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From: bv143@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (T.A. Murray) Subject: PC: Friday Update - 10/10/97 Date: 12 Oct 1997 19:59:04 GMT Port Charles - Friday Update - October 10th 1997 (posted and e-mailed) PORT CHARLES - THE BRADY ZONE As you no doubt have all noticed, life, television and particularly Port Charles, have situations and plots that directly trace their roots to episodes of that classic series, "The Brady Bunch". But just to make it a little clearer, in this update we are going to be pointing out the uncanny parallels between the two shows. Frank is in the middle of his confrontation with Bennett. Frank tells him he didn't realize Ben's influence went beyond the operating room. How did he line this job up? Bennett tries to play innocent. (Like Jackie Coogan in the episode "The Fender Benders" where he hits Carol's car and tries to weasel out of it.) Ben says it was just the result of media coverage. (Like the Brady episode "The Hero" where Peter saves a little girl and the newspaper picks up the story.) Frank wonders why his work as a Paramedic would get him a job as an athletic director. Ben tries to wiggle out of it some more, but finally fesses up. He claims that he was talking to the guy from the college during a golf game and let Frank's name drop. (Right. What was a guy from Chicago doing playing golf in Port Charles?) "Simple as that?" Frank asks. "No big deal," says Ben. It is a big deal to Frank. Joe and Karen are in the middle of a confrontation with Chris. Joe accuses him again of tampering with Kevin's IV line to torpedoes Karen. "Admit it." (Like "Kitty Karry-All is Missing" where Cindy's doll is stolen and she accuses Bobby.) Chris says Karen is sabotaging herself and doesn't need his help. Karen says that Chris knows she didn't leave that IV open. He knows no such thing. She should stop blaming other people for her problems, just because Jagger dumped her. Joe grabs him and Chris pushes him off. "The Rocky Balboa routine is getting old." (Like Peter in "A Fistful of Reasons" where Peter defends Cindy from a bully making fun of her lisp.) Karen asks Chris if it was personal or he just doesn't want her to get the Quartermaine residency. He tells her she's no threat in that department. Joe takes offense. Chris says Karen wants that residency as much as anyone, and that she's trying to pin her mistake on someone else, so she still has a shot at it. He'll say it nice and slow so they can both understand, if they go around spreading lies about him putting Kevin's life in danger he'll go straight to Dr. Quartermaine and have them up on charges. Kevin is lying in bed with eyes closed. The door of his room begins to slowly open as happy Lucy music plays in the background. He senses the door opening and begins to sit up. "Lucy you just couldn't stay..." The music changes to dramatic "it could be Cooper coming to try and kill him music". (Like in "Fright Night" where the spookiness is all faked.) Kevin sits up abruptly, when he realizes it isn't Lucy at the door. Scotty is at the table in the Lighthouse, wearing his cute little spectacles. He is trying to glue a little doll together. (Elmer's glue. Rex can't get him for sniffing that.) Scott flashes back to his recent tea party with Serena, where she asked if he was okay and he reassured her. When Scotty comes back from his flashback Lucy is in the room. Scotty explains that he stepped on "Little Sherry" and is trying to fix her before Serena gets home. (Like in "Confessions, Confessions" Peter is in trouble when he breaks Carol's favorite vase.) Lucy suggests that he wait until he's feeling better. He says he feels fine. He doesn't look fine. Lucy insists that something is wrong. Scott says that he's the picture of health. Lucy agrees, "Yeah, a picture by Picasso." She reminds him that he has had hallucinations and should be examined by a doctor so they can figure out what's wrong. He doesn't want to know If it happens again they'll do something. Lucy, Rhonda and Eve are they only ones who know and he wants it to stay that way. Lucy says Scott is a great father, and lawyer but that can be a real pinhead. He tells her that if the doll starts talking to him he'll reconsider.(like Kitty Karry-All used to talk to Cindy.) Lucy asks him to think about Serena. That's all he does think about. So, Lucy suggests they go over everything that led up to him being sick. He has. (Like when Jan was allergic to Tiger in "Katchoo".) They rule out food poisoning from bad cheese. They can't figure it out. Lucy then suggests that they could really use Kevin's help. It's only Victor at Kevin's door. He apologizes for waking Kevin. Kevin says he wasn't asleep. Victor comes into the room and looks around, "I like your room it's nice." (No doubt comparing it to the rooms he's had lately.) Kevin quickly explains that credit goes to Lucy and her decorator. (A similar transformation occurred in "Our Son, The Man" to Mike's den.) Kevin gets out of bed pushing his little IV holder along with him. Victor starts to ask if Kevin is all right. He's fine. Kevin asks Victor to sit down. He asks if Victor has had lunch. Victor says yes, "Fish today. No species I know." (Now we know where Kevin gets his sense of humor.) Kevin smiles and asks how he is. Victor says he's alive thanks to Kevin. He pulled him out