Wow! This is quite a find. I don't know what we'd do without your efforts to dig up more info on this show.

You're right, this does seem like a very dark program. It's also weird to see a character named "Biff" in so many double-crossing and money stories.

Did Betty lose a baby?

Thank you for your comments. I posted this about a year and half ago, but no one seemed all that interested except for EricMontreal.

lol I couldn’t help thinking Biff would be a dumb hick. I’ve just received another script and he refers to another character as a hayseed. Originally, the Lewis family was from Atlanta; Bryan relocated the company to Eden prior to the show’s start. I think Biff considered himself urbane compared to the residents of Eden because of Atlanta roots. Biff Lewis seems to have more on his mind than just sex; though, sex is very important. Wasn’t Marland’s Josh Lewis sort of playboy heir with a sense for business?

Regarding Betty’s ‘tragic news, and ‘loss;’ I don’t know if she lost a baby. I’ve just gotten a second script (episode #129) so my sources are the older episodes. Betty Franklin did work for Lewis Electronics so her loss may be related to the explosion at the factory. I don’t know if Betty has a love interest. In part 58, Betty invites a man named Mark over for breakfast, but the episode closes with Betty alone in the kitchen before he arrives after realizing her daughter Laurel didn’t sleep at home. Speculation on my part, but I think Mark might be Dr. Hammond. I assumed Betty called Hammond in part 66 because he handled her rape, but Betty told Frank Richardson she talked to Dr. Hammond about Frank’s paralysis. I’m now considering the possibility that Hammond and Betty were in a casual relationship, but this purely conjecture.

When I get the chance, I’ll some more details from the latest script I received.

Can't wait to see more.

I hadn't thought about Biff possibly having some of the same stories Josh Lewis might have had, but you're right. It's so hard to get past the name "Biff" for some reason.

Episode 129 is the latest script I received. It covers the events after the party celebrating the arrival of Madge Sinclair, Jane Elliott’s character. Sorry Loyalty, there doesn’t seem to be any mention of Isabel Kitteridge, but this isn’t the party itself. I’m currently bidding on script 128 where the party occurred. Hopefully, I’ll be able to answer your question in the future.

There still is no appearance by Pam or Shelley, which is disappointing. I was hoping to get a better sense of their characters. Shelley was the subject of the conversation. Apparently, Shelley had been scarred by a man named Lombardo and was still in the hospital. Shelley was refusing to see Hank Sowolski, the young man she had begun to see prior to the accident. Hank’s brother Davey and Francie Richardson were seen at Cronies’, the local bar, talking about how upset Hank was because Shelley had continued to turn him away. Hank was mentioned in the final script. Betty called the Sowolski home to speak to Myra, Hank’s mother.

Davey was the young man referred to as a hayseed by Biff Lewis. Davey and Francie are close, but I don’t think there is a romantic connection on Francie’s end. While she seems to love Biff, Francie doesn’t love the fact Biff is only after sex. Davey seems to represent the man Francie feels she should be in love with rather than Biff. If the show had continued, its possible Francie would have turned to Davey when everything was said and done. After dropping off Francie, Davey went hunting in the woods for raccoons.

In the woods, Davey found Greg and Laurel making love at the abandoned farm house. This incident was the source material for the story Laurel Franklin wrote for Wallace’s writing course. Anyway, in the cliffhanger for part 58, Davey informs Frank Richardson he cannot wait to tell Francie what he has seen in the woods. Davey would tell Francie, who would tell Biff. I believe this was all being used for the big incest reveal.

Laurel says her mother accused her of flirting with Biff, Greg, and Logan. I wonder if the audience knew Betty had had an affair with another man and thought it was either Emmett Claybourne or Bryan Lewis and they were led to believe she may or may not have been involved with her brother. Betty goes to see Hud to talk about Laurel; Betty thinks Laurel is hiding something from her. Hud is loyal to Laurel and won’t give anything away if he does know, but I’m not convinced he knows how close Greg and Laurel have become.

Hud’s mother issues are fleshed out a bit. The conflict between Betty-Laurel leads to a discussion between Hud-Betty about fighting between parents and children. Hud has a flashback of the day his mother was killed. Ida, Hud’s mom, found a porn magazine in his room and proceeds to flip out on him. Hud says one of his teammates gave it to him and Ida said she won’t have doing dirty things in her home. Hud claims he’s innocent. When Ida threatens to tell Betty about Hud’s dirty deeds, Hud threatens to kill his mother. Later, Hud is standing over his mother’s dead body, her own stockings being used to strangle her to death. Hud says he killed her.

