Classic SOD Synopses Section ( January 23, 1990 Issue)

[yr9190]

ONE LIFE TO LIVE:

Tina photographs Ambrose's files, but he spies a camera in her purse and takes the film. He's sure Tina's double-crossing Lord Love The Children. "If she turns out to be trouble, then we'll get rid of her- permanently," he tells Serena. The film reveals photos of their private ledgers.

After hearing his kids plead for him to celebrate the holidays with them, Clint agrees to return to Viki and Lianfair for a trial run. At Max's place, they discuss their future over lunch, but suddenly Ambrose and Serena arrive. Although Ambrose doesn't recognize Viki out of her disguise, he does distinguish her expensive ring as Barbara Wedgeworth's. Latter, he confides to Serena his fear that Viki posed as Barbara. He wants to return the money, but Serena confesses that she spent half of it. Ambrose panics that the bills were marked. When Ambrose learns from Yolanda at the Halfway House that Gabrielle's not really pregnant, he forms a sinister plan.

A KIDNAPPING PLOT:

While babysitting Al, Andy and Tyler are distracted by Serena (disguised as a homeless woman), as Ambrose kidnaps Gabrielle and Max's son. The police search all the homeless shelters, while Gabrielle and Max fear for Al. They receive a call from Ambrose, whose voice is disguised. He asks for five hundred thousand dollars for Al. Gabrielle and Max agree to ditch the police and try to get Al back themselves. Meanwhile, Serena calls the clinic to speak to Tina, who over-hears a child's cry on the phone.

ASA'S SCROOGED:

Renee's annoyed with Asa's grouchy behavior during the holidays when he won't respond to his friend Chuck Wilson's plea for help. When Asa falls asleep, he dreams that Chuck's image is on TV. He warns that Asa will be visited by three ghosts. Then, Asa imagines he hears his first wife Olympia's voice. Asa's forced to relive the guilt he felt from Bo and Clint's accusations at committing Olympia to an asylum, then telling them that their mother was dead. Also, he relives the mistakes he made with Pamela. Then, Chuck shows Asa a coffin. Asa is surprised to see himself dead and almost buried. Suddenly, his own corpse rises out of the grave. When Asa comes to, he immediately sends Chuck the money he'll need for an operation. Afterward, he arrives for dinner with the whole Buchanan clan and apologizes for his recent behavior.

RAYMOND'S RETURN:

Raymond surprises Megan for her birthday. Overjoyed, she embraces him. Later, when the National Intruder prints photos of the two together, Raymond worries that a scandal may jeopardize his future as king. He explains to Megan that he's bound by law to marry royalty and he can't be seen publicly with her. At Megan's insistence, Raymond agrees to let Sarah counsel him. Afterward, he and Megan go to Vicki's cabin, where they share a close moment. They're near to making love, but both agree that they should wait.

After Jon tells Audrey that her son is in a foster home in Ohio, she decided to try and locate her son alone.

Sebastian, one of Prince Roland's henchmen, follows Sarah and Bo around town. However, when Bo realizes that they're being followed, he confronts the mystery man, who runs away.

AN EXPLOSIVE END?:

While Serena holds Al at a warehouse, Ambrose tells Roger that he and his "wife" can have a newborn baby that evening. He agrees to meet Ambrose at the warehouse address with the rest of the "donation". Max and Gabrielle receive a message about the ransom drop. As soon as they enter the warehouse, Serena locks them inside. Ambrose drives Tina to the warehouse, where he makes a pass at her. Suspicious of the Wymans, Cord tags along with Viki and Roger, but hides when Serena greets the "Wedgeworths." Serena locks them inside, too. Suddenly, Cord grabs Serena, but Ambrose pulls a gun on Tina. After Ambrose takes the ransom money, Max jumps him and there's a struggle. Serena's about to shoot Gabrielle, but Max blocks her and gets shot instead. After the Wymans set the bomb's timer, they escape. Bleeding profusely, Max confesses to Gabrieele that they wasted so much time when they could've been together. Meanwhile, Viki finds Al, who's safe and sound.

