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Without a Trace Season 5 Episode 9

Watch Over Me

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8.8

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 11/19/06

The team investigates the disappearance of social worker Eric Hayes, who had given thirty days notice to his job not long before. When their investigation leads them to a young pregnant woman who had already lost one child to the system, the agents begin to believe the disillusioned social worker may have been having an affair but soon discover that he may have been trying to right the wrong that drove him from his job. Danny has trouble with the investigation, as it reminds him of his own experience in foster care. Jack confides in Samantha about his relationship with Ann, but it may be too late.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

This episode was about reflection. After the huge impact of what happened to Jack when he went under cover, he is still nursing his wounds and emotionally scarred. A missing social worker is emotionally scarred too and puts his life in danger.moreless

9.5

By pinklavender, Dec 03, 2006

Jack is so scarred mentally and physically he can hardly function. Yet he still tries to carry on making decisions about his work and personal life. He may be able to focus on the work but he doesn't see Anne's pain, particularly when he tells her he has told Sam about them and their baby. Anne is very stressed and tries to deal with the mundane things of moving into a new home; this stress is in turn causing problems with her pregnancy.

The social worker, Eric, came from a home that suffered domestic violence and he took the job in order to right the wrongs done to children like himself and his sister. Danny tells Sam that he himself was a victim of the foster care system and criticises Eric for being unprofessional and using his job to work through his own personal issues. Sam asks Danny "isn't that what we do?"

This episode was quite dark but a necessary insight into the failing government system that is supposed to look after children. It shows how some social workers do more than their best whilst others are cold and unfeeling - a required quality in order to survive the traumas of the job. It also highlighted the obscene and heartless trade in buying babies, delivered in a cardboard box at the back of a car - its only function to provide money for the buyer and seller.

This was an excellent episode, thoughtfully produced. It was a good balance to last week's frantic storyline about Jack. We were probably horrified at the heartless way Jack was tortured. Well this week it was a different form of torture. Will it change anything in the way the system is run - of course not. But I bet it made you stop and think and reflect about it for a little while and if it did that then it was a job well done.moreless
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Professional and personal issues on this show.

8.8

By JPPT1974, Nov 27, 2006

Eric Hayes is a social worker who was about to

Lose his job when he goes missing and maybe had

An affair with someone. But the agents try to think that

He many have tried to end the affair while Danny goes

Back to a time when he was in foster care as a child. Using the case for personal issues you may say. Jack tells Sam about having a relationshiop with Ann who is carrying his child.moreless
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What happened this week???

5.1

By Latoyab, Nov 20, 2006

Okay....this episode was....not good. I don\'t know how else to describe it, but it can\'t be described as nothing more than just filler. The only thing that kept me interested in the MP\'s story was that the guy playing Eric Hayes was HOTT...hello. A couple of comments...

What the hell is going on with everyone\'s hair lately? Enrique\'s floppy \'do makes him look like a kid, I don\'t like the slicked back look on Marianne, it takes away from the beauty of her face and Poppy, I swear, cannot afford a brush. I think Roselyn is the only one who gets to consult a hair stylist on the set. I will give Eric Most Improved Honors for this week as his hair is getting a tad bit longer. LOVED Martin\'s flying leap I like the camraderie (I know I spelled that wrong) between Martin and Danny (What\'s up brother?). You can tell that the two are friends. Poppy Montgomery is pregnant. I\'m convinced. I\'m just waiting on the official announcement from her camp.

Jack and Sam....WTF??? K, the good thing about that scene is we FINALLY get to see Sam with the upper hand. Lovesick Sam is not cute. The bad thing is, I cannot for the life of me figure out why the writers thought having a scene like that was relevant. Jack thought he \"owed it to her\"? What? Why? For what reason? If they aren\'t going to hook them up...then what\'s the point? Is this a way for them to tell viewers that the two are (finally) finished? It just seemed ridiculous and confusing to me. And how silly is Sam, the lady walked right up to her and she didn\'t know that Anne was pregnant? How could she not see it?? Oy. Yeah....not feeling this episode much.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Anthony LaPaglia	Jack Malone
Enrique Murciano	Danny Taylor
Eric Close	Martin Fitzgerald
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	Vivian Johnson
Poppy Montgomery	Samantha Spade
Roselyn Sanchez	Elena Delgado

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Faa Brimmo	Neighbor	Guest Star
Asia Bonilla	Kayla Biggs	Guest Star
Reed Diamond	Eric Hayes	Guest Star
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio	Ann Cassidy	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (2)
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- Danny Taylor: (about Eric Hayes): You know, he used his job to work through some personal issues. It's not right.
  Samantha Spade: (softly) Really? Then what the hell are we doing here?
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- Danny Taylor: When I was a kid, we had a social worker that worked with my family for an entire year. And then one day out of nowhere, he just quit. Quit his job, quit everything. Want to know how he did it? He left a note on a chair in his office that said 'I quit'.
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NOTES (2)
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- Original Air Dates:
  Norway: September 2, 2009 on Nrk1
  Slovakia: October 19, 2010 on Markiza
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- This episode featured a missing person's alert for Bill Smolinski. William Paul Smolinski Jr., Billy to his family and friends, disappeared on August 24, 2004.
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