Franko

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire Week 10 (March 3-7, 1986) Anna, starting to cry: "I wish, more than anything, to prove that Terry is innocent. The fact that I can't do that is breaking me up." toughening up as she talks "Now, I have been doing my damndest to get this case finished ..." important reaction shot of Bobbie and Jake, reminded that they are talking to their friend, a decent human being who is in a very tough situation "... But, the accumulation of evidence against Terry is overwhelming. Now, if you can give me one piece of evidence that proves she is innocent, I will get another suspect like that!" I don't quite have it in me for long-form commentary this weekend (or what's left of it), so I'll just give my scattered thoughts. Thank you for understanding. Some of this is rehashing from an earlier post. -- Finola Hughes and Jackie Zeman are this week's acting MVPs. I really loved how Anna and Bobbie go from their mutual breaking point over the Brownstone-Laurelton investigation and what it's doing to Terry to a sense of mutual respect and understanding. It helps that Bobbie and Jake end the week having apparently found Terry's Purity Water medallion, the one she discarded in that fountain on Valentine's Day 1983. -- I'm going to be so glad when I no longer have to type "Valentine's Day 1983" every week. -- Was there anyone in 1986 who didn't think Frisco & Sam weren't going to become full-fledged cops? I appreciate the show addressing the horse before the cart aspect of the young duo being on the job before they've even completed their training, but let's not pretend that the ending's in doubt. I'm still waiting for Sam to utilize her hard-won climbing abilities. -- Now we get the possibility that Jennifer's the killer. At least that's what Bobbie and Jake are thinking is possible. Repeating myself ... Jennifer could have been a solid red herring if we didn't already have that moment where she, Terry and Ted left the Brownstone basement and immediately after, they cut to the killer filing letters off the medallion used to kill Earl Moody. -- Robyn Bernard has a less challenging week. Terry's unconscious until halfway through Friday's episode. During that time, it's proven that Terry inhaling gas was caused by a genuine accident rather than part of an intentional suicide attempt. It also appears that Ted wasn't intending for Terry to overdose on sleeping pills. Ted's kind of hot and cold with Jennifer, insisting they're friends but also making it clear that he won't go to jail for her or Terry. -- Turning over to the Webbers storyline for a moment ... Jeff tells Mike about Ginny having slept with Derek and Rick just before being pregnant with Rick Jr., who is indeed Rick's son. Mike flips out, and once again runs away. Rick throws out what could have been an interesting idea for Jeff if the show had actually wanted to do a bad seed storyline: Jeff's hurt over his parents' deaths and is taking it out on the Webbers because he sees them as a happy, intact family. The problem is that Rick, Ginny, and Mike were already disfunctional before Jeff was on the scene. Anyway, the two brats hide out in a gardener's shack in the park. -- Wednesday's episode also includes the strongest work I've seen to date from Shelley Taylor Morgan as Lorena argues with Edward. The thing is, neither of them are wrong. Jimmy Lee is an adult and Edward can't be expected to make sure he takes care of himself. On the other hand, Edward is washing his hands of his own son, who is in trouble. It's also interesting that Edward seems to have such a distaste for binge drinking and its effects, the "coward's way out." I keep hoping we'll get a scene where Edward has some genuine introspection, but it's probably never going to happen. Right now, though, this is probably the closest to the Edward ethos. Lorena: "You are, without a doubt, the most insensitive man I know." Edward, mirthlessly chuckling: "Secret of my success." Lorena: "You know, why don't you climb down off your high horse and see what the view looks like from here? It may not be so exalted, but it's real!" Edward: "Reality stinks!" Lorena: "So does your attitude!" Lila: "She's right, you know. There's a distinctly unpleasant odor coming from your direction." Edward: "At least it's honest, Lila." looking up from his mail into her eyes as he speaks "I don't pretend to be anything that I'm not." a little later "Undue sentiment for one's children can only cripple a parent. Once they're raised and kicked out of the nest, it's up to them to fly on their own. Life does not come equipped with a safety net." -- Big words from a dude living in his daughter-in-law's "nest." No, but I like David Lewis' acting during this moment. Edward may believe in what he's saying, but he is a father, and does seem to be thinking about how he hasn't taught Jimmy Lee how to survive. -- So, now that Frisco's a cop (or cadet), does Teen Time still air on WLPC? It was a favorite show of the one gang member who was involved in last week's ambush on those hit men, and who also bribes the longtime cop that Frisco and Sam were assigned to shadow. Not gonna lie, I was getting the gang member confused with the sleazy gardener who's teaming up with Mike and Jeff to film the cop getting paid off and then get their own reward, I guess. Anyway, at this point, Burt's still a good guy. I was certain they were going to tease the idea of Capt. Lewis being a bad guy -- after all, he keeps ribbing Frisco -- but that doesn't seem to be likely. -- I'm curious if or when Monica will reach a moment where she's okay with or at least resigned to the Quartermaines in dire straits thanks to Sean's scheme. On Thursday, she and Sean discuss his motives. Sean insists he's "not entirely" trying to bankrupt the Qs. -- Ginny literally cries out for Mike while searching for him in the park. Man alive, I hope that little sh*t eventually realized what he's putting his poor mother through. I kinda wish those drill sergeants who appeared on Sally Jessy Raphael, Montel, etc. were already a thing in daytime, so Mike could get some serious discipline. -- Friday's episode includes another of those scenes that's likely to be a problem later on in the Laurelton storyline. Before Terry wakes up, we get Kevin at her side, holding her hand, promising that nothing will ever hurt her again, and urging her to try coming back to life. Kevin's alone in the room. I don't know if he genuinely believes what he's saying, and will only decide near the end of this storyline to kill Terry because she knows too much, or if he's acting so as to lull her into a false sense of security. -- And, like I said, Friday has that brief moment where Bryan seems to be flirting with Debbie (Penny Johnson), Willie's mom (and a nurse at GH according to the wiki). He wants to take her to lunch. She'll think about it. -- The great Jessie Brewer famine continues. I'm thinking the next time she'll show up will be for Frisco and Felicia's wedding.

