“Hey, Those Days Are Long Gone”

I'm not sure what's more depressing – today being my last day of vacation, or the possibility that tonight's “The Escape” could really finish it on a down note.

I'm going to go out of order today with my pre-show thoughts, and start with the worst:

Chance Of An Alex-less Episode: Extremely High. That I have to keep using this section two episodes from the end of the season is bad enough (I can't remember if any of the older kids have gone missing this deep into the season before – certainly Alex hasn't). That I feel that it is more likely than not that Alex won't be there in the penultimate episode is astonishing.

And yet, that's exactly what I think is going to happen – for not even the first time this season we're in about the 70-80 percent range, between 1) all of the adults are off on two separate stories at the same location (a nursing home) with virtually no chance for Alex (or any of the other kids) to even be there, and 2) no indication so far that anybody in the family is even going to show up when Haley lands in the hospital. And I doubt there will be a hidden story for Alex – the only hope I see for tonight is for her to show up at the hospital anyway.

You can probably write the rest of this post for yourself, but I'll save you the trouble.

Anticipation Level: Low. Again, it's incredible that with only two episodes left until summer vacation this level is so low (even last season's lackluster “Alone Time” had “low to medium” anticipation for me going in).  Especially when I could definitely use a distraction to make me forget that I go back to work tomorrow.

Emotional Moment Potential: Low. And that's only if somehow Alex does show up in Haley's story (which in and of itself does have quite a bit of potential for emotion, with four of her current/past boyfriends at her bedside).

Game Changing Potential: Extremely Low. Only if, again, Alex is with Haley and there is an interaction with her professor is there even a longshot of a chance of something happening.

Are There Any Other Questions? So which is more depressing? I'd guess I'd still go with the end of vacation, since at least there is still one more episode next week to (sort of) look forward to, whereas I probably won't be on vacation again until September when Season 10 begins. That and I go back just in time for the Mother's Day rush (not as bad as Easter, but...).