F13:TS 25 - Badge of Honor

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Episode Recap #23: Badge of Honor

Original Airdate: July 9, 1988

Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster

Guest cast:
Val Avery as Russ Sharko
David Proval as Victor Haas
John Stockwell as Tim Ayres
Lloyd Adams as Solly
Shane Cardwell as Lou
Frank Crudell as Printer
John Goar as Castro
Jane Heeley as Irene Sabara
Kenneth McGregor as Van Der Beck

Written by Jim Henshaw, Roy Sallows
Directed by Michelle Manning
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We open on some sort of bad guy counterfeit money deal, with cops listening in. One of the cops, Russ Sharko, jumps the gun, rushing out to try and make a bust. His female partner chases him, some other guy gets blown away, as does the female cop. Soon, all hell breaks loose and there are cops everywhere.

This dude is part of the bad ass mob.

Later, at the precinct, Russ, the old cop is turning in his badge and gun, his captain reprimanding him for his rash behavior that led to another cop's death. As he walks through the squad room, he is shunned by the other officers. He empties out his locker, drops the equipment at the store room and an old sheriff's badge falls off the shelf. Russ picks up the badge and pockets it.

Also a mobster.

At home, he listens to the television newscast, which reports that the alleged bad guy, Victor Haas, has been released. Russ falls asleep and dreams about Gwen, his wife, waving to him as she crosses a parking lot and heads toward her car. Two men are watching and running away and then the car explodes, killing her. Russ wakes, screaming, and rushes into the bedroom where he apologizes to Gwen, who we can't see under an oxygen tent.

A very confident and quickly killed goon.

At a club called "Haas," people are dancing and having a good time. Victor Haas shows up, and we see that two of the men in the club are the men Russ dreamt about running in his dream.  Haas checks out his club and gets some attention from some ladies. Outside, Russ tries to enter, but is denied by one of the guys from his dream. They struggle, Russ falls and the badge falls from his pocked. Russ ends up hitting the guy with a 2-by-4. The guy falls onto the badge, his body contorts and he dies and the badge appears in Russ' hand, with a scorch mark of its shape on the dead man's shirt.

And here is your mob don. Guy is a joke.

At Curious Goods, a customer greets Ryan asking for Micki. When she returns, she throws her arms around the guy and kisses him. He asks how she has been and she introduces him to Ryan as Tim Ayres. Tim says her father told him where to find her. Micki offers to let Tim stay with them while he is in town. Tim says he has to go run some errands, but he'll be back and they can talk. He also calls Ryan Bryan. Ryan isn't fond of the guy. Micki calls Tim an old friend.

At Russ' house, he talks to Gwen, who is still under the tent, and tells her he killed one of the guys, with the badge. He tells her has to be patient, but he can get to Haas, too.

At night, on the docks, Russ meets a game name Raoul, asking him where he can find Haas. Raoul doesn't want to spill, but he says Haas is planning to split til things cool down. Russ pressures him, but Raoul says he has no more information. Russ presses the badge onto the guy's chest, he thrashes about and falls into the water. The badge reappears in Russ' hand.

Convoluted history for this tiny antique.

Haas is inspecting some new counterfeit bills from Tim. Tim says he can launder the counterfeit bills, but wants a better cut. Haas is suspicious, but Tim says he could always go with someone bigger than Haas. Haas says he has to do some checking before they deal. They share some champagne in toast of a future in business.

At the store, Micki is waiting on Tim to come back. Ryan asks what their past is, Micki says they spent a lot of time together once. Ryan is leery of the man. Tim asks to use the phone, Ryan overhears and wonders what the conversation is all about.

Micki makes tea for Tim, but they end up kissing. Tim knows Ryan doesn't care for him, but Micki doesn't care. They kiss again. Micki wonders why Tim never wrote. He said he was afraid. But he wanted to see her again. They kiss again. He gives Micki a locket she had left behind. They wander off into her bedroom and onto her bed.

And here is your police force.

At Russ' house, he again talks to Gwen about how he has to stop Haas. He says he isn't worried for his safety, he needs to take care of Haas and his men. He leaves Gwen a vase full of flowers.
At the precinct, the captain approaches Russ as the older man cleans out his desk. He tries to make peace with Russ, and Russ asks if the captain can get him close to Haas. The captain scoffs and Russ says he would have helped him in the old days. The captain tells him to go, he's finished.

