A New Day in Eden

[DRW50]

That second script is great too. I wonder if we were ultimately supposed to side more with Miranda. Madge seems more like a secondary character.

Miranda, Madge, Melvyn Masterson...very alliterative.

I love that confrontation scene. It flows so well off the page.

[rcsnj]

Madge Sinclair was an actress on Trapper John, M.D. She was a nurse on the show.

[DRW50]

Wasn't she in Roots as well?

[dc11786]

Carl, I think the Campus Strangler killed off dayplayers, not contract characters, but I may be wrong. Four young women died before there were no more new days in Eden. According to the story, all the young women were freshmen in Kevin Wallace’s English Lit course and three of them had been sexually involved with Biff Lewis before their deaths. The first victim was Susan Walsh; I think Anne Lockhart played the role. Muffy Spencer was the second victim and Penny Landis was the third. Penny’s death set in motion the blackmail storyline between Biff Lewis / Shelley Novak. Shelley claimed she had spent the night with Biff the night of Penny’s murder and Shelley extorted money from him in exchange for the alibi. Luann Butler may have appeared in some classroom scenes, but she doesn’t appear in anything I’ve received.

I’m waiting on one more script, Carl, which I’m hoping will clarify the Biff / Josh Collier / Lori situation.

In regards to Madge / Miranda, both women are losers. Bryan Lewis is in love with Betty Franklin, Lara Parker’s character. After Bryan’s wife Emily died, Bryan had an affair with Betty, who worked as his office manager at the Atlanta operation of Lewis Electronics. For some reason, Betty left Bryan and ran off to Eden where she married Joe Franklin and had Bryan’s child, Laurel. After Betty left him, Bryan became involved with Madge, but Madge knew there had been someone else; she just didn’t know who.

This scene is from script #131. At the end of part 60, Miranda apologized to Betty for snapping at her earlier (an incident in #130, the one script I don’t have out of the last nine) when Bryan Lewis arrives with Madge. Bryan mentions the death of another co-ed, which causes Betty to freak out; Laurel didn’t come home last night. This is the follow up. What I found particularly interesting about this is it plays out with both Miranda and Madge present, but the two act as if they are alone. I think it was a well done scene.

The scene continues with Madge / Miranda bickering before Josh Collier and Gail Lee arrive to announce Gail’s plans to leave town. This is Gail’s last appearance. A goodbye dinner was arranged by Madge and Bryan at the country club, but Josh announces Gail had to skip out. This is a bit of a shame because it was hinted Miranda intended to use Gail to cause tension between Madge and Bryan. Gail and Bryan slept together around script # 117 or #118, which caused Bryan to realize how lonely he had been. In an exchange with Gail, which Miranda overhears, Bryan thanks Gail for reawakening him sexually. Instead of the Gail reveal, Madge overhears Betty / Bryan admitting their love to one another in the Lewis living room in the final episode.

[DRW50]

This is very interesting. You can tell it's a cable soap as on most soaps people only have sex if it's love or if it's a mistake, never in between. Gail and Bryan are different to that cliche.

I wonder what story plans they may have had for Anne Lockhart - didn't she leave suddenly because she didn't want to take off her clothes?

I wish I could see Lara Parker's work in this role.

[dc11786]

I tracked down one article in which Anne Lockhart mentions guest starring on the pilot of 'a cable soap' and how the producers wanted her to continue, but she didn't want to take her clothes off. This wasn't the article I remembered. I thought she was asked about her role on 'Eden' at a 'Battlestar Gallatica' OS convention. I cannot seem to find that or maybe I'm simply making it up. Anyway, Lockhart's character was involved with Biff, as were all of the early strangler victims. I assume Lockhart would have been tied into the Lewis orbit.

At times, I think Lara Parker's Betty might have been a thankless role. In a lot of the episodes I've read she simply goes on and on about Laurel's involvement with men and how she needs to stay away from the Lewis boys. I finally read script #132, which covers Kevin Wallace raping Betty. Patrick Mulcachy wrote the script and I can sort of see why he wasn't pleased with 'Eden.' The episode is vile. Betty has arrived at Wallace's place to find Laurel. This all takes place after the scene i typed up above. While at Wallace's place, Betty is talking about her concerns about Wallace, while Wallace makes pass after pass at her. The rape takes place over the course of three scenes, which seems gratitutious. Mulcachy even seems disinterested in the script. The stage directions state to fade out from the attack to pornographic material that is plastered on Wallace's wall or to use special effects. It's all too much. Given the overly sexual nature of the series, I'm not sure how we are suppose to interpret this scene. I will say Mulcachy's dialogue for the younger set is stronger than the Hamners, who wrote most of the other episodes I have. Mulcachy uses more crass language, while the Hamners tended to use phrases which do not stand the test of time.