I was actually thinking that she could/should have appeared. Julienne's apparently still alive, although it looks like she stopped performing in the '80s.

Well, it seems reports of my watch-along's demise were premature. I'll give a full recap on March 3-7, 1986, in the next day or so.

I suspect they'll be back at some point, in which case I'll resume my watch-alongs. If I felt like it, I could just watch the Laurelton and Sean Swindles the Quartermaines stories on their own, but I prefer full episodes because it gives you a better idea of what was dominating the show during a given week, along with the element of surprise (like that brief moment with Bryan and his would-be fling). Also, this feels like a good place to vent about the forced humor in 1986 Soap Opera Digest recaps. If you have to strain that much to make a joke, it wasn't very funny to begin with.

Thank you very much. I guess my writeups are the very last victim of the Laurelton Murders. For what it's worth, March 3-7, 1986, wasn't a terrible week. It had great work from Finola Hughes and Jackie Zeman as Anna and Bobbie work their way from antagonism and angst over the prolonged murder investigation to respect and support. It helps that Bobbie and Jake ended the week having apparently found Terry's medallion, which would make it likely that she wasn't the killer after all. As for Terry, she spent most of the week in a coma after inhaling that gas. And we even got the return of Dan Rooney, who helped confirm that Terry and the gas was an accident rather than a legitimate suicide attempt. Dan came to Anna's office announcing himself as a commissioner, and until I looked up that he was working as a buildings commissioner, I straight-up thought that Robert and/or Lee just completely did whatever they felt like with the PCPD hierarchy on their way out. Speaking of the police, Frisco and Sam's activity this week included discovering that a longtime officer's a dirty cop. Perhaps the show was testing the waters for the Burt reveal? I also wondered if we were going to get a fakeout over Capt. Lewis being a bad guy after all. Let's see ... -- Kevin played the devoted husband for most of this week, insisting that if Terry died, it's because Anna killed her, and also punching out Patrick after once again being reminded of Valentine's Day 1983. Patrick had a good point, that he's apologized enough and eventually, if Kevin and Terry's marriage doesn't work, it's between them, not him. -- Guy Mack and Kimberly McCullough had an adorable moment where they're in the background of a scene and Patrick is just charmed as hell by Robin. -- Robin, Mike, AJ, and Jason all apparently go to the same school, which is STILL having furnace issues. Fix it or condemn it! Edward does his usual curmudgeon thing about the boys being home/school being closed, and Lila points out that he had private tutors during his youth. For whatever reason, I assumed Edward wasn't born into money, that he was self-made. -- Mike runs away from home -- AGAIN -- and hides out in the park with Jeff. The Webbers and Derek really needed some family counseling. -- And out of nowhere, we get a quick scene with Bryan and Willie's mom, setting up a will they or won't they?

