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Episode Recap #19: The Quilt of Hathor
Original Airdate: May 2, 1988
Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster
Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak
Guest cast:
Scott Paulin as Reverend Josiah
Kate Trotter as Effie Stokes
Diego Matamoros as Matthew
David Brown as Elder Fraser
Helen Carscallen as Sarah Good
Carolyn Dunn as Laura Grange
Araby Lockhart as Elder Florence
Rebecca Lamb as Diana Rowland
Patricia Strelioff as Jane Spring
Written by Janet MacLean
Directed by Timothy Bond
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We open on a carriage ride in a village. A man, the revered, and a young woman are riding together, he is anxious for the night they will be will wed. They stop and kiss and are caught by Effie Stokes, who is surprised to hear they are betrothed. The reverend Josiah snaps at Effie, telling her there is nothing wrong with their marriage. He then takes the young woman, Jane, inside, leaving Effie to deal with the horse.
Effie reminds me of the chicken who had the hots for Foghorn Leghorn!
That night, Effie pulls a quilt out of the bottom of her cedar chest. Elsewhere, Jane is saying her prayers before bed. Effie goes to sleep under the quilt. She goes to sleep dreaming about the reverend, and in her dream, she is the bell of an old-fashioned ball. Josiah dances with her but when he sees Jane, he tosses Effie aside. As they dance on the balcony, Effie tells Josiah "it's time". He then tosses Jane off the balcony to her death, the continues to dance with Effie. In reality, Jane dies in her sleep.
Why did Sarah by an occult quilt from Lewis in the first place???
At Curious Goods, Ryan is rocking out to music until Micki alerts him to a guest. Sarah has arrived from the Penatite colony in answer to one of their mailers. She once purchased the Quilt of Hathor from Lewis. She says she knew the quilt was evil, but it was stolen from her. She believes one of her sect stole it from her. Jack tells her they need to get it back. Sarah tells Micki and Ryan they need to dress quite simply if they are going to fit in back at the Penatite colony, as they shun modern ways.
Sarah brings Micki and Ryan to her colony, showing them the buildings and people as they go by in the carriage. Ryan makes jokes, but Sarah is serious. There are punishments for transgressions, she tells them. Sarah tells Laura, the reverend's daughter, that Micki and Ryan are her sister's children. When Ryan smiles at the girl, the carriage driver, Matthew, makes sure to mention he is betrothed to Laura. Ryan notices that Laura doesn't seem as happy about that as Matthew. Sarah tells them all the marriages here are prearranged by the elders.
The colony is so close to modern civilization!
That night, at dinner, Ryan can't take his eyes off of Laura. The reverend Josiah offers a prayer over his lost fiancee, Jane, whom he still mourns. Effie makes sure to mention that even Jane had faults, but Sarah scolds her. Ryan makes small talk, finding out Matthew and Laura are to marry in a week.
Ryan is instantly smitten with the lovely Laura.
Later, Sarah brings them to her rooms and tells them to wait until everyone is in bed before searching for the quilt. Effie listens in. Ryan goes outside to look around. He spots Laura going into the barn and follows. He finds her singing to a horse. He tells her the song is beautiful, startling her. They then proceed to sing together and dance a bit. Matthew rushes in and tackles Ryan, telling him he can see the lust in Ryan's eyes. He tells him the penalty for that is death.
Laura tries to stop Matthew from killing Ryan and eventually convinces him to give her the razor in his hand. Matthew then tells Ryan they will settle this at a hearing, even though Ryan says he did nothing. Laura tells him that her father, the reverend, will make the judgment about what Ryan has done.
Simple, sweet romance. Too bad Matthew keeps popping up!
The next morning, at the hearing, the reverend calls Ryan and Laura forward. Ryan tells him he did nothing wrong. Matthew says Ryan is an adulterer. The reverend says he isn't, as Laura is not yet married. Laura tells them what happened and says it is her fault, not Ryan's. She then sings the song a bit, reminding the reverend that her mother used to sing it to her. Micki sticks up for Ryan, telling the group everyone dances where they come from. The reverend makes his decision, telling Ryan that he will abide by their laws while he is there and that he must stay away from Laura. If he messes up again, there will be consequences.
At a meeting, a question comes up about the colony's finances. The reverend tries to move to another subject, but the others persist. He scolds them. Effie then brings up the fact that, per their law, the reverend must take a new wife. Josiah says he is still mourning. But they tell him he must marry. Effie tries to present herself, but Josiah doesn't pick up the hint.
Later, Effie practices accepting Josiah's proposal. She wants the power that comes with being the reverend's wife. Micki and Ryan meet up after searching for the quilt, but other than a dirty magazine, they come up with nothing. Micki then searches Effie's room unaware the woman is there. Micki finds a mirror and is startled when Effie surprises her. Micki drops and breaks the mirror. She makes an excuse, saying she thought this was Sarah's room. Effie is suspicious and threatens Micki if she tells that Effie had a mirror. Micki leaves.
At dinner, the reverend praises Rebecca for the meal. He then makes an announcement about his choice of a bride. He then asks Rebecca to be his bride, much to Effie's dismay. Rebecca agrees and everyone is pleased, even Laura. Effie sits, simmering in her rage.
Ryan sneaks into the barn later to see Laura. She is surprised, but tells him she feels an attraction to him, as well. When Matthew calls her name, she has Ryan hid in the haystack. Matthew arrives and offers to help with the horse, using the pitchfork to get hay. As Laura leaves with him, blood seeps out of the haystack where Ryan was hiding.