Regarding Betty, I was wrong about her husband, Joe Franklin. He wasn't dead. He had deserted Betty and Laurel years ago and had returned to town. Joe was seen outside the Franklin cottage on several occassions. During the rape, Betty flashes back to Joe forcing himself on her years ago. Betty had 'heavy breather' calling her, which may or may not have been Joe. At times, it seems to be a bit much, but I do appreciate the density of the text at times. There was certainly story to tell with this group of characters.

Josh / Gail's friends with benefits relationship seems very ahead of its time. In another scene, Josh informs Gail he is aware of Gail's attraction for Bryan and says it doesn't threaten him. If I get a chance, I'll post a snippet of that scene.

[DRW50]

Is that the Hamners of Falcon Crest/Waltons?

That story does sound degrading. I think you've mentioned before about Mulcahey not liking his time on the show but could you tell me again what he said?

I'm kind of glad I didn't see Lara Parker in this now.

[dc11786]

Linda and Gary Hamner. I've seen them listed as script writers on other soaps. For the most part, I don't find fault with their scripts, but there is an occassion or two where I find something the younger set says to be a bit questionable.

Here's the Mulcahey quote about 'Eden'

Regarding Parker, I'm wondering how she played the shock of realizing her lies had led her daughter to sleep with her half-brother. The final script is quite a terrifying experience for Betty. She has returned home after being raped, desperately searching for Laurel. When she returns downstairs, she sees the lights are now out; she had left them on. We knew Betty was getting phone calls from a heavy breather, we know the serial killer is on the loose, we know Betty's former husband Joe Franklin is lurking in the shadows. When Betty realizes Laurel has lost her viriginity to Greg Lewis, Betty is horrified by the ramifications of her actions. The fallout of this story would have been very interesting to see playout. Its a shame it came to an end when it did.

Similarly, I don't think Greg / Laurel were the only incest storyline. I'm getting the hint that Emmett Claybourne sexually abused his daughter Cynthia. Biff / Miranda chat about Cynthia's cold sexuality; Miranda labels her frigid, while Biff suggests she only acts like she hasn't had sex. Logan Claybourne returned to Eden after living in New York with his mother since his parents divorce. Logan was determined to learn why Emmett had fought for custody of Cynthia and not him. I think Emmett wanted Cynthia for himself. Marland may have recycled some of this on 'Loving' in the Lily plot, but the Clayborne story is more of a gothic tale. There is a dark undercurrent unrelated to the incest that it playing out. While not dead, Emmett's absence acts as a ghost that lingers in the house with his eventual return presenting a air of danger. Logan's discussion of his father suggests Emmett was a physically dangerous man, and Lockhart suspected he was the serial rapist / killer for some time.

Overall, I don't know what to think about the show. There are elements that are really intriguing, while some of the sexual elements seem a burden. Over time, these are things that could have worked themselves out. The sexuality of characters like Biff if very different from anything I've seen / read about in televison.

[Khan]

I think dc's referring to Gary and Linda Hamner, not Earl and Scott.

I really have to wonder how much of "Eden" was influenced more by the network's and producers' vision than by Marland's. Granted, Marland never shied away from pushing the envelope, but the synopses posted above seems a little much even for him!

[DRW50]

This is pretty tough stuff. I can't imagine how it played onscreen.

What else did Gary and Linda Hamner work on?

Thank you for the extra info from Mulcahey.

[Khan]

AFAIK, Linda Hamner (who worked as a production assistant on "Soap" at one point) worked with Gary at ANOTHER WORLD and TEXAS, and worked alone at GH and SANTA BARBARA.

[dc11786]

The Hamners worked on Texas and Another World. Linda worked on "Santa Barbara" and "General Hospital" as well.

