Tru Calling – Season 2

Click here for the review of Season 1

It’s been two months since Tru Davies (Eliza Dushku) and Jack Harper (Jason Priestley) last met in a deadly confrontation in which Tru saved the life of her brother Harrison (Shawn Reaves), but she was ultimately thwarted when Jack evened the score by taking the life of her boyfriend Luc. After that night, Jack disappeared – but now he’s back with a vengeance. His renewed efforts to make sure the dead stay dead only make Tru more determined to carry on her murdered mother’s legacy of saving those who die before their time. But also back in town is Tru’s estranged father Richard (Cotter Smith) who, although claiming he wants to forge new relationships with his son and daughter, has his own secret agenda which is anything but fatherly in intent.

Episode 01: Perfect Storm
For a season premiere a bit lame, for a normal episode pretty good, which is surprising. The duel Tru versus Jack rises to a new level, and even her father is involved in everything. But before the writers get deeper into this story, they should clear the enemy lines: Why is it that Tru’s father and Jack are against Tru and what she is doing? Who is behind all of this? Hopefully the short rest of the series gives a little bit of an answer. But I find it interesting that Harrison is going to be prepared as Tru’s enemy, at least I believe this is happening. Will Harrison have the same powers Jack has right now? And why doesn’t Harrison have the powers his sister and his father have and why does Jack have them? And who is jack really? I can’t believe I am saying this, but this is actually an exciting story.
The “Help me” of the week was good. Carly Pope is always nice to watch, and I liked the bit of water action. And the fact that the case was not over with Tru’s success to save her (well, it was Davis (Zach Galifianakis)) makes the episode a bit better. I just want to know how Jack knew the facts about the case. He didn’t live it like Tru, so where did he have the information?
Davis’ little psych evaluation plot was alright, too, though just an excuse to give him a proper story. 7/10

Episode 02: Grace
A good episode, for a change Tru is framed for murder and she has more difficulties to fight. But instead of showing us Tru versus Jack all the time, the writers can start to explain the situations all the characters are into now. Apart from that it was really a good episode with an interesting story, but lame case. Fortunately the actual “Help me” didn’t really have much screentime, just simple and typical procedural crime investigation, here and there with some good moments. But the writers’ mistakes are back. They have to choose: detective or officer? A same person can’t be both…
It was obvious that Tru was going to rewind that day from the moment the doctor was killed again. But it was way too laughable how Tru was suspected really fast and how nobody is looking for her – not even the police.
Giving Davis a little love story is nice and giving a real reason for Harrison to be in the procedural stories, too. And I am curious why the writers try to write in new friends for Tru, after they cut out all the old friends of her in the first season. 7,5/10

Episode 03: In the Dark
Boring episode, boring “Help me” of the week, because it was predictable that neither Tru’s friends nor Carrie (Liz Vassey) was supposed to die. And the rest was boring as well. Tru’s birthday – uninteresting, because it brought nothing except I know now how old she is. At least some of the stories brought a little background into the characters. Obviously the writers really want to write Tru new friends, and they already have more screentime than the second-row cast from the first season at this point. But I seriously didn’t like the engagement story.
Davis and Carrie were sweet together, and I don’t know what to make of the cliffhanger. So she is part of Jack’s grand plan. Now I really want to know what the big plan is and what Tru is in.
By the way: Nice of Tru to ask again, how Jack could know all this stuff she is knowing. It looks like the writers planned to pack this into a story, and I already thought this would be one of the plot holes.
And another think: Am I forgetting things or is that the first episode Tru lost a case? 5,5/10

Episode 04: Last Good Day
Interesting episode with surprising character development. So, fate plays games with Tru and Jack and gives Jack the “Help me”, and I had goosebumps during that scene.
The story was interesting and the conclusion of why Jack was asked was interesting as well. But it lets me ask myself why this happened for the first time. The reason of Megan (Maggie Lawson) to die seems
reasonable and I can’t think of that never happening before. That gave Jack some interesting moments and conflicts with his job. I just wish this will hold on for the next and last two episodes. And more surprising: Tru lost again a life – the second time in a row. But the fact that the ending seemed like a real cliffhanger lets me think that this story ain’t over yet. Sure, the girl is dead, but it will have consequences for Jack and Tru.
The side plots were uninteresting though. For what is Carrie out and why is she pretending to like Davis? And Harrison’s storyline was really boring. It looks like father’s way to get him on his side, but the writers could try to do this with better stories.
Best episode of the season so far and one of the best episodes of the series. 8/10

Episode 05: Enough
Hm, Jensen (Eric Christian Olsen) dying, too. How boring is that storyline? Not even did it have any surprises, but the story was completely for the buttholes. But the writers had to bring Tru into a situation, saving a guy that did not ask for her help; it is just a lame excuse to use Jensen for that and repeat the storyline from last season’s finale.
I found the story with Harrison and Travis (William Sadler) way more interesting than Tru’s efforts to save Jensen. Not only was Travis an interesting character, but his story, visiting the wedding of his daughter, had sensibility and was sweet.
Yeah, the episode was not really important for the series’ mythology, just a filler. For that Jensen’s case of deja vu at the end of the episode seemed too unimportant. 6/10

Episode 06: T’was The Night Before Christmas… Again
A good episode, but some people are pretty pissed after seeing this episode as the last one of the series. Sure, the main story arc didn’t move forward one inch (for that, Harrison following his father ended too fast and the Davis/Carrie relationship doesn’t have any meaning at all), but at least there was something of a story arc in this episode.
The “Help me” of the episode was good, even though I didn’t even notice that a six month old cadaver asked for help, until Tru told it Davis. For that, the case was uninteresting and unspectacular, but at least the conclusion was alright. But I liked the fact that Tru and Jack worked together again. Not a trace of character development in Jack’s case (especially after the happenings in Last Good Day) and not one single scene in which Tru really hates Jack for what he did. Both of them still have a really good relationship, considering their past, and this is pretty much bad writing. But the Christmas themed surroundings and the ending made the episode good, only a bummer that this was the end. The writers did learn from their mistakes in season one (though slowly) and the story actually got more interesting. I didn’t hate the series in its second season… 7/10

Season average is 6,83 and one point better than the first season. What would have happened, when FOX didn’t cancel the show? Suddenly there was an interesting plot, suddenly I started to like everything, suddenly the writers learned from their big mistakes they did during season one. It is a shame that FOX didn’t make it happen and instead gave us another abrupt canceled series and let the viewers left hanging there.