Daily Updates

From: bv143@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (T.A. Murray)
Subject: PC: Friday Update - July 18th 1997
Date: 24 Jul 1997 07:19:13 GMT

Port Charles - Friday Update - July 18th 1997
(posted and e-mailed)

Apologies for the late update, but we were out of town for the
weekend. The GH/PC/THL weekend that is.  Later we'll have a
huge, unwieldy, detailed report on all aspects of the events we were
able to attend. (Yes. That's a threat.  The weight of these things has
been known to crush small farm animals.)

Cooper is lying in bed staring into space while Ellen berates him.
She tells him that Audrey is fine.  She says the Police Officer
who was driving the car when he had his siezure is dead, but she
supposes that was an accident.  While she speaks Matt stealthily rolls
into the room. The unobservant Dr. Burgess tells Cooper that his
shooting Dr. Faulk was cold-blooded murder.  (Not the way we
recall it, but Ellen wasn't there.)

In the interns lounge Chris and Julie are seated at the table while
Eve is pacing the room, ranting that it's bad enough to have Cooper
there without having to discuss their feelings about it.  Jake stomps
in and also complains about having to get his head shrunk by this
Collins guy.  Who is he anyway?  Chris, (Mr. Collecting-information-
is-my-hobby) supplies the facts.  Dr.Jekyll was chief of psychiatry
here until he held some woman hostage; a reformed stalker or
something.  Frank walks in.  He says Kevin asked him to attend.
(We never do find out why.  Moral support?).  Eve, impatient to
have something else to complain about, demands to know where
this Dr. Stalker (Hey, that's Ryan's handle, not Kevin's, his is
"psycho shrink") is.  Kevin has opened the door behind her. (Is
everyone hard of hearing around here?) "I'm right behind you,"
he says. She turns around.  "Scott's friend, right?" he identifies
her.  He notes their hostile countenances and concludes that it's
a "tough room".  He asks if everyone is there.  Nope. Matt, Karen
and Joe are still missing.

 (Our respite is brief.)

At Karen's door, Joe asks Scott if he can see Karen.  Scott refuses
to let him in.  Joe says Karen had better get over to the hospital or
she'll regret it.  Scotty takes that as a threat and Joe stumbles over
an explanation before Scotty can think of launching a lawsuit.  Joe
says that Burgess has scheduled a mandatory meeting with Dr.
Collins.  Karen springs into sight and declares that means Joe is
late too.  (Oooh, give her a prize for the last logical statement in
the show.  We are now entering the twilight zone.  The rest of
the episode consists of non-sequiters, lies and strange interludes.)
Instead of rushing off to the meeting, Joe insinuates himself into the
room, and says he has to talk to Karen.  (Could you settle your little
personal problems, when it's NOT a career risk, Joey?)

Lucy comes into the lighthouse den with a teapot.  Rex is seated
on the couch.  She tells him that Scott would be disturbed to learn
that Dom had an Uncle and Sister that he didn't know about. (Well,
if he  learns about it he knows it, so why would he be disturbed.
In any case it's not the sort of thing that would bother him.)  Rex
tells her that family matters can be sticky at best. (Well, Rex she
wasn't the one who brought it up in the first place.)  Lucy says
she doesn't have much family but that's why she knows it's
precious.  Lucy also thinks a family meeting would be good,
even if it did have to include Katherine. (Poor Kathy is over on
GH totally unaware that Lucy is plotting to involve her in
a *shudder* family reunion.)   Rex insists that he doesn't want
to open up old wounds. (Think Lucy.  Why did he tell you?)
Lucy ignores that and mentions that Serena, Scott and Karen
have all come into her life recently, and this is fate or karma
(Or a new soap-launching) or something at work, and that he
should just go with the flow.

Lucy continues to insist that Rex meet his family.  Rex points out
again that his meeting with Danielle didn't go well.  He then says
that he upset her boyfriend.  Lucy jumps on that.  Danielle has
a boyfriend?  Rex tells her that Jake Marshak is an intern at General
Hospital.  "Small world", Lucy says, no doubt thinking of Karen,
Karen's friend Joe, Scott's friend Eve, and Mike's bar across the
street.  Again Rex tries to dissaude her from arranging a family
reunion. (The equivalent of "Don't throw me in the briar patch, suh.")
He wants their meeting to be kept just between the two of them.
Lucy, "Smells a rat".  (The equivalent of the "Who are you kidding"
line she gave Norma and Eve a couple years ago.  Don't let her fool
you.  The only one who figures out stuff this fast is Kevin.)

