Wonderfalls : Caged Bird

Season 1, Episode 13

Written by Krista Vernoff

Directed by Michael Lehmann

Original Airdate: 15 December 2004

"I make good life choices—mostly because they’re forced on me—but I make them, and I find myself in unpleasant situations all the time. You know why? Because even if you have a choice it can and will be taken away from you. We’re all fate’s bitch. You might as well go ahead and bend over for destiny now."

Jaye

REGULAR CAST

Caroline Dharvernas as Jaye Tyler
Katie Finneran as Sharon Tyler
Tyron Leitso as Eric Gotts
Lee Pace as Aaron Tyler
Diana Scarwid as Karen Tyler
William Sadler as Dr. Darrin Tyler
Tracie Thoms as Mahandra McGinty

GUEST CAST

Neil Grayston as Alec
Jeffrey R. Smith as Jones
Glenn Fitzgerald as Bank Robber
Jewel Staite as Heidi Sockett-Gotts

CO-STARRING

Elissa Lonsdell as Reporter
Diego Fuentes as Cop #1
Susie Dias as Cop #2
Demetrius Joyette as Shoplift Kid
Bryan Hatt as Night Cleaner
Michael Anthony as Customer #1
Stefanie Drummond as Customer #2

MUSE VOICE

Scotch Ellis Loring

SYNOPSIS

Jaye and a security guard, Jones, observe from the Wonderfalls bathroom as a ten-year-old kid in a baggy coat attempts to steal a caged-bird tin toy from the store. Jaye wants the kid to make off with the toy because any employee who catches a shoplifter receives ten percent of whatever was going to be stolen. As Jaye and Jones move in on the little boy, the caged-bird tin toy animates... and tells Jaye to let the little boy go. Jaye tells Jones to forget about the kid, and then gets distracted when Eric enters the store. Eric tells her that he and Heidi are moving to New Jersey, and he's leaving that day. Jaye starts to say something, but the mechanical bird tells her to let him go. Heidi waltzes into the store, and Jaye wishes them both the best of luck. Eric and Heidi leave the store. The little boy also makes a break for the exit, but Jones pulls him back. Heidi gives the caged bird a look of pure hate.

At the Barrel, Heidi tells Mahandra that her father gave Eric his old job back. Mahandra realizes Eric is pretty miserable with the situation. A short time later Aaron tells Mahandra she wants her to accompany him to his parents' anniversary dinner. Mahandra turns him down, but soon changes her mind. Back at the store two police officers ask the young shoplifter if he's sorry for what he did. When the kid apologizes for stealing, the officers let him go. Later, as Jaye stocks shelves, a barrel bear tells her to "give him heart." Sharon stops by the store to show Jaye photos of some clocks and asks her to choose which one would make the best gift for their parents' anniversary. A customer named Rob enters and gazes out the back exit. Sharon tells him the boat tours are off-season, then ushers Jaye into Sharon's office. Jaye tells Sharon that she told Eric not to come back, and now she's heartbroken. Sharon wonders if Eric is truly gone for good. Jaye gives Eric a call, and tells him that technically they never said goodbye. After she hangs up, she tells Sharon they're getting together, but first Eric has to ditch his wife. Sharon had no idea he was married. Moments later Alec announces the store is closing because the cash register is broken. Jaye heads for the front door, but Rob puts a gun to her stomach and tells her to lie on the floor.

Rob takes Jaye, Alec, Sharon, and Jones hostage. Rob says all he's really interested in are the keys to the back gates. Once he has them, he'll leave. Jones tells Rob the gates can only be opened with a security code, but he doesn't know what it is. Jones then realizes that Rob just robbed a bank, and is being chased by the police. Meanwhile, at the Barrel, Eric tells Mahandra he has to leave so he can meet with Jaye. He wants her to distract Heidi while he's away. At the store Rob instructs Jones to find out where police are searching by monitoring conversations on his walkie-talkie. At the Barrel Mahandra tells Heidi that since they don't like each other, and Heidi's about to leave town, now is the perfect time to form a bond. A short time later Karen phones Sharon and reminds her to pick up the anniversary cake. Sharon tells Karen that she and Jaye won't be able to make it to the party. Suddenly Sharon grabs hold of her stun gun and jolts Rob's throat. Rob drops the gun, but Jones is too slow to grab it. Rob jumps after the gun, and Sharon attempts to stun him again, but unfortunately ends up stunning herself. Moments later Eric shows up at the store. Rob tells Jaye to get rid of him.

Desperate to make Eric leave, Jaye makes him feel uneasy about abandoning Heidi at the bar. She closes the door in his face. A short time later Rob and the others see a television news report about the bank robbery. A security guard shot during the hold-up has died of his injuries. Sharon tells Rob he's facing second-degree murder charges. At the bar Heidi asks Mahandra if Eric snuck out to sleep with Jaye. Mahandra tells Heidi she doesn't think Jaye and Eric have ever had sex, which strikes Heidi as being even worse. Back at the store Rob tells Alec he wants to look at some maps. With Rob distracted, Jones tells Jaye he's ready to make a move. Jaye grabs hold of him and won't let go, but the toy caged bird animates and tells Jaye to "let him go." Jaye takes the bird's advice, but won't let Jones act alone. She stages a diversion by telling Rob he can hide beneath a planter much like a fugitive hiding in a spider hole. This allows Jones to sneak around the side of the store counter. Suddenly Sharon throws a canoe paddle to Jones. Just as Jones is about to smash Rob in the face with the paddle, however, he suffers a heart attack and collapses to the floor.

News reports of the hostage standoff hit the airwaves. Everyone from Eric to Heidi to Jaye's parents learn what's going on. As Sharon and Jaye give Jones CPR, a chameleon puppet animates and tells Jaye about a hidden door in the bathroom. Jaye tells Rob about the hidden door, and soon after, Rob drags her outside at gunpoint. Rob carjacks a nearby steam-cleaner van, but as he drives down a street, Jaye distracts him. Rob smashes into another car, which turns out to be Heidi's rental car. Rob decides to take Heidi's car, but unfortunately he steps in front of an ambulance heading for Wonderfalls, and his killed.

Three weeks later Jaye visits Jones in the hospital. Eric approaches Jaye and tells her that he and Heidi have ended their relationship because Heidi realized it would never work. After a gentle kiss, he leaves, reminded her that he's not leaving and as he walks out of the door, Jaye Tyler smiles.

TRIVIA

This episode is the series finale and no more episodes were produced.