PRINCE ROLAND'S EVIL PLAN:

Sebastian overhears that Bo and Sarah have rescheduled their wedding day. He calls Roland, who tells him he has plenty of time to stop the wedding. Baroness Helga visits Roland and they lustfully embrace. He shows her a photo of Sarah, and Helga agrees that she's perfect for their plan.

Megan wonders why Raymond can't step down from the throne and let his brother take over until he regains his sight. Raymond explains that's exactly what he's trying to prevent.

While driving to the Llana Flagg house with Megan, Bo realizes that they're being followed, again. At the house, Bo and Megan hide as Sebastian enters with a knife. Bo Jumps him and a struggle ensues, but Sebastian escapes.

DESPERATE CHOICES:

Distraught over Al, Julia confides in Clint about the kidnapping. After finding the warehouse address on Viki's desk, a suspicious Clint decides to investigate. Meanwhile, Roger finds the bomb's timing device. Suddenly, they hear Clint pounding on the door. With ten seconds left on the bomb, Cord successfully defuses it. Max is rushed to the hospital.

At the clinic, a young boy, Sean, confides his worries to Tina that the Wymans will take him on the boat again. What boat? Tina wonders.

[yr9190]

SANTA BARBARA:

Upon hearing that Mason wasn't with Sasha in Palm Springs, Julia tells her husband how much she loves him. Mason's guilt starts to get to him, so he takes his wife to a church, where he remarries Julia with a solemn vow to always love her. Later, Julia's suspicions grow when she finds a UPS receipt for Mason from Palm Springs. Mason angrily confronts Sasha with the package. Sasha tells him the more he resists her, the more she loves him.

DESPERATE MEASURES:

Taking matters in her own hands, Gina sets up a rendezvous with Ethan. She confesses to him that she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing him again. They kiss, then discover they're locked in the file room. Intent on holding onto Ethan, Laura begins to cut out her own version of a blackmail letter. The next morning, Ethan tells Gina he loves her. Released from the file room, Ethan returns home to find a distraught Laura, clutching a blackmail letter. Ethan's resolve vanishes. The "blackmailer" is demanding ten thousand dollars. Gina follows Ethan and Laura to the drop-off site. Laura retrieves the money, then catches Gina snooping around. Later, she sneaks into Gina's house and hides the money. When Gina and Ethan return, Laura overhears Ethan tell Gina that as soon as the blackmail business is over, he's going to leave Laura.

CRUZ'S WONDERFUL LIFE:

Cruz is depressed over the holidays. An angel named Paddy is sent down to help him. Cruz is transported to a world which he never existed, and discovers how miserable everyone would be if not for him. A shabbily dressed Julia confides that Sami was kidnapped three years ago and she hasn't seen Mason since then. He finds Carmen; she's Sophia and Tonell's maid now. A newspaper reveals that PN28 is now a threat to the world. The Capwell estate is in shambles. He spots a vagrant-it's C.C. Paddy takes him to see Eden, who thinks Cruz is someone from a dream. Later, Cruz is shocked to witness Ric getting shot by a cop and die in Rafael's arms. He prays to God for another chance. God grants his wish and Cruz returns home to find Eden and the children waiting for him. He Joyously tells Eden they're all he wants.

EDEN NEEDS TIME:

Nikki overhears Cruz and Ethan discussing a top secret case, involving the surgery of a top foreign official. A secret Service agent catches her, claiming that he's caught a spy. He wants her thrown in jail. Cruz suggests he keep Nikki in his protective custody, instead.

Kelly finds three airline tickets for Eden and the children. Robert arrives and eden tells him she's leaving. He's angry that she's running away. Suddenly, Nikki and Cruz arrive. Cruz warns Robert to stay away from his family. Eden tells Cruz she's going away for a while.

