Pilot
Episode 1 of Dear Edward starts with a 12 year old boy called Edward on a plane. They’re experiencing horrific turbulence and as Eddie looks over at his brother Jordan, we cut back and see the close bond these two have. After riding their bikes around the block, they head back home where we learn they’re on the way to the airport to fly out of New York to LA.
While Eddie is at the airport, looking around, we focus on several other characters boarding – and subsequently affected by what happens – to this flight. Among those happen to be Zoe and her mum DeeDee, who head out for the former’s birthday at an upper-class restaurant. They’ve been coming there since she was 5, but Zoe’s got a paper due and can’t hang for shopping in the afternoon. DeeDee is used to living this rich lifestyle while Zoe’s dad, Charles, is en-route to fly from New York to La for work.
Fate has a weird way of rearing its ugly head and as we jump back to those on the plane boarding, Jordan and Eddie play Rock, Paper, Scissors to learn who’s going to sit by the window. As they do, a woman called Chale passes. She happens to be preparing for her dream job as an actress, intent on flying out to LA to make that happen. Chale has her daughter, Becka, stay with her folks while she flies alone, promising to be back soon.
Another woman on the plane is Congresswoman Washington, whose assistant Adriana is thrown into the frying pan when the awful housing situation in New York is brought to her attention. She meets with Angela and sees the state of her house, not to mention her disabled brother Byron who’s in desperate need of help and hanging on by a thread.
Adriana tries to reassure him, claiming that everything is going to be okay and she’s going to try and get some help. As a result, Adriana turns up at the office with Byron’s file, asking for some leniency and to make one phone call to help Byron and get him proper accomodation. He’s not going to make it much longer, given he’s a suicide risk.
Eventually Washington agrees, as we learn that this is actually Adriana’s grandmother. She agrees to make the call in exchange for heading out for dinner that night. Whilst there, Washington suggests Adriana run and take her seat in the upcoming elections. Adriana is taken aback by this and isn’t sure what to do. When she learns that it’s too late for Byron, who has commit suicide, Adriana hangs up her political jacket and decides to get a clean break away from all this.
Another set of characters we follow here are John and his wife Lacey. Their relationship is growing estranged after having fertility issues. Lacey has had three miscarriages and have repainted the wall three times. The pair are going through the wars and it’s taking its toll on them.
Back on the plane, Eddie clashes with his mother when he learns she’s failed to tell him about Jordan going to public school. Eddie tells her he hates her, but as everyone is forced back into their seats again, the plane begins experiencing horrific turbulence. The Captain tells everyone they’re going to make an emergency landing in Denver, as everyone braces for impact.
With wreckage all over the ground and the plane exploded into pieces, emergency services show and begin trying to find survivors. There’s only one and that happens to be Eddie.
The Episode Review
The first episode of Dear Edward combines elements of shows like This Is Us with slick editing and really strong production design. The show is very clearly going to dive into grief and what that entails, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot more of it in the coming episodes as the family members and relatives of those lost in the plane crash are brought forward.
Dear Edward is very clearly going to be steeped in melodrama from start to finish and so far the characters we’ve been introduced to, and the way this episode was put together, jumping back and forth between the time off the plane and on it, is a nice addition that paves the way for plenty of character drama in the upcoming episodes. With three chapters releasing today, thankfully we don’t have to wait too long to find out what happens next!
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Episode Rating
(4)