CBC ended its eight-episode run of Four in the Morning with the airing of the final two episodes back to back. The first, entitled “Four Christs,” riffs off of The Three Christs of Ypsilanti by Milton Rokeach (Parker hands us this one on a silver platter: William overhears a summary following a very long montage of memories). At any rate, all four of our protagonists are upset with each other, and yet all are feeling entirely blameless. After last week’s big reveal, William (Mazin Elsadig) and Mitzi (Lola Tash) sleeping together, Mitzi admits to William that she was mistaken, Bondurant (Daniel Maslany) and Jamie (Michelle Mylett) did not sleep together.
But, they did, long before Jamie and William got together. Despite his own adulterous guilt, William wallows in his delusional belief that he is the affronted party. The rest of this episode is angst-ridden with a little soupçon of string theory. The episode closes with a long shot on an empty booth at the diner setting the stage for “The Music.”
A few weeks have passed and this final episode begins like the first: in the Patrician Grill, the clock flipping over to 4:00, indicating that we have come full cycle. However, Tatiana Ratowski (Alison Brooks), the ratty admissions director from Julliard, has come to notify Bondurant he is the worst trumpet player to ever approach her school. To console himself, Bondurant again breaks into Massey Hall and takes centre stage for a final time. Leaving his trumpet at centre stage, he finds a jet pack and rockets off in search of Shangri-La.
But Bondurant has been preyed upon by the backstabbing Ms. Ratowski. Seems she and Rat Man Tom (Micheal Therrault) are guarding a secret about the music program at Julliard.
Meanwhile, William recognizes he is in love with Jamie after-all. In a weak moment, he contemplates suicide and unwittingly shoots himself in the ear.
Mitzi, having had her apology rejected by William, heads to Amadeus’ falafel shop, and asks for the washroom key.
This is where things get weird … or weirder.
Instead of a washroom, the key unlocks a deserted hospital where Mitzi has a miscarriage, giving birth to a pig. Albert the talking pig returns to explain to Mitzi that she is not at fault for all of the disharmony in her friends’ lives.
The season closes with Jamie, Mitzi and William leaving the hospital with baby Margaret whereupon they see Bondurant, a.k.a. a shooting star, blazing across the morning sky.
Four in the Morning has been such a fun little show. The characters, despite their narcissistic tendencies, won me over. There has not been any word yet whether CBC will pick this up for another season. I hope it does. I really enjoy programs that don’t spoon feed you, but rather make you think. But should it not, I am content where the story closed.
What did you think of Season 1? Comment below or @tv_eh.
This was not your typical TV show, & I liked that fact immensely. I wasn’t sure what to expect from week to week, (that’s why I kept coming back) but there were really some beautiful moments throughout the season. When Bondurant played his trumpet in the finale accented by the colourful imagery like a painting, it was so poetic. What made the show truly work was the stellar cast, however. Michelle Mylett as Jamie was my favourite character because it showed how good of an actor she is. I felt for Jamie throughout, the flawed beauty seeking fulfillment. Her emotion was powerful, especially during the breakup scene with William. I would have loved to see the real backstory of her character (even when there were hints it wasn’t that fun).
The show was a little out there at times (the pig storyline with Mitzi never quite worked for me), but when the characters expressed themselves in reality, it was powerful, groundbreaking television.
I hope the CBC gives this show another season just so we can learn more about the individual characters. We saw some hints of it with the male characters showing off family quirks, but not the female characters, which was unfortunate.
But overall, bravo, Four In The Morning. Thanks for making my Friday television intriguing.
Hi Kevin,
I totally agree. This was a program you either got, or didn’t. I myself felt more drawn to Bondurant ( Daniel Maslany) and Mitzi (Lola Tash), but I can see any of these characters being someone’s favourite.
LOL, I really loved the “out there”; who has not had long conversations with their pet, and been surprised at times when they don’t actually reply–unless I am just really out there too ?! I felt these moments beautifully illustrated that weird time in the middle of night when conversations do take on a deeper degree of philosophical importance and understanding.
Thanks for dropping a line,
-c