Micki is singing when Ryan approaches and asks what she is up to, obviously ticked off at Micki's house guest. Ryan probes her for information about Tim and mentions the phone call he overheard. Micki tells him to mind his own business. Ryan grabs Tim's suitcase and unzips it, Micki protesting. He says Micki might not know Tim anymore, at all. She reluctantly lets him look inside. Ryan pulls out a gun with a silencer. She is shocked and asks him to keep looking. Ryan finds photos of Haas and some other men and recognizes the man from the shoot-out on the news. They are both confused as to what Tim is up to.

At the club, Haas is doing coke and telling a story to Tim about a fox waiting for mice at the opening to their hole and how the mice tricked the fox. He offers Tim a final offer, Tim counters and then Russ arrives. Haas and his men knock the old man down and flee. Ryan and Micki watch from the alley. Russ gets up and rushes outside, but Haas and the men are gone. Russ hides as the other man from his dream comes out of the club, he shoots at Russ but misses. Russ rushes him and pins the badge to his chest. The man thrashes about and dies. Russ takes off as Micki and Ryan come out of hiding. They see the sheriff's badge, but it vanishes.

At his house, Russ fill Gwen in on how he just missed getting his hands on Haas. He apologizes and tells her he knows they don't have much time.

How has Russ been able to function at all at work,

if this is what his home life entails?

Ryan and Micki consult the manifest and the files and find the badge and info about its history. The article tells about the star-shaped brands left on the bodies. They wonder if it was in police storage. Tim comes in and Micki asks why he was at that club, but Tim says he can't involve them. Micki tells him his whole visit has been a lie, he denies it. Tim won't offer apologies, saying he did come to see her, that is the truth. Micki says she remembers why she left him in the first place and tells him to leave. Tim tries to follow but Ryan stops him.

Ryan, you goofball.

Haas questions his men, wanting to know how Russ got into his club and so close to him. Haas wants to know how they could let one of his closest friends die. He wonders why he should keep paying them. He singles out his bouncer and tells him no one should have gotten past him. He smashes a bottle over the man's head and threatens the others.

This pic should be the mascot pic for my page! 

Micki and a mug!

At the police station, Micki and Ryan question the captain about the previous case and if he knows what happened to the sheriff's badge, telling him they saw an older man using it at the club last night. The captain feigns ignorance and says he has to go. Micki and Ryan don't buy his story.

Some of the angles used to shoot the scenes in the store are great.

At the club, Haas gets a call from Tim. They make a deal and Tim ask when to come, Haas tells him tomorrow at 4:00 am. Tim tells another man in his car about the deal.

The police captain shows up at Russ' house, Micki and Ryan have followed him and are watching from outside. Russ is angry with the captain for showing up at his house. The captain questions him about Haas, but Russ denies anything. The captain asks about the badge, Russ, who has been drinking, again plays dumb. He tells him about the recent bodies with the badge mark burned into their chest. He tells Russ the last body was found with witnesses. Russ scoffs, saying the idea of criminals dying is a good thing. Micki and Ryan slip in through a window. The captain and Russ argue, Russ begging his old boss to let him continue. The captain tries to draw his gun, but Russ takes the badge out and pins it to the man's chest.

Ryan Crockett and Micki Tubbs.

The captain convulses throughout the house, dying, as Micki and Ryan hide. The captain bursts into the bedroom, collapsing on the tent covering Gwen. As it pulls away, we see she has been dead a very, very long time. Russ comes in, worried about Gwen. The badge reappears in his hand and he takes off, knowing he has to get to Haas.

Gwen, what lovely, er, cobwebs you have.

At the club, Russ grabs a girl and chokes her, demanding to know where Haas is. She says he is on the docks and Russ punches her out and heads off.

At the docks, Haas and his men wait for Tim. Micki and Ryan show up, having followed Russ. Tim and his friend arrive, as well.  Russ grabs one of the men and tosses one of the men and knocks him out. Micki and Ryan continue to wander about. Haas sends a second man to find the first. Micki and Ryan find the first man Russ killed and hide when they see Tim.

Tim approaches Haas, asking if he is ready to do business. Haas tells him to come closer. Ryan tries to climb up to get a better look and falls, making a huge noise and knocking himself out. Tim then pulls a gun on Haas, saying he is F.B.I. But Haas is faster and shoots Tim. Micki then jumps, trying to protect Haas and is herself shot in the shoulder.

As bad as Ryan's idea to climb this was,

all the other parties reacted so much worse to the noise!