NO DEAL:

Kelly asks Robert to give her her job back, but he turns her down. Later, as Robert struggles with an account, Kelly comes in and instantly solves the problem. Impressed with her financial knowledge, he finally conceded and offers her a job. C.C.'s not pleased.

Augusta offers Robert a deal: Capwell Enterprises for the microfilm containing information on Tonell's mob connections. Barr declines the offer.

MASON COMES CLEAN:

Augusta tells Mason she has incriminating photos of him and Sasha. Mason asks Augusta to destroy them, but she insists they're her insurance guaranteeing Mason's future fidelity. Later, Mason unsuccessfully searches for the photos. Still suspicious, an upset Julia breaks into Augusta's and finds the pictures. When Julia won't speak to Mason, he tricks her into flying away with him. They're forced to parachute from the plane when the engines fail. After they land safely, Mason confesses that he had an affair with Sasha because he was too weak to resist. he admits that infidelity is as much an obsession for him as alcohol. Julia refuses to forgive him. She was able to excuse the alcoholism, but not his lack of control over his desires. They struggle to survive the freezing night, but the cold is too much for Julia.

MURDERESS:

Ethan refuses to pay any more blackmail money. He arranges a press conference to announce the truth about Leo's killing. However, Laura tells Ethan she didn't kill Leo in self-defense; it was murder. Later, Laura overhears Ethan and Gina confess their love for each other.

NIKKI"S KEEPING SECRETS:

At the Capwell party, when Robert comments to Cruz how Nikki is more his type, Castillo punches Barr. Later, Cruz gets a call that Nikki can be released.

Cruz is suspicious when Nikki cries poverty, though he finds a hundred-dollar bill in her purse. To keep an eye on her, he has Rafael hire her as his assistant.

A MOB MYSTERY:

The first Mob-run organization that Kelly wants to tackle is the Tonell Stables. Kelly disobeys Robert's orders to back off and goes to the stable, where she learns a beautiful horse called Dark Victor should be a winner, yet he always loses at the racetrack. Kelly and Henry, the horse trainer, secretly watch as Nikki's ex-boyfriend, Travis takes out a codded ledger, hypodermic needles and empty vials. Kelly is surprised to see that Nikki is also spying on Travis. Robert tells Kelly the ledger lists all of the stable's illegal activities. He leads Kelly to believe he's not going to pursue it with the law.

Robert and C.C. sign the documents making C.C. once again the owner of Capwell Enterprises.

[Vee]

Did Generations really need the same "racist bastard" storyline every other white-dominated soap had? It seems to cheapen it to me. Racism is still alive and well, but surely this particular type of racism story had already begun to wear thin by 1990. Although we're still using it today. It just seems to me to trivialize the black families by putting them in the same stock position of vulnerability they get as the third leads on all other soaps.

[yr9190]

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS:

As tempting as David Kimble's proposal is, Nina needs some time to think it over.Cricket persuades her to seek Michael's counsel. After all, Cricket warns, little Phillip's inheritance is at stake. Michael shares Cricket's suspicions, and agrees to devise a plan to entrap the opportunistic Mr. Kimble.

UNWELCOME GUEST:

Victor accepts Lauren's invitation to chair Fenmore's finance committee. In return, he asks to be included among her wedding guests. Backed into a corner, Lauren has no choice but to disregard Scott's feelings and ask the Genoa City tycoon to join in the festivities.

DOUBLE TROUBLE:

With Marge dressed in clothes that the Haskells stole form Kay's closet, she's ready for the switch. However, just as Robert and Shirley are about to chloroform Kay, Esther shows up, ready to resume her place in the Sterling household. Robert and Shirley chloroform Kay and Esther, setting the kidnapping scheme in motion. Clint arranges for Kay to be kept hostage in an abandoned farmhouse with blackened windows.