Aw, damn it, the 1986 episodes are gone. Well, that sucks.

How about the best of both worlds? Kim Miyori, formerly of St. Elsewhere. Or ... incoming shameless tie-in to my viewing project ahead ... Tia Carrere's return as Jade.

Julienne's costar in Waltz was Stuart Damon, who eventually wound up on ATWT.

John was seven years younger than Mary. She was born in 1926. He was born in 1933. For comparison's sake, Larry Haines was born in 1918 and Peggy McCay (to use one of John's early DOOL costars) was born in 1927.

It's kind of amazing how many people on the 1986 canvas started as outright villains, or at least troublemakers.

It's so off-putting to me. What did the powers that be want, loyalty oaths?

Priscilla was lucky she lied -- supposedly Barry Corbin was fired from his recurring role as Sheriff Washburn after admitting to Larry Hagman that he didn't watch the show.

THIS TROPE! Oh, how this used to infuriate the hell out of me. I always thought it was cheating. If you're having a fantasy sequence, it either needs to last no longer than one segment, or it needs to be apparent that it is a fantasy. I used to hate how we'd seem to get some progress in, say, Luis & Sheridan's storyline, they'd cut over to whatever stories really were happening that day, then we'd cut back to Luis & Sheridan's for the reveal that we were being played.

Week Nine, Part III (Conclusion) Celia: "Jimmy Lee, we could have had it all. Goodbye." Sean Swindles the Quartermaines: Stuart Damon, Leslie Charleson, and John Reilly have the week off. This storyline, or rather a side effect of it, is relegated to Wednesday's episode, Sherilyn Wolter's last. Celia's back from Brazil, having resolved to leave Jimmy Lee. Even though Jimmy Lee, unlike his wife, has yet to actually commit adultery, nothing he says will change Celia's mind. "I want a man to love me all the time, not just when I'm with him." Jimmy Lee spends the rest of the episode getting drunk at the Floating Rib until Derek and Lorena take him home. Mike's Paternity: Jesus, does Mike ever go to school? I mean, it doesn't help that they're still dealing with the flu epidemic*, but if GH wanted to go there, they could have suggested Mike's in danger of repeating the ninth grade. Mike and Jeff's truancy on Monday takes them to the worst part of Port Charles, and Ginny freaks out. It's not usual for Ginny to be an alarmist (Who could forget her interviewing Robert about urban violence?), and the possibility that the boys were going to do drugs sends her into overdrive. Late in Tuesday's episode, Jeff overhears Rick ranting about how he had to take a blood test to prove Rick Jr. was his son**. Jeff doesn't slide into bad seed mode, but he's not much better, trying to get Mike to pay for his (well, Rick, Ginny, and Derek's) secret. Oh, Jeff. Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. I had hoped you would be the Jason to Mike's A.J. Derek, worried that Mike will hear about the previous paternity problem, urges Rick not to dwell on it. I'm going to assume that Mike will find out next week. Then again, we might end up with another week that's 90% Laurelton, 5% Sean and the Quartermaines, 3% Frisco and Felicia, and maybe 2% Mike's paternity. *Which is why Anna takes Robin to work with her on Wednesday. **I completely forgot about that plot device. I wonder if Alan and Monica knew. They had to have. That seems like the kind of thing Amy would have been telling everyone about. Hospital Happenings: Most of GH's medical characters (Buzz, Rick, Bobbie, Tony, Kevin, Patrick, and Yank) spend Friday's episode in the ER. Four hitmen from Detroit were severely shot while exiting a Port Charles coffee shop (later called a restaurant by Steve). I suspect the show was inspired by Paul Castellano's murder. As for Steve and Audrey, they still have nothing better to do but tend to Yank and Jade's relationship and careers. The older couple decide to treat the younger couple to a praise-filled dinner. It's sweet, don't get me wrong, but this is what we're doing with the show's OGs? Other thoughts: -- Jessie is still MIA. Georgia appears in Tuesday and Friday's episodes. -- I forgot to mention this during my commentary on Anna and Buzz. Tuesday and Wednesday's episodes have some okay moments with Robin. The adults may be butting heads, and Anna also has her daughter have to watch her get admonished, but almost everybody except Mayor Morgan seems to try not upsetting the poor girl. -- You'll be glad to know that Frisco (barely) passed the exam to become a full-fledged member of the Port Charles Police Department. Okay, like there was any doubt, but I'm still glad Captain Lewis acknowledged the oddity of Frisco working on a murder case while still being a cadet. -- "Jungle, romantic? Nothing but mosquitoes and monkeys to keep you company there. I'd rather spend the night in a bank vault. Now that is romantic." Most likely because he's only in one episode this week, Edward's demeanor is lowered from Dastardly Whiplash to Mr. Spacely.

