Episode 209 - The Undertow Review




"The Undertow" Review

Written by Scarlett

DISCLAIMER - Please remember that this review does not represent the opinions/viewpoints of everyone; it is the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Thank you.

"The Undertow" was the first of six guest appearances by a young Tom Welling. Tom only appeared in a couple of short scenes, and this episode basically introduced Tom's character, Rob Meltzer, as Lauren's karate instructor. Lauren was the daughter of Amy Gray, a judge, and the lead on the show.

The Good

Tom's Performance: Tom burst onto the scene, displaying a combination of innocence and sensuality that was evident from his first appearance on this show. He displayed the right combination of shyness, confidence, and friendliness that was essential to establish his character. Despite his lack of acting experience, Tom's onscreen chemistry was apparent, and viewers reacted positively to him, asking for more guest appearances on the show.

Rob Meets Amy/Her Family: Tom's first scene consisted of his character, Rob Meltzer, bringing Amy Gray's daughter home from karate practice. It was an awkward scene for Amy, since she had forgotten to pick up Lauren after practice. Tom as Rob was sweet and caring, as he reassured Amy he didn't mind bringing Lauren home, and that it wasn't a big deal. It was obvious there was chemistry between Rob and Amy, and it was believable that Amy could be attracted to Rob. A young, handsome Tom looked absolutely adorable in full karate costume.

Rob and Amy jogging scene: Rob arranges to "accidentally" run into Amy while jogging, as Amy is getting ready to leave for work. Again, the exchange between Rob and Amy is cute, shy, and awkward. Rob volunteers his niece as a babysitter for Amy, and Amy takes him up on his offer. There were a few close-up scenes of both Rob and Amy, and Tom had a mischievous look in his eyes, as he tried to assess Amy's reaction to him. It was a cute scene, and helped to illustrate that Rob was interested in Amy in a romantic fashion. Tom's smile was contagious in this scene, and it's nearly impossible for viewers to not smile along with him.

The Bad

Even though Tom was a guest star, and this was his first episode, there just weren't enough Tom scenes.

Rating: I give "The Undertow" 4 1/2 out of five stars.

To discuss this Judging Amy episode, please click HERE