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[TWoP Gadget]

LILY AND OTIS RESCUE THREE BROTHERS TRAPPED IN A CURSED
INCAN GOLD MINE, ON ABC'S "OFF THE MAP"


"It's a Leaf" - Lily and Dr. Cole rescue three brothers trapped in an abandoned gold mine, while Mina learns a life changing lesson during a native birth ritual, on "Off the Map," WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Off the Map" stars Jonathan Castellanos as Charlie, Valerie Cruz as Zitajalehrena Alvarez (Zee), Caroline Dhavernas as Lily Brenner, Jason George as Otis Cole, Zach Gilford as Tommy Fuller, Mamie Gummer as Mina Minard, Martin Henderson as Ben Keeton and Rachelle Lefevre as Ryan Clark.

Guest starring Max Arciniega as David, Shannon Cochran as Marian, Pricilla Garita as Tica, Nicholas Gonzalez as Mateo.

"It's a Leaf" is written by Gabriel Llanas and directed by Ed Ornelas.

"Off the Map" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format with a 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to the airdate.

[BooBear]

Well that felt like whomever wrote the earlier episodes was back. First... please note... there are only like 8 main characters on this show. If they all hook up in different pairings... there will be very little place to go. Not that I liked Alma but what was up with the way both her and Lilly broke up with their loves... like within the first six seconds of the show. It was like the writer came in and said yeh, I don't like these relationships... break up. Although in Alma's case it was welcome.

We were right back to the main cliche's of the show... Mina dismissing those wacky local customs because she knows better... also not being able to speak their language. Plastics having some flashback to how horrible he is, and Cole and Zee... weren't they over? Seemed a little soon to be back. On plastics, I am confused how someone who runs a chop shop plastics practice is selected by doctor Ben to come down to the clinic.

On the one hand I admired how stern Lilly was and knew exactly what she wanted with Mateo... but on the other hand I thought it was so Mary Sue that she actually said she grew up with Nancy Regan - I hope that wasn't really the reason.

And does that mean Clark is gone from the show? As she said, the jungle is no place for someone on immuno suppressants.

[frk]

Oh, I like it. It's just the right amount of cheesiness, teary eyes and laughs. Suits me fine.

I think the whole Ryan-heart thing could have been great but for some reason I just can't bring myself to care. She's just felt like a filler for something since the beginning now that Rachelle is cast in another pilot I guess she's going to NY and won't be back until that show end, or this one does. Which will make Ben realise it's Lily he wants.

Matteo is intriguing and I'm starting to hope there's something to the thoughts that he might not be the one we're supposed to think he is. Loved the Matteo-Ben-Lily scenes! "Oh, you're the curse" heh. subtle

poor Mina, she's so focused on doing the right thing medical wise that she constantly screws it up with the patients. But it works, and I feel for her. Her and Plastics has been obvious from the start as well, all those times he "hit" on her in the first episodes, so obvious but it works, this too.

Just because Zee didn't want to be friends with benefits doesn't mean she doesn't care. I thought her reaction was fitting, and his too seeing as he still doesn't understand why she broke it off.

[rove3]

She's just felt like a filler for something since the beginning now that Rachelle is cast in another pilot I guess she's going to NY and won't be back until that show end, or this one does. Which will make Ben realise it's Lily he wants.

It's just been announced that Martin Henderson has been cast as the male lead in the same pilot as Rachelle Levevre. He will play the former civil war soldier with whom Levevre's war widow will begin a "torrid affair."

I'm a tad bummed b/c I thought there was real potential in this show, though I do agree that this episode seemed to harken back to the first few epis. But maybe it's just as well that the show ends before they can muck it up with the inevitable yet totally unnecessary triangle as everyone joins in for a rousing game of musical beds.

And who knows, maybe NBC saw the same chemistry b/t Ben and Ryan that I saw. If so I will happily transfer my affection for Ben/Ryan to their new show, assuming it gets picked up.