Khan, I do think there was some network interference. In the article PaulRaven posted, Ellen Kroger, a representative from Showtime, said they didn't want nudity for the sake of nudity. I don't think that's completely true. It may have been for Showtime, but I know the show aired on other cable systems. Every script I've read includes a sex scene to the point where it starts to stand out. For instance, in part 55, Miranda Stevens (the show's bitch) has this dinner party for the upper echeleons of Eden to introduce Madge Whitehead (Jane Elliott's newly arrived love interest for patriarch Bryan Lewis). The party scene is interesting with Betty Franklin (Lara Parker's concerned mother) catching her daughter Laurel in a lie, sexual tension between Gail Lee and Bryan Lewis, Biff Lewis flirting with both Laurel Franklin and Cynthia Clayborne, and a conversation between Biff Lewis and his aunt Miranda regarding the relationship between Clint Masterson and Pam Evans. What do we have opposite this? Lori Novack, a young girl who Biff slept with, explaining to the chief of police Tim Lockhart the intimate details of her tryst with Biff, including newly filmed material of Lori / Biff going at it. It's unnecessary unless they had a mandate that they needed to include this kind of material.

In terms of content, I think Marland was certainly interjecting interesting themes into the younger stories that couldn't be dealt with on daytime. Pam Evans dated Greg Lewis, but Greg harbored feelings for Laurel Franklin, the daughter of his father's employee, Betty. When Greg and Pam split, Pam found solace in the arms of Clint Masterson, Greg's best friend and Miranda Stevens' (Greg's aunt) boytoy. Pam seems to have admired Miranda from the beginning, and Miranda exploited this by seducing an innocent and confused Pam at the Lewis pool one night. Pam realized her feelings for Miranda were strong and she and Clint split up. Meanwhile, Greg and Laurel grew closer while Betty was out of town to the dismay of Hud Richardson, Laurel's neighbor who believes he killed his own mother. It's all very layered and interconnected, but I can see how some of the sexual material could be a turn off.

[dc11786]

Michael Jaffee, the producer, mentioned he had trouble with the nudity / sex aspects. He wasn't sure how they would play out until they worked it out in the editing room.

Part of the issue with requiring the nudity is some characters weren't sexual characters. Betty Franklin was the ideal for middle class housewives so she isn't going to go down to the local bar and pick up a random dayplayer for kinky sex in the local motel. Francie Richardson was in a similar position. She was a girl with standards; she didn't want to have sex until she was married. In Francie's case, Biff's sexual fantasies provided the audience to see Francie in a sexual light. I suspect the rape situation was to show us Betty doesn't believe in random sex, while providing the audience the chance to see how violent Wallace truly was. This said, the execution is awkward.

On the otherhand, Laurel's sexual awakening was a story that could be told in the context of the series and not on daytime in the manner it was. Greg / Laurel's innocence is only shattered in the final moments of the serial when Betty reveals to Bryan that Laurel is his daughter; Greg and Laurel were not only lovers, but siblings. The fall out of this moment would have shook up the younger set.

[dc11786]

As promised, this is the Josh / Gail encounter, which closes out part 54. In part 53, Gail Lee returned to Eden and to her fellow AURIC inspectator Josh Collier. The two planned to go to dinner at the Lewis home as the show came to a close. In part 54, Chief Lockhart arrived at Josh Collier's hotel suite at the Eden Towers to investigate a lead in the Campus Strangler murders. Once Lockhart clears Collier, Gail and Josh hug and prepare to go to the party. This is the conversation that follows:

Afterwards, there is some plot dictated discussion of Gail's trip to Santa Fe, which leads Josh to realize it was Biff Lewis who impersonated him. The episode ends with Josh calling the police telling them 'the real Josh Collier' is on the phone.

Carl, regarding the 'Biff claims to be Josh' arc, I wonder if Biff is one of those liars who lies are good because they are based on the truth. When Biff is bedding Amy or Lori, he claims he has a wife in order to prevent a further hook up. When the woman presses for a name, Biff says his wife is named Francie. Francie is the woman he is attracted to so it's easy to understand why he would choose that name. When Biff does pick up Lori, he is shocked she is related to Shelley Novack, a young woman who has dubious connections to. If Lori were to tell her cousin she was with Biff, Biff believes there would be reprocussions because Shelley / Biff did have a thing once and he was spiteful. So when he creates his false persona of Josh Collier, it falls under that idea of lying about your past. Or at least that's how I'm rationalizing it rather than just accepting it as a weak plot point.

[DRW50]

Thanks for all of these details. The dialogue is a little clunky but this type of conversation is so rare on soaps.

Biff sounds like such a complex character. I wonder how the actor did in the role.