Line #15 Series/MysteriousWays


1	[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mwdeclan0000.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:330:Eventually, he learns to fly.]]
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4	''For the trope about how God works, see InMysteriousWays.''
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6	''Mysterious Ways'' (2000-2002) was a series seeking to capitalise on the ''X-Files'' inspired craze for TV shows dealing with the paranormal. Originally created for [[Creator/IonTelevision PAX]], an American Christian TV network; possibly its producers were trying to appeal to a broader audience.
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8	It follows a goofy professor of anthropology in the University of Oregon, who has made it his mission to prove the existence of miracles after he survives an accident. In this quest he is joined by a female doctor at a local hospital, a Goth Girl graduate student/research assistant, and his scruffy dog.
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10	----
11	!!This series provides examples of:
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13	* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: In "Handshake," a doctor says that a woman who receives mysterious messages when she's drunk has accessed "that ninety percent of the brain that no one really taps into."
14	* [[AirGuitar Air Drums]]: Declan does this whenever someone is singing.
15	** Even to "[[Theatre/{{Oklahoma}} I Cain't Say No]]" (in "Handshake").
16	* AgentScully: Both Peggy and Miranda fill this role much of the time.
17	* AllJustADream: [[spoiler:"Logan Miller"]], with the series' [[OrWasItADream typical last-minute twist ending]].
18	* AmbiguouslyJewish: In-universe. Declan assumes that Miranda is Jewish because of her surname, Feigelstein. Early in the first season, she tells him she's not Jewish and [[PronouncingMyNameForYou her name is pronounced "FeigelSTEEN"]], and gets upset at how little he seems to know about her.
19	* AndADietCoke: In "19A," Miranda orders a triple bacon cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, onion rings... and a diet soda.
20	* ArtisticLicenseMusic: Type 1 is averted and then played straight in "Free Spirit": in the first few scenes of Miranda playing the violin, the finger movements and bow strokes match the music, but when she plays later in the episode she's obviously faking. Since her face is only clearly shown in the later scene, the difference could be explained by the use of a TalentDouble.
21	* ArtisticLicenseSports: There are a few very basic errors when Declan and Peggy go bowling in "Spirit Junction."
22	** First, Peggy asks why Declan didn't get bowling shoes, and he replies, "[[NoodleIncident That's a long story]]." Bowling shoes are required because street shoes scuff up the lanes, and they were the only ones in the alley so it's not like he could have slipped through the cracks.
23	** Second, Peggy says it's her turn again after Declan makes one throw. A frame of bowling consists of two attempts to knock down the pins, unless you knock them all down on the first throw (for a strike).
24	** Third, Declan keeps throwing gutterballs before throwing a strike by complete chance. However, he falls [[EpicFail completely into the lane]] in the process, so the strike wouldn't count, as it's a foul if any part of your body crosses the foul line.
25	* CannotTellAJoke: Miranda. In "Free Spirit," Declan writes out a joke to help her break the ice for an interview, and she reads it in a complete monotone.
26	-->'''Declan:''' Have to work on the delivery a little bit, but no, that was great! Great first start.
27	* CensorSuds: When Miranda's in the bath in "Free Spirit."
28	* ChristmasEpisode: "The Last Dance."
29	* ComicallyMissingThePoint: In "Listen":
30	-->'''Declan:''' (on a student who failed a pop quiz) One of the questions was, "Name the 20th century Canadian communications theorist who stated that media will create the global village." His answer? "[[Franchise/StarWars Yoda]]."
31	-->'''Miranda:''' Yoda's Canadian?
32	** Probably on purpose, given Miranda's slight smirk after her deadpan delivery.
33	* CreepyChangingPainting: The miracle in "Reason to Cry" is a crying stained glass window of the Virgin Mary.
34	* CreepyMonotone: Miranda.
35	* CurseCutShort: In "Crazy," Declan starts to say "shit," but remembers he's in front of a child and finishes with "...nuts." (Or he could have just thought that "shoot," his usual expletive of choice, was still too strong.)
36	* DreamingOfTimesGoneBy: Two characters sharing this type of dream is part of Declan's [[spoiler:evidence that they were brothers in a past life]] in "Twins."
37	* ElectrifiedBathtub: In "Free Spirit," Miranda drops a radio in the bath. Declan insists that she should have died and investigates the "miracle," much to Miranda's consternation.