As for last night's episode, I was expecting the birthing ritual to be more moving but it all fell flat for me. Although Mina did have some funny moments.

The Ben/Ryan scenes were sweet and were about the only good thing in the episode for me.

Lily has way more willpower than I would have had. I would have melted in Matteo's arms after his little speech on the dance floor. And he was right. It WAS a great song.

[Imonrey]

I haven't been overly critical of this show, but this episode felt especially hackneyed. Case in point:

Tommy at the "drive-in" with his non-English speaking date. Watching Splash. It's the scene where Darryl Hannah is in the bathtub and her fishtail flops out. And everyone in the audience gasped. But why? By that point in the movie, the audience has already seen Darryl Hannah's fishtail and is already aware she's a mermaid. It's like whoever directed the episode didn't bother to watch the movie. Then they cut to the end where Darryl Hannah jumps off the pier into the ocean and Tommy makes reference to the characters being "from two different worlds - it will never work!" Just like them! See the parallel? Get it? Get it? GET IT? Except - that's not how the movie ends. Tom Hanks ends up going off with Darryl Hannah. Watch the damn movie, show.

And the whole thing with Mina - it's only been eight episodes and I'm already tired of "native locals and their backwoodsy cultures and customs we can't possibly understand but have to respect." I personally don't have a lot of respect for third world cultures steeped in ignorance of modern technology and medicine and I don't really see the value of these particular doctors trying to feign respect for them either. It's a tiresome cliche that's already been worn out.

[Maka]

The guy with ALS plays Hank on Breaking Bad. It was so weird to see such a superior actor on this show! [/mean]

I still liked Ryan and Ben's interaction, even though her coming to realize how selfish she was being in regard to his feelings for her and going to New York for the heart, was hit us over the head-worthy. The anvilly way they hammered her realization home annoyed me a little, but eh. It wasn't as bad as Mina's story, imo-

And the whole thing with Mina - it's only been eight episodes and I'm already tired of "native locals and their backwoodsy cultures and customs we can't possibly understand but have to respect." I personally don't have a lot of respect for third world cultures steeped in ignorance of modern technology and medicine and

Whoa, to each their own. I thought the group of women coming into the clinic showed the opposite of "cultures steeped in ignorance" though. They had their traditions, but were there in the clinic because they seemed to know it was a necessary back up. I thought the little mandolin, or whatever, the one lady was playing during child birth, made the scene pretty charming. But I also thought Mina was back to being an arrogant whiny asshole, and after I'd started to like her last episode! Foo. I hated how self involved Mina was being. I kept wanting to shake her and say, "It's not about YOU! It's about the lady who's, you know, in labor." Mina's just so selfish, it annoyed me that by being so standoffish with those women, it immediately set up a climate of distrust, which does bore me. I think it would have been more interesting to show Mina having made progress from how she was in the beginning, and maybe showing some interest in what the women were doing. Feh!

Not that I liked Alma but what was up with the way both her and Lilly broke up with their loves... like within the first six seconds of the show.

I actually thought Lilly's part of that early breakup made perfect sense though. Like, she finds out her new dude is the first stop in a spectacular cocaine production operation, I would hope she'd haul ass out of there! It's like, "He's no good for you" 101! I also think he's much too nice for being involved in something like that. That's a HUGE money business, and people kill to protect that sort of operation. It's so Mary Sue of her that she'd find the one drug dealer with a heart of gold in all of... wherever they are.

I did miss the last scene with Lily and drug guy at the bar though, could anyone tell me what ended up happening? Did she stay broken up with him, or decide to give it another try?

Edited by Maka, Mar 3, 2011 @ 4:24 PM.

[statsgirl]

Lily broke up with him. His last words to her were "it's just a leaf". I wish she had replied "If it were just a leaf, you wouldn't be able to sell it for the amount you can." Very heavy-handed.