Having heard all the gunshots, Russ steps into plain sight and gets shot, as well. Haas approaches him to gloat, but Russ sticks the badge on him and Haas then convulses and dies. Micki and Ryan, battered, approach Russ, who is dead, and find the badge.

See? We do have evidence of Micki being shot.

At the store, Micki is sad, thinking about Tim. Ryan comes and sits with her, saying the badge is locked up and that he guesses Tim was one of the good guys. Ryan admits to Micki he was jealous of Tim, that he was too slick. Micki tells Ryan he looks pretty good to her.

Micki ain't missing Tim too much.

Pivotal moment for our pair of antique hunters.

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My thoughts:

Wow. This episode. I have never cared for this one. The story is all over the place, and that is being kind. It is just haphazard, amateurishly written and feels like it was edited together in a rush.

The cop scenes are a joke, written, it seems, by someone who only knew cops from television and, even then, from badly written television.

The subplot of Tim and Micki having a past together feels like way to shoe-horn them into the weird cop/mob tale. Tim, who works for the F.B.I., needs a place to stay while he is in town working on a big case involving a dangerous mobster? Well, why not go and stay with your ex-girlfriend and then be vague about what you are doing and, on top of that, make phone calls in earshot of people you don't want listening. Makes sense.

I love how when Ryan and Micki go out to investigate Tim and the badge, they are dressed like they are going to some formal event. What the hell?

And Ryan decides to climb up some precarious pallets on the dock for... what reason? Oh, to fall and then cause a ruckus that then makes Tim blow ALL his cover and prematurely announce he is F.B.I. before having his gun ready. Of course he is shot and killed, as it Russ. Oh and Micki was shot! Or was she? We see zero evidence of her being hurt or wounded at the end.

The soundtrack is another problem here. It is so freaking loud throughout. In the club, we get to hear one of Louise Robey's songs, "Killer Instinct". It is good and fits the club scene. But for the rest of the show, we have background noise that just overpowers the scenes. It feels like someone wanted to make a Miami Vice type episode but had no idea how to go about that.

I know I am picking this one apart for all its faults, but it is just that there are SO many of them. I love the show and usually find stuff to enjoy in them all, but this one leaves me so lost.

I do think it is funny that Ryan, when he is alone at the store at the beginning of the episode, is reading some sort of comic book but hiding it with a newspaper. While he is alone, I remind you. Too funny.

The final scene is one scene I do like, however. Ryan admitting to Micki that he was jealous of Tim and felt like he couldn't compete, is monumental. For the first time, it is outright stated by one of the two that there could be something more between them. And Micki follows his statement with telling him he looks good to her. Quite a step forward in their relationship.

Next week: "Pipe Dream"

F13:TS 25 - Double Exposure

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Episode Recap #21: Double Exposure

Original Airdate: May 21, 1988

Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster
Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast:
Gary Frank as Winston Knight
Catherine Disher as Cathy Steiner
Tony De Santis as Detective Duncan
Dennis O'Connor as Phil Benedetto
Fran Gebhad as Marlene
Deborah Tennant as Eleanor

Written by Durnford King
Directed by Neill Fearnley

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We open at night in a townhouse apartment. Winston Knight, a newscaster, plays a video tape of one of his previous newscasts. He then takes an antique camera out of its hiding place and sets it up. After taking a picture, he heads to his darkroom to develop it. Instead of a photo, however, the picture develops into a humanoid creature. Knight is thrilled as the thing emerges. Later, we see Knight addressing the creature - now human and dressed - and giving it orders to call him later. He gives the man plastic gloves and a machete.

Knight really enjoys making doubles of himself.

Ryan and his date, Cathy, are taking pictures in a photo booth, having fun. Ryan grabs the photos and runs, as Cathy playfully chases him.

At the news studio, the make-up lady is asking Knight if she thinks the killer will call him again tonight. He says he has no idea.

Ryan and Cathy are walking home and we see the man who Knight sent out following a woman down a nearly deserted street. She begins to panic and hurry, but when she runs into the man, she is relieved when she recognizes him. She goes with him, willingly.

Cute couple. Like seeing Ryan smile!

Ryan is dropping his date off and tries to go up with her, but she has to get up early. Cathy tears the photo strip in half, keeping part and giving him the other, before kissing him good-night. Ryan leaves with a smile on his face.

