Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 7 Review: Second Chances

Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 7, “Second Chances,” ramps up the tension and action for one soap opera-esque outing.

After leaving off on a cliffhanger last time, “Second Chances” picks up by revealing Roy has died, forcing Maggie and Andrew to return to Sullivan’s Crossing once more for his funeral.

However, tensions reach a new high as Maggie is forced to confront her relationship issues with Andrew and her ongoing troubling family dynamic.

Roy’s sudden passing feels a little out of place, as using death to get everyone back together doesn’t feel quite right. However, it does add to the show’s ongoing exploration of mortality.

It’s interesting to see how each generation handles the loss. The funeral is a bit marred by all the pettiness and jealousy between the younger generation.

For Frank and Edna Cranebear, though, it is a very jarring affair that reminds them of the necessity to prepare for the future.

It’s a sad but striking way to demonstrate how the concept of mortality is approached by younger and older folks when a death occurs.

Meanwhile, the pettiness, jealousy, and tension between Lola, Cal, Andrew, and Maggie is a little silly. Still, it is executed well enough to give viewers the same guilty pleasure that a soap opera does.

For the first time, Sullivan’s Crossing gets pretty juicy. There’s sibling rivalry, a rejected marriage proposal, a love triangle, and a fight.

Some of it is predictable, as things were clearly coming to a head with Andrew, Cal, and Maggie. The trio makes quite a mess of things because Maggie can’t voice her feelings, Andrew has jealousy issues, and Cal is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not all of it is silly or predictable, though. The episode does an excellent job of capturing Andrew’s control and jealousy issues.

Viewers may actually find themselves sympathizing with him because he puts on such a good show of being devoted to the relationship, even as he’s acting irrationally.

It’s a strong reminder that looks can be deceiving and that one can do things that are right in a relationship and have understandable insecurities while also displaying qualities of control and envy that aren’t acceptable.

Even though it’s a relief that Maggie is out of the relationship, there isn’t a necessity for how ugly it gets. However, things can deteriorate quickly when people fail to communicate or acknowledge their flaws.

Although the conflict between Cal, Andrew, and Maggie ends up playing out reasonably well, the same can’t be said of whatever is happening between Maggie and Lola.

Lola’s story has the potential to be interesting, especially considering her mysterious accident. However, her resentment and petty attitude towards Maggie don’t make much sense.

Their interactions feel so childish and exaggerated that they’re not realistic. What’s also confusing is that the timeline isn’t adding up.

Between Maggie being taken from Sully so young and the lack of indication of when Lola and her mother moved in or under what circumstance, it’s difficult to tell when or how the girls interacted enough for bad blood to develop.

Hence, the dynamic between Maggie and Lola feels like it’s just being milked for drama rather than serving a real purpose to the plot.

Ultimately, the episode holds a lot of drama. Some of the drama is entertaining and goes deeper, but some feels a little forced and unnatural.

With lots of juicy tension and a few thoughts on mortality and controlling partners, Sullivan’s Crossing manages to draw in viewers despite a few minor flaws.

What did you think of this episode of Sullivan’s Crossing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Sullivan’s Crossing airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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