I’ve been told Frank Richardson, Hud’s uncle, was actually the Campus Strangler. While Ida wasn’t killed by the Strangler, I wonder if Frank actually killed Ida, his sister/sister-in-law, and Hud just believed he had killed his mother. The situation regarding Hud / Ida’s death is odd because Betty / Hud talk about how Hud was treated by psychiatrists after the death of his mother, but there is no mention of the murder.

It dawned on me Josh Collier was another suspect in the case. When he arrived in Eden, the murders began and Miranda had learned Josh’s first wife Corrine has drowned under mysterious circumstances. At the start of part 57, Josh encounters Miranda swimming in the nude. He announces to her that he had come to pick up the purse left behind by his date Gail. Miranda gets very upset and they fight back and forth. Miranda won’t get close to Josh, and Josh gets her to back up to the edge of the pool. Josh returns to his hotel room where he and Gail Lee have sex.

Miranda and Madge have a rather lengthy confrontation where Madge reveals a substantial amount of backstory. Madge had been involved with Bryan when the Lewis family was still living in Atlanta. When Bryan went to look for somewhere to relocate Lewis Electronics, Miranda paid Beau, one of Miranda’s lovers, to seduce Madge and marry her. Miranda, who went with Bryan to Eden, intercepted the correspondence sent by Madge and Bryan in order to think the other had fallen out of love with the other. Madge learned that Miranda and Beau had had an affair and Beau told Madge how Miranda had paid him thousands of dollars to marry Madge. Madge came to realize Miranda did all of this because Miranda was in love with Bryan. Miranda denies everything, but Madge says she will not leave Eden until Bryan is her husband.

After leaving Davey, Francie agrees to go off to the country with Biff that evening. In the woods, Biff describes his ideal situation for him and Francie: he would come home from work to their apartment where Francie would be cooking in just an apron. You can guess where the rest of the fantasy goes from there. Francie is okay with it as she thinks this means Biff wants to settle down and marry her. Biff informs Francie he doesn’t want to marry her; he just wants to put her up in an apartment so she can serve his needs, not her father’s. Francie gets upset and asks to be driven home.

Thanks for sharing these details with us. Some of it is fascinating, and very daring. The parts with Hud and his mother seem overheated or remind me too much of stuff like Carrie.

Francie seems like the traditional heroine having to deal with people who aren't traditional.

Sowolski - Marland used that name again at Loving.

This is the scene between Hud and his mother.

(DISSOLVE TO NEWLY CONSTRUCTED TFB IN HUD’S BEDROOM. HUD, DRESSED IN ONLY A TOWEL, COMES IN FROM TAKING A SHOWER. HIS HAIR IS STILL WET. HE FINDS HIS MOTHER, IDA, A GOOD LOOKING WOMAN OF THIRTY-TWO, WAITING FOR HIM, MAGAZINE IN HAND)

HUD

Mom! What’re you doing in here?

IDA

I came in to straighten up. I was going to organize your drawers. I was folding clothes when I found this… (INDICATING MAGAZINE) … tucked under some of your things. (HOLDS OUT MAGAZINE TO HIM) Where did you get such filth?

(TAKE HUD)

HUD

It’s not mine. One of the guys on the team gave it to me and… .

IDA

Well then you should have burned it or thrown it away! I never dreamed I’d find something like this hidden away in your room. I thought I raised you better. Do you get some sort of ugly satisfaction looking at those awful pictures of naked men and women?

HUD

No… I… I….

IDA

You what, Hud?

HUD

I only put it there because I didn’t know what to do with it. I was going to take it back to him tonight.

IDA

Hud, I’ve always believed you, and I want to believe you now, but…

HUD

I’m telling you the truth, Mom.

(SHE LOOKS AT HIM)

IDA

It hasn’t been easy raising you alone since your father died. I know you should be told about things like sex, but I haven’t known how…

HUD

(OVER)

I don’t want to talk about that stuff with you, Mom.

IDA

But we got to talk because I don’t want you getting some girl pregnant and having to marry her just because you –

HUD

(OVER)

I’m not going to get any girl in trouble!

IDA

(OVER)

All young men feel that way, but it still happens. Your Uncle Frank married Francie’s mother because he got her pregnant and look how awful his life’s turned out.

HUD

That’s Uncle Frank’s problem, not mine! (HE REACHES OUT) Please, mom, give it to me. I’ll take it back to my friend.

