American Gothic (TV Series) Echo of Your Last Goodbye (1998) User Reviews

The Buck, The Temple and The Third Eye

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 9 February 2024]

Billy and Selena go to Lucas' house to seek files that the pharmacist Yancy Lydon claims that have been stolen from the hospital but they end having sex on his bed. Out of the blue, Lucas arrives but they flee through the window. Meanwhile Lydon takes care of his beloved wife Doris that has been comatose for two years and he visits Lucas at his office and threatens him. Lucas go to Selena's classroom and gives a lesson about the one-dollar bill where the Buck, the Temple and the Third Eye are together. Lydon stabs the third eye of Lucas killing him but Billy becomes the prime suspect of the murder and is arrested. After killing his wife, Lydon is visited by Caleb that has inherited the evilness of Lucas. Lydon is saved by Dr. Billy Peale And Deputy Ben Healy while Caleb pays a visit to the coffin of Lucas and tells: "The Buck starts here".

"The Buck Stops Here" is probably the creepiest episode of "American Gothic". Caleb is very scary after the death of Lucas, but the question is: Is Lucas really dead? My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "The Buck Stops Here"

Deputy Ben is haunted by visions of Merlyn Temple

[Tweekums · 21 June 2017]

As this episode opens Ben is enjoying an evening out with a women and is preparing to drive his date home when a call comes in asking him to investigate a foul smell. His date wants to go with him so they head to the house; she smells nothing but Ben is almost overpowered by the stench. He looks through a window and sees Lucas killing Merlyn just as he did in the opening episode. Suddenly as he looks at his date he sees Merlyn Temple, complete with broken neck. From then on he keeps seeing her as she goads him into investigating something that happened at that house involving her mother, Judy. We learn how before her death Judy Temple had worked to help deprived local children. Meanwhile Caleb tries to help his friend Boone deal with a bully; unfortunately his help isn't wanted and ultimately his actions are crueller than those of the girl who was bullying Boone.

This was another good episode; it was nice to see Ben taking centre stage; Nick Searcy does a fine job in the role making Ben a basically good but weak man who with the right guidance could do the right thing. It was also good to see Merlyn take a larger role Sarah Paulson impresses as she makes her slight character very forceful and occasionally downright scary. The Main story is solid and leads to some interesting revelations concerning Buck's involvement with Judy Temple. Caleb's story is good too, showing how Lucas Buck's malign influence is affecting him; it also ultimately links to Ben's story in a way that doesn't feel forced. Away from these two stories there is a look at the relationships between Gail and Lucas and Selena and Dr Peale, these both provide interesting developments. Overall this was a fine episode with some scary moments and impressive character development.

8/10