ON THE MONEY:

Carl looks over the pictures he and Paul took of Cassie and Adrian. He discovers that Cassie is wearing the gold and black onyx earrings that she claimed were stolen the night George was murdered. Carl phones Salena and she faxes him the photos from the evidence file in the Rawlins murder. They've got a match. Meanwhile, Cassie pleads with Adrian to take her off the island as soon as possible. She refuses to reveal the source of her agitation.

FALSE HOPE:

Believing they have enough evidence to extradite Cassie, Carl phones Captain Reardon. Instead of jumping on the case, Reardon reprimands Carl for getting personally involved with a case that's closed, and demands that he return to Genoa City. Desperate, Paul feels his only hope is to strangle a confession out of the cold-hearted Cassie.

REPAYING A DEBT:

Ashley advises Victor to be less demanding where his ex-wife is concerned. He mustn't give Nikki ultimatums, but rather give her the opportunity to make rational choices, Ashley tells Newman.

IN THE DARK:

Robert and Shirley drag Kay and Esther, bound and gagged, into Morey and Lil's hideaway. The keepers aren't particularly pleased at the sight of the tag-along maid, but resolve they won't be inconvenienced for too long. When Kay and Esther come to, they are confused by their surroundings. Kay demands to know if she's been kidnapped. Morey and Lil cagily dodge all questions, and warn their belligerent hostages to keep in line, or else.

BEDTIME FOR REX:

Decked out in Kay's clothes and dripping with jewelry, Marge anxiously waits for her price charming to arrive home. Overcoming a case of nerves, Marge plays her part with gusto. She shows so much enthusiasm during a roll in the hay with Rex, that Rex wonders why Kay has been holding out on him. There's a side to her that he's never seen before, Rex grins when he catches his breath.

ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER TIME:

On her way to begin life with a new man, Lauren takes a detour into her past. She stops by Mary's and reflects on all they once shared during Lauren's marriage to Paul. During the visit, Paul phones and chats briefly with his ex-wife. He thanks her for being so supportive and says he has plenty to share with her when he gets back. Lauren wishes Paul well, without informing him of her upcoming wedding.

THE EYES OF LOVE:

Jack is disgusted to learn that Leanna will escort Brad to Scott and Lauren's wedding. He thought she had better taste in men, Jack scoffs. She sees things through the eyes of love now, Leanna tells Jack. Thanking her for the brainstorm she has unwittingly provided, Jack rushes out to lay the groundwork for breaking up Nikki and Jim,

Before an intimate gathering of family and friends, Lauren and Scott exchange their vows. The attraction between his ex-wife and Dr. Grainger is painfully obvious to Victor. When Nikki catches the bridal bouquet, the symbolism is lost on no one and Victor makes his move. He invites Nikki to dance. Wily Jack arranges for the song "Through the eyes of Love" to play. Caught up in the moment, Victor and Nikki join for a kiss. Nikki abruptly pulls away and rushes from the room, leaving Victor embarrassed and Jack smug.

Later, Nikki apologizes to Jim and chastises Victor. She begs her ex to let her go, and allow her to get on with her life. He promises not to interfere if marriage to Jim is what Nikki really wants.

TURNING THE TABLES:

Michael goes to Nina's apartment with word of her bankruptcy. David is present when Nina gets the news, and reacts like a true gold-digger- he leaves.

PAUL'S TRAP:

After arranging for Adrian to be invited deep-sea-fishing, Carl and Paul set another trap for Cassie. She returns to her room and finds a "dead" Paul in her bed. Carl comes to the rescue and helps the despondent woman retrieve her jewelry from the hotel safe, and leave the island behind....

[Jay]

Would this have been Danny Markel? He was my favorite Sam. RKK was okay, but when they brought this new Sam on, I couldn't believe we actually were going to get to see this amazing guy every day, or 3x a week. And then he disappeared one day. What was that about?

[Jay]

Hahaha. A few episodes earlier or later, Jake and Donna were eating deli out of a bag, and he asked her if she wanted a bite of his pickle.

This was such a good show.