Week Nine, Part II Buzz, letting the words, not his tone or volume, handle the aggression: "Anna, you know, sometimes you have a merciless streak." Anna, not looking at him and almost whispering: "I'm just doing my job." Buzz: "Oh, I know. I hope it doesn't hurt you some day." now she looks at him "You could lose the friendship of a lot of good people. The people who stood by you when it counted." walks off Laurelton, the relationship stuff: As if Terry didn't have enough problems to deal with, it turns out that her and Kevin's first time having sex was a dud. They apparently completed the act after Tuesday's episode, but had no pleasure from it. Terry insists to Kevin that he was wonderful and she was the one who let him down. I'm now curious as to when orgasms could be discussed on a soap opera. These episodes of GH aired a week before the Golden Girls episode where it's alluded to with Rose making faces and raising her eyebrows. Kevin and Patrick, meanwhile, are united for reasons like protecting Terry and responding to a gang shootout. On a personal level, though, they're still at each other's throats. Poor Bobbie, having to deal with all those basket cases in her home. Any annoying habits from the Jones brothers, Tania, or Felicia must have felt like a relief in comparison. Anna and Buzz: We've got three-and-a-half months before Ian Buchanan joins the cast and it becomes all about Anna and Duke. I suspect that GH hasn't yet completely thrown in the towel on Anna and Buzz. A good part of this week is devoted to the two friends being at odds, each wanting to do what's right in accordance with their jobs and knowing that it's putting the other in a bad position. What's also frustrating, if not heart-rending, is that neither Anna or Buzz has said "I love you." Maybe neither will. Oh, if only GH had cast a more suitable actor for Buzz. They could have gotten years out of realistic, law vs. medicine-related conflicts, instead of filling that time with mob stories. Part Three, the conclusion, will come later today. It will include my thoughts on the end of Jimmy Lee & Celia, the unfortunate devolving of Jeff as a character, and if GH was attempting to do a ripped from the headlines mini-storyline.

