Lucky Me! Retrospective: The Big C — Hereafter Series Finale – “The Finale”

Season 4, Episode 4/Series Finale

Air Date: Monday, May 20, 2013, 10PM E/P on Showtime.

Rating: ★★★★★

“What do you think vegan kidney donors do, huh? We save lives, not destroy them.” – Sean

Before we dive into the final episode of The Big C, I want to reflect on the seasons past and reminisce about the ups and downs Cathy (Laura Linney) has experienced. It’s not been a smooth road, that’s for sure. It definitely wasn’t boring either.

From Season 1, episode 4: Cathy (Laura Linney) gets frisky with a painter named Lenny (guest star Idris Elba)

During season one, we met the Jamison Family – Cathy, her husband Paul (Oliver Platt), and their son Adam (Gabriel Basso). With a divorce looming over their heads, Cathy chooses not to tell her family about her recent diagnosis of malignant melanoma. She’s opted to live life and do things she never dreamed of doing, including having an affair and being a bit more selfish. Admittedly, there were many moments in season one where I wanted to smack the shit out of Cathy for being rude to people and using her illness to justify it all. But then, I tried putting myself in her shoes and I couldn’t be sure whether I’d have behaved the same way. You don’t know what you’ll do until faced with that situation. I think I know myself pretty well and if I did some of the outlandish things Cathy did, I would feel guilty about it later and apologize. Of course, I would blame it on the cancer diagnosis so the other person wouldn’t hate me forever.

Season 2, Ep4: Cathy meets an annoying person at the clinical trial but he quickly becomes her “mole mate” Lee (guest star Hugh Dancy)

Season two introduces a whole host of new and perplexing things. Cathy’s doctor, Dr. Todd (Reid Scott) isn’t happy she wants a second opinion…partly because he’s developing feelings for her. Uh oh! Cathy meets a new friend and “mole mate” in cancer therapy – Lee (guest star Hugh Dancy). Cathy also tries to reconcile with Paul. Cathy’s brother Sean (John Hickey) finds love, sort of, with Cathy’s former college best friend Rebecca (Cynthia Nixon) and they end up pregnant. Oh, and Adam gets crabs – not the delicious seafood delicacy, either – and gives them to his parents. That’s what he gets for sleeping with a hooker. In spite of the hilarity, season two presented a few sad moments and a shocking cliffhanger – the loss of Rebecca and Sean’s baby, the death of Cathy’s friend Lee, and Paul having a massive heart attack.

Season 3, Ep 10″ Cathy gets left behind on a scuba diving trip and is rescued by Angel (Michael Ray Escamilla)

Season three brings clinical trial success for Cathy, a rejuvenated Paul (who’s become a blogger), a conflicted Adam, who finds comfort in a bible study group and enjoys discovering the joys of ‘anal sex’ with a girl he meets in the group, and a renewed Andrea (Gabourey Sidibe), who changes her name to ‘Ababu’ after getting dumped by Myk (Boyd Holbrook) and goes to visit her family in Ghana. We also meet a seemingly uncaring Dr. Sherman (Alan Alda), who tries to help Cathy get into a clinical trial, as well as a very joyous and sensual Joy (Susan Sarandon), who thinks Paul can take her motivational lectures to the next level, both on and off the stage.

Now, as we reach the series finale, we find Cathy four months later having to leave the hospice. Not because she’s better but because her insurance only covers four months of hospice care. “I came here to die,” Cathy tells the administrator, but there isn’t much else Cathy can do…right? Not much else except asking her beloved brother Sean for help.

Cathy: “My dying wish is that (pause) you help me die.”

Sean: “You are a fucking crazy lady! Hey, hey, Crazy Lady, what did you just do with my sister? Did you eat her? If I look in your mouth right now, would Cathy be down there screaming, ‘Hey, this crazy bitch just gobbled me up but I’m totally sane and I’m down here!’”

Like the start of many bad jokes, Cathy asks thought provoking questions to a Priest, Rabbi, and Imam

Come on, what!? But, after much protest, Sean gives in after watching Paul break down as he tries to set up Cathy’s bed in the living room. I know Cathy says she’s ready to go but I don’t think she’s truly ready, despite her prayers for the Lord to take her soul.

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Cathy throughout The Big C. At times, I love her because I know she has good intentions in her heart, but then I hate her for the way she tries to control the situation and berates people. I like the way she wants to protect Adam but I loathe the way she speaks to and treats other people because she doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. Well, stop telling people you’re dying and then they won’t empathize with you! Again, I try to put myself in Cathy’s shoes not knowing how I would react, but I hope after having watched this series, I’m confident in what I will try not to do.

Linney gives a brilliant performance throughout these final four episodes, but in “The Finale,” she takes it to another level. She makes you cry and want to reach out and give her a big hug while saying, ‘It’s going to be OK,’ even though you know it won’t be. You want to root for her and hope that by the grace of the universe, the tides will turn and she’ll get another chance.

Platt’s emotional breakdown and compelling performance as Paul saying he doesn’t want Cathy to come home hit me like a ton of bricks. From my personal experiences with hospice, I didn’t want my mother to come home either but I couldn’t stand the thought of her dying in a hospital room.

This series finale is marked with wonderful heartwarming moments. Cathy gets to see her father Bud (Brian Dennehy) one last time, and what a tender moment they share when he comments on how beautiful her blue eyes are and tells her it shouldn’t be her checking out so soon, it should be him. There is a magnificent revelation when Cathy finally learns why Adam keeps running off (and it’s not to play basketball). I get goose bumps just thinking about it. Adam really has grown up and steps up to give his mother a gift that means the world to her. And I know he’ll be happy knowing he gave it his all to see the smile on her face as she holds his diploma.

Rest in Peace, Cathy.

“The Finale” brings tears to my eyes during various moments and portrays a peaceful end to Cathy’s battle with cancer. As I write this final review for The Big C, I have had to pause or step away, or both. I’ve cried and typed with a lump thick in my throat. “The Finale” is a moving, heart-wrenching, funny, poignant, sad, and true to life episode. Having lived with someone who succumbed to this vile disease, the entire season has been cathartic for me. It has been an emotional journey and we’ve finally reached the end. As Cathy says, “My life or my death are no more important than anyone else’s.” It’s a bitter sweet conclusion as she takes Angel’s (Michael Ray Escamilla) hand one last time into the great beyond. What a way to end an enlightening and honest series. Though famous last words are supposed to happen just before you pass, I’d like to think Cathy was thinking of hers… “Lucky me.”

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Farewell, Jamison family and friends.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.