Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 9, which also served as the series’ penultimate episode (Dec 13th marks the season finale), definitely raised heart rates as Maggie jumped into action to use her expertise to save Jackson following a fall while climbing. 

Here’s the thing—I like the show, and I know that I’m signing up for melodramatic storylines, but would I be asking too much for the acting to be just a smidge more believable? I don’t have a problem with the core three—Maggie, Cal or Sully—as they’ve got this down, but Jackson’s fall encroached into bad soap opera territory. It was cringeworthy. And I get that they don’t have the same budget as Virgin River or streaming shows, but it was so brutal that I struggled to get into the storyline, all the while knowing that everything would turn out just fine. 

Jackson’s fall was utilized as more of a tool for Maggie to learn a bit more about herself and her abilities. 

She didn’t hesitate when it came to saving Jackson’s life, though there was a moment of doubt when she heard Mrs. Markiff’s voice in her head blaming her for her son’s death, but it was temporary, and she knew that if she didn’t proceed with drilling the holes in Jackson’s skull to alleviate the pressure, he likely wouldn’t survive. 

It was also helpful that Cal was there to assist as he provided an additional layer of assurance. 

Operating on someone she knows reframed the trial for Maggie as she suddenly put herself in the shoes of the parents, thinking how Connie and Tom’s world would come crashing down if they lost their son. There’s a reason why doctors aren’t allowed to treat people they know as the personal connection can prove to be troubling, however, in this case, I think it gave Maggie some needed perspective. And now that her lawyer called that the trial has been moved up, her experience will likely shape how she proceeds in court.

In a promo for the finale, Maggie’s empathy seems to go against her lawyer’s best judgment, which may actually be helpful in a situation where the judge assigned to the case typically sides against doctors. If they see that Maggie is a human who shows remorse despite doing everything right to save a life, maybe she’ll be able to sway the judge’s mind. 

Sullivan’s Crossing — “Can’t Help Falling” — Image Number: SUL109_0160 — Pictured (L-R): Scott Patterson as Sully Sullivan — Photo: Fremantle — © 2023 Fremantle. All Rights Reserved.

Jackson’s fall may have been a terrible accident, but it also mended a lot of fractured relationships. Not only did his parents put aside their differences and apologize for all the pain they’ve caused each other, but Maggie was also able to have a breakthrough with her father, who saw her in action for the first time and thought she was incredible. It’s the first time Sully ever disclosed that he was proud of her, something Maggie’s been waiting a majority of her life to hear.  I love that she and Sully are finding their footing once again.

My biggest gripe with this scene was that Lola was just standing there, scoffing at Maggie’s reunion with Sully, and no one seemed to notice she was there. How? And why is she so mad about a daughter and a father putting aside their differences after she just hit refresh on her friendship with Maggie? It doesn’t mean that Sully is going to have less space in his life for her as he’s gone out of his way to be there for her and take care of her over the years. The whole dynamic is just so weird, but everything about Lola has been kind of off since the beginning. 

Sully’s money woes might bring him and his daughter even closer as I can imagine Maggie will go above and beyond to help him save Sullivan’s Crossing and pay off his debts, not that she needs another thing to worry about at the current moment. Whatever Sully’s plan is, he has to act fast as the foreclosure notice gave him just over 30 days to set the record straight.

Sully also called Phoebe to thank her for all that she’s done for Maggie’s career and ask Walter to fight like hell to save Maggie’s license because she belongs in Boston helping people. While it was very big of Sully, the truth is that it’s up to Maggie to decide where she belongs—but she’s proven that she can help people wherever she is.

Then there’s the Cal of it all—he’s always there, willing to help, encourage, and lend a shoulder to cry on. He’s the perfect guy, so it’s no surprise that multiple women in Sullivan’s Crossing have a thing for him. Lola is pining over him even though he’s not interested in the slightest.

Maggie adamantly denied any feelings when she mentioned the kiss to Syd, despite not being able to stop thinking about it. And maybe it’s for the best for now because it doesn’t seem like Cal is ready just yet. 

When Maggie finally brought up the elephant in the room, Cal dismissed their kiss as something that occurred due to the emotions of the day, without letting her weigh in. It’s clear that he has feelings for her, but he’s grappling with the idea of moving on following Lynne’s death, as I’m guessing Maggie is the first woman he’s kissed after his wife, and the X’s on the calendar were a countdown to the one-year anniversary of her passing. 