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire Week Nine (Feb. 24-28, 1986) -- Part I Buzz: "I'm a doctor. I'm dealing with a patient's trust, and her health, and quite possibly with her sanity." Anna: "I am dealing with a cold-blooded murderer who wouldn't hesitate to kill Terry if she revealed the truth about the past. You're talking about her health and sanity. Well, I'm talking about whether she lives or dies!" Laurelton, the mystery stuff: This week's MacGuffin is the tape from Terry's hypnosis session with Buzz. While she's under, Terry reveals more about Valentine's Day 1983. If I'm understanding things, Terry (still naked at the time?) opened the doors to Laurelton's town hall. When she did, Earl Moody's corpse fell on her. "I remember my hands on the neck of a dead person." According to Terry, Jennifer saved her. The way I'm seeing this in my mind is similar to the tableau of Abby, Olivia, and Peter's corpse on Knots Landing. A key difference is that at this point in GH's story, Terry doesn't appear to think Jennifer could have killed Earl. Getting her composure in Buzz's bathroom, Terry overhears Buzz and Anna argue about his turning over the tape, then an incriminating part of the tape that Anna manages to play. From Tuesday through Thursday, it's all about Terry, then Anna, obtaining and listening to the tape. On the one hand, the tape gets Mayor Morgan finally on Anna's side. On the other hand, Anna ends the week on the outs with Kevin, Patrick, Bobbie, and Buzz (more on that one later). A while back, I complained about how GH didn't properly set up the idea that the O'Connor brothers are trying to protect Terry. This means that when it appears that's exactly what they're doing*, it doesn't come across as dramatically sound as it could or should. It feels like the show realized it backed itself into a corner (the Laurelton-Brownstone killer should be Kevin or Patrick) and is trying to undo that. *Kevin and Patrick each received a copy of Sarah's letter to Neil Johnson, the one that Neil's killer removed from him and hid at the Brownstone. The O'Connor brothers each destroyed his copy. Anna had thought that one of them, presumably the innocent one, would have given the letter to the police. Yet again, there's another trip to Laurelton. It happens on Wednesday. This time, it's Frisco and Felicia (Sam's got the flu), who are able to prove that Ralph Russell's motive for Earl Moody's murder is false. Most roads seem to be leading to Terry as the genuine killer. Our ongoing discussion about James E. Reilly having apparently come up with the Laurelton story caused me to pay closer attention when Ted and Jennifer talked about the folks back home. They're offscreen and volatile ... not unlike Tabitha's "friends in the basement" on Passions. Speaking of JER's writing, I initially assumed Ted was the prototype for Ivan and Timmy. I figured Ted was ride or die for Jennifer. That's not the case. The final scenes in Thursday's episode include Ted overhearing Terry's tape at the same time as Anna and Frisco. It turns out that Ted didn't know about Terry having her hands around Earl Moody's neck. Ted is furious that Jennifer kept that information from him. Ted: "I mean it, Jennifer, I mean it! You don't call the shots anymore! You don't give the orders anymore! To me, or to any of the people in Laurelton!" On the one hand, I'm glad David Doyle got to do something interesting. I also feel like the implication that she's apparently genuinely trying to protect Terry does elevate Jennifer as a character. Unlike with the O'Connor brothers, I think this is a reveal that comes as the right time. I just don't know if I can buy Jennifer having kept Ted in the dark. Or if it had to have happened, it should have been set up better. Still, though, props to Jennifer for declaring on Friday that Terry is more important to her than Purity Water, its board of directors, or anyone else. Like I said before, this week is a sustained demonstration of the very limits of Robyn Bernard's acting abilities. Terry/Robyn never really comes down after the hypnosis session, and that's on Monday's episode. I wish I could say the dual experience of watching a character and her actress being in over her head is anything other than harrowing. Tough-talkin' Ted plays a crucial role in Friday's action. Exhausted, panicked over the tape no longer being in her or Buzz's possession, and fearing that she and Kevin no longer have a future, Terry returns to the Brownstone. Ted says he knows Terry needs rest. He takes a determined walk upstairs ... ... where Terry has just taken what appears to be a sleeping pill. She's settling into bed when Ted shows up with his prescription pills. (Terry left the door unlocked?) Here in 2026, we know that sharing meds is a no-no. In 1986, it might have been considered acceptable behavior or at least necessary in an emergency. Ted's game plan is for Terry's comments while under hypnosis to be discredited as the words of someone suffering from hallucinations. Having given Jennifer a sleeping pill of her own, he goes for a walk, but not before giving one last meaningful glance upstairs. Meanwhile, Terry's taken some of Ted's meds. After having a nightmare, she has a half-assed attempt at making tea. The kettle's between two burners, one of which is still on. Terry goes back to sleep ...

Welcome to the world of rewatching, @Ryanc2! My fuzzy memory is that Sheridan was going out with Hank for reasons including she was vulnerable and he was kind (I think this was right after Jean-Luc's plot to kill her was foiled), she was subconsciously trying to make Luis jealous and/or denying her own feelings for him, and there might have been a little of the underrated young people in the family being drawn to one another.

And now I'm learning (or being reminded) that RKK and Miriam Parrish are no longer married.

Oh, not a problem at all. I know the broad outcomes of what to expect, it's the day to day and week to week stuff that's surprising and fascinating. Yeah, I can't see Robert and Cheryl getting the happily ever after treatment.

I don't know about appropriate, but the first actor who came to me was Henderson Forsythe: a year younger than David Lewis, no longer on As the World Turns, and would live up until 2006. BTW, I'm fascinated by this debate over the better Edward Quartermaine. Off the top of my head, the most significant strike shakeup was that they abandoned plans to have Robert & Cheryl marry. I'm glad to know I've got this to look forward to. Shameless self-promotion: I'm definitely going to keep watching through 1986-87, and am considering going all the way up to the end of the writer's strike, or approximately (i.e. Monica discovering "Ward" is Ned).