(IDA TEARS THE MAGAZINE TO SHREDS)

IDA

I won’t have you looking at those kinds of pictures! I know why young men keep this kind of trash hidden, and you’re not going to do those filthy things in this house!

(HUD STARES AT HER)

HUD

You don’t believe me, do you? (LOOKS AT TORN MAGAZINE) Now, I’m going to have to buy the guy another one.

IDA

(OVER, SHRILLY, AS SHE CONTINUES TO TEAR THE MAGAZINE)

If I ever find anything like this again, I’ll tell Betty Franklin about it and she’ll never let you come near Laurel again!

(HUD STARES, ANGER AND FRUSTRATION BUILDING)

HUD

If you do that, I’ll kill you! (TAKE IDA, STUNNED. HUD, OUT OF CONTROL) I mean it! I wasn’t lying before and I’m not lying now. If you do one thing to turn Laurel against me I’ll kill you!

Later there is a scene of him dreaming of the incident and the aftermath is displayed

HUD

(REVERB)

… kill you … kill you

(THE SOUND OF IDA SCREAMING CUTS THROUGH. SHE SCREAMS SEVERAL TIMES. WE SEE HUD DEEPLY DISTURBED AND SWEATING AS HE TOSSES)

HUD

Mom… Mom… Mom…

(CLOSEUP OF HUD WITJ BEADS OF PERSPIRATION EVIDENT ON HIS FOREHEAD. SUPER NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SEQUENCE, IDA IS DEAD ON THE FLOOR, A SILK STOCKING KNOTTED AROUND HER NECK. HER DRESS IS TORN.

HER DRESS IS PULLED UP AND WE CAN SEE HER LEG IS STOCKINGLESS. HUD, WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE, KNEELS NEXT TO HER.WITH TREMBLING HANDS, HE UNTIES THE STOCKING)

HUD

I didn’t mean it, Mom… I didn’t mean it…

Is it me or was there some type of quasi-incestuous vibe in there?

It's odd they needed to specify that she was good-looking. The part about her bare leg on display and the stocking being removed seems a little trashy.

There definitely is an incest element going on here. In the final episode, Francie learns Hud has been keeping Ida's room just as she had left it before her death complete with a mannequin in the bed. Very Norman Bates-esque. Betty Franklin is aware Hud has seen a psychiatrist, but I don't understand why there isn't some sort of question revolving around her death.

In a towel, Hud has a fight with his mother about self pleasure (I haven't reviewed the guidelines regarding language use) and then kills her with her own nylons. Yes, it's a bit of an odd scene which is why I posted it. The serial killer terrorizing Eden was called 'The Campus Strangler' so I assume this had something to do with the manner of the death. I suspect the whole nude leg thing was suppose to suggest whoever killed Ida was also the serial killer as it may have been similar to one of the other murders, but this is just a guess.

I didn't really even pay attention to the 'good looking' part, but I was surprised by Ida's age. How old was she suppose to be when she had Hud? Hud is clearly a teenager? Was she sixteen? And if that's the case wouldn't this add another layer to conversation?

Regarding some of your previous comments, Carl, I don't know who played Kevin Wallace, the professor who raped Betty. None of the scripts have any cast members listed and I'd never heard of the character prior to the final script. He doesn't appear in episode 29.

When I read the last script, I thought Francie was an Erica Kane-type. A poor girl trying to marry into money, but this script makes it clear that she was a heroine in the traditional sense. I tend to like her character more than Laurel despite all the perils of Pauline in the final episode. She has sacrificed her own happiness in order to take care of her father. While she has come to care for Biff, Francie isn't willing to sacrifice her own moral code to please him. The Biff-Francie conflict plays out nicely in the fantasy scene. I think I'll try and post an excerpt from that one later if you're interested. Laurel, on the otherhand, comes off as immature and naive as her mother claims she is.

Steve Carlson had a sex scene in part 58. After returning from the retrieving the purse, he and Gail Lee (Victoria Tan) make love in his hotel suite. I also wanted to mention that Josh Collier (Steve's character) is seen smoking in the hotel room. Somewhere online, there was an article on tobacco which said several television shows were being paid to incorporate acceptable tobacco use into their shows. I guess this is one example of this.

An excerpt would be great.

The part about the shows being paid for a tobacco scene is strange, but then they probably needed every penny they could get. This would be a good setting for heavy smoking, as the whole show sounds very atmospheric and overheated.

I noticed the 32 part as well. It's strange. I wonder if they were going to have some big paternity revelation about Hud, or say she was his sister.

