The Tear Collector
Prudence (Jessica Harper) is a young woman who suffers from clinical depression, having been prone to crying fits throughout her life, and always feeling glum no matter how wondrous a day it is. It's on one particular day that Prudence meets Ambrose Cavender (Victor Garber), a therapist who collects tears from every person he comes across, insisting that they serve a sort of purpose to him. While she tries to figure out the nature of why Cavender collects tears at all, Prudence, who gradually falls in love with him, begins wondering whether he merely sees her as a means to expand his collection.
Tropes:
- An Aesop: Depression and sadness occur to everyone at sometime or another in their life, but it can always be managed and fought back through support and treatment.
- Ambiguously Human: Cavender is quite possibly something more than human, since he's been collecting tears from hundreds of years ago, hinting that he's immortal. Among the earliest of his tears are those of a young Aztec after the conquistadors conquered his home and "crushed his world", and those of a Confederate mother who will never see her son alive again.
- Collector of the Strange: Cavender, the titular collector, collects tears from people who have witnessed tragedy and suffering for hundreds of years.
- Crazy Homeless People: A bum rooting through a trash can harasses Prudence as she's taking a walk, and he only leaves when she slips him some money. It's after this incident that she meets Cavender.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Prudence's problem clearly amounts to clinical depression, given that she's crying even on the nicest of days and doesn't know why.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Despite all the unanswered questions, Cavender does what he promised he would do: cure Prudence's chronic depression and allow her to live her life. Soon after she leaves his office, Prudence meets a kindly taxi driver and is shown happily walking down the street with him, hinting at a relationship blossoming between them.
- The Eeyore: As she suffers from clinical depression, Prudence is known to cry at the slightest provocation, even on the most pleasant of days.
- I'm Crying, but I Don't Know Why: Prudence mentions that she has been sad all her life, but she has no idea why she feels this way. It's clear that she's clinically depressed, but it's never spoken outright.
- Meet Cute: Prudence and the taxi driver at the end of the episode.
- No Sympathy: Prudence's roommate Gretchen cares very little for her depression, thinking that she actually enjoys feeling so miserable and trying to get out of dates she sets up for her.
- Prone to Tears: Prudence's life-long problem, and why Cavender is so interested in her.
- Shout-Out: Gretchen compares Prudence's new "friend" Cavender to Omar Sharif or Bela Lugosi.
- Small Role, Big Impact: The homeless guy who chases after Prudence, who runs into Cavender as a means to escape him.
- The Unreveal: The reason why Cavender collects peoples' tears, as well as what purpose the tears serve and if he's even human, are left unexplained. The reason that Prudence suddenly stops being depressed after she accidentally smashes the glass swan containing her own tears is also left unanswered.
- Vanity License Plate: Cavender's car has a plate reading "TEARS".
- Very Special Episode: The episode can be seen as one about the effects of depression, since Cavender's tear collection is implied to be his way of finding a cure for it.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Cavender has been collecting peoples' tears for centuries, but it's hinted that he does so because he wants to find a way to rid the world of depression.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: The episode revolves around Prudence trying to stop herself from crying so much. With some help from Cavender, she learns to overcome her depression and restore her faith in life.