Syd and Rob’s storyline has been one I’ve struggled to get into, even as they find themselves disagreeing about how to run the diner. Syd was right that Rob should spend more “fun” time with his son, who is clearly still dealing with the loss of his mother (and the “goodnight mom” scene to Syd was heartbreaking). He also wasn’t wrong about wanting to hire help so that they could both get some of their lives back, but he should’ve discussed it with her since she’s just as involved in the diner as he is and should get a say in the process. 

What did you think of the episode?

I can’t wait till we move past this case and get to see a version of Maggie that isn’t weighed down by guilt, fear, and anger. When her license is reinstated and she has every opportunity at her feet, what will she choose? Will she go back to Boston or stay in Sullivan’s Crossing?

I think she’s made strides during her time in Sullivan’s Crossing and she won’t be able to shake them, especially her feelings for Cal, which she’ll be able to pursue once she gets some proper closure with Andrew. Will Cal go with her to the trail? And if so, how will Andrew react when he sees him? Will it reaffirm to him that Caliente (I still can’t get over the moment where he drunkenly called him that) is here to stay?

Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 8 has finally given the people what they wanted. 

Maggie and Andrew’s breakup was immediately followed by Maggie and Cal’s first (and very passionate) kiss. As far as first kisses go on television, this one was pretty solid. 

And it didn’t feel wrong either or like it was Maggie’s rebound—it felt right. And that’s likely because of the build-up to the moment, which happened not only through their friendship from the first episode when Maggie stepped foot into Sullivan’s Crossing but also throughout the episode as she checked in on him and confided in him.

Maggie and Cal seem to gravitate toward each other without much of an effort; it all comes so easily for them. Part of what Maggie finds attractive also includes Cal’s deep interest in her. He actually listens to what she has to say, which, as she notes, is rare for the men in her life. 

When Cal takes her on a picnic to his favorite spot, it turns out to be her favorite spot town as well, and it’s not lost on audiences that his excitement for this little date makes up for the lack of excitement Andrew displayed when she brought him to the same location. 

Maggie and Cal, who we find out is actually named California Jones in a full moment of trust (fitting since his parents were nomads but also, was that a little shoutout to A Cinderella Story fans? We see you nomad 609!), fit like a glove, and when things just make sense, it’s hard to fight them. When everything is so complicated, it’s hard to fight the thing that is easy. 

Of course, in a tense promo for the upcoming episode, both Maggie and Cal try to brush off what happened saying that it was an emotional day for both of them, but that’s clearly Cal’s attempt at minimizing it because he thinks it’s too soon for Maggie. However, as I mentioned above, Maggie may be confused about a lot of things, but she’s not confused about her feelings for Cal, which she’s been fighting since day one.

She wasn’t able to tell Andrew she loved him because deep down inside, she knew she didn’t and that he wasn’t the one. Everything happens for a reason, and it’s fair to need some time and space to get over a breakup, it’s not always necessary when that relationship was done in your mind for a very long time. 

Andrew picked up on all of this, and so, in a way, we should be thanking him for walking away and giving Maggie the space to figure it out and find the right man for her. Life’s too short to force a relationship with someone you aren’t excited about spending the rest of your life with. 

Cal knows all too well just how short life is having arrived in Sullivan’s Crossing to pick up the pieces following Lynne’s death. While it seems as though the loss is recent, he’s clearly done the work of moving on, acknowledging that while he’ll always love her, he promised her that he’d find someone else worthy of sharing his life with. I don’t think Cal took the kiss lightly at all, though he’s respectable and will give Maggie all the space she needs to figure everything out. 

Maggie is in a weird place as she’s not ready to make any big life decisions, something Andrew should’ve figured when he proposed and tried to buy them a house, while she’s anticipating this career-defining trial. Cal seems to understand that, allowing Maggie to move at her own pace and giving her tools to deal with the stress and anxiety rather than pressuring her to do anything she’s uncomfortable with. 

The trial will have a huge effect on her life, but she’s mostly worried about losing everything she’s worked for, whereas her conversation with Cal begs the question—is that the life she even wants? Cal also went to law school and after Lynne’s death, he realized there are so many better things to be doing than working a job you’re not passionate about. 

From where I’m standing, Maggie can make good use of her medical education by helping the town she grew up in—there’s no shortage of events and issues demanding her attention. We get to see a snippet of it when she assists Jackson, who fell during a climb. Maggie did mention she’s an adrenaline junkie, so working out in the field is not only to give her the needed dose, but she’ll feel rewarded helping the people she cares about. 

A career pivot is often necessary if it makes you happy and reframe your outlook on life. 

Maggie might also stay out of a necessity to help Sully salvage the campground now that she’s been made aware of his financial troubles. It’s so like Sully to shield her from the reality of the situation. 