This scene is one of the last in part 58. After Francie put Frank to bed and got rid of Davey, she and Biff snuck out to the country together. Included in this scene is Biff's fantasy of 'the good life' for him and Francie. This is also the proposal Francie received, which is mentioned in the episode guide.

FRANCIE

Where are we anyway?

BIFF

A little place I know. Thought we could take a nice moonlight walk.

(SHE LOOKS AT HIM)

FRANCIE:

How many other women have you – (STOPS HERSELF) Sorry, forget I said that. (HE SMILES, TAKES HER HAND AND THEY START WALKING INTO THE TREES AND FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ROAD. FRANCIE LOOKS AROUND) It’s really beautiful here.

BIFF

Yeah, it is. I’m not a farmboy like your friend, Davey Sowolski, but I like to get into the country every once in a while.

FRANCIE

Don’t put Davey down. He’s a nice guy and good friend.

BIFF

Can’t blame me for being a little jealous, can you? (BEAT) Have you ever let Davey ---

FRANCIE

(OVER)

Don’t finish the question, Biff. For a minute there, you sounded a lot like my father. He thinks every guy I know is “trying to get in my pants,” as he so tactfully puts it.

BIFF

(SHRUGS)

I can’t imagine any guy being around you not getting the urge to --- (STOPS HIMSELF FOR A MOMENT) … get to know you better.

FRANCIE

(LAUGHS)

I like that a lot better than what you were going to say.

(BIFF STOPS, TURNS HER TO HIM, STARTS TO KISS HER. SHE LETS HIM, BUT AS HE PULLS HER LOSER, BECOMING MORE PASSIONATE, SHE PULLS AWAY)

BIFF

What’s wrong?

FRANCIE

Nothing… You said we were coming out here to talk.

BIFF

Yeah, I did, didn’t I? So, why don’t we sit down first? (FRANCIE SITS AND BIFF SITS VERY CLOSE TO HER) I thought about you all the time I was gone, Francie. And when I saw you tonight with that hayseed, I found myself getting real jealous. That’s not really like me. I usually don’t have those kinds of feelings. (TAKE FRANCIE, ENCOURAGED, AS BIFF LIES BACK IN THE GRASS WITH HIS HANDS FOLDED BEHIND HIS HEAD) Why don’t you stretch out, relax? (SHE HESTITATES, THEN STRETHES OUT NEXT TO HIM) You know, I got to thinking how great it’s be to have you to come home to every night of my life… (TAKE FRANCIE, SURPRISED, AS SHE PROPS HERSELF UP ON ONE ELBOW TO LOOK AT HIM. SHE TRIES TO BE CASUAL)

FRANCIE

Go on.

(MOVE IN TO CLOSEUP OF BIFF. AS HE TALKS, WE SEE WHAT HE’S SAYING IN A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SEQUENCE)

BIFF

My brother, Greg, has this friend Clint Masterson who’s got this great apartment. And I was thinking how nice it’d be to open the door to an apartment like that and find you there. (WE ARE IN CLINT’S APARTMENT NOW. FRANCIE, DRESSED ONLYY IN HALTER-TYPE APRON, OPENS THE DOOR TO BIFF, WHO IS SMILING AND CARRYING FLOWERS) I cant just piture you all dressed up in this frilly apron. You open the door and tell me you’ve been cooking this great dinner for me… (BIFF TAKES HER IN HIS ARMS AND KISSES HER) We’d start out with a little kiss. Then I’d tell you dinner could wait till we take care of more pressing matters… (BIFF UNTIES HER APRON, PULLS IT UP OVER HER HEAD AS FRANCIE SMILES. BIFF PICKS HER UP AND CARRIES HER TO THE BED. HE PUTS HER DOWN, KISSES HER AS HE STARTS TO PULL HIS CLOTHES OFF. BIFF SMILES) If we had a nice apartment like that, you’d know there was no other woman in my life and it’s be real romantic. (BIFF, NOW NUDE, IS ON TOP OF HER ON THE BED. FADE OUT NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SEQUENCE, TO BIFF, SMILING AT THE THOUGHT. FRANCIE LOOKS AT HIM)

FRANCIE

That’d be real nice. If we were married, I’d want you to make love to me all the---

BIFF

Who said anything about marriage?

FRANCIE

What were you talking about then?

BIFF

I was talking about setting you up in an apartment of your own so you wouldn’t have to take care of your old man. I want you to take care of me. I’d pay the rent and ---

(FRANCIE GETS UP)

FRANCIE:

(OVER)

Take me home, Biff. Now!

