June 25, 2001
There is TONS to talk about this week, and I hope I can get through it in two cds (no way will I get through in 2 cds, it usually takes 5 and there isn't usually as much to talk about as there is this week!). In the player today are two of my all time favorites, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie and "Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven" by Love and Rockets.
Let's get right to it. The MEANINGLESS DRIVEL OF THE WEEK award goes to the new and remodeled SOS. Mateo sunk more money into his business and turned it from a tacky tropical setting to a dark cigar bar. Who cares? Oh but I do have one question, will Mateo still have his old job of cutting fruit now that the setting isn't tropical? That seemed to be his only function at the old SOS. As the DRIVEL continues, Rosa (who I'm sorry, she is Raquel's age - around 25 or so, not 17) shows up and wants a job. At least Mateo was using his head when he turned her down and said she was underage. This girl is such a whiner. I know a lot of people thought that Bianca was a whiner, but she was nothing compared to Miss I Want to Live My Own Life.
Stuart held his annual fundraiser for AIDS in honor of Cindy Chandler. There isn't much to discuss about this other than Adam and David taunting each other and playing who's got the biggest johnson. Adam gives this weeks LINE OF THE WEEK when he approaches David near the food table and says, "It makes me nervous when I see you too near a punch bowl." Adam finally caves in to David's blackmail and agrees to get him freed from jail for good, as long as he drops his vendetta against JR. Liza tells Hayley that JR is in trouble and using drugs, so Hayley decides to talk to him. She tells him that she knows what it's like to be in his shoes and wants to help. She tells him that if he is ever somewhere where the kids are doing drugs and he doesn't want to, to call her and she will pick him up. The best part of the benefit scenes was that Dixie was there and she never spoke.
Later at Mateo and Hayley's condo, Rosa tells them she wants to go to Pine Valley High School, which doesn't seem like it should be a problem. Anita went there. Why didn't she use that argument? Oh I know, because no one at AMC knows it's history anymore. Izzy shows up and Rosa pleads her case. Izzy caves. Then Rosa tells her that she's going swimming with her old girl scout pal, Philomena Lacey. Izzy runs down a list of all Phil's good points and agrees to let her go swimming at the Boathouse, she even slips her a few bucks for sunscreen. Gee Izzy, when you cave, you really cave! Once Izzy and Rosa are gone, Hayley starts to have pains.
JR arrives at the Community Center to do his community service. While he's folding towels, the 3 skanks show up and tell him about a big party at the Boathouse in his honor. They try and talk him into skipping out and going to the party, but Derek comes in and makes it known that JR has work to do. After they leave, JR contemplates going to the party then remembers Hayley telling him to call her if he has the urge to do something he knows he shouldn't. He calls her, but she's not home and off he goes, skipping out on community service again. What JR doesn't know is that Mateo took Hayley to the hospital when she started having contractions.
Rosa, in her low cut tank top, heads to the party at the Boathouse. Once there, Marcus swoops in like the studpuppy he is. I'm sure that won't sit well with head skank Shannon. And in the background Gabriel, who is also at the Boathouse going for a dip in the PV Ocean, eyes Rosa too. Looks like there will be some competition for AMC's latest virgin's affections. I still think it would be great if she were to end up a lesbian. The problems that it would cause for the very Religious Santos family would be much more realistic than all the acceptance that Bianca has encountered. As much as I would like to believe that the world is an accepting place, I know that it is not.
At the new SOS, Greenlee and Jake are having a drink, when Erica beeps Greenlee. She goes to leave but tells Jake she'll be back. When she returns, she sees that Pat Drawbridge ... er, Trowbridge, has taken her spot at Jake's table. For reasons no one can fathom, even Greenlee, she's jealous. When Jake leaves the table, Greenlee goes over to talk to Pat. She starts flaunting her relationship with Jake to Pat, who doesn't seem to care one little bit about what Greenlee is saying. That is until Greenlee tells her that she and Jake are "bed buddies." Pat decides that this is the news she should believe and decides to leave. Little did Greenlee know that Jake heard the whole thing and decides to teach Greens a lesson. The first thing he does is plant a big kiss on her right at the table, then usher her out of SOS and back to the loft so they can "get it on."