of the fire. Kevin gives part of the credit to Frank Scanlon. Victor doesn't have to thank him. Victor has trouble saying it but finally gets out, that he has spent his life running away (Like Bobby in "Every Boy Does it Once.") and he admires Kevin for not running away. "Monk doesn't run... ever." Victor says he's proud of Kevin. Kevin looks touched. Joe and Karen are still giving innocent Chris a hard time. "Maybe you didn't intend to put a person's life in danger." Joe theorizes. Karen swings Chris around. She repeats the accusation. "You opened Kevin's IV and lowered his head." She goes on reiterating Joe's theory, which had no basis whatsoever in fact. (As in "The Slumber Caper" when Marcia is falsely accused of drawing a caricature. Carol said "You were blamed for something because it seemed somebody didn't have all the facts. And you turned around and did the same thing to Jenny".) Chris is starting to show a bit of temper himself. He says Karen and Joe should take their act on the road. Karen should take a look in the mirror if she wants to see who responsible. It's ironic that both Karen and Joe have a penchant for self-destruction . How fortuitous they found each other. Joe could teach Karen how to disregard her Hippocratic oath. (That "do no harm" bit.). He lowers his voice, and says that Karen could teach Joe how to strip. (We're in favor of that.) Joe is angry and gives Chris a good push. Chris pushes back. Ellen comes up right then and gets between them. She demands to know what's going on. (The way Carol and Mike separate Greg and Marcia in "My Sister, Benedict Arnold.") Julie sits on the front stoop with a basketball in her hands. Mary walks up. She heard about the Frank's job interview and wants to find out how it went. Julie tells him that Frank's left. Mary wonders if it isn't some sort of case of mistaken identity and Julie says the college is crazy about Frank. Julie wants to make a confession. Mary jokingly suggests that Julie should talk to father Wysocki. (Uh... Can dead priests take confessions.) Julie tells her not to tell Frank, but she wishes he wouldn't take the job. Mary takes the basketball. She points out the window of a neighboring house. It belonged to Louie Peron. A nice kid, with no physical abilities and severe allergies, whom Frank had taught sports, and eventually had become a powerful executive. That's what kind of a guy Frank is. (See the episode "My Fair Opponent" where Marcia helps Molly win the hostess-of-banquet-night job.) Now, it's Frank's turn and he deserves a shot. (This whole scene is reminiscent of the scene in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". Where Carol explains to the kids that it would be selfish to ask Alice to stay, when she wants to leave.) Bennett is still explaining to Frank how the opportunity to recommend him for the job just fell into his lap. Frank wants to know why Ben would help him at all. Because of Julie. A long distance relationship can be difficult, but this job would "equalize the playing field". Frank pretends not to know what he means. Julie, as a successful Doctor will be earning much more than Frank, an English teacher/paramedic. It would bother most men to earn less than a woman. (Like "The Driver's Seat" where Greg can't admit Marcia is a better driver.) Frank says that money has never been important to him. Ben acts like Frank was speaking in Swahili, and skips over it. This job offer is nothing to be scoffed at. Frank says that "Us proud guys like to accomplish things on our own." Bennett insists that Frank was hired on the basis of his work. (Well, if his resume is really good enough for that college, it looks like we could use Frank as our new football coach at Arizona.) Frank's not buying it. Bennett is happy things have been clarified. Yes, things are quite clear to Frank. (Yes, it's just like, "Double Parked" Where Mike is offered an architect job building a court house right on the park Carol is trying to save.) He starts to leave and then turns back. He declares that now he understands why Julie created a make-believe family. The last thing he'd want was to be associated with Bennett Devlin. Ben says that Frank misunderstood him. The job offer came from Coulson College. Frank asks him not to insult him. He will decline the offer and furthermore, he doesn't lie to Julie. (Implying that he will tell her of her father's role.) Julie remembers how she promised herself, when Frank was in the ER that they would stay on course, and move forward. She just didn't know moving forward meant Frank moving so far away. Mary says it's a terrific opportunity and they'd miss him like crazy. And they couldn't let Frank see if they were falling apart when he left. Julie agrees and Mary leaves and asks Julie to tell Frank she'll call him. Julie gets up and shoots the basketball. She misses. (Like Mr. Matthews missing the crucial shot in his pool game against Bobby in "The Hustler") Ellen asks the belligerent interns what's going on. Chris tells her the truth. Karen and Joe have a theory that he jerry-rigged Kevin's IV. Karen wants to explain her side. Ellen tells her that it's not the time and place. She asks Karen and Joe to behave like Doctors while they're on duty. Joe and Karen leave. (Though they don't actually go off to treat any patients. Karen's problems come first.) Chris thanks Ellen. He told Karen and Joe