38	* EmotionlessGirl: Miranda.
39	* FakeGuestStar: Creator/AlisenDown at the beginning of the first season. (She eventually gets an "Also Starring" credit before the guest stars and is added to the opening credits in the second season.)
40	* GoshdangItToHeck: Declan uses "shoot" a lot.
41	* HiveMindTestimonial: The scene in "Crystal Clear" of a man talking to people about architecture school plays out like this.
42	* IBelieveThatYouBelieveIt: Miranda says this stock phrase in "Stranger in the Mirror" when a student claims he has memories of another man's life. Subverted in that a second later she [[VerbalBackspace revises her statement]] to, "Yes, I believe you."
43	* JustFriends: Declan with Peggy and Miranda. ShipTease abounds, but it's unclear if there are romantic feelings there.
44	* MomentKiller: Several with Declan and his reporter girlfriend in Season 2. Most memorably, when they are making out in his office and Miranda opens the door... and then just stands there awkwardly staring down at her papers.
45	* NotListeningToMeAreYou: At the beginning of "The Midas Touch," when Declan is trying to figure out how to get grant money for a trip to Belize:
46	-->'''Declan:''' I've tried everything. Models, slides. Mariachi band, once. (Notices that Peggy isn't listening.) So this year, I'm gonna take a more radical approach and try a Mayan ritual with you as the human sacrifice.
47	-->'''Peggy:''' That's a good idea.
48	* OneTrueLove: Explored in "Love's Divine." The mystery-of-the-week revolves around a couple realizing that they truly are meant to be together and Miranda wonders if a person can have more than one soul mate. It's said early on that you "won't be able to shake" your soul mate; it's later pointed out that Declan "can't seem to shake" either Peggy or Miranda.
49	* PastLifeMemories: They help drive the plot in "Twins" and "Stranger in the Mirror."
50	* PermaStubble: On Declan.
51	* PlatonicLifePartners: Peggy and Miranda both fit this role with Declan. There was ship-teasing, but Declan's only relationship was with another woman and neither Peggy nor Miranda ever got a relationship upgrade.
52	* PuppyDogEyes: Declan's [[http://i45.tinypic.com/xnzuvd.png secret weapon]].
53	* RealAfterAll: Most of the episodes end with there being a normal explanation of the alleged miracle, however unlikely -- followed by a twist in the last two minutes suggesting that it actually was real.
54	* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: The episode "Yesterday" deals with a police officer who relives the previous day after accidentally shooting and killing his partner and praying for some way to make it right.
55	* ShipTease: Declan gets plenty with both Miranda and Peggy. It's implied that they both have feelings for him (and acknowledge that he might have feelings for one of them) but nothing ever comes of it.
56	* SmartPeoplePlayChess: In "The Big Picture," Declan asks Miranda to play chess with him. She replies that last time she beat him in nine moves.
57	* SuperIdentikit: One episode features an uncannily accurate police sketch artist. However, her accuracy is a plot point and the subject of Duncan's investigation, as she has developed some kind of psychic sense and includes features that the witness hasn't described and can't even consciously remember.
58	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: In "Phoenix," Declan follows a flight attendant onto her flight because he thinks she'll be part of a miracle on the plane. He makes a specific point of telling her what a coincidence it is that they are on the same flight together.
59	* VikingFuneral: Performed for a character in "Something Fishy," although they light the boat on fire with torches before setting it out to drift rather than doing the flaming arrow thing.
60	-->'''Peggy:''' It's a Viking funeral.\
61	'''Miranda:''' Yep.\
62	'''Peggy:''' Isn't this illegal?\
63	'''Miranda:''' Yep.
64	* WhatTheHellHero: For all his good intentions, Declan can be a real jerk sometimes. He gets called out on his obnoxious manner and unconcern for others often by his two colleagues. The BEST example of this is in 1x16 "Yesterday", where [[TimeyWimeyBall on one occasion]] he causes Miranda to miss an important exam, and she comprehensively bitches him out in front of a crowded cafe. There is also a scene in the same episode where she and Peggy get together and just start listing his faults:
65	-->'''Miranda''': He's pushy.
66	-->'''Peggy''': Scatterbrained.
67	-->'''Miranda''': A slob.
68	-->'''Peggy''': ...Oh ''yeah''.
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Context Series / MysteriousWays