is something she hasn’t heard in a while. Cal and Sully say goodbye to Maggie and promise her that they will be waiting for her, rooting for things to go her way. After everything that has happened during her time at Sullivan’s Crossing and the baby steps that Maggie has made towards repairing things with Sully, it is a much more emotional goodbye this time around.
In Boston, Maggie is shocked to see Andrew at her trial, but he insists that he only came to show his support. Things go from bad to worse at the trial, as Maggie’s case is picked apart by the defence. When the mother on the other side of the lawsuit took the stand, Maggie was stunned as she watched her lawyer attack the woman’s character. Maggie apologized to her and told her lawyer to ask the judge to rule in favour of the defence. Thankfully, the defence had already asked the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice, leading to all charges being dropped. After the trial, Andrew apologized for his actions at Sullivan’s Crossing and told Maggie that he is in therapy and will wait for her, no matter how long it takes but she does not respond. She was also offered her job back at Boston Commonwealth hospital, which she said she had to think about, much to her mother’s disappointment. Maggie has left a huge part of her heart at Sullivan’s Crossing, perhaps she is finally realizing that Boston isn’t where she belongs after all.
As Maggie walked out of the trial, she was accosted by Rob, who told her that she had to listen to him, as he was given immunity if he helps the police take down a bigger organization. Maggie wants no part of it, until Rob tells her that it involves Walter. Unfortunately, Walter interrupted and scared Rob away before he could reveal anything. Clearly Walter has a hand in whatever led her boss at Boston Commonwealth Hospital to get arrested. Despite not finding out what Rob had to say, Maggie is already starting to see Walter’s true colours. He told her that she has to develop a thicker skin and not feel guilt if she is to be successful in her profession, which is directly opposed to who she is as a physician and as a person. The walls are starting to close around Walter, hopefully all will be revealed to Maggie soon so that she can be free of his controlling nature and be made to better understand how his meddling affected her relationship with her father.
Kaleb visited Jackson in the hospital and found out that Jackson finally had the courage to tell his dad that he doesn’t want to go into law enforcement. Kaleb had to leave Sullivan’s Crossing, but before he departed, the two shared their feelings for one another and finally shared a long-awaited kiss. Jackson has gone through a lot, not only with his parents divorce, but being open with his sexuality and not living according to the expectations that his father has for him. It is nice to see him happy and hopefully if there is a season two, we will see a lot more of Jackson and Kaleb together, experiencing much needed joy.
The Shandon siblings were left in a tough spot after last episode, leading to Sydney confronting Rob about hiring an Assistant Manager without her input. He told her that he wants her to live her life and chase her dreams, and he doesn’t want the diner to prevent her from doing that. Sydney is clearly still fragile from whatever happened in New York, and it led her to take Rob’s rationale as a negative reflection upon her. Sydney told Rob she quit, upsetting Finn, who overheard their conversation. Rob was trying so hard to do the right thing for himself and his sister, the last thing he wanted to do was drive a wedge between them. Rob confided in Cal and told him that he missed his wife, who would have been able to help him through this. Cal shared that he lost his wife as well and asks Rob if he thinks it is possible to ever find a similar love again. Meanwhile, Sydney moved out of Rob’s place and in with Rafe, until she is able to find a place of her own. She makes it clear to Rafe, however, that this does not mean that they are a couple, much to Rafe’s obvious disappointment.
Sully is stunned when Maggie returns to Sullivan’s Crossing. He tells her that Cal is a good man and she should admit her feelings to him. Regret is a hard thing to live with and Sully has lived with that feeling for most of his life, he doesn’t want his daughter doing the same. Cal has gone on the trip that he had mentioned a few episodes back. It wasn’t made clear then what the trip was about, but it was an incredibly important journey for Cal, one that provided him with much needed closure. He went to the ocean to scatter his wife's ashes, as per her wishes that were shown to viewers in a flashback. Maggie took Sully’s advice and headed to speak to Cal, but she was devastated when she found Lola there. Lola told her that Cal had checked out and her conniving nature took hold as she hid a letter that Cal had written for Maggie, choosing to keep it from Maggie, even after pondering if she should one last time. Clearly Lola’s resent towards Maggie runs deeper than anyone thought. She is literally standing in the way of Maggie and Cal finding happiness with one another.
