Mild spoiler alerts, you've been warned.
I'll admit I was a bit torn about this episode at first viewing and was not happy about the way it ended. But thinking about it further, it tells an important side of the pet adoption story that isn't often covered, since a lot of these shows only focus on the feel-good aspects. Both humans involved in the story deserve credit for recognizing the truth of the situation and doing what's best for the dog.
Unfortunately, I think the editors do a disservice to Alana, who rescued Jetson from a rough life (or worse) - it's obvious she wants to do the right thing and does everything she can to rescue the dog and bring him to a safe home. But as often happens in pet adoptions, the two just don't quite gel in the end.
I took a couple of stars off for the editing - it seems to rush the resolution in a way that makes Alana seem less sympathetic than she surely was, especially when she was dealing with a massive adjustment in her own life at the same time as the dog. Most of this series has been in a documentary style, but the way the second half of this episode was done seems more like the way they do a drama-laden reality show. The scene with the trainer in particular is cut in a way that dwells on her facial expressions and makes her seem dismissive to what the trainer is saying - but you don't see the trainer speaking at all, so you have no idea what was actually being said at the time.
In the end, I feel bad for both Alana and Jetson - at least they showed Jetson's happy ending with his new mom and BFF Sunnie. I hope Alana continues to adjust to her new life now that she's back state-side and she gets her happy ending, too. And maybe even gets to find the perfect four-legged friend for her some day!
I'll admit I was a bit torn about this episode at first viewing and was not happy about the way it ended. But thinking about it further, it tells an important side of the pet adoption story that isn't often covered, since a lot of these shows only focus on the feel-good aspects. Both humans involved in the story deserve credit for recognizing the truth of the situation and doing what's best for the dog.
Unfortunately, I think the editors do a disservice to Alana, who rescued Jetson from a rough life (or worse) - it's obvious she wants to do the right thing and does everything she can to rescue the dog and bring him to a safe home. But as often happens in pet adoptions, the two just don't quite gel in the end.
I took a couple of stars off for the editing - it seems to rush the resolution in a way that makes Alana seem less sympathetic than she surely was, especially when she was dealing with a massive adjustment in her own life at the same time as the dog. Most of this series has been in a documentary style, but the way the second half of this episode was done seems more like the way they do a drama-laden reality show. The scene with the trainer in particular is cut in a way that dwells on her facial expressions and makes her seem dismissive to what the trainer is saying - but you don't see the trainer speaking at all, so you have no idea what was actually being said at the time.
In the end, I feel bad for both Alana and Jetson - at least they showed Jetson's happy ending with his new mom and BFF Sunnie. I hope Alana continues to adjust to her new life now that she's back state-side and she gets her happy ending, too. And maybe even gets to find the perfect four-legged friend for her some day!