The woman is walking with the man, feeling safe with him, when he pulls the machete and attacks her. She screams and Ryan hears and is nearly attacked by the man himself. The man gets away and Ryan finds the woman, dead.

Knight is doing is his newscast on the air live when the other man calls him from a phone booth. He tells Knight where to find the latest body. Knight tries to get more info, but the man hangs up. We then see the man watching Knight's newscast in front of a store full of televisions. When he turns around, we see he looks identical to Winston Knight himself.

After completing their task, their doubles wander around, Creepy.

At the station, Knight ends his newscast and his producer, Phil, expresses his glee over the ratings since the killer has been calling, saying that Knight was almost washed-up before this turn of events. Alone, Knight takes out the photo proof from the cursed camera and lights it on fire. As he does, the duplicate version of himself also burns to ash.

The cops are in Cathy's apartment, interviewing Ryan about the murder. Ryan says the man he saw was Winston Knight, but the cop says Knight was on air at the time of the killing. The cop thinks Ryan made a mistake, but Ryan sticks by what he saw. Ryan tells the cop to call Knight and ask him if the killer ever said he looked like him. The cop calls and tells Knight there is an eyewitness. Knight wants to know who it is. The cop tells him, off the record, that the man is Ryan Dallion. Knight then says he has no brother, twin or otherwise. The cop leaves, telling Ryan to call him if he thinks of anything else. Ryan gets Knight's number off the pad and apologizes for getting Cathy involved in all of this. She kisses him and tells him to call her later.

At Curious Goods, Ryan has woken Jack and Micki to tell them about the night's events. Micki says she watched the newscast and saw Knight get the call from the killer. Ryan says there has to be some explanation. Jack scoffs at the thought of a cursed item being involved, saying he would have noticed Knight's name in the Manifest. Micki says they should all get some sleep. Jack waits, pondering what Ryan said.

Jack and Micki are none too happy to be woken up in the middle of the night.

Ryan has a fitful sleep and gets up and turns on the television, to one of Knight's newscasts. When Knight says several witnesses have identified the killer as Ryan, he freaks out and hits the TV, but a hand breaks through the screen and grabs Ryan, trying to pull him in. Ryan then wakes up in bed, realizing it was just a nightmare.

Sheesh, Ryan isn't safe in his dreams, either.

The next day, Ryan is fixing his tie when Micki comes down. Ryan says he is going to meet Knight at his place at 5:00 to talk about the killer. Micki wishes she could go, but Ryan says Cathy is going with him.

Back in his darkroom, Knight is making yet another duplicate creature from the cursed camera. Later, he again arms the double with a machete. When Ryan and Cathy arrive, Knight hides the look-alike in the darkroom. Knight greets Ryan and Cathy and lets them inside. Cathy says she is a big fan, but Knight plays humble every-man.

Knight says him and Ryan are part of an elite club of two, the only two who have had an interaction with the killer. He thinks they should work together. Ryan has a hard time, amazed at how much Knight resembles the killer. Knight plays it off, instead telling them about the hard time he has had since the killer has been calling him, nightmares and headaches. He says that Ryan's identifying the man looking like him might mean the killer is fixated on Knight maybe even changing his appearance to look like him. Knight then says he has a deadline and ushers Ryan and Cathy out.

As they leave, Cathy is in awe that she met the famous newscaster. Ryan offers to drive Cathy home, but she decides to walk, since she has shopping to do. They kiss before Ryan drives off. Cathy starts to leave, but realizes she left her purse in Knight's apartment. Heading back up, she looks in the window and sees Knight talking to his double. Knight spots her, but she runs off. Knight spots her purse and gives his double her keys. Before she can make a call to the police, the killer startles her. She jumps into a cab, but the double follows.

Knight is anchoring another newscast, which Micki and Ryan are watching at the store. Ryan tells Micki there was something creepy about Knight and that he evaded all Ryan's questions. Jack arrives and said he was thinking all night and searched the manifest for items that might make a copy of someone. He found a camera in the listings, but it was sold to someone named Kahn. However this is not a person, but the news station KAHN. The trio head out.

The cab drops Cathy at home and she uses the key under the mat to get inside her apartment. She calls Curious Goods, but the machine picks up. She leaves Ryan a message about what she saw in the window. She says she is scared. The television then turns on and she sees the double, with her keys. He draws his machete as she throws items at him. She hides, but he uses the weapon to break the door and then he attacks as Knight's newscast plays on the screen.