Maggie headed back to Sully’s, distraught over Cal’s apparent abandonment of her. She stated in the last episode that everyone in her life has let her down, and she automatically assumed that Cal was just another person who turned their back on her when she needed them the most. In a shocking turn of events, Maggie was sitting in the bathroom, staring at a positive pregnancy test. With everything up in the air and her emotions running high, this will only serve to further complicate things. Maggie’s instincts are always to run when things get difficult, and this moment was no different. She packed up her car to head back to Boston, but not before she confronted Sully about why he didn’t chase after her all those years ago. Sully tried to explain but was once again unable to, which angered Maggie even more, forcing her to leave without resolving things.
While looking at mementos of Maggie’s childhood, Sully flashed back to the day Maggie left, and suddenly the reason why he hasn’t been able to explain what happened to Maggie was finally made clear. Sully was the hit and run driver who hit Lola and sent her to the hospital. He had gotten into his truck to chase Phoebe down to prevent her from taking Maggie, and his rage led to him driving recklessly, causing him to hit Lola while she was riding her bike. Instead of helping her, he left her laying on the side of the road. It is crystal clear now why Sully has been struggling, and why he has tried so hard to be there for Lola. He has been harbouring this secret for years, a secret that could ruin his life permanently. This has the potential to change so much, it is difficult to imagine the impact it will have on everyone’s lives if and when it is revealed. Adding to the revelation, was Sully collapsing on the ground immediately after experiencing the flashback. He has been suffering from headaches, so there is a real chance that something could be seriously wrong. With Maggie being a neurosurgeon, perhaps she will be the one that can save Sully’s life if it comes to that.
The episode ended with no closure for any of the characters, and so many unanswered questions. The performances tonight were outstanding, thanks to an incredibly talented ensemble cast that brought their all to every single scene. Morgan Kohan and Scott Patterson were notably brilliant, going through a cycle of strong emotions throughout the entire episode, emotions that were raw and heart wrenching and likely left viewers in tears. With exceptional writing and an impeccable cast, Sullivan’s Crossing has the potential to be a strong presence on the CTV and CW line-up for years to come, it has certainly proven its worth this season. Who’s with me, Sullivan’s Crossing fans? What did you think of the finale? Follow me @MiddleofCanada on Twitter to get the latest news on the filming of season two and to hear when it is slated to premiere.
Tonight’s episode has been much anticipated by viewers, who are still basking in the glow of Maggie and Cal’s first kiss. The sparks between them have been flying since the first episode aired, but after everything that has been discovered about what the two have gone through in their lives, the stakes behind the kiss and what it could mean for both of them are exceptionally high.
Cal and Maggie can’t stop thinking about one another and their kiss. Maggie is obviously conflicted, as she just ended things with Andrew and her medical career is in jeopardy. Cal, meanwhile, is wondering if he is truly ready to move on from his wife. Opening their hearts to one another means taking a risk, especially for Maggie, who has spent her whole life pushing people away when they get too close. It isn’t much of a surprise when Maggie tries to deny her feelings, telling Sydney that she doesn’t want to turn into her mother and fall for a summer fling.
Lola attempts to return the cheque that Sully gave her to take care of Roy, but he won’t hear of it and insists that she keep it. She can see that he is clearly struggling at the outpost and volunteers to help him out in the kitchen. Sully's desire to help others despite his deep financial struggles, speaks to the deep level of empathy and caring that make up Sully's character. Maggie comes into the outpost and apologizes to Lola for thinking that she had replaced her in Sully’s life, and asks if they can put it behind them and move forward. Lola agrees to try, but it is obvious that her negative feelings towards Maggie are still lingering.
After Kaleb’s medical emergency delayed his first climb with Jackson, they decided to give it another go and this time, they made it to the top. Kaleb insists they take their gear off to take a selfie to mark the momentous occasion, and things go horribly wrong. The two are about to share a kiss, when Jackson falls off the edge and lands on a rock below. There is no cell service where they are, so Kaleb makes a beeline to the outpost and gets Maggie and Sully. Jackson is conscious, but has a massive head injury. Maggie puts her skills to the test in an impossible situation, desperate to save Jackson’s life. Cal assisted Maggie as she performed an operation on Jackson’s head on the spot, using a drill and a pocket blade. As Maggie began the procedure, the voice of the mother in her wrongful death suit rang through her head. Cal provided the voice of reassurance and calm that she desperately needed to go ahead with the procedure. As paramedics arrived, including Jackson’s mother, Connie, he was transported to the hospital.
