“Ends and Means”

Thomas Cavanagh: Ed Stevens
Julie Bowen: Carol Vessey
Rachel Cronin: Shirley
Jana Marie Hupp: Nancy Burton
Josh Randall: Mike Burton
Lesley Boone: Molly Hudson
Michael Ian Black: Phil Stubbs
Justin Long: Warren P. Cheswick
Reiko Aylesworth: Kate Harrison

Ed is a show that ran from 2000 until 2004 on NBC and focuses on Ed Stevens who had been working for a prominent law firm in New York City.  After his marriage falls apart and he loses his job, he moves back to his home town where he tries to reconnect with the people he left behind.  Reiko’s episode of this series is, “Ends and Means” which first aired on January 30, 2002 as episode 12 of the second season.  For anyone who is wondering why Ed has never been released on DVD, it apparently has to do with copyright and licensing agreements over the music used on the show.  The only way I could see it was to get my hands on an old VHS tape recorded when the show first aired.  This is why the images are of very poor quality.  Converting an old VHS recording to a format I could work with on the PC further degraded the video.  However, I could not pass up the opportunity to show everyone how gorgeous Reiko looks in this show.  If we're ever lucky enough that Ed comes out on DVD, I'll update the page with better images.  Anyway…

The show opens with Ed Stevens walking down the sidewalk and Kate Harrison heading the other way.  He stops to check her out just before the bottom of the box she is carrying breaks and everything falls to the ground.

He goes to help her and notices that she is crying.  Kate tells him that she just got fired from her job at Morris & Crane, a local insurance company.  She was fired because money came up missing and they blamed her for it.  Ed offers to help her since he is an attorney, but Kate declines.  He picks up the box and hands it to her and Kate departs.

As Ed is standing there watching her leave, his friend, Mike, come up and hits him upside the head, twice, for not asking her out.

After the opening credits, Ed and Mike are sitting in his bowling alley (this is Ed’s other businesses) and he is still berating himself for not asking Kate out.  Its Ed’s “lucky day” as in walks Kate.  She’d changed her mind and wants to fight to get her job back.

They go into his office and Kate retells her story of how she was fired.  There was a bogus check for $20,000 that was made out to cash.  Because she was seen in the office the night before, they decided Kate was the guilty party.  They also flirt a little and talk about Kate’s favorite online game, backgammon.

Ed says they’ll go talk to Kate’s boss and he’ll “frighten her with some scary lawyer talk.”  There is a clear connection between the characters, especially as they smile at each other after Ed tells her that he’s glad she decided to fight for her job.

The next time we see Kate is with Ed at Morris & Crane.  Her former boss, Linda Fletcher, along with their “in house” legal department is waiting on them.  Linda is prepared for battle and is not going to budge.  Ed is not intimidated by the “goons in $1,500 suits” and threatens to sue because they don’t have any proof that Kate did anything wrong.  When they leave the office after another cut scene, Kate has her job back and is thrilled.  Ed hesitates, but eventually asks Kate out to dinner and she accepts.

Now we’re at dinner and Kate tells Ed that she has a special skill, she can taste a French fry and tell you “plus or minus 15 minutes” how long it has been since they changed the fry oil.  She picked up the skill from her father who was a chief.  She tastes one of his fry and then takes more and more.  Ed realizes she is full of it and Kate giggles that she did it just to get his fries and that her dad was an accountant.

After another cut scene, we find Ed walking Kate to her door.  They joke a bit and Kate invites Ed to come inside.  He is preparing to light a fire in the fireplace, but as Kate is kneeling down next to him, Ed leans over and kisses her.  The kissing becomes more intense and they start making out on the floor.

Kate suddenly stops it and wants to know if there really is something between them.  When he says there is, she admits to him that she actually did steal the money that was missing from her job.  Ed is quite upset and Kate tells him she took the money for a policy holder who needed a liver transplant.  He wants Kate to turn herself in, but Kate refuses so Ed leaves.

The next day Ed is at his bowling ally when Kate shows up and says they need to talk.  Ed is not happy to see her and wants her to turn herself in

They go to see George, the man Kate gave the money too.  George explains to Ed that Morris & Crane had denied his claim, first saying his liver failure was his fault and then claimed it was a preexisting condition.  Had he not had the transplant, George would have died.  He tells Ed that Kate saved his life.

Ed understands why she did it, but tells her she needs to turn herself in and promise to represent her in court.  Kate finally relents and agrees to go to the authorities.

Now at Ed’s law office, he and Kate are meeting with the District Attorney, Bob McCarthy.  (Once again, Reiko is on screen with another 24 actor.  Stephen Spinella played Miles Papazian in Season 5.) The guy is a total hard ass, refuses to even consider a deal, and tells them he is going to send her to prison for the maximum sentence.  McCarthy wants to run for Congress and sees this has helping his ticket.

After a commercial break, we’re at trial and Kate is on the stand.  Ed is questioning her about how Morris & Crane is ruthless toward their clients and how sick George was when she first saw him.  The DA is still an ass and attacks Kate rather than actually questioning her.  Kate is afraid that they’re going to lose.

Outside of court the next day, Ed once again tries to convince McCarthy to make a deal.  When McCarthy refuses again, Ed threatens to blackmail him over an affair that McCarthy had.  After another cut scene, it is closing arguments and the DA babbles on and demands that Kate be made an example.  Ed says that while she should serve as an example, it should be an example of a “strong, good hearted person” and that the “ends justify the means.”  He looks at McCarthy and says that sometimes doing the right thing means getting one’s hands dirty.

One more cut scene and we find Kate standing outside the courtroom waiting for the verdict.  Ed comes out and tells her that they got a plea bargain and she doesn’t have to go to jail.  Instead she gets 3 years probation and 500 hours of community service.  McCarthy comes out and glares at Ed as he walks off.  Ed won’t tell her how he did it, but all that matters is that she is free.  He turns down her dinner offer and they go their separate ways.

Again, Ed was a show again that I never watched when it was on, but I’m glad I finally managed to see Reiko’s episode.  She never disappoints in any role and Kate Harrison was no different.  Kate actually shares several traits with a role that Reiko would step into less than a year later, Michelle Dessler.  Both characters are women who care deeply for others and are willing to do the right thing despite the potential consequences.  Kate risks her freedom to help a dying man while in Seasons 2, 3, and 4, Michelle risks her freedom, her life, and her beloved for the greater good of protecting the nation.  That of course is where the similarities end as Reiko makes Kate a unique character all her own.

Kate is far more “girly” than Michelle is although I’m sure Michelle had her girly side if we could ever see her outside of CTU.  It’s nice to see Reiko play the slightly flirtatious, somewhat naïve, but still strong woman who does the right thing and eventually can stand and face the consequences.  And I can’t help, but say that Reiko really looked gorgeous in this episode.  I just love her long, curly hair.  Enough though of me drooling.