Scott suggests that Joe leave.  Joe risks Scotty's inconsiderable wrath
and pushes his way in, apologizing to Karen for being a jerk the day
(week, whatever) before.  Karen says it's okay if he comes in.  Scott
tells both of them that they ought to go to the meeting and leaves. Joe
says he likes her dad.  He then tells her that she doesn't have to worry
about him again if she goes to the hospital. (Now don't go getting
your hopes up.  Joe isn't going to quit, to improve Karen's comfort
level. It's just a little scene cliffhanger.)

Kevin says he's glad they're all there.  Frank sits down on the couch.
The interns point out that they weren't given a choice.   Jake,
sprawled on the armchair, says that missing this meeting was the
equivalent of missing grand rounds. Cause for dismissal.  Kevin says
sarcastically that forcing them into this was a good start.  "What's
that supposed to mean, you're on our side?" Chris snaps.  (He
doesn't like Kevin.  Kevin is smarter than he is and invites Frank
to meetings.) Frank tells Chris to give Kevin a break, Kevin doesn't
want to be there either.  Kevin contradicts him.  Au contraire, Frank.
Kevin isn't being paid and he isn't on staff.  It's just some sort of
masochistic impulse on his part.  Jake complains, in relation to
nothing in the previous conversation, that Cooper is the sick one
not them.  Julie goes off from that but contradicts Jake by saying
they are sick and tired of hearing about Cooper, and can't they
just forget about it and get back to work. (Question of the hour,
Julie-girl.) Have you forgotten, Kevin asks.  Chris looks up from
his magazine long enough to grumble, "how can we when we have
to play these mind games?".    Eve says "it" won't fix anything
and "it's" making her crazy.  (Mind games?  Therapy?  Prolonged
conversation?) Kevin says he understands why Ellen asked him to
meet with them.  They scare him. (Everyone raise their hand if they
agree with Kevin.)

Ellen tells a still completely zonked Cooper, that Faulk was a great
Doctor and Cooper has deprived the world of his presence.  She then
moves to the side of the bed and still fails to note Matt, sitting in
plain sight by the door. (Has he got a cloaking device on that wheel
chair?)  She goes on to say that David Faulk believed in improving
the quality of life, even for human monsters like Cooper.    Cooper
should thank the compassionate Dr. Faulk.  Having lost hope that
Burgess would run out of steam, Matt tries to sneak back out again.
His cloaking device fails.  Burgess turns on him.  "How dare you!?"

"Outside now!" Burgess orders him.  He tries to spit out an
explanation. (I couldna help it Capt'n.  The dilithium crystals
were the wrong shape for my cloaking device.)  Burgess isn't
in the mood. "Outside or do I have to push you?"  He opens
the door and they go out into the hallway. He tries to explain
again, but she cuts him off and asks why he wasn't at the
meeting.  He turns it around and asks why she wasn't at the
meeting.  She is offended, and tells him not to questions her
authority. Matt tries to analyze her feelings about Cooper again.
(We can see where this guy could get on Burgess' nerves.  He
won't let go of this to save his life.) She tells him to mind his
own business and get his butt over to that meeting.  He tells
her that the only authority he acknowledges is his own Conscience.
She tells him to rethink that.  He tells her to rethink her idea
of what compassion is, so she can recognize it when it's shown
to her. (He can't leave without having the last word.  No way.)

"Why should we scare you?" Chris asks Kevin.  Kevin avoids
giving the lengthy list and launchs into his view of Cooper.
The man almost shot and killed his fiancee who was pregnant
with his baby.  She was the woman in the Elevator? Eve asks.
Kevin says yes and Frank confirms it. (These people should
really communicate more.)  Kevin tells them that he has had
a reaction.  He has trouble sleeping, and finds himself speeding
on dirt roads.  (Mild symptoms compared to his usual signs of
stress, and maybe the kidnapping and Scott sleeping on his sofa,
contributed.)  He admits to a certain loss of control after the
incident.  But, he points out, he isn't an Intern.  He isn't wielding
a scalpel (or a power drill), or making diagnoses.  He's not
pretending it didn't happen, like they are. Julie asks him if he
thinks this is the way to handle it.  He says no and tears down the
flyer announcing the meeting, off the bulletin board.  He says he'll
tell Burgess that therapy can't be mandatory.  Also, they may not
be ready to meet as a group.  He offers to meet with them
individually, or give them the name of a psychiatrist that hasn't,
"flipped out". He waves his arms expressively in the air and Eve
 tries to hide a smile.  Maybe some of them don't need help. (And
Cows don't moo.)  But they won't forget.  Before Kevin leaves
Frank asks him how Lucy is.  Kevin says she is fine and thanks Frank
again for his help that night.  As Kevin opens the door, Matt comes
in.  He asks what he missed.  Kevin doesn't answer, rolling his eyes
as he walks away.  Chris gets up and grabs a bedpan, tossing a
couple of bills into it. "I'm ready for a party."  The other interns
toss in some cash as they leave.  Except Eve who asks Matt to
cover for her. (That's what you get for coming in late, buddy.)