Jake really plays up wanting to actually become "bed buddies" like Greenlee said they were. It's pretty hilarious watching Jake schmooze and ooze all over Greenlee, while she stares at him in confusion. He tells her that she's been driving him crazy ever since she moved in. He takes off his shirt and tells her that he's going to work all his muscles out on her body. Greenlee is speechless and laughs uncomfortably, trying to pass off Jake's strange behavior as a joke. The loft is candle lit and Jake keeps playing. He even goes so far as to pull out the whipped cream and tell her he wants to videotape them, like she did with Scott. Wow, can you believe it? Someone over there actually remembers that Greens made a tape of her and Scott. They share some kisses, and Greenlee looks even more confused after each one. But when Jake starts to head to the bedroom, Greenlee backs down and says she can't do it. Jake finally admits he was playing with her. The tension between them is really mounting when he gets an urgent call from Joe to get to the ER immediately. Greenlee follows.
After talking to MyAdrian, Ryan gets confirmation that Ilene is working for Charlotte and was sent to kill Anna. Knowing there is little time, Ryan races to Wildwind to stop her. What we see is Ilene pointing a gun at the back of Gillian's head, thinking she's Anna. That's some assassin Charlotte hired.
In the meantime, the guards have captured Gabriel and TempDimitri has a field day blaming him for everything that has ever gone wrong in their lives. You know, I don't really care much for the character of Gabriel, but TempDimitri has been so busy accusing him and looking for ways to make him the bad guy that he never gave one thought to a documentary film crew coming to his home out of the blue. He never even asked to see credentials. He just blew them off like there was no way they could be anything than what they said they were. Brilliant move TempDimwit. When Gabriel passes out, a mere check of his pulse and Alex knows he's been drugged. A doctor that good should really be practicing. When they revive Gabriel, he tells them he was drugged by one of the guards, a blonde that he knew from Bryn Wydd, a woman who talks a lot. I don't know about anyone else, but if I never hear the words Bryn Wydd again, I won't be too upset about it. Alex immediately puts it together and realizes that the guard is really Ilene. Gabriel tells Alex that it was Ilene who wrote the note to Anna because she wanted to lure her to the turret to kill her. What the brilliant operation they have. They have been after Anna for how long now didn't know is that Anna and Edmund went to England to confront Charlotte. No wonder Anna's been alive all this time, she's got the Keystone Cops after her.
What the hell is with Edmund anyway? He has suddenly devoted his whole life to protecting this woman who is practically a stranger to him. I'm so disgusted with him I can hardly stand it! He's so worried about Anna that he didn't give one thought to bringing Miss Danger Follows Me Wherever I Go into his home. The same home that he shares with his children. What a moron! He's so worried that Anna will get killed that he doesn't even seem to care that everyone else in the house is in danger because of her too. And when Ryan was still keeping Anna a secret from Gillian, he told Edmund he didn't want Gillian anywhere near any of this crap. So what did Eddie do? He brought Anna to the yacht to hide her out for awhile, which is where Gillian and Ryan live! Eddie gets this weeks SUPER DUPER DUFUS SLAP for having no regard for his own family.
Ryan suddenly bursts into the Wildwind living room, holding Ilene's arms behind her back and holding a gun on her. He got her cell phone codes from MyAdrian so he was able to call her and find out her exact location. After a few questions, it's clear that Ilene isn't talking so she's hauled off to jail and that is probably the last time we will see her.
Everyone is so relieved to have the latest assassin captured, and Ryan breathes a big sigh of relief that Gillian wasn't there for all the excitement. Stella tells him that in fact she was there. She came to borrow a gown of Eugenia's for her honeymoon, but she left. Another sigh of relief, until Stella tells him she stopped at the turret before going home. Ryan races to the turret and finds Gilly on the bed. He thinks she's asleep and looks at her adoringly, stroking her face. It's when he tries to wake her so they can go on their honeymoon that he realizes something is very wrong. He pulls his hand out from behind her head and comes out with a handful of blood. Ryan starts to panic and as the scene fades out we hear Ryan scream Gillian's name. It's a very powerful moment.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Laura's condition is getting worse and worse. Knight in Shining Armor Leo is so desperate to help her that he pulls out all the stops and asks her to marry him. Laura is stunned and thinks Leo is proposing out of pity, but Leo tells her that he needs her. He tells her that her love has made him a better man. He then tells her that he loves her. I have no doubt that Leo loves Laura, but I don't believe for one minute that he's in love with her. Compassion does not equal passion. Once Leo realizes the magnitude of what he has done, reality will come back and bite him on the ass.