Love the long shots of the inside of the store!

Later, back at the store, Jack and Ryan discuss how Knight could have stolen the camera from the studio after they purchased it. Micki hits the play button on the machine and they hear Cathy's message. Ryan realizes she is in danger and him and Jack rush out.

At Cathy's apartment, they find the cops outside and Cathy's murdered body inside. The detective says he needs a statement, but Jack tells him that will have to wait. They leave, Ryan blaming himself for her murder. Jack stops Ryan from telling the cops it was Knight, telling Ryan the man has the perfect alibi and that, yet again, they are on their own.

At Curious Goods, Jack tells Ryan they need to concentrate on getting the camera back. Micki tries to console Ryan but he snaps and rushes out, saying he is going to get Knight.

At the station, Knight is outside, about to burn the photo proof when Ryan accosts him, telling him about Cathy's message. Knight calls him crazy, but Ryan grabs the photo off the ground and takes off, eluding both Knight and a security guard.

Back at the store, Ryan tells Micki and Jack he has the negative. Jack says that he believes that the duplicate has only five hours. If Knight doesn't destroy the negative before then, he dies and the duplicate lives. Ryan says he now has Knight's life in his hands.

In the street, the double is almost run over by a car as it wanders. It has begun to realize it wants to live.

Jack says they have to hold on to the negative and use it blackmail Knight into giving the camera back. Ryan says no, he is going to let Knight die, he doesn't care about the camera. Jack says if he does, then the camera will fall into someone else's hands and the killing will continue. Ryan stops, realizing the truth in Jack's words.

Simple item with a powerful curse attached.

Jack arrives at Knight's apartment and tells him his associates will destroy the negative as soon as Jack comes back with the camera. Knight appears to be playing along, but then he knocks Jack out and takes a photo of him.

Later, we see Jack tied up as Knight gives a phony Jack duplicate a different camera. He tells him to give Micki and Ryan the fake camera, destroy the negative and then to kill them both. Knight tells the real Jack that he is about to commit two murders while tied up. He then says the Jack double will admit to being the machete killer on air. He gags Jack as he tells him how he has it all planned out for Jack's double to outlive Jack and then be killed as the murderer. Knight calls his producer and tells him to get a news crew and to meet him at Curious Goods, where they will capture the killer. The Knight double is watching, through the window. After Knight leaves, the double follows, as Jack struggles to free himself.

At the store, the Jack double arrives with the camera. Micki takes it to the vault as Jack demands the negative from Ryan. As he goes to get it, the fake Jack pulls the phone cord out.

Outside the store, Knight meets up with his producer and crew and tells him that the killer is going to come out of the store a little before 10:00 PM. Phil says they should call the cops, but Knight plays to his greed over ratings and they wait.

Inside, Ryan says they should just wait a few minutes before destroying the negative, but fake Jack insists. Ryan feigns at getting the negative as he poses a trick question to the man about not breaking the camera. The fake Jack falls for it and Ryan attacks him, realizing he isn't Jack. Micki comes in and Ryan tells her this isn't the real Jack. Just then, the Knight double arrives, as well. The two duplicates struggle.

Outside, Knight is beginning his newscast, telling the public they are minutes away from finding out who the machete killer is.

Ack. The duplicates are filled with some weird oozing goop.

Wonder who had to clean that up in the store?

As the two doubles fight, the Knight copy slices off the Jack copy's hand. Fake Jack begins to turn to goop. Fake Knight holds Micki at knife-point, demanding the negative from Ryan. He pretends to hand it over, but instead, stabs the creature in the chest. More goop oozes out and Ryan and Micki escape.

The two rush outside to where Knight is airing his newscast. He pretends that he didn't know anyone was inside. He demands to end the broadcast, but his producer keeps the cameras rolling. His double stumbles out of the store, as well, and Knight demands the negative from him, but the fake Knight crumples it up. The real Winston Knight slowly vanishes as everyone watches. The duplicate is then shocked to see the goop turn to blood as he becomes real. He is happy to be alive, right before he keels over and dies.

What did all these people make of Knight just fading away?

Hell, they had it on camera!

Later, Jack is working with the manifest as Micki comes downstairs. She tells Jack that Ryan is really depressed. Jack says Lewis must have told Knight how the cursed camera worked. He also speculates that the duplicate of Knight would probably have begun to act just like the real Knight, over time. Ryan then comes down and said he realized it isn't the objects that are cursed, they are. Everyone involved with them dies. Micki and Jack tell him that isn't so, Knight was responsible for Cathy's death and the nine others before. Jack adds that if they didn't fight evil, the consequences would be much worse. Ryan looks at his half of the photo strip of him and Cathy and gets angry again over her senseless demise.

