3 out of 5

Directed by: Kevin Fair

This is about as cheesy as the show can get before it hits its schmaltz limit (as per the Official Altman Schmaltz-o-meter, at least – but really, how else does one measure schmaltz nowadays?).  Watched in chronological order, as a lead-in to the patriotic nonsense of The Impossible Dream, Truth Be Told renders that episode even more grating because Martha Williamson and co-writer Brandi Harkonen do a good job of summarizing the usual themes of duty and family of that entry in a much comparatively less heavy-handed way here, where we’re introduced to the young girl waiting for her P.O.W. mother’s return from Afghanistan, delivered a two-year old burnt letter that may or may not be from mom.

Meanwhile, Rita and Simon stumble into each other and Shane and Oliver do the same, the former pair investigating the above scenario, the latter a not uninteresting and well entwined bit about Oliver’s father.  What makes Truth watchable is that it keeps its wits and humor about it, even when plunging into O’s daddy troubles, something the salute-the-flag Dream totally forgot about.

…Which sets this special on par, just about.  I’m always going to prefer our Postables have a bit more mystery and chuckles than longing glances and stirring dramatic moments, but I’ll tolerate that formula leaning into its Hallmarkiness on occasion, as long as everyone remembers to lean back the other way every once in a while, for some silly, cute Signed Sealed Delivered chuckles.