(SHE GETS UP, RUNS OFF TOWARD THE CAR. BIFF GETS UP QUICKLY, FOLLOWS AFTER HER)

BIFF

Hey, wait up! Now what the hell did I say?!

I’ve been away and will need to play catch up, but I wanted to mention I’m received three additional scripts and have three more on their way. The current batch of episodes I received include 127, 128, and 131. I’ve skimmed and looked over different things so this will be rather random and more in reference to other things I’ve mentioned.

Loyalty, there is no mention of Isabelle Kittridge in the cast lists or run down pages, but its possible she might be mentioned in the course of the dialogue. Also, Pam, the young woman who Miranda seduced, doesn’t appear. Hopefully, Pam will appear in one of the other scripts I’m waiting on. I suspect episode #125 may include Pam / Miranda’s seduction. At the very least, it should include the fall out.

Carl, a young woman is found dead on campus in episode #131. She was strangled with panty hose so Hud’s flashbacks were related to the murders. In the end of #131, Lockhart informs Bryan Lewis that Biff Lewis, Bryan’s son, and Kevin Wallace, the professor. So Lockhart is aware of Kevin’s history in the final episode. ‘Betty in danger’ is Betty knocking on the door of Professor Wallace’s door. Wallace is not seen.

I’m still not sure regarding Betty’s loss, but Biff mentioned one person died in the explosion at the Lewis Electronics plant. I’m still thinking this is related. I do believe the show was written with the intentions of appearing nightly as the explosion was in episode #117 and Shelley is still in the hospital.

Biff’s blackmail plot involved Shelley Novack. Biff knew a majority of the young women who died at the hands of the Campus Strangler. Shelley covered for Biff the night Susan Walker (the first victim) died and blackmailed him for money. Biff blackmailed someone else in order to make the payoffs.

Shelley’s attacker was Gino Lombardo. Shelley wanted to drop the charges because Lombardo’s family suffered enough as Luke has committed suicide. Who Luke is and how he fit into the story is unclear.

Josh Collier was implicated in the murders in a more complex manner. Lori Novack hitchhikes her way into town. She tells Biff she is seeing her cousin, Shelley. Realizing the connection, Biff claims he is Josh Collier and he sleeps with Lori. While in the car, Lori finds stockings and gloves and informs Captain Lockhart. Obviously, Lockhart suspects Josh, but eventually realizes it is Biff.

One of the scripts I have belonged to the actress playing Lori Novack. Her lines are highlighted and there is some rewritten dialogue / motivation scribbled in. Lori seems like she was going to be a bit of a schemer based on the side comments. Unfortunately, I don't know who she is.

Biff smokes pot in the part labeled ‘Sweet Honey.’ The smoke is used to introduce a flashback. It sounds like it might have been rather effective.

I’ll post more as I make my way through the scripts.

This is all fascinating. You are so kind to share this information with us.

The pot smoking = flashback does sound like an interesting technique.

I wonder if Luke killed himself because he was gay.

So Biff had to use another name because Lori would have known he was shady, or was he just doing that to implicate Josh?

Did we know anything about Susan Lewis other than that she was killed?

I've read through most of part 56, which covers the second half of the party at the Lewis home to celebrate the arrival of Madge WHITEHEAD. All the soap books list Jane Elliott as Madge SINCLAIR. I'm not sure if Sinclair is simply a misprint or her married name. Marland would reuse the name Whitehead on 'Loving.' Society matron Millicent Whitehead was the aunt of Hemsley, the man who was married to Jack Forbes biological mother at the time of her death.

Madge's party is interrupted by Lockhart, the chief of police. Lockhart arrives to speak with Biff about the murders. Biff claims the gloves belong to Amy Stanley, a young woman he picked up in Elkhorn, NM. Amy's car had broken down and Biff bedded her during their brief time together. Biff admits he told Amy he was married to Francie and they had children together. While this was clearly a lie he told Amy, I assume it would have been used in the eventual split between Francie / Biff. In the scene I posted, Biff claimed he wouldn't cheat if he was shackign up with Francie. I'm sure Francie would have seen this as the proof that Biff couldn't be faithful.

At the hospital, cousins Lori and Shelley visit. Shelley felt no man could love her with her scars. Lori thinks Shelley should be grateful and mentions Bryan Lewis offer to pay for her plastic surgery. Shelley is upset because of the tension with Biff Lewis and Lori is intrigued by Shelley's hatred for the Lewis family. This would all play out later in part 61.