After Leo dashes out to run some errands, Brooke and Bianca come back in and she tells them that Leo has proposed. Brooke is so happy, but you know if things were different and Laura wasn't sick, she wouldn't even want Laura to date Leo, let alone marry him. Once Bianca and Laura are alone, Laura tells her that she is no longer afraid to die. She is happy and wants Bianca to be happy for her. Bianca is saddened but listens to her friend talk. Laura tells her how they will be friends forever and that she loves Bianca and is honored to be loved by Bianca in return. Laura tells Bianca to come home every year on the anniversary of their trip to the beach and remember her and their special friendship. It was a very moving scene.
When Leo returns, he tells Laura that he wants another chance to propose to her. With Bianca and Brooke in the room, Leo makes a beautiful and heartfelt proposal of marriage to Laura, complete with HUGE rock. Not bad for a guy with no money. Brooke is moved to tears, Bianca looks skeptical, and Laura happily accepts. After they all calm down, Bianca mentions how she can't believe the size of that ring and asks Leo if it's three carats. Leo responds with a potential line of the week when he says, "What? Look, I'm appalled. You know, for being the daughter of Erica Kane, I would think that you would know your carats. That's four, ok?"
Alex and TempDim arrive at the turret. Alex gets Ryan to put pressure on her wound but she seems to know that it doesn't look good for Gillian. Ryan begs his princess to stay with him. The paramedics arrive and take Gilly to the ER. While she's being worked on by the neurologist on call, Joe calls Jake and tells him what has happened. Doesn't Alex work at the hospital anymore? She's a neurologist and she isn't blood related (like that matters at PV Hospital) so she could have worked on Gilly, or at least consulted. Instead she stood outside the room and blamed herself. Which honestly, is fine by me. I blame her too. It was her stupid sister that she brought back to Wildwind that caused all of this. Knowing how much danger Anna was in and that who knows who is after her, TempDim, Alex, Anna and Eddie are all to blame. It's their fault for putting Anna above all else and not beefing up security or hiding her somewhere where no one else would be in the line of fire.
While they are waiting for Gilly to come back from getting a CAT Scan, TempDim seizes another opportunity to get on Gabriel's case and blame him for everything. Gabriel's had enough of TempDim's crap and punches him in the jaw. A good shot too! Maybe TempDim is blaming Gabriel because he knows that he himself is to blame for this, for not protecting his family better. Far as I can tell, Gabriel is the only one who isn't to blame.
The doctors tell Ryan that they need to drill a hole in Gillian's head to relieve the pressure. Ryan is so lost. He goes off to the chapel to be alone and pray for Gillian to be OK. He asks God to save Gillian like He saved him so many years ago when he was a little boy. Whoa, pass me the tissues. Meanwhile Alex, who shows little to no emotion for someone Gillian was so close to, tries to comfort TempDimitri. I can't help but think how much more meaningful all of this would have been if we had Michael Nader as RealDimitri playing it out.
Neurologist Dr. Thompson comes to talk to the family. Ryan isn't there, but TempDim, Jake, Joe, and Alex insist he tell them what is going on anyway. Please, the doctor would not tell them without the patients husband present! But he does. He tells them that Gillian has zero brain activity, that she is brain dead and will never recover. Everyone is shocked and saddened, even Greenlee who was nearby listening. As she sank into a chair in shock, I think it would have made such a tremendous impact to see a tear roll down her cheek. I know that Greenlee and Gillian did not like each other, but Greenlee never wanted to see her dead, and in such a brutal and senseless way. That's just my take though. I think it would have been an amazing touch.