that his hands were clean, but they wouldn't listen. Ellen tells him that it's his own fault for having given the appearance of sabotage when he read Karen's letter and told Ellen the contents. (Cindy in "The Tattletale") Karen and Joe fume next to the staircase. Karen suggests that going head to head with Chris wasn't the best idea. Joe (Judge, jury and executioner) Scanlon is furious that Chris is getting away with this. Karen points out that they are accusing a Doctor of deliberate malpractice. Joe asks if Karen thinks this sort of stunt is beyond Chris. She doesn't. (We do.) But there's no proof. Joe thinks they should get some and they should start at the beginning. (Joe and Karen's efforts to solve the mystery are reminiscent of Bobby and Cindy's teeter totter record breaking efforts in "The Teeter Totter Caper.") Lucy postulates that Scott might be suffering from a psychological rather than a physical ailment. It might help to talk to Kevin. Scott says that until they have a chance to do so, he's going to do it his way. They'll say the fish sticks were bad and leave it at that. Okay, Lucy agrees sarcastically, denial, highly recommended. Scott stuffs an insurance form in an envelope and licks it. Now that Lucy has broached the subject of his health he wants to talk about the future if anything should happen to him. He knows Lucy and Serena have grown close and he'd like her and Kevin to be Serena's guardians if anything happens to him. (Like Carol and Mike were for her little nephew Oliver in the final season) Lucy is thrilled and she kisses him. "I'm speechless," she tells him."That's a first," he counters. Lucy's delight soon turns to concern as the special Rex-drug begins to affect Scott. Rex, standing beneath the duck crossing sign by the lake (and just where is Sigmund when Mommy need his protection?), gazes at Scott and Lucy through a pair of binoculars. He chuckles evilly. "'Scuse me while I kiss the sky," he says, revealing a heretofore unsuspected familiarity with psychedelic rock. (Rex would never have appeared on a wholesome family show like The Brady Bunch, despite the Roman Brady connection.) Julie tosses Frank the basketball as he walks up to the house. (Hey, Julie, you should really be more careful. No doubt everyone remembers Marcia's traumatic experience in "The Subject was Noses.") He throws the ball and makes a basket. She's impressed with his skills and curious as to how the interview went. He looks at her sadly. "I don't know how to tell you this," he says. Joe and Karen walk into Kevin's hospital room. They are surprised. "And they said there were budget cuts," Joe quips. (So Joe is marginally aware of his surroundings. Who knew?) "Welcome to Shangri-la," Kevin says and quickly attributes the environmental changes to Lucy. Joe thinks Kevin must be enjoying his stay. "Nothing personal," Kevin tells him, "but I can't wait to get home." He asks if they've had any luck finding out who made the "mistake" with his IV. Some, they tell him. Karen says they don't want to bother him while he's recuperating, but they've hit a wall. Does Kevin remember anything from just before his surgery? (Of course, she doesn't mean "anything", she means anything that will support their bogus theory about Chris. Guess we're lucky these two geniuses didn't join the PCPD.) Yes, Kevin does remember something. Someone came into the room and they were wearing black. "Black?" says Karen, either unfamiliar with the color or wondering how it fits into the Chris theory. (Like Carol's editor in "Tell It Like It Is" who refused to accept her family biography because it was unbelievable.) "Why am I the bad guy?" Chris asks Ellen. All he did was make the connection between Karen's emotional state and an almost fatal error. He think someone should be expressing their appreciation. Don't expect that from Karen, Burgess tells him. (Did Marcia thank Cindy for reading her diary in "The Snooper Star". We think not.) Now that she's heard his side she thinks he should go back to work. Someone in black is lurking in a nearby doorway as Chris goes behind the nurses desk to sign something. Lucy takes Scott to the Hospital. She wants him to go to the ER, but he only wants to see Kevin. They slip in through a back door. "Are we invisible?" Scott asks. Lucy tries to guide him up the stairs. He sits on the stairs and begins to giggle. She attempts to quiet him and get him on his feet when she hears footsteps coming toward them. They both look up the stairs in horror. "What are you doing here?" Alas it appears to be not Eve in a negligee, but Bennett Devlin. (Rex deception of Scott does bear a resemblance to Greg's heinous deception of Bobby in "Out of this World" when he makes Bobby think he's seeing flying saucers.) Media Reference of the Day: Rex - "'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky" Jimi Hendrix. Honorable Mention - Chris for "Rocky Balboa." Director - Jill Ackles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX * !! ( |\ | ( !! * *!* !! | \ | !! *!* |~| !! | \| !! |~| | |"It's that twin thing."-Ryan Chamberlain"| | |_| twinsofevil@geocities.com*tntmur@aol.com|_| bv143@freenet.carleton.ca * ui220@freenet.victoria.bc.ca http://muppetlabs.com/~davidj/tnt/tnt.htm http://members.aol.com/tntmur/index.html http://members.aol.com/tntmur/port/chuckles.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~