Biff returned to the party and manipulated Aunt Miranda into getting Bryan to keep him in Eden; he cannot leave due to the suspicion of rape and murder. It also seems Biff doesn't want Bryan to know the truth because it might get back to Francie, who works at the Lewis plant. Miranda is less than pleased by the growing tenderness between Madge and Bryan. Bryan discusses his sons in a rather enlightening scene and admits he treats them differently because of the man he himself has become. I might post some of that later. In the background, Miranda witnesses Bryan and Madge embracing and is jealous of the relationship.

Josh Collier talks with Betty Franklin and Gail Lee about his investigation into the development of Lewis Enterprises. Knowing how the show ends, its clear this is all meant to reveal pieces of Betty / Bryan's prior relationship. Josh admits the company began to grow two years after the death of Bryan's first wife, which shocks Gail. Gail thought it was Emily Lewis' death that spurred Bryan's drive, but with Betty's talk of being an office manager and Madge's reference to Bryan's lost love all pieces should have been falling into place for the audience.

In Part 61, Greg and Laurel stumble upon Luanne Butler's body on the campus of Eden State. Greg and Laurel report the body and talk in the student union about all the awful things that have happened in Eden. Lockhart questions Biff about his whereabouts the previous evening; he explains he was with Francie (part 61 is still playing out the same day that begun at the end of part 58). Biff goes to visit Francie at the factory; she's still sore about Biff's 'proposal' to shack up. Upset about Biff's comments, Francie informs Biff that Greg has been sleeping with Laurel Richardson.

While Laurel and Greg are discovering the body, Biff is visiting Shelley at the hospital. Biff is concerned because Shelley wanted to speak to the police. In a rather lengthy fantasy sequence, Biff imagines Shelley is confessing she provided Biff a false alibi for the night Penny Landis died. When Biff gets to see Shelley, Shelley tells Biff she only told Lockhart she wanted to drop the charges against her attacker. Shelley claims she is a new woman. In the notes, the actress playing Lori is suppose to play the scene as if Lori wants Biff for herself.

In some minor scenes, Miranda / Betty discuss a mysterious phone call; the details of this plot point are unclear. Miranda complains about how the murder will affect AURIC's decision to purchase Miranda's land for a housing development. Gail informed Josh she had been reassigned, she, too, works for AURIC. The two come to an understanding that their relationship was more 'friends with benefits' than 'happily ever after.' They talk about marriage, but Gail says they wouldn't be able to make it work. Josh tells Gail he knows Gail was attracted to Bryan Lewis. Gail seems to be a rather significant character, but this seems to be her exit arc.

Carl, Biff says Lockhart is upset because 'the man he arrested ended up hanging himself.' I guess Luke was arrested because they thought he was the Campus Strangler and killed himself in prison.

Biff lied to Lori because Lori was coming to Eden to see Shelley. Shelley had blackmailed Biff with the information regarding his alibi in the Campus Strangler murders. Biff didn't want Lori to tell her cousin about Lori / Biff's sexual liason because he thought it would fuel the fire.

Susan Walsh was the first victim of the killer. If episode 1 pops up, maybe we will learn more about her.

Here is the Bryan / Madge scene on the terrace during the party. Captain Lockhart has just taken Biff into the foyer to discuss the Campus Strangler case and Bryan has been stewing on the terrace. I thought this was one of the better scenes and gave a rather interesting insight into the Lewis men.

From Part 56 (Episode 128, Part 2)

LEWIS TERRACE OFF DINING ROOM – NIGHT

(BRYAN IS ALONE AND MOVING AROUND, CONCERNED. A BEAT AND MADGE MOVES IN AND WATCHES HIM)

MADGE

(QUIETLY)

Bryan, are you all right.

(BRYAN TURNS WITH A SMILE)

BRYAN

I know I’m a terrible host to disappear like that, but I just had to get away and do some thinking.

(SHE MOVES TO HIM)

MADGE

I certainly didn’t come out here to reprimand you on your manners. I was hoping maybe I could help.

(HE SMILES)

BRYAN

You help just by being here.

MADGE

I’d like to believe that… but what is it that worried you so when you came in and told Miranda this Captain Lockhart was here to see Biff?

(BRYAN SIGHS)

BRYAN

My youngest son worries me a lot and has since he was in his teens. Biff’s spoiled rotten, and as much as I hate to, I have to admit that I’ve usually given in to him rather than challenging him, which I’m sure has a lot to do with it… On top of that, I take my frustration with Biff out on Greg a lot of the time and Greg’s bright enough to realize it, and he lets me know it. Greg’s going to be fine, and I don’t tell him often enough, but I’m very, very proud of him… even proud of that independent thinking of his that can drive me up the wall.