"Disturbing" is an accurate way to put it. I've already watched the episodes for the last week in February and ... well, it's a sustained display of Robyn Bernard at the absolute limits of her acting ability. (Teaser for my next post: the week does include some interesting moments for Martha Scott & David Doyle, and especially Finola Hughes & Don Galloway.) Lucy debuted on Monday, April 14, 1986. The big reveal was in the final moments of the Friday, April 25 episode. Exactly. Monica's seeing Edward at his lowest behavior, and Alan only a couple notches above his worst. The writers clearly wanted the Qs' poverty to feel deserved and justified.

Be warned that if you do rewatch, there's lots of ersatz Twilight Zone music. It's like, okay, we've got it, it's a surreal comedy! As for Kathryn, my memory is that she's the straight woman. She doesn't have the joke/baggage of blatantly playing against type, like John and Dan Aykroyd had. And she's not vamping like there's no tomorrow, like Cathy Moriarty did. It's begging for a remake, but they wouldn't have the guts to tackle it in this day and age.

Thanks for the tag, @DRW50. That is some hairdo on Kathryn Walker, who played Fawn. My go-tos for Kathryn are Neighbors, where she played John Belushi's wife (and Lauren-Marie Taylor's mom!), and Special Bulletin, where she's kind of a Barbara Walters takeoff.

I've said it many times, but the young men of DOOL and Passions from 1999-2004 helped me understand that liking guys wasn't a phase. That said, the shows did tend to over-indulge. I revisited some of the Salem Stalker era and it's like every episode seemed to have some combination of Jason Cook, Kyle Brandt, Eric Winter, and/or Kyle Lowder shirtless or in their underwear.

Week Eight, Part II (Conclusion) Sean Swindles the Quartermaines: Despite Laurelton using up most of the week's oxygen, this storyline still had a significant surge. Quentin Quartermaine, single again, reconciles with Celia. She's once again her dad's sole heiress, and will get annual trust fund payments, too. Edward and Alan fear that Celia and Jimmy Lee's independence (in a manner of speaking) means they can take on Sean themselves. Monica: "Alan, if the situation were reversed, wouldn't you and Edward do exactly the same thing to Jimmy Lee?" Alan: "What does that have to do with anything, Monica? Of course we would do that. It's business. Whatever works." Monica: "And every man for himself, right?" Monica tells Sean, who lets Dimitri know that Pilar's role is to undermine Jimmy Lee and Celia. Once that's done, Monica admits that she's scared about how fast things are going with her and Sean. She doesn't want to throw out the relationship. In fact, she wanted to have both Sean and her life as a Quartermaine, which she thought was safe and sound. Disgusted by Alan's lack of morality in business and certain that extends to love, Monica says being with Sean is where she wants to be. Speaking of missing morals, consider that on Friday, Edward wants to have Jimmy Lee arrested as part of a scheme to keep him in line. It's moments like this where I'm curious if Papa Q ever thought to himself, "Well, no wonder Tracy was willing to let me die." Anyway, Dimitri stalls Celia, Pilar cozies up to Jimmy Lee, Jimmy Lee goes to take a shower, Pilar gets into bed, Jimmy Lee comes out in just a towel ... and Celia catches the compromising situation. Mike's Paternity: Jeff's allowed to stay with the Webbers, even though Mike comes thisclose to preventing it. The social worker has to take both of the youths' feelings into consideration. Even though Mike's mad about sharing his room and school supplies with Jeff, and initially complains to the social worker. he still eventually does the right thing and walks back his griping. Soon after, Ginny stands up to both Mike and Derek. Mike's grounded, Derek can stay out of it, Mike's forbidden from hanging around the studio, Ginny doesn't want to hear it from Mike, and if Derek doesn't stop trying to influence Mike against Ginny and Rick, she'll get a court order. "Listen, I am sick and tired of playing games with him. It is high time that you and Mike figure that out." Go Ginny! Frisco and Felicia: Along with talking about Laurelton, they get some romantic/comic relief material on Thursday. Frisco throws out his back, and nobody at the Brownstone will let him go to the police academy. "Help me! I'm being held prisoner! In my own house!" On Friday, Frisco's well enough to do some barely subtle snooping and eavesdropping. Other thoughts: -- Trixie's still around, albeit offscreen. Ruby says she's got to get back to Kelly's, or else Trixie will quit. The great Jessie Brewer and Dan Rooney drought continues.