Maggie struggled with relinquishing control of Jackson’s medical care to the surgeons at the hospital. She continued to have flashbacks to the night her patient died, leaving her with a desperate need to try and make things right by helping Jackson. Maggie told Cal that people have let her down her whole life, which clearly speaks to Maggie’s inability to fully trust anyone.
While waiting for answers about Jackson, Connie and Tom apologized to each other for everything that went wrong with their marriage. They put aside their hard feelings and Tom promised to be there for Connie, no matter what happens. Thankfully, Jackson made it out of a successful surgery with a great prognosis.
Despite the good news, Maggie struggled to take credit for her life-saving efforts with Jackson. Cal tells her that helping people is her calling which helped her soften, but it isn’t until Sully told her how proud he is of her, that she fully let go and cried in her fathers arms. Sully is touched to hear her finally call him dad, much to a spying Lola’s discontent. Lola has suffered a lot of loss in her life, so it is understandable that she would feel some worry about losing Sully’s affections to Maggie. However, Maggie also lost her father for a huge part of her life, thanks to her mother and step-fathers meddling. She deserves to have that relationship with Sully back and Lola needs to realize that Sully has room in his heart for both of them. Yes, he cares for Lola but Maggie is his daughter and nothing can replace the love that a father has for his little girl.
Sully’s good heart leads him to make a call to Maggie’s mother, Phoebe. He leaves a message telling her that he is thankful for everything that she and Walter have done for his daughter, and that Walter should do whatever it takes to make sure Maggie doesn’t lose her medical licence as she belongs in Boston, helping people.
As father and daughter are about to share a nice meal together, Maggie receives a call from her lawyer, telling her that her court date has been moved up. To make matters worse, Sully received a foreclosure notice that his overdue payments are owed in 37 days before he loses Sullivan’s Crossing.
As the horror of Jackson’s fall overtakes most of the Sullivan’s Crossing residents, the Shandon's work at solving how to make things right for Finn. Sydney tells Rob that he needs to spend more time with Finn, leading Rob to interview candidates for an Assistant Manager position. Despite her advice, Sydney is hurt that Rob would make such a huge decision without her input.
Tensions are high going into the finale, especially since there are so many unfinished storylines awaiting a conclusion, it is difficult to see how it can all be unraveled in a one hour episode. One plot point of this episode that is sure to play a big role in the finale, was Maggie receiving a call from Bob. She hung up before he could explain why he was calling. This is the second time that Bob has desperately attempted to contact Maggie, and it is obvious that he has something to tell her that could impact the outcome of her court case or perhaps it has to do with Phoebe and Walter. Hopefully that question and all other lingering questions will be resolved in the final episode.
Your turn, Sullivan’s Crossing fans! What did you think of tonight’s episode? Will Sully be able to get the money he needs to save Sullivan’s Crossing? Will Lola’s jealousy prevent Maggie from reuniting with her father? What does the future hold for Maggie and Cal? Share your thoughts below and follow me on Twitter @MiddleofCanada.
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Last week’s emotional episode set the stage for tonight’s hour, which focused on Maggie trying to figure out how to put the broken pieces of her life back together, while Sully grappled with his inability to repair his broken relationship with his daughter. The writing for this series has been phenomenal and tonight’s episode, penned by creator Roma Roth, was no exception. Every episode in the series has been raw, real and at times, heart wrenching but in the best possible way. The show has managed to captivate viewers and as the end of the season nears, viewers can rest easy knowing that a second season is already being filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada.
The episode takes place the day after the dramatic event with Andrew at the local bar. Maggie is struggling to process what happened, and It didn’t help that her mother called and essentially blamed her for ruining things with Andrew. Maggie is touched when Sydney comes by to check on her with her favourite comfort food in hand, jelly donuts. Sydney is the listening ear that Maggie so desperately needs during this confusing time, and she knows exactly what to say to help Maggie feel better about things. It has been heartwarming to watch the two women renew their friendship over the course of the season, especially since Maggie has felt alone most of her life. True friendship is when you can reconnect with someone after a long time apart as though no time has passed, and that is the perfect description of the relationship that Maggie and Sydney share.