MADGE

(SMILES)

I wonder if you get annoyed at Greg because he’s almost a mirror-image of you when I first met you.

BRYAN

(LOOKS AT HER)

I’ve been accused of that before, and maybe it’s true. I know how idealists and dreamers can be hurt and have their feelings trampled on, so maybe I ride Greg because I don’t want to see that happen to him… I’d rather toughen him up a little.

MADGE

(LOOKS AT HIM)

That’s the same kind of hurt I was asking you about today. The hurt that was there when I first met you.

BRYAN

(MOVES AWAY)

Yes, I’ve been hurt a few times in my life because I believed in happy endings and was a romantic idealist just like Greg. I was hurt when I lost Emily after Biff was born… and hurt later on when --- (STOPS HIMSELF, THEN FORCES A SMILE) I’ve got no business standing out here railing at the Fates when I’ve got friends inside. (MADGE PUTS HER ARMS AROUND HIM AND LEANS AGAINST HIM. BRYAN, TOUCHED, HOLDS HER) I’m so glad you’re here. So glad our paths crossed again at a time when I’ve been too lonely to even realize it.

MADGE

I’m glad, too, because I’ve been lonely. But I certainly realized it.

(HE TILTS HER FACE TO HIS)

BRYAN

I’ll gladly help with that if you’ll let me.

(SHE SMILES)

MADGE

You already have

(A LOOK AND A KISS CONTINUES. MIRANDA MOVES INTO THE DINING ROOM B.G. AND STOPS WHEN SHE SEES THE EMBRACE. TAKE HER, JEALOUSY AND FRUSTRATION APPARENT, THEN SHE TURNS AS IF SHE CAN NO LONGER BEAR TO WATCH AND MOVES OUT OF THE ROOM)

This is the Madge / Miranda confrontation that follows in Episode 129. Madge and Bryan return from a moonlit walk to find Miranda in the living room. After a few loaded comments from Miranda, Bryan leaves and Madge moves in for the kill. The Atlanta backstory is fleshed out a bit and the dynamics between Madge / Bryan / Miranda become a bit more clear.

At first, I was a bit disappointed we don't get a take on Miranda realizing Madge has figured out all the sordid details, but I've come to appreciate it more. Miranda refuses to give up until the moment she says 'I don't need your pity!'

This scene is part 58 and follows up to one of the concluding scenes of part 57 where Madge announces to Miranda:

"Look, Miranda, I know you came between Bryan and me once before. I want to talk to you about that now and I want you to listen --- very carefully."

MIRANDA

I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life!

MADGE

(QUIETLY, WITH STRENGTH)

Miranda, don’t deny it. I know what happened. And I’m not going to put up with any more games like you were playing tonight.

MIRANDA

You keep saying that, Madge, but I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.

MADGE

Like hell you don’t! All the talk about “handling things at the office” so Bryan can spend time with me…

MIRANDA

(OVER)

I was simply trying to be considerate…

MADGE

Come on, Miranda. It was your subtle way of trying to make my presence here seem like an imposition. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to let you get away with it. Not this time.

MIRANDA

You’re just being paranoid

MADGE

I don’t think so. (BEAT) I keep remembering back to the time I first met Beau. Do you remember when that was? I was flattered by his attention, even though I was very much in love with Bryan at the time. I was very honest with Beau and told him Bryan and I had discussed marriage. I knew Bryan was getting over an unhappy affair and I hoped in time I could help him through the hurt. Then suddenly Bryan left Atlanta with you to come here, to look over Eden as a possible place to relocate the business. The week he’d planned to be gone stretched into months. Well, Beau was always there for me trying to keep me from missing Bryan,

(MIRANDA LAUGHS)

MIRANDA

Surely you aren’t blaming me for Beau falling in love with you. It’s only natural he’d take advantage of Bryan’s absence.

(MADGE LOOKS AT HER)

MADGE

You should know, Miranda. (BEAT) You engineered the whole thing.

MIRANDA

That’s ludicrous.

MADGE

Is it? (BEAT) The night I discovered that Beau had been unfaithful to me, we got into a wild argument. He was drunk and told me the whole incredibly story… how you originally urged him to pursue me and ---

MIRANDA

(OVER)

I’m not going to listen to this.

MADGE

Oh, yes you are going to listen. (BLOCKS HER WAY) Beau admitted he’d never loved me, that he’d been paid quite handsomely to woo, wed and bed me. That we’d been living off your money since the day we were married.