So was just about everything else in this episode. Just when the show was getting good. I'm with BooBear, it 's like Jenna Bans (who wrote the first 4 episodes) came back in and said "I don't like where this is going" and broke up everything I was enjoying: Ryan/Keeton, Plastics trying to learn Spanish and reach Alma on her own level, and Mina/Cole, two messed up people bumping against each other's pain, and brought it back to the most boring level: Lily Sue and superdoc Ben, Cole and Zee (I like her just not with him; bring back Jonathan Cake), and Mina and Plastics,the most obvioius pairing in the world.

Add to that yet again the "American docs can't deal with local customs" (yawn; Zee should not have ripped into Mina like that because she forgot for a minute the weighty mythology behind the knife).

The show is back to being predictable and trite. I was afraid they are going to be cancelled (they only got a 1.7 rating and 5 millions viewers last night) but if it's going to continue being this obvious I won't miss it at all.

[Maka]

Thanks statsgirl, for answering my question. I'm glad Lily sent him on his way then, we'll see if it sticks.

I was over in the media thread, and I thought it was interesting the Martin Henderson said his character and Ryan weren't supposed to stay a thing at first, but the network liked them. I think it was a smart move, they're still the best part of the show for me. If the show continues, I hope Ryan doesn't go to New York, never to return!

[lemurgrl]

Well, hey, at least we got a clue to narrow down where the clinic is... the pregnant lady's Quechua tribe is from the Andes Mountains of western South America. Peru, Bolivia maybe? But... but... jungle would be inland from the mountains, which means no scenic beaches within walking distance. Oh, I give up.

I'm torn: I actually enjoyed this episode on a superficial level, but hate the total regression. But since clearly it's headed for the chopping block, guess it doesn't really matter anyway.

Edited by lemurgrl, Mar 3, 2011 @ 9:58 PM.

[PortlandGirl]

Totally, totally agree the writing was back to square one. I was more tolerant because I like this show better now, but still this episode was weak.

I found the stuff with Cole in the mine semi boring. I don't like Cole and Lily together. They have really bland chemistry as actors so I wasn't pulled in.

I was also a little bummed that we are back to Mina is a stupid, insensitive American shtick again. Didn't like the Tommy hookup. I could see Tommy and Lily perhaps, but Mina feels like his older sister. That had a very eww quality for me.

I did really love the Ben/Ryan moments. I feel like the writers have finally decided on Ben/Ryan (for now). Their chemistry just oozes off the screen. The only thing I didn't like was the obvious little lessons Ryan was supposed to be getting in each conversation with other people. That was very Grey's Anatomy and something I really hate about that show. I knew she would agree to get the heart. I assume if this show goes on something dramatic will happen and she'll get the wife's heart or she'll stick around. Ben and Ryan are the best thing on the show and they aren't just going to send this character away.

It is interesting that Jenna wrote the first few episodes, which were by far the weakest and is responsible for last night's mess. It is really too bad this show got off to such a terrible start. Now there is no hope of winning back the audience. But, knowing the show's creator is responsible for some of the lamest episodes makes me think maybe this show doesn't deserve to stay on the air. I still love Ben/Ryan and other elements, but the writing has to be like the past few episodes and not this trite, contrived BS.

[Whiteotter]

You know: I wanted to like this show. I did. It's in the jungle! With a post-Friday Night Lights Zach Gilford, being goofy and flirty! It has a female character not wholly unlike Christina on Grey's Anatomy! The redhead's a crackerjack, I like her! And then... fizzle. Despite underwater amputations, gold-mine explosions and bug-bites which are fatal 20 years on, I found myself feeling rather meh about the whole thing.

Except then, sweet baby Jesus, the universe produces what is apparently my own personal kryptonite in the divinely charming form of Nicholas Gonzalez (Mateo), and I think, WELL! This is promising! Huzzah, this might be must-see TV! And then... he's not just a recurring character (rather than a regular), but even worse, he's pretty much an unrepentant/irredeemable cocaine farmer? REALLY, SHOW?