Maggie’s mother was right about one thing, she does have a habit of pushing people away and she admits as much to Call. In a touching moment between the two, he helps her understand that it isn’t healthy to keep emotions bottled up and he encourages her to make a change. Maggie isn’t used to having a man in her life like Cal, someone who truly listens and cares about what she has to say. Cal also teaches her that she needs to release her pent-up feelings, and encourages her to try a primal scream. Maggie has a flashback to the moment her mother ripped her away from Sully when she was a kid, and releases her anger and sadness in a gut-wrenching bellow. The experience was healing for both Cal and Maggie, who allowed themselves to be vulnerable and open up to one another about the most difficult times in their lives. The two spent time getting to know one another and when the topic of Cal returning to his law practice came up, Maggie was taken aback to learn that Cal may never go back. He tells her that losing his wife made him realize that life is too short to waste another minute spending it doing something he doesn’t love. Maggie has spent her whole life pleasing other people and running from her emotions. With Andrew leaving and her medical career up in the air, it is the perfect opportunity for Maggie to re-assess her life and work towards making herself happy. Hopefully Cal's words are just the catalyst she needs to do just that.
Cal and Maggie’s intimate moment is interrupted when Jackson shows up at Cal’s cabin in a panic. Jackson had confided in Caleb about his family troubles and Caleb invited him on a hike to get his mind off things. Things took a scary turn when Caleb started to feel sick and fell to the floor, convulsing. Cal and Maggie rushed to tend to Caleb, and Maggie immediately discovered that he is suffering from vertigo due to an inner ear blockage.
After the rescue, Cal took Maggie on a picnic to his favourite spot and as fate would have it, it ended up being the waterfall, which is Maggie’s treasured spot as well. Cal and Maggie opened up to each other about their childhoods and he encouraged her to let loose and jump into the water with him. As they were about to jump, he finally revealed his full name- California Jones! The rush from the jump was exhilarating, and it led to the two sharing an incredibly passionate and long-awaited kiss. In typical Maggie fashion, she pulled away and apologized to Cal for kissing him. It was a bittersweet moment for fans who have been waiting for the two to share a kiss since the first episode. The two were finally at a point where they were unable to control their desire for one another. The kiss was fevered and full of longing and that kind of passion cannot be ignored. Letting love in after a loss is difficult, but the payoff is so worth it. With only two episodes remaining, let's hope that Maggie and Cal will realize that being together is the happiness that they both need and deserve.
Meanwhile, Sully confided in Frank that he painted over Maggie’s mural. Frank convinced Sully to drive him into the city, and used the opportunity to take Sully to an AA meeting. Sully tries to convince Frank that despite his relapse, he is back on track but Frank knows Sully better than that. Frank is worried about Sully and although Edna is excited about their trip to Alberta, he doesn’t think it is the right time to go. Frank is very attune to the emotions of others, and he knows that something is not right with Sully. Edna unknowingly lets it slip that she and Frank are leaving for a few weeks, which angers Sully. It is clear that his big reaction was based on the fact that he is struggling, and isn’t sure how he will manage without his support system for so long. His final words to Frank could almost be read as a premonition- “it’s only a couple of weeks, what could go wrong?” Frank and Edna keep Sully grounded and without them around, who knows what Sully’s self-sabotaging ways could lead to.
Now more than ever, Sully needs Maggie and he needs to let down his walls and open up to her about what happened all those years ago. It appeared that the two might actually have that moment in this episode, Maggie was able to tell Sully that he felt like he was erasing her by painting over the mural, and that she always believed that he had replaced her with Lola. Sully’s inability to control his anger and his defensive nature, led to him shutting down and walking away before either of them could go any deeper and come to a resolution. The episode ended with Maggie finding Sully’s past due notices. Maggie’s caring nature will likely lead to her confronting Sully and offering to help. Sully is a prideful man so if Maggie does try and help, hopefully he will put aside his stubbornness and allow her to do so.
Sydney and Rafe shared a heartwarming story arc thanks to Rob, who convinced Sydney to face her feelings and take a chance on Rafe. She asked him out on a date and is surprised when he shows up to pick her up on a motorcycle. After a thrilling ride, Rafe tells Sydney that he wants them to have a real date where they can learn more about one another. The topic of Sydney’s former modeling career came up and she became defensive. It is clear that something happened in New York that traumatized her, but she isn’t ready to share details about it just yet. The two are finally on the right track, perhaps Rafe can be the person that helps Sydney break free from her past pain, much like Cal has been for Maggie.
This episode left me wanting so much more and with only two episodes remaining, I am wondering how everything will be wrapped up before the finale. I would love to hear your thoughts, Sullivan’s Crossing Fans. What did you think of the episode? Will Cal and Maggie allow themselves to find happiness with one another? Will Sully allow Maggie to help him get back on track? What will Frank and Edna leaving mean for Sully? Comment with your thoughts below and follow me on Twitter @MiddleofCanada.
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