That night, Effie again pulls the quilt out and sleeps beneath it. Her dreams are of Rebecca this time. At the same old-fashioned ball in her dream, she is pushed aside by Rebecca. Effie then poisons the woman's wine. Rebecca drinks and then chokes and dies. The reverend dances with Effie. In real life, Rebecca dies in her sleep.
Effie may be plain, but in her dreams, she is the belle of the ball!
Micki is out searching for Ryan and heads into the barn. She calls for him and hears a moan. She pulls the pitchfork from the haystack and Ryan sits up. He was wounded in his arm. Micki tells Ryan it is hard to watch someone she cares about make a mistake. Ryan says it isn't a mistake, that Laura is special. They hear a commotion and are told that Rebecca died. Ryan wants to check on Laura, but Micki says they should look for the quilt.
The next day, at a funeral for Rebecca, the reverend questions God as to why both Jane and Rebecca have been taken away. He wonders if it is to punish him. Ryan and Micki watch and wonder who could be using the quilt. They wonder if someone either hates or loves the reverend enough to use the quilt this way.
Ryan chases Laura, wanting to ask about who would want to marry her father. Laura tells him that Effie Stokes has been infatuated with Josiah for years, but the reverend never notices her. She asks why, but Ryan says he can't tell her. Ryan leans in and kisses her and Laura kisses him back. Matthew again jumps Ryan, striking him. He is ready to kill Ryan, but the reverend appears and stops him. He tells them they will solve this the old fashioned way. Laura tells Ryan there will be a cleansing.
Ryan, in the Penatite version of American Gladiators!
That night, the men build a frame around bonfire. Ryan must fight Matthew above the fire and whoever falls in is the loser and the colony will be cleansed. Micki says it is barbaric. Ryan tries to make them listen to sense, but they won't hear of it. Matthew begins struggling with Ryan and Ryan has no choice but to fight back. Micki stand by, worried. Matthew thinks he has won, but Ryan saves himself and fights back. The men struggle and Ryan eventually knocks Matthew down. He walks toward Micki and Laura and then walks off with Laura.
Aw, Poor Micki, dissed by Ryan for a hug.
Later, Effie follows Sarah as the woman enter's Effie's room. Sarah tells Effie she is looking for the quilt stolen from her. Effie plays dumb, but Sarah says she knows what is going on in Effie's mind about the reverend. She says she is evil and leaves.
Micki then tries to get some help in dealing with Ryan. Sarah's says if it is God's will, then let it be. She then tells Micki she believes Effie has the quilt.
That night, Effie again goes to sleep under the quilt, dreaming about Sarah. At the ball in her dream, Sarah is a maid who keeps calling Effie a liar and a murderess. Effie then strikes Sarah with a candlestick and drops the flames onto the old woman. In the dream, Sarah burns and in reality, Sarah's room is also on fire. Ryan and Micki are too late to save Sarah, who dies. They then go to Effie's room and find the quilt and Micki grabs it. Effie calls them thieves, but they flee.
Effie just loves that freaking quilt!
The next day, at Sarah's funeral, the reverend again wonders aloud what the colony has done to suffer so. Micki is packing when Ryan arrives. He tells her he is staying at the colony. Micki asks about all the other antiques, Ryan shrugs. He says he is in love with Laura, and that he has found a sort of peace with the way of life at the colony. Micki asks about the store, the antiques and Jack, but he just says he has to do what he has to do. She says she deserves better. She says she can't keep hunting the antiques alone. He says Jack will be fine and she is strong, she doesn't need him anymore. She grabs her stuff and goes to leave, telling him she will miss him before heading out the door. Ryan watches her get in the carriage and leave.
At Curious Goods, Micki arrives with the quilt. She sees a horse statuette and sings the lullaby Laura sang. Jack asks where Ryan is and she tells him. He is shocked, confused that Ryan would become a Penatite to be with the girl. He says he will miss him. Micki says she will, too. She then shows Jack the quilt. He tells her what the curse on the quilt does. As he moves the quilt, it tears. Jack then uses his lighter and burns the corner. He tells Micki the real quilt can't be destroyed and they realize this quilt is a fake.
To be continued!
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My thoughts:
Quite a different episode of the show! Not only do we get a unique locale - an Amish-like place - we get Ryan actually choosing to leave the store and Micki and Jack for the love of a woman he just met!
I can see Ryan's thought process. He was so young and carefree when we first met him and now he has seen so much horror and death, a place like the Penatite colony would be appealing to him, especially since he think the cursed item is now gone from there. But I have a bit of a hard time buying that he would just dump the entire responsibility of the store and, even more so, the hunting of the antiques, on Micki and Jack. Love makes one do stupid things, but wow.
Micki shows some of her deepening feelings for Ryan here, too. She at first plays off Ryan's infatuation with Laura as a lark. And when he fights Matthew, she is shown hoping Ryan is rushing to her. We see her visibly saddened when he instead goes to Laura. And then when he decides to stay behind, she is angry but also very heartbroken. Quite a moment for them, even if Ryan can't see it.
They should have known Effie was playing them for fools when she doesn't fight them over the quilt, but maybe they were just eager to get the quilt.
Love the idea of a quilt, such a simple, benign object, being able to bring up such horror through the curse. Creepy!
Also love how, at the end, even thought they are both sad, Micki and Jack never say they are just going to give up, as well. Ryan might have deserted them, but they both seem determined to keep hunting the items. Good on them.
Next week: "The Quilt of Hathor: The Awakening"
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