David takes Laura for more tests and she tells him that she and Leo are engaged. David seems genuinely happy for her. Leo, Bianca and Brooke get to work on turning the hospital room into something nice enough to get married in. Brooke says she'll take care of getting the marriage license pushed through quickly by the judge who she appealed to when she wanted David to be released. She'll also take care of the music and the dress. Bianca says she'll handle flowers and photography. And while everyone is running around, Nessie shows up with a bill for $28,000 from the jewelry store. It seems that Leo charged Laura's ring to Nessie! Now that makes more sense than Leo getting credit! Nessie isn't too bothered by the charge when she decides that Leo must be scamming Laura to get her money. Angry, Leo sets Nessie straight and then tells her if she wants to make it up to him, use her influence as Mrs. Cortlandt to find them a Justice of the Peace who can come to the room immediately.
Leo tells David that he cares about Laura (notice he didn't say loves) and that he wants to make her as happy as he possibly can. Then he asks David to be his best man. As luck would have it, David had already purchased them wedding bands as a gift and had them sent over from the jeweler. What a good best man. I've really enjoyed watching the relationship between David and Leo develop. I hope that this continues to be explored. There are just not enough relationships like this on AMC.
Brooke and Bianca help Laura prepare for her big day. Aunt Phoebe sent over a brooch for her, that served as her "something old." Brooke bought her a kimono to wear, which served as her "something new." Her blue hospital wristband was "something blue" and Bianca let her wear her necklace from Mona as "something borrowed." Laura asks Bianca to be her maid of honor and tells Brooke to always remember how happy she was that day. The wedding starts with Bianca, David, Zora and Brooke in attendance. Before the vows can be exchanged, Laura stops the wedding. She wants to make sure Leo knows what he's doing and asks everyone to leave the room so they can talk. She tells him she can't be the kind of wife that he needs, but Leo assures her that she is everything to him and more than he deserves.
While Leo and Laura talk privately in her room, everyone else waits in the lobby outside her room. Erica shows up (in a t-shirt that looks like she took it out of Bianca's closet) and is so happy to find Bianca is unharmed. She tells her that there was a shooting at Wildwind and someone was brought into the ER.
The wedding gets back underway, but Erica waits outside of the room and listens as Laura and Leo express themselves with their own impromptu vows. Greenlee happens by just in time to hear Leo and Laura exchange "I do's" and that is when the tear falls down her cheek which is also a very appropriate moment. Heartbroken, Greenlee turns to leave and finds Erica there, who can't let the moment go by without a jab at Greenlee's expense. In a daze and not in the mood to fight, she walks out. Nessie follows.
Jake breaks down in Joe's arms, and is basically the only one to show any emotion over the loss of Gillian. Jake feels it should be him that tells Ryan about Gillian. I find this kind of odd. Why Jake of all people? It should come from the neurologist, or Joe, or even TempDimitri before Jake. But Jake insists and goes to the chapel to talk to Ryan. He is praying for a miracle, telling God that he knows he doesn't deserve one, but Gillian does. He prays and says that he needs her, he cannot bear life without her. Ryan breaks my heart. Jake enters and tells Ryan that Gillian cannot survive the injury. Ryan does the most logical thing given the circumstances and goes into denial, claiming that Jake is jealous that she chose him over Jake. When Jake assures him that he is a doctor and would never lie about a patients condition, Ryan attacks him.
At the turret, Edmund and Anna have returned and are in sitting there in the crime scene and on the blood covered bed. Anna blames Charlotte... honey take a look in the mirror! This is YOUR fault!
Jake lets Ryan take out his aggressions on him and tries to be understanding and compassionate to Ryan's feelings. Jake is the only one who is feeling anywhere close to what Ryan is feeling. Jake loved Gillian too. While I feel it was inappropriate for Jake to be the one to tell Ryan, at least he is understanding. When Ryan leaves the chapel, he goes back to the doctors and tells them to run more tests on Gillian. He tells them that if she were gone he would feel it in his heart. He goes back into the room and sits with her, holding her hand and begging her to wake up and come back to him. Watching Ryan's anguish is almost unbearable and as I write this the song "Haunted When the Minutes Drag" by Love and Rockets is playing. If you know the words I'm sure you know how eerie it is that the song is on right now, as I'm writing about this scene, I swear I didn't plan it this way, it's one of my favorite albums and this just happens to be my favorite song by them. Here is a sample of the lyrics, "The word that would best describe this feeling would be haunted. I touch the clothes you left behind that still retain your shape and lines, still haunted. I trace the outline of your eyes, we're in the mirror hypnotized I'm haunted. I find a solitary hair, gone and still I reminiscence I'm haunted. Haunted by your soul. Haunted by your hair. Haunted by your clothes. Haunted by your eyes. By your soul, by your hair,by your clothes, by your eyes, by your voice, by your smile, by your mouth, by your soul, by your hair, by your clothes, by your eyes, by your voice, by your smile, by your mouth, by your soul" Very appropriate, especially given what will be happening this week.