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My thoughts:

An excellent episode! The cursed item here is a great one with a great twist. Of course, Knight doesn't use his double merely to have fun, it has to take a dark, murderous turn.

Gary Frank is great as the fame-hungry Knight and his dim-witted yet anxious to live duplicates.

Cathy is a fun love interest for Ryan, cute and spunky. Sad that Ryan loses yet another romance to one of the cursed items. You can almost track the hardening of Ryan's soul over time. Sad.

Loved how the duplicates look perfectly human but act just a little bit off. Makes them strangely creepy, in a way.

Also love how Ryan was wary of Jack when he came back. You would notice if Jack started acting weird and Ryan does and uses his brain to trick the double into revealing itself.

Have to wonder what Phil the producer, the news crew and everyone at home thought of what happened outside the store. I mean, really: the real Knight vanishes before their eyes, the fake Knight is bleeding and dies and in the store is a fake, oozing Jack! What did the cops make of all this? We never know, as it is not addressed. We have to assume Jack, Micki and Ryan came up with some sort of believable story to explain it all. Would have loved to hear that one!

Also loved how there is an nod to the executive producer of the show, Frank Mancuso, Jr. When Knight is going to his car outside the station, right before Ryan jumps him, we see the names on two parking spaces. Not sure who "J. Wartlieb" was, but "F. Mancuso, Jr." is pretty obvious. See the pic below!

I like little inside jokes like this. :)

Next week: "Pirate's Promise"

F13: TS 25 - The Quilt of Hathor

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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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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"

F13 TS 25 - The Electrocutioner

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Episode Recap #17: The Electrocutioner

Original Airdate: April 23, 1988

Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster
Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast:
Angelo Rizacos as Eli Pittman
Frank Adamson as Warden Hobbs
Marcia Bennett as Peggy Hobbs
J. Winston Carroll as Judge Miller
Jennifer Cornish as Melissa Duvall
Ron Hartman as Mr. Downing

Written by Rob Hedden
Directed by Rob Hedden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We open, in black and white, outside of an old prison during a storm. The year is 1978 and a man is taken from his cell, his head is shaved and he is brought to the room with the electric chair. Other men and guards are standing, ready to witness this prisoner's death. Another man sits by the phone. When it rings, he has the unfortunate task of telling the prisoner, Eli Pittman, that his stay of execution has been denied. Eli professes his innocence, but they flip the switch and he is electrocuted. Once it is over, the doctor examines him and reports that Eli is not dead. The switch is flipped again, he is again electrocuted.  This time the doctor declares him dead and he is wheeled out on a gurney  Before they leave, he grabs the guard's hand. The other men want him back in the chair, but one man stops them, saying that he was pronounced dead and they cannot execute a man twice. Eli is taken away to a hospital to see what effects the double-electrocution has had on him.

The actor goes through three different looks in this one episode!

In the present day, Ryan is rocking out to some music while fooling around with a lightening lamp. Micki turns off his radio and Jack arrives with a letter they sent out about an antique. Seems it was returned as there was no forwarding address, but Jack says the doctor's name turned out to be phony, the medical association never heard of the man. Ryan asks what Lewis sold him and Jack replies that it was an old electric chair.

Flash to Haverstock Reform School where a teenage girl is just coming out of the nitrous oxide after her appointment. The dentist, Dr. Lindheim, who is the former prisoner Eli Pittman, says he was sidetracked from his schooling in the 70s, but went back cause he likes working with kids. Mr. Downing, who runs the school, comes in and tells the dentist how happy they were to have him come work there, but he is sad to report that the school will be closing in two weeks due to lack of funding. After Downing leaves, Eli flashes back to his execution and the men who were present but did nothing to stop it. Eli puts a hand on his dental chair, which is the electric chair re-purposed.

At the prison, Jack and Ryan are interviewing the warden about the electric chair, pretending to do research for a book on infamous antiques. He tells them about Eli Pittman being the only one who survived his time in the chair, saying it gained a little notoriety after the incident. The chair was sold to a private collector, whom Ryan speculates was Uncle Lewis. The warden tells them that Eli had been telling the truth, someone else ended up confessing to murdering his girlfriend.

