Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told

I am pleased to say that the writing team of Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen are back on track after the previous episode, which resolved Oliver's estranged marriage.

They have managed to put the series back on track as they revert to the tried and true structure. The main story is that of the lost letter, with the postables lives taking second place. In this movie, the lost letter comes from a military officer stationed in Afghanistan. The letter is to her daughter...

The story does a very good job of telling a story of loss, hope, and heartbreaking truth. Back on the home front, we learn more about Oliver and his past as his father comes home to visit with some shocking and groundbreaking news. It also seems that Oliver's wife is not the only family member he's estranged from. There's so much going on in this episode that it should keep you entertained.

The direction is up to par with the previous episodes as Kevin Fair is still in the Directors chair and the resident cast is consistently good and builds their characters and ongoing relationships well. The extra cast of Gregory Harrison as Oliver's Father, Joe O'Toole; Megan Charpentier as Phoebe Amidon, and William B Davis as Harper, Pheobe's Grandfather; are very good in their roles, especially Charpentier.

If you've watched the previous episodes of the movies and series then you should like this one, though if you're not familiar with Signed Sealed Delivered then I would recommend watching from the start as it's the best way to relate to the characters... and it's worth it.

7.9 stars.

This installment of the SSD franchise is not as bright or hopeful as some, yet it still tells a story that needs to be heard.

The postables represent a slice of humanity that each of us shares. If you take all of their combined issues and failures, you will see a segment of reality that applies just a little bit to all of us. In other words, we all can relate in some way to one or all of them.

One is an orphan, one is practically an orphan. Two are somewhat on the spectrum. One has a photographic memory. One is computer savvy and socially adept, somewhat of a contradiction, because generally the nerd would be the computer wiz. And the leader is a socially stunted individual with great courage and fortitude, whereas the passionate and gifted writer is extremely awkward and often flat and seemingly lacks personality. One of them is profoundly damaged, but also the most kind and even quite brilliant of the bunch. The true leader defers her leadership to the actual leader, because she follows the socially acceptable hierarchy. Yet, she is the only one of the bunch with a generous dose of common sense.

This group does not represent normal demographics in any way. This is why it has supernatural vibes, because the characters are inflated to seem fantasy-like, as if we are watching a modern fairy tale. It's all quite dreamy in a way.

I find this show to be a good form of escapism for myself. These dysfunctional people are all quite amicable and even adorable, attributes that many of us are striving for, yet generally lack.

This movie flows like a sitcom where they are just trying to fill the allotted time with text. It was very hard to engage in the story because it was written in a very choppy and confusing style.

Rating a Signed Sealed Delivered this low is quite unusual for me. The reason-- this episode of the franchise is not a complete story, unless you consider only the personal lives of the Postables.

The "lost" letter gets the short end of the deal in this episode and it isn't adequately resolved. I wonder if perhaps the show runners intended this to be effectively a two parter, or did they realize after fan response that they needed to finish the story more satisfactorily.

Almost every episode of SSD brings tears to my eyes and this one had the potential for that. But not a one unless it was tears of disappointment or those based on knowledge of the sequel which I happen to have seen first.

The combined stories are slightly long for one two hour movie, but it doesn't seem to me that it needs two. Either way, this episode leaves me greatly disappointed.

PS after instalment The Vows We have Made: I updated my rating because this installment is a perfect set-up, perhaps even a necessary one, for The Vows We Have Made.

I wept like a baby during this emotional entry in The Signed, Sealed and Delivered (Postables) series. It's Shane's birthday and she meets Oliver's father Joe O'Toole...then finds out that Oliver is estranged from him.

Meanwhile the Postables latest case is a letter from a soldier to another soldier's daughter. Norman's expertise of being fatherless and in the foster system came in to play in this entry as he comforts and empathizes with a young girl who is being bullied by her classmates.

There are some beautiful quotes and the concept of what it is to be a parent is a big theme in this entry. I have really grown to love this series based on the dead letter department at the post office that is filled with a tight knit group of unusual characters who use their skills to deliver letter to their rightful owners.

My favorite scene is when Oliver tells Miss McInerny "when have you ever done what I have said" and she just envelopes him in a massive hug. It was a beautiful and touching scene.