Ira Steck Movies
- 2004
John Turturro guest stars as Ambrose, the agoraphobic older brother of obsessive-compulsive private eye Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub). The brothers have not spoken since Ambrose failed to contact Monk at the time of his wife Trudy's funeral. Their hesitant reunion comes about when Ambrose suspects that his neighbor Pat Van Ranken (Holt McCallany) has murdered his wife. And the motive? Well, it could be nothing more than a cherry pie--one of three such tasty confections that figure prominently (and fatally) in the proceedings. The episode's best line is delivered by Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford): "Step away from the pie!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Still incensed that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) had the anti-violence chip removed from Spike's head, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) shows up with a mystical means of tracing The First's hold on the re-ensouled vampire. Spike (James Marsters) therefore reluctantly submits to the insertion of a magical slug into his eye socket. Once inside his skull, the creature shakes loose all sorts of memories. Spike recalls the close relationship he shared with his crippled mother (Caroline Lagerfelt) and his disastrous decision to sire her once Drusilla (Juliet Landau) entered the picture. He also finally remembers the identity of The First's post-hypnotic trigger: "Early One Morning," a folk tune his mother used to sing to him, is the song that now summons the beast within. Meanwhile, Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) recalls his troubled relationship with his own mother, slain slayer Nikki Wood (K.D. Aubert), and reveals to Giles that he's out for vengeance against Spike for killing her. Giles conspires to keep Buffy busy while Wood takes his best shot at Spike, but their unholy alliance backfires. The result? An indignant Buffy turns her back on her former Watcher, while Spike finally comes to terms with his past -- and with The First's hold on him. Originally broadcast March 25, 2003, on UPN, "Lies My Parents Told Me" marked episode 139 of the cult-favorite series. Willow (Alyson Hannigan) appears in this episode only long enough to head off to Los Angeles to help out another of Buffy's vampire-with-a-soul boyfriends (see Angel, "Orpheus"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