Next, we see Dr. Lindheim aka Pittman with a new patient in his chair. He makes small talk with the young man, then flips the switch on the electric chair and kills him, vaporizing the boy's entire body, leaving only his clothes behind. Eli then gets into the chair and it imbues him with power from the murdered boy.

Eli could have resumed his life,

but his experience left him too damaged.

That night, an older man, Mr. Kendricks, is working late in his office. Eli arrives, letting himself in. He remembers the man as the one who wanted to put him back in the electric chair after he survived his execution. Eli introduces himself as Dr. Lindheim. The old attorney is under the impression the dentist has information about a man who was wrongly executed. Eli then reveals himself as the prisoner. Kendricks wants him to leave. When the old man has his hand on the doorknob, Eli grabs the other side of the knob and the electricity the chair filled him with flows through, killing Kendricks.

Eli can kill with no muss and no fuss,

but not without pain.

At Curious Goods, Ryan and Micki tell Jack they found a lot of information at the library on Eli. Jack says no one knows whatever became of Eli after the mental hospital. Jack recognizes Kenricks from Micki and Ryan's files as the attorney who was killed last night.

In his office, Eli x'es out Kendricks face from an old photograph. Two other faces are already crossed out. He makes a call to the office of Judge Avery, another man from the photograph. He learns when the man will be at home. He then pulls a patient file, the young girl from the beginning of the episode.

At the store, the trio is going over the Pittman files to try and find out where he could be now, when Ryan finds a paper about Eli's previous dental school ambitions. Jack suspects that Dr. Lindheim and Eli Pittman might just be one and the same.

At the dental office, Melissa is startled by Dr. Lindheim. He wants to know why she missed her appointment. She was unaware of any appointment, but since she will excused from history class, she goes with the doctor.

Melissa, as a poster child for the 1980s!

Jack, Micki and Ryan prepare to head out and alert all the other people involved with Eli's execution that they may be in danger.

Mr. Downing goes looking for Melissa and finds her room empty. He continues to search. Melissa is high on the nitrous oxide and Eli flips the switch, killing and vaporizing the young woman. He removes her clothes and hides them just as Mr. Downing arrives, asking if the dentist has seen Melissa. He lies and says no. After the man leaves, Eli gets into the chair to be imbued with the electricity once more.

Quite the big antique!

Between this, the mulcher, the Houdan box

and then the trephantor and playhouse,

it is no wonder they needed more room in the vault!

That night, Judge Avery arrives home, unaware he is being watched by Eli. Ryan and Micki arrive to warn the judge about Eli, but Eli confronts the judge first. He questions the judge about what the punishment would be for someone who wrongly executed an innocent man. The judges realizes who Eli is tells him not to come any closer. Eli agrees, but he grabs the same iron railing the judge is holding and the electricity course through, killing the judge. As Eli turns, he notices Micki and Ryan watching and chases them. Ryan trips and falls in a puddle and Eli places his hand into it just as Micki gets Ryan out. Ryan just barely avoids being electrocuted. The pair rush to their car and lock the doors, but Ryan dropped the keys in the street. Eli approaches and Ryan tells Micki not to touch anything metal, just as Eli reaches out to place his hand on the vehicle's hood ornament. Electricity surges throughout the car until Eli is drained of all power. Micki and Ryan avoid being killed and Eli flees into the night. Aware of how close they came to death, Ryan says he'll go look for the keys.

Amazing that they even got the car started and drove home!

At the store, Ryan and Micki inform Jack of what Eli is capable of and Micki says almost everyone in the photo is dead, except for one man and a couple of guards. Jack tells them that he found where Dr. Lindheim is working, at the reform school. He has made arrangements to visit the school. Ryan tells them to wear rubber boots and gloves.

Micki and Jack, in rubber boots, arrive at the school and talk with Mr. Downing. Eli spies them. Downing shows them around, believing they are interested in the antiques. Downing takes a call and says he will be right there. We then see Eli hang up his phone, a hypodermic needle in his hand.

At the prison, Ryan is showing the photograph of the men involved in Eli's unsuccessful execution to the warden, hoping to find out who the unknown man is. The warden says he was the jury foreman during the trial, Mr. Stridel. The warden says he has more info at his home and invites Ryan to dinner with him and his wife. Ryan says he will give him a call later.