Honesty, it just makes a TV viewer (well, this one, anyway) just want to weep. He improves every scene he's in, he's stunningly beautiful, he has this remarkable gentleness and authenticity that lights up the screen. Why isn't he part of the ensemble? YMMV, of course, but I doubt I'll stay with the series when his involvement ends.

[frk]

It's just been announced that Martin Henderson has been cast as the male lead in the same pilot as Rachelle Levevre. He will play the former civil war soldier with whom Levevre's war widow will begin a "torrid affair."

Oh, no! I hadn't heard that. Too bad, if he goes so does the show.

[rove3]

I did really love the Ben/Ryan moments. I feel like the writers have finally decided on Ben/Ryan (for now). Their chemistry just oozes off the screen.

I agree. Their story is providing a lot of the heart right now (pardon the pun). If the show were to go on though I fear that the writers would have Ben fall for Lily while Ryan is off getting her heart and needing to stay away for a long time due to being on immunosuppressants. Blech.

Oh well, it seems highly likely that the writers will never get that chance so you can join me in crossing fingers that Martin's and Rachelle's new pilot gets picked up and we can continue to ship "Ben" and "Ryan" over there. ;-)

He improves every scene he's in, he's stunningly beautiful, he has this remarkable gentleness and authenticity that lights up the screen.

Yes. YES. And YES!

Edited by rove3, Mar 4, 2011 @ 10:52 AM.

[statsgirl]

Yes, from me too, which is why it's so frustrating to have him be a disposable character there just to stall the Lily/Keeton ship.

The writer of this episode was Gabriel Llanas, who came to the show from Private Practice and maybe that's why it seemed to jump backwards, unlike two episodes ago with It's Good which was written by ER's Joe Sachs. It feels like the show was set up with a Shonda Rhimes boilerplate (Lily is the character we are supposed to connect to and she gets the cute alpha doc when he has moved on from the red-haired woman and the wife, in this case two separate women; there is a brash young male doctor who thinks he knows everything, a super-achieving young female doctor with relationship and baby issues; a wise older female doctor, hot African-American doctor) and everyone had their predestined storylines.

Then it seemed like the show took off in different directions - Keeton/Ryan had more spark than the tired old story of Lily getting together with her boss; Plastics had more chemistry with Charlie and a more interesting storyline with Alma than a Karev re-tread; and I thought there could be more in exploring the problems Mina and Cole have than yet another "Mina is insensitive to personal issues and customs" and putting Cole with Zee.

This episode feels like the producers got scared that the show was developing its own personality so they quickly got rid of sexy Matteo so Lily could go back to hero-worshiping Keeton, shipped Ryan off to the States before viewers got invested in her relationship with him and he could go back to being protective of Lily and telling her what a great doctor she's doing to be; hooking Cole and Zee up again through her worry that he's wounded; and giving Mina and Plastics the storylines that weretired by the pilot episode.

I have nothing against cliches, as someone smart said to me, they are cliches because they work. But it's sad to see the show being able to move beyond them and developing into something more complex only to have it pulled back into the old straightjacket.

[irishmaple]

Whiteotter, your post is so awesome I want to take it out for a coffee and get to know it better! I found this episode very disenchanting. Off The Map is my eye and brain candy. All I required was pretty scenery, pretty people and some medical drama to pass the time. I don't watch GA or PP so I had no expectations of this one. I liked the way it was meandering along, characters finding their way, chemistry forming between the cast and the writers, apparently, able to go along with it. They suddenly backed off from Lily/Mateo, Plastics/Alma and the developing bond between Cole/Mena so fast I could smell the rubber burning.

[DS1]

Did Tommy break up with Alma (sp?)?

I watched the episode, but there were parts where I got bored and zoned out a bit.

I saw him in a movie theater with Alma at the beginning of the episode. Then at the end he's sleeping with Meryl Jr.