Twice in a Lifetime

Curveball

Season 2, Episode 4, Aired 9/13/00

Episode Summary

Ben Bogart is an overbearing father who mercilessly pushes his son Max to win saying that if he wants to have fun, he has to win. During a family fight at the batting cage, Max is so fed up that he says he wishes he had never been born. In the fracas, both Ben and Max are hit in the head with fastballs from the pitching machine and both land in Emergency.''''Mr. Smith follows them to the hospital and is surprised to see Judge Othniel, who says he is there to help him. His help is much needed when, to Mr. Smith's shock and anger, it is 15-year old Max who dies and not his father.''''Instead of being sent back to his childhood, Max and Mr. Smith are sent back to the time when Ben was Max's age. Here Max sees that his dad was also verbally abused by his father and so he abused Max because it's all he knew. He also learns the truth about his dad's boasting of his big hit in the big game. Max realizes that he has to convince his teenage dad that he doesn't have to be the same as his father. He must also keep Ben from leaving for California to be with his mom because that would mean leaving his girlfriend and future wife and then Max really would never be born.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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Paul Popowich

Mr Smith (Season 2)
Al Waxman

Judge Othniel
Ed Marinaro

Adult Ben Bogart / Luke Bogart

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

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A Wonderful Lesson

10

"Perfect"

By karlmeszaros, Oct 13, 2009 Report Abuse

I thought this episode taught a wonderful lesson: we can only give that which we have. Max's father treated him badly, but he treated the way his father had treated him: badly. There is strong evidence that says that many abusers where themselves abused.

Despite the fact that my parents made some long-lasting mistakes in raising me, they did love me. When I became an adult and asked them questions about their childhoods, I was shocked to learn that my dad treated me in the same vein his dad has treated him (same sex relationship - I'm a man) and my mom treated me the way her dad had treated her (opposite sex relationship).

This is a unique episode in that the person dying is not sent back to his life, but to his dad's life, where he learns these lessons and has the chance to affect change in his teenage future father. It's a lovely episode and the Judge got it right on by sending Max back to before he was born.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Max is sent back to 1976, a few days before the American Bi-centennial celebrations held on July 4, America's Independence Day. Edit
- This is the only episode in which the Judge sends a person back into a life other than their own. Max is sent back into the life of his father when dad was a young boy. Edit
Notes
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- Ed Marinaro, who plays the lead role in this episode, is a former NFL football player. Edit
- When he is sent back with Max, Mr. Smith plays three roles: an umpire, a pool shark and the driver who picks up Max and Ben when they are hitchhiking. Edit
- Trevor Blumas also appeared in the series finale The Choice. Edit
Quotes
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- (to his future father) Max: The only thing that matters is that you try your best. That's all you can do. Edit
- Judge Othniel: Well, Mr. Smith, ready? Mr. Smith: What, hey, wait! No, I'm not going back. I want the kid to go back, get what he deserves, have a good life. No, not with me. No. Jones, Jones, send Jones. He´s good with kids. Not even a stretch, use him. Max Bogart: Do all angels talk back like that? Judge Othniel: HE'S NO ANGEL! Edit
- Mr. Smith: I can't handle a 15-year old with a death wish. Edit
Allusions
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- Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania The Little League World Series is an annual event held in August for 11 to 13 year old children and features 16 teams: eight from the United States and eight from other countries. The winner of the U.S. bracket plays the winner of the International bracket for the championship. Edit
- The title of this episode is both a type of baseball pitch and an expression in the English language that defines an unexpected event in a person's life (e.g. life threw me a curve ball). Edit