Micki and Jack search the school for Eli's office. Downing arrives and is immediately injected by Lindheim, aka Eli, who places the old man in the electric chair. He takes out his dental drill and demands to know what the old man told Jack and Micki. When he professes ignorance, Eli drills without Novocaine  He asks again and the old man says they are just antique dealers. Eli then begins to drill again. Micki and Jack continue to search for the office. Downing is now nearly catatonic by the point, as Eli apologizes for what he has done.
Micki and Jack then see the lights in the building flicker and become concerned. Eli removes the clothes Downing left behind when he was vaporized then gets in the chair and becomes empowered with electricity once more. Micki and Jack don rubber gloves before entering the office. They find the place empty, the exit door ajar. Looking around, Jack recognizes the chair and Micki finds a stack of clothes on the floor. Jack then makes a needle into a magnetic compass as a way to find Eli. Following the floating compass, they are soon on Eli's path, through the basement of the school. Eli waits for them in the shadows. Jack seems a transformer and they are relieved to think the electrical sounds they here are merely from it. But when they turn around, the see Eli watching them. He steps closer, removing his rubber gloves, but at the last minute he turns and tuns away.

Micki and Jack must both be wondering

how the hell they are getting that home and into the vault!

Back at the store, Micki and Jack, after much struggling, finally place the chair into the vault. Jack is glad that Eli won't have access to it and will just have the final charge he got, but wonders why the man didn't use the electricity to kill them. Micki says he must be saving it for his next victim. Ryan arrives and tells them the jury foreman died ten years ago. Ryan thinks their job is done but Micki says that they still have to stop Eli, he is a killer on the loose. Eli still has a charge, as well. Micki speculates that maybe the final person wasn't in the photo. Jack says that warden Hobbs was the one who ordered the switch to be pulled.

After getting no answer on the warden's phone, the group rush out to his house. The man is just arriving home, unaware that Eli is watching from the bushes. Inside, Hobbs and his wife embrace and he asks about their dinner guest, Ryan. She says he hasn't called and the warden heads to his study. When the doorbell rings, Hobbs wife thinks the man is Ryan Dallion and lets him in. When Eli removes his hat, Mrs. Hobbs is surprised by his appearance, but says she expected him to be younger. Eli says he wants to surprise the warden and heads off to the study.

Micki, Ryan and Jack continue racing to their warden's home. When Eli and Hobbs do meet, Hobbs soon recognizes the man as the long-ago prisoner. When Mrs. Hobbs opens the door, she is shocked that this is Ryan. Jack sends Micki away with Mrs. Hobbs to find help and tells Ryan to go get the jumper cables from the car. He then rushes upstairs and tells the warden to get away from Eli. The man hides in a room and Eli tries to get in, but Jack keeps him distracted. Ryan arrives and attaches the cable to a radiator. Jack goads Eli, telling him that he has the chair and its all over now. Eli yells and attacks Jack, but Jack clamps the jumper cable onto Eli's hand. Eli winds up electrocuting himself and this time, he dies for real. The warden steps out of the room to find Eli's shriveled, smoldering body, Jack and Ryan watching.

Just how the hell do they explain this to the warden, much less the cops?

The next day, Micki is happy the sun is out, as Jack works on connecting Ryan's lightening lamp to his stereo. He tells Micki to put her hand on the globe. She does and thinks it feels kind of cool. Jack and Ryan snicker at Micki, who is unaware the electricity has sent her all of her hair to stand on end.

Micki can rock any look!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

I love it! Well written, this is an antique one wouldn't think of, but it has the potential to give super powers, in a way, to Eli. Sadly, it also turns him into a killer.

Funny how the chair is supposedly not cursed before Lewis gets it, but Eli does survive his electrocution. Merely a coincidence, I guess?

Love the unexpected in this episode. Eli survives and becomes - a dentist! So now he has a plausible way to lure people into his chair, even if it doesn't look like any normal dentist's chair. I mean, didn't people wonder what the head thing was for?

Also love how ingenious Jack is in this episode! He not only figures out a lot of what is going on and who Eli becomes, he also goes all MacGyver and creates a compass to track the killer then comes up with the way to stop Eli at the end. Bad ass Jack being all bad ass!

Love Ryan's quip about Micki and Jack wearing rubber boots and then we see them in rubber boots!

Love how weird the warden gets when he invites Ryan to dinner. The man is like giddy with excitement over the idea!

Also love Melissa's totally 80s look.

Just a great, fun, interesting episode!

Next week: "Brain Drain"