Rating the Farewells

Last week we bid farewell to two very important people. Well one farewell and one hope to see you soon! First up, the Palmer tribute. I'm just going to throw this right out there, I cried through the whole thing. What a moving and special tribute to such an amazing character with rich and full history. James Mitchell has always been one of my very favorite's on AMC. Bringing back Taylor Miller as Palmer's daughter Nina and Gillian Spencer as Palmer's one time love, Daisy was very important. More than anyone, they needed to be there. And yes, I've heard the complaints.... Petey should have been there. JR should have been there. They weren't. It is what it is. Shows like this are a gift. And like a gift, you're not always going to get what you want, but you can still appreciate the effort.

The lovely tribute included different people sharing their memories of Palmer. Adam was even welcomed into this group even though he was very much not someone who loved Palmer. He did have a certain amount of respect for the man though. And losing Palmer meant he had to face his own mortality. It's a hard thing to face, for anyone, but especially someone who is larger than life like Adam Chandler. With Brooke at his side, he stayed just long enough to give Nina a keepsake of him and Palmer. Then he took his leave so that his family could remember the man they loved and light a candle in Palmer's memory.



Honestly, nothing I can say can give you a feel for how personal, how moving and how special this tribute was. To me, it was one of the best. He was even greeted in heaven by his niece, Dixie. Eh, as not a Dixie fan, I can say even that was nice. And it was very nice to be surprised. AMC sure kept that little tidbit under wraps. All in all, I'd give the Palmer tribute an A.

And a little funny... Dixie presumably is in heaven, which is where she welcomed Palmer. But a few days later, David indicated that Palmer might be somewhere, well a little more toasty. As he was telling Greenlee about his plan to buy the hospital, he mentioned how in his day, Palmer would have probably pulled a similar move. He said, "He's probably smiling up at us right now as we speak, enjoying my power play." Smiling up at you is he? Well I'm sure David's not the only one who thinks Palmer might have ended up with a pitchfork and red horns! Takes one to know one eh David?

And then, only a few short days later, it was time to say goodbye to another important piece of AMC history, Adam Chandler. David Canary had opted to not make the permanent move to LA when the show left NYC. It's a blow, a big one, to the whole fabric of Pine Valley. Adam realized he loved Brooke, but couldn't have her. He was married. But then found out his wife cheated on him with his own son and bada bing, bada boom he was in the free and clear. He could have the woman he wanted. He had no further obligation to Annie. He left her fast, and found Brooke fast. And as he explained everything to her, it became clear that there was still so much love between them. And they slipped out of town together.

Adam's exit was quiet, but not undeserving of him. How can it be undeserving when one of the most beloved past characters came back for him, left with him and got their own happily ever after? Isn't that what we always hope for with our favorite characters? Adam and Brooke, together forever. I can't make one disappointing comment about that. And there is also the possibility of not just one, but both of them returning from time to time. That in and of itself is something to celebrate! But oh will he be missed!

I give the Adam exit, a B. I'm glad he got to say good bye to Erica, and I'm glad Brooke got another scene with Erica before leaving. I'm glad Adam and Brooke are together. We even got to see Stuart again! I think really, the only thing that I would have liked would be for Adam to say good bye to his family, especially his grandson. But as I said above, it is what it is. And the fact that it didn't seem like a final farewell was what I liked best!