Rex tells Lucy that a former combat soldier shouldn't be shaking
in his boots. (Everyone who believes that, raise your hand and then
send us ten dollars. A mercenary, at best.)  Lucy says he's not
scared, he is just shy. (A fine distinction and what happened to
that rat?)  Lucy convinced Scott to stay in town and so she knows
that she can convince Rex to do the same.  He says he'll go along
with her plan, but for now it should remain a secret between the two
of them.

Joe, alone with Karen, and completely unaware that the vital
meeting has already broken up, apologizes again.  He says he
pushed to far.  He screwed everything up and ruined their
friendship.  So he admits he's wrong, Karen thinks that's
quite a concept and accepts his apology.  Now both of them
better get to the Hospital. The phone rings and it's Jagger.
(That's three drinks, for anyone still keeping track.)  Karen
sits down to talk and tells Joe to go on to the meeting
without her. (Good going.  Urge Jagger to come join you
in a town where you may have just trashed your job.)

Outside of Cooper's room a security gaurd picks up two
empty water bottles.  Then we focus on the IV bag.  Two
surgically gloved hands come into the shot.  They use a
hypodermic needle to inject something into the IV.

Karen is on the phone to Jagger.  Joe tells her that he'll cover
for her at the long-over-that-boat-has-sailed meeting.  Karen
tells Jagger, it's just another intern telling her about a meeting.
Joe leaves, looking like a kicked puppy.  Karen tells Jagger
she wants him to come to Port Charles. (What?! And leave
Miss Piggy?)

Lucy and Kevin are seated on the couch.  Serena and Scott
come into the room.  Serena is carrying a little blue suitcase.
(Barbie?) Lucy panics for a second thinking they may be
going somewhere permanently, but Scott says he's taking
Serena to spend the night at Karen's.  He's going to stay
at a hotel for the night and give Kevin and Lucy some space.
Lucy and Scott argue over who gets to put on Serena's
little shoes (They settled it... one each).  Lucy is still upset
by their leaving.  Kevin merely gives a cheery wave and
a "have a good time".  Lucy asks if she's being to obsessive, and
no one needs multiple choice to answer that.  Kevin points
out that Scott also might like some time to himself, and Karen
should get to know Serena.  Lucy agrees.  Kevin, for no
good reason, but storyline foreshadowing, says Scott has had
enough surprises.

While Rex lurks at the door of the Recovery Room, Jake
announces to the other interns that he is going to marry Danielle.
The beer is on him.  In a lovely simultaneous move, Frank and
Chris get up from opposite sides of the table and go in opposite
directions.  Eve and Chris go over to the bar, while Frank and
Julie meet at their favorite spot, the jukebox.  Eve teases Chris
that Frank and Julie might get ideas about matrimony.  Frank
tells Julie that he has a speech for her. (Another false cliffhanger.
Of course he isn't going to ask her to marrry him at this stage.)
Jake asks Matt if he isn't happy for him and Danielle.  Matt
says sure he is. (Did Matt do it?)

They cut back to Cooper who is beginning to react to the drug
entering his system.

The session put a damper on the happy news, Matt tells Jake.
Jake goes off on a tangent, implying that Kevin's therapy is
somehow a part of Cooper's plot to stay out of prison.
(Did Jake do it?)

Ellen stands in the interns room alone, and remembers Matt
saying, "he killed your best friend".  She looks at her watch.
(Did Ellen do it?)

Cooper begins to have serious spasms.  Nurse Grace enters the
room and begins quickly to treat him.  She calls a code blue.
(Did Grace do it?)

Our theory - Well, why would Grace poison the guy, and then
save him?  Maybe she is in cahoots with Cooper.  They planned
to make his seizures appear real, and give them time to plan his
big escape.  She injects the IV and then comes back in time to
save him.  If he had injected himself, he would have no guarantee
someone would come and save him.  Hence, an accomplice.  Okay,
so probably not, but it would be cool.

Director - Jill Ackles
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