I like Maggie, but man, she gives him such a hard time and never considers how losing her affected him. She needs to look at things big picture and stop painting Sully as the enemy when he was also a victim of her mother Phoebe’s actions. Maggie went through a ton of trauma and heartache losing her father, but it wasn’t easy on him either, and I hope she realizes that sooner rather than later—and hopefully before her cutting words lead him to pick up the bottle again. 

Sully informed Frank that he was doing alright despite his minor relapse, and let’s hope that’s the case. Frank was too scared to tell his friend about his upcoming trip with Edna because he felt personally responsible for Sully’s wellbeing, however, that’s too much of a burden to place on anyone. They’re positive influences, surely, but the decision to stay sober has to be internal. 

Maggie’s presence, despite their fraught relationship, will be helpful during their absence, but I don’t know how Sully will recover from Jackson’s injury while climbing. 

Other moments in the episode included Sydney and Rafe going on their first date (though the other two blooming couples on the series, Maggie and Cal and Jackson and Kaleb somehow had way more chemistry than these two) to get to know each other a little better, though things took a bit of a downturn when Rafe mentioned her modeling in New York. Something clearly happened during her short-lived modeling career that causes distress whenever it’s mentioned. 

Jackson and Kaleb barely got to set out on their climb when the latter felt dizzy and nauseous and couldn’t get back up. Jackson sought Cal’s help, and thankfully, Maggie was there to assist, immediately recognizing the symptoms as vertigo. The epley maneuver is one to keep in your back pocket, folks, as it’s a lifesaver (when done right) if your crystals ever get displaced, which happens more than you’d imagine. 

What did you think of the episode? Did you enjoy all the momentum surrounding Maggie and Cal’s romance? Will they hit the brakes as she tries to make sense of her life, or will she realize that her life is slowly beginning to make sense because of him?

Not everyone deserves a second chance—it’s something we learn after Maggie and Andrew’s visit on Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 7. 

The duo returned to where she grew up following the sudden passing of Roy, a heartbreaking death that shook the community. It was only a few days ago that Cal and Roy were playing a game of chess, which goes to show how fleeting life is and how important it is to the ones we love. 

In this case, however, Andrew was not the person that Maggie wanted to hold onto, though she was in denial about what she even wanted out of the relationship. On Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 6, Andrew not only proposed, but he showed Maggie the house that he bought her, two things he emphasized during the visit home where also mentioned the idea of using this “career break” as an opportunity to start a family. Considering all that Maggie has on her plate with the lawsuit, it was overwhelming, surely, but the problem is that Maggie’s been using the lawsuit to hide behind so that she doesn’t have to make any grand commitments when it comes to Andrew.

The guy may be a narcissistic nuisance who thinks he’s better than everyone, but he’s not stupid, so he caught on that the harder he pushes, the more Maggie seems to pull away. And he’s quite on the money (no pun intended) when it comes to the reason behind her hesitation is mostly Cal, even if Maggie isn’t ready to admit it. 

The truth is that she and Cal bonded in a significant way, which is subconsciously preventing her from taking the next step with Andrew, all while the fears of the trial also take hold and do their own damage. 

Of course, Andrew, who we know was previously cheated on by an ex, was projecting quite drastically and assumed that Cal and Maggie’s relationship was much more than it actually was. His mind and bruised ego—egged on by Connie’s revelation that Maggie and Cal were together during the shooting and that they attended the dance together—made up a whole story based solely on a few meetings and an innocent text.

Andrew let his insecurities get the best of him, reading more into every interaction than he should’ve, especially because they’ve kept things cordial and platonic. There’s something to be said about the emotional cheating as they develop feelings for each other, but they’ve never acted on them or even fully considered acting on them. 

There was so much more to the tense poker match than met the eye as Andrew was basically channeling all of his anger at Cal (and Maggie) into the game, with Cal holding his own because, like everyone else who cares about Maggie, he didn’t like the guy. Also, did anyone else thoroughly enjoy Andrew’s face when Cal clarified that he’s not a handyman, he’s a lawyer? Pure gold.

Andrew tried to establish some kind of authority, but Cal wouldn’t have it, which further infuriated Maggie’s city-slick boyfriend. Mix in a little booze, and it was a recipe for disaster. And while one can’t really argue with Lola’s assessment that wherever Maggie goes, trouble follows, in this case, Maggie was an innocent bystander to her boyfriend’s tirade against Cal. 

His anger then turned to Maggie as he admitted to reading—and deleting—the texts from Cal, and I know Andrew thought he was accomplishing something with that, but in reality, he was simply embarrassing himself and Maggie.