(TAKE MIRANDA)

MIRANDA

I never knew Beau all that well, but obviously he’s not only a drunkard, but a terrible liar as well.

MADGE

For once in his life, Miranda, I believe Beau was telling the truth. He said he never knew why it was so important for you to get me out of Bryan’s life, but dangling all those hundreds of thousands of dollars in front of a man as weak as Beau was enough to make him do almost anything --- even pretending to fall in lveo with me. And then there was that call you made to Beau, telling him Bryan had fallen in love with someone here in Eden and didn’t have the guts to call me himself. I believed it--- because I hadn’t heard from Bryan for weeks, so I assumed his feelings for me had changed.

(TAKE MIRANDA, SIGHS)

MIRANDA

I cannot be held responsible for Beau’s lies. Obviously he was trying to get rid of Bryan as a rival for your ---

MADGE

(OVER)

He was doing exactly what you told him to do, Miranda! I am curious about one thing, though. Just how many of Bryan’s letters did you intercept and destroy? (MIRANDA STARTS TO SPEAK) Don’t try and deny it, because Bryan told me he had often wondered why I’d never answered any of his letters. He also told me he was shocked when you told him I was engaged to marry Beau. How could you have known unless----

MIRANDA

(OVER)

Beau called me and told he had asked you to marry him and that you’d accepted…

MADGE

(OVER)

You’re a liar, Miranda.

MIRANDA

What reason would I have for lying about such a thing?!

MADGE

You’re in love with Bryan and always have been.

MIRANDA

Oh please!

MADGE

(OVER)

I finally put it all together when Beau told me he’d had a long-term affair with you. When he’d asked you to marry him, you told him you were in love with someone else. I should tell you, Miranda, Melvyn Masterson is an old friend fo mine, too. He told me that every time he proposed to you, you said you were in love with someone else, but you never mentioned who the “lucky man” was. It all makes sense to me now. (BEAT) I don’t hate you for what you did. I just pity you.

MIRANDA

(SNAPS)

I don’t want your pity!

MADGE

Well, you have it whether you want it or not. I know that from the day your sister died, you’ve hoped Bryan would ask you to marry him, but I’ve got news for you, Miranda. That day will never come, because I’m not leaving Eden till he asks me to be his wife.

(MIRANDA STARES AT HER WITH HATRED)

MIRANDA

That will never happen. Bryan doesn’t need anyone else in his life. He has his sons and his business and ---

MADGE

(OVER) He’s still a very lonely man, Miranda. He’s told me so. And I’m here to see that he’s never lonely again. And if you do anything to come between us, I swear I’ll tell Bryan the whole ugly story. You’ll be out of here so fast you won’t know what hit you

(TAKE MIRANDA, STARING AT MADGE, AS BRYAN ENTERS IN PAJAMAS AND ROBE)

BRYAN

What’s going on in here? I could hear you all the way upstairs?

(MADGE MOVES TO HIM. HE PUTS AN ARM AROUND HER)

MADGE

Miranda and I were just reminiscing about old times. I guess we got a bit carried away. (KISSES BRYAN AS MIRANDA REACTS)

BRYAN

Hope I didn’t interrupt.

MADGE

Not at all. We were finished. (TURNS TO MIRANDA) Isn’t that true, Miranda?

(TAKE MIRANDA AS SHE NODS)

MIRANDA

Quite.

MADGE

I’d like to go upstairs with you now. And maybe before we go to sleep, we can sit out on that beautiful terrace and look at the river. It must be absolutely beautiful in the moonlight. Unless you’re too tired…

(BRYAN SMILES)

BRYAN

I’m never too tired for a proposition like that. (WITH HIS ARM STILL AROUND MADGE, THEY MOVE TOWARD THE DOOR. HE TURNS) Good night, Miranda. Turns out the lights, will you. God knows when Biff and Greg will get in.

(MIRANDA NODS AS MADGE LOOKS AT HER, SMILES. MADGE AND BRYAN LEAVE. MIRANDA MOVES TO THE LAMP AND STARES THOUGHTFULLY INTO SPACE BEFORE TURNING IT OFF. STAY ON HER A BEAT, HER FEATURES ILLUMINATED BY MOONLIGHT)

The dialogue between Madge and Bryan is beautifully written. A lot of this show seems clumsy to me but this is the type of material Marland did best.

I wonder why Biff would give the name of a man that Shelley would know, instead of just a random name.

Did we know anything about Louann?

Wasn't Madge Sinclair the name of an old character actress?