Erica just happens to wonder over to the ICU as TempDimitri gets up to go call Eugenia at Vadsel and tell her what is going on. Anyone notice how TempDim and Erica have never had a scene together? Weird. And here's a loose end, Ryan and Gillian were supposed to be on their way to Vadsel for their honeymoon. No one ever mentioned that Eugenia would be there. Nice attention to details AMC. Anyway, Erica eavesdrops and realizes that it's Gillian who was shot. Her shock lasts about one second. I swear, I'm getting really tired of no one caring that Gillian is going to die and only concerning themselves with Laura getting her heart. Sure, I know there is no hope for Gillian and there is for Laura, but can someone other than Ryan and Jake show some emotion! Erica and Gillian were friends! Remember how Gillian helped her while Erica was in prison? Remember how many times she went to that jail to see Erica? Does Erica remember that? NO... hello someone at AMC, can you PLEASE look at the history once in awhile! Erica goes to see Brooke, who is in the chapel saying the same prayer Ryan said... she prays to God for a miracle and says she knows she doesn't deserve one but that Laura does. When Brooke turns around to see Erica standing there she tells her she's not in the mood to deal with her. Erica arrogantly tells her she better deal with her, she found Laura a heart. Who the hell is Erica to assume that Gillian's heart is up for grabs anyway!?
Joe, Alex and Jake all try to talk to Ryan about donating Gillian's organs, but Ryan is not ready to hear this and goes back to the chapel.
Erica tells Brooke that there was a gunshot victim brought into the ICU, and Brooke rushes out before Erica can finish her sentence. Brooke runs smack dab into Ryan who was just coming back to the chapel, and starts gushing about how Laura will be getting the heart of some gunshot victim in the ICU. A horrified Ryan runs out of the chapel and Erica finishes what she tried to tell Brooke. Brooke is shocked and mortified by her behavior, as she should be.
At the loft, Greenlee is throwing a fit and breaking just about every piece of glass she can find. Nessie arrives and tells her that Leo married Laura out of pity and that when Laura dies, he'll get her money and then he can court her as a man of independent means. Greens kicks her out. I don't think Greenlee could ever believe that Leo would be that cruel as to marry a dying girl for her money. It's sick and if he was that kind of man, why would she want him at all? But still... Nessie's words got her thinking.
Leo and Laura share a wedding dance in the hospital room, with Laura dancing on Leo's feet. She tells him how lucky she feels, to have Brooke, Bianca and him in her life. When he leaves to go get her some milk, he runs into Zora and tells her that he knows Laura's condition is worsening. Zora confirms. Zora urges Leo not to give up on Laura. When he comes back, she tells him that she's having more and more difficulty talking. Leo starts to describe what their honeymoon will be like. It should have been sweet and moving but blech, PASS ME THE HANDBAG for those cheesy honeymoon fantasies!
Outside of Gillian's room, Brooke finds Ryan and tries to apologize to him. Ryan tells her that Gillian is getting better so she can take her off her list and goes back to sit with Gillian. Brooke is a mother desperate to help her child live. I understand that, but her going to Ryan is just plain sick. It would never happen in the real world. Never. Jake tells Brooke that Gillian is not getting better like Ryan said, but that he cannot let go. Brooke knows that Gillian was friends with Laura and she didn't want Laura to die. Jake informs Brooke that after Gillian found out about Laura, she signed a donor card, but that Ryan has the right to refuse. Jake also slips Brooke the information that Laura and Gillian are the same blood type.
In the chapel, Bianca and Erica have a lovely mother/daughter scene as Erica tells her it was Gillian. They talk about how they will get through the hard times with love. Are they grieving for Gillian or for Laura?
