User Reviews

Lewis tries once again to rise from the dead by trapping Micki and Ryan in the vault with a cursed urn in exchange for Jack taking his place in Hell...

By now it's pretty well documented that "Bottle of Dreams" was the result of a writers' strike. The biggest problem is that it was just too early for a clip-show as the it was just wrapping its first season. Though it would actually never do another one again, it was just too soon. If they didn't have writers available, then they should've just let "What A Mother Wouldn't Do" be the season finale.

Despite the overall laziness of a clip-show, the new material featured in between isn't really all that bad. Lewis is back again and any episode with him is immediately boosted by his presence, and we're given an all too rare glimpse into Jack's past. Trapping Micki and Ryan in the vault is a pretty neat idea as it would certainly scare me to be in there with all those evil objects. Perhaps the best part is that Jack must free Micki and Ryan from a nightmare (actually scenes from "The Baron's Bride") and they have the same wardrobe and hairstyles from the episode which was a nice touch.

The worst part, besides rehashing scenes from old episodes, is the opening scene of the episode. It begins with Micki, Ryan, and Jack celebrating their success at Curious Goods. I just felt this was unnecessary and a bit silly. The curse doesn't really create a major sense of urgency as it's difficult to convey Micki and Ryan being literally scared to death.

"Bottle of Dreams" would be another episode that you could probably skip, were it not for the fact that it sets up the season two opener, "Doorway to Hell." Even so, it's really only good if you want to take a trip down memory lane.

Yes, "Bottle of Dreams" is an end-of-season clip show. But at least we get some back story. We finally see the occasionally-mentioned Rashid. Jack's son Pete makes an appearance. At least the framing sequence set up the clips and make a coherent mess out of a necessity. And we get to live some classic moments from the past, like Sarah Polley's creepy performance as a child "possessed" by a killer doll. Even if it does no favors to Robey's early acting on the show, as she's thwarted by a playground merry-go-round.

And boy, do the cousins' overreaction to the remembrances go overboard. Okay, sure, their emotions are being influenced by the Coptic jar. But was their struggle with Vida one of the most horrifying experiences of their lives? They need to get out more.

Also, some of the experiences they relive, Micki and Ryan weren't present for. Like Vida using her magic powers on the housekeeper. Yes, it was horrifying. But the cousins weren't present for it. Ditto for when Laurie calls Eddie from the shop. The most terrifying experience of the cousins' lives? Okay, it sets up the subsequent clip. And Denis Forest is creepy as Eddie. He's also as dumb as a bag of bricks. We get to relive him hacking a steam pipe with an axe, and it spraying steam into his own face. Can't imagine why that didn't work out better.

Elias Zarou as Rashid is pretty good, even though he mostly just delivers exposition. I do like Zarou and Wiggins giving Rashid and Jack a nicely "lived in" relationship as old friends.

There was a writers' strike on at the time, so the producers had no choice but to go with a bottle/clip show. So they made the best of what they were stuck with. "Bottle" isn't a bad episode, it's just pretty much a forgotten one. We get exposition about Jack's son, but it all comes to nothing. The best laid plans and all that. This plot will carry over to the second season premiere, but none of it pans out over this. So overall an A for effort. It just doesn't amount to anything at the end of the day.

But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?

Clip shows are a slap in the face to true fans of a series. Especially when it's a season finale.