Jealousy was oozing through his pores as he drunkenly declared that he’s done nothing but go above and beyond to make Maggie happy and she couldn’t even say I love you, which, naturally, stems from her not even knowing that she’s in denial about her own feelings toward the relationship and Cal’s influence. 

Sullivan’s Crossing — “Second Chances” — Image Number: SUL107_0104r — Pictured (L-R): Amalia Williamson as Lola Gunderson and Chad Michael Murray as Cal Jones — Photo: Fremantle — © 2023 Fremantle. All Rights Reserved.

The final straw for Andrew was when Cal reached out to help Maggie, who tried to calm Andrew down and tumbled when he moved away, so he punched him right in the face. Cal’s tough though, so I know he can take it. 

Maggie was so traumatized by the whole ordeal in front of everyone she grew up with and loved (and thankfully, most of them won’t judge her by this moment… though they might judge her by her choice of men) that she apologized to Cal and ran out—heading all the way back to Sully’s place to seek comfort in her father’s arms. It was such a sweet reunion as they put all of the other stuff aside to be there for one another. Unfortunately, it was short-lived when Maggie saw that Sully painted over their mural, one of her final tender moments from childhood.

It was the same problem as always with these two: a lack of communication leading to a broken relationship. 

Maggie’s emotions got the best other, and she didn’t even let her father explain the decision behind his choice, which, as we know, is filled with so much pain and regret. 

The episode ended with Maggie torn up about so many of her relationships, and while I hoped this would be the last we’ve seen of Andrew, the teaser for next week reveals that Maggie is wondering whether or not she did the right thing.

If I’m being quite frank, the trust in that relationship left the building a long time ago, so sure, you can try to salvage something that was doomed to begin with or you can embrace what led to the demise in the first place. 

From Andrew’s interactions with everyone in town, it’s clear that he got a version of Maggie that wasn’t entirely authentic, and when she tried to show him the things and places that were important to her and be herself around him, he didn’t understand and was dismissive. He didn’t want her to change, so his attempts at forcing marriage and family talk were his attempts at regaining control as he felt her slipping further and further away.

But if there’s one thing I know about finding your “right person,” it’s that the people you love should never root against them or hope you don’t accept the proposal. Those people always see what you don’t want to admit. If Sullivan’s Crossing was never part of Maggie’s story, she and Andrew would likely make a great match, but coming back home and reconnecting with who she was when she was a little girl changed her forever and for the better–it’s clear that she can’t shake that or leave it in the rearview mirror. 

I know Cal won’t hold what happened against her, and if anything, it might just bring them closer together. It’s not lost on me that there was a brief moment in the episode where Maggie seemed slightly jealous of Lola sitting by Cal’s side. 

Lola and Maggie’s tense relationship has deep roots, with Lola even questioning why she came for her grandfather’s funeral, and she’s likely not pleased with how the evening turned out as she’s seemingly set her sights on Cal. Cal will likely only drive a further wedge between these two. 

And even though she makes it kind of hard to, I find myself feeling bad for Lola. She lost her entire family upon her uncle’s passing, and as she reached out for comfort from literally anyone else, she was shut down, first when Sydney cut in on her dance with Rafe (seeing him “less available” and with someone else did the trick of making her jealous) and then again when Andrew hijacked the whole event to throw it back in Maggie’s face. All Lola wanted was someone to be there for her. 

However, I can’t shake the nagging feeling that the driver who hit her and changed the course of her whole life was Sully during his battle with alcohol. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of person to hurt a fly or keep a secret, but maybe it’s why he’s been like her second dad this whole time, taking care of her and helping her with anything she needs. I want to assume his kindness is authentic, but it could be coming from a place of guilt.

 And then there’s Edna and Frank, who continue to be the sweetest couple on the series. When she suggested they make amends with estranged family so that she could continue on the Cree tribe traditions in the event of his passing, it was such a pure and genuine moment. Everyone should strive for what they have, and, unfortunately, that’s not what Maggie had with Andrew.

Cal’s flashback to when his wife Lynne asked him to promise that he’d find love again and move on following her death was also a gut punch, but the timing was impeccable as he’s likely wrestling with his feelings, most of which are also subconscious, for Maggie. It’s clear that the reason everyone in town “loves” Cal is because he’s a genuinely great guy with no ill intentions, unlike Andrew who was deeply hurt when he took things a bit too far. The liquid courage helped him speak his mind, but will he regret it and try to convince Maggie that they can still work things out?

What did everyone think about the episode? Will Maggie’s time away from Andrew help her reframe what she wants out of life? Will the split push her right into Cal’s arms?