Brooke breaks the news to Leo about Gillian. Leo is shocked and actually is showing some emotion in regards to Gillian. She tells him that Gillian's heart was not damaged and Leo decides to go talk to Ryan. I'm disgusted with these people ghoulishly asking Ryan to pass over the heart of the woman he loves so deeply. Leo finds Ryan holding Gillian's hand and telling her not to give up and that he will never give up on her. Tissue time! Leo decides he cannot ask Ryan for such a sacrifice and thinks better of asking for her heart.
This weeks SCENE OF THE WEEK is a beautiful and heartfelt mother and daughter moment with Brooke and Laura. Laura thanks her for saving her life. Brooke tells her that it was Laura who saved her life by coming into it. They say "I love you" to each other and Laura flatlines.
Jake tells Ryan that Gillian is gone, that machines are keeping her alive and it's time to let her go. Ryan gets angry and throws Jake out of the room and locks himself in with Gillian. Leo had decided that Ryan wasn't ready and was about to give up trying to talk to him about giving Gillian's heart to Laura, that is until Jake tells him that Laura flatlined and that Gillian's heart is Laura's only chance.
David tells Brooke that it's time to gather all of Laura's loved ones to be around her. While Laura is having her alone time with Bianca, she tells her that she will be loved in her life and will build a wonderful life with a woman she loves.
David and Zora commiserate on Laura's condition and realize her organs are shutting down. Brooke pleads with him not to give up on her, but David tells her that without a transplant, there is no hope. Brooke tells David about Gillian, and he too shows about a half second of emotion and then gets that greedy "we should get her heart" look in his eye and goes down to the ICU. Leo is already there screaming at Ryan through the glass door in the ICU, and no one stops him. Hey there are sick people here, can someone shut Leo up? Ryan is just not ready to let his princess go. Stupidly, David decides to give it a try and Ryan understandably tells him to get lost.
Leo can't take it anymore and breaks down the door to Gillian's ICU room. He pleads with Ryan and tells him how much he liked Gillian and how he would never wish this on her. He tells Ryan that he and Laura are married and tells him how he can help save her. Ryan doesn't want to hear it, but Leo talks him into going to see Laura. Alex and TempDim tell him they will make sure nothing happens to Gillian while he is gone. After Leo and Ryan leave, David immediately has Jake paged out to the ER so he can try and talk Alex and TempDim into doing a tissue test on Gillian. They refuse.
Opal has brought Jamie to see Laura, and as much as I'm happy to see Opal, Jamie should have been with Tad. Tad should be caring for Jamie and talking to him, and reassuring him about Laura, and helping him through this. But that's besides the point. This is Laura's goodbye to Jamie and it was so touching. She tells him that he should skip Science Camp this year so he could take care of Brooke. Ryan and Leo arrive just in time to hear her tell Jamie that she will watch over him from heaven. Ryan sees how ill she is. Leo appeals to Ryan yet again and tells him that Gillian would want to help Laura. He tells her that Gillian can live on in Laura. Ryan walks off and goes back to Gillian.
Ryan realizes he has to let Gillian go and that he can save Laura. He asks Jake if she will feel any pain. Jake assures her that she won't. Then when Ryan said, "If they put Gillian's heart in Laura, it won't die will it?" I totally lost it and bawled my eyes out! That is some line! And finally, when Ryan gave his consent to donate Gillian's heart, you could see the actual tears. Before now, there were none. The anguish and pain Ryan felt was sad and heart wrenching, but missing the actual tears. With the consent and the finality of losing Gillian, the tears came. Ryan is this weeks PERFORMER OF THE WEEK.
Back in her room, Leo and Laura spend some alone time. She tells him to be happy and to always remember that he's a better person than he thinks he is. Again, Laura flatlines.
This weeks AMC gets a B. It was a terrific week, acted well and very emotional. But the stupid stuff with SOS and the even more stupid stuff with Rosa brought it down from being an A. Also, as much as I was moved by Ryan performance all week, the lack of real tears until the very end of the week was hard to miss. I guess he goes to the Susan Lucci School of Soap Opera Crying. All in all, I needed a whole box of tissues and I think I'll need another whole box this week!