Friday the 13th: The Series 25th Anniversary
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Episode Recap #24: Pipe Dream
Original Airdate: July 16, 1988
Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster
Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak
Guest cast:
Michael Constantine as Ray Dallion
Frank Canino as Esposito
David Christoffel as Nathan Fielding
Marion Gilsenan as Connie
James Kidnie as John York
Nick Nichols as Buck Clemens
Daryl Shuttleworth as Keith Fielding
Christian Vidosa as General Abelar
Written by Marc Scott Zicree
Directed by Zale Dalen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We open in the conference room of an Inventors Seminar. As the meeting breaks up, Ray Dallion approaches one of the men and asks for a light. The man comments on the unique pipe Ray has. As Ray loads his pipe, from an uncle he says, he talks to the younger man, telling him he looks for people such as him to represent. Ray knows the man is on to some big invention. The man gives in and tells Ray about his plans for a new gun that is like a miniature guided missile. Ray is impressed. Ray mentions a partnership to the man, but as he lights his pipe, red smoke comes out and surrounds the young man, deforming his flesh and causing him intense pain until he simply vanishes. Ray watches, then takes the missile plans and leaves.
At a later date, we see Ray giving a demonstration of the weapon to some potential buyers. The head of the firm, Mr. Clemens, is impressed and hires Ray, telling him the gun is going to be manufactured immediately. One of Clemens' subordinates, John York, is unimpressed and resentful of Ray's success.
That night, Ray comes home with flowers for his girlfriend Connie. She wonders if he spent the rent money on them. Ray tells her he is sick of them living so poorly and promises she is going to get so much more.
At Curious Goods, Micki comes in and brings the mail, including an invitation for Ryan from his dad, Ray, and Connie. Ryan tosses it but Micki fishes it out and asks why he'd just ignore it. Ryan says he doesn't get along with his dad and is tired of feeling like a disappoint to the man. Micki says that maybe it is time to try and make peace. Ryan is unsure, but Micki keeps on him. He relents, on the condition that Micki is his guest.
Ryan and Micki arrive at the address on the invitation and Ryan is surprised his father could afford a house like this. Ray opens the door and is surprised to see his son, asking why he is there. Ryan mentions the invitation, but Connie appears and tells them that she is the one who invited him, and invites them into the house. Ryan introduces Micki as cousin Catherine's daughter.
Connie tells Ray she invited Ryan because it was time they buried the hatchet. She tells Ray to take Ryan to the factory and show him around. When Ryan says he'd like to see it, Ray reluctantly agrees. Connie and Micki bond over wedding planning.
At the factory, Ray tells Ryan about the weapon he says he designed. Ryan make a comment but Ray overreacts, saying this is serious business and that there are people in the business that would like to see him fail, or worse. John York comes up, asking to speak to Ray, but says he'll meet him later. Ray tells Ryan the man wants to be like him.
Ray tells Ryan that even though his father died when he was born, Ray did have someone to look up to, his Uncle Lewis Vendredi. Ryan is understandably shocked to hear this. Ray relates how he cut his throat accidentally as a boy and Lewis saved his life, apparently by magic. Ray says that even though Lewis was dirt poor, he loved the old man. He always wondered how Lewis suddenly went from a poor shop owner to a rich man and swears he will do the same.
At the house, Micki is helping Connie with chores and accidentally drops a box. A photo album falls out and Micki looks through. She comments on a picture and Connie says it is of Ray and his Uncle Lewis. She tells Micki how the man was the only person to give Ray a Christmas present when he was a child. Micki asks if Lewis ever gave him anything in later years, Connie mentions the pipe.
Back at the factory, Ray is telling Ryan about the weapons they sell and then shows Ryan his invention, the one he stole after the pipe killed the true inventor. Ryan sees how it works, but is surprised his father invented such a deadly weapon. Ray thinks Ryan just has trouble believing his father is smart enough. He wants Ryan to try the weapon, but Ryan scoffs. Ray berates him, calling him "artistic" and wondering why he dropped out of college to run an old antique store. He wants Ryan to come work for him and says how Uncle Lewis would want it, too. Ryan snaps and tells his father about what Lewis did at the store and what him and Micki are going through to get the cursed antiques back. Ray is shocked, but Ryan tells him to forget it. York appears and tells Ray they need to talk, now. Before he leaves, he tells Ryan he wants to talk more. Micki arrives at the factory, looking for Ryan.
York wants Ray to sign a contract signing over all rights to his weapon to him. Ray scoffs, but York pulls out a file that proves that a man named Fielding is the true inventor and threatens to go to the big boss with the information. He also produces Fielding's brother, who has been searching for his missing brother. The man is unaware that York is using him to pressure Ray. York leaves, telling Ray he better make up his mind. Ray pulls out his pipe and lights it as York watches. The red smoke chases the man down the hallways of the factory, eventually cornering him and deforming him before he vanishes into thin air. Ray just watches, then walks away. Micki hears the man's screams and finds him burning up. She runs for help and finds Ryan, but when they get back, York and the smoke are gone.
Ray comes over to them and demands to know what Micki saw. She says she saw nothing, she was confused. She leaves, with Ryan following. Ray watches them go. Later, in his office, Ray decides to lock the pipe in his desk.
At the house, Micki comes into Ryan's room and asks Ryan about his father. Ryan says he feels like a kid again, wishing the man would see him as an adult, as who he is as a man. Ryan says it got worse when he younger brother died, his father dragged him and his mother from town to town, trying to hit on some big success. Micki listens, then tells Ryan she knows what she saw, the man was dying in a cloud of red smoke.
And the mentions the pipe Connie said Lewis gave him. Ryan doesn't want to believe it, saying his father would never use a cursed object. Micki relents, telling him she will back of her search for the pipe.
In their room, Ray tells Connie he wants Ryan and Micki gone, he doesn't want them there. He has too much to concentrate on between his presentation tomorrow and the wedding. He snaps at her and she cries. Ray realizes how far he went and begs her to forgive him. Connie says he has changed since he has been working on this weapon. He says it is just the pressure. Micki goes downstairs and calls Jack. She asks him if he knows about a pipe.
Ryan and Micki help Connie set up the house for the wedding. Ray catches Micki looking in the hutch and wants to know what she is searching for. Micki covers and then the doorbell rings. Jack arrives, saying he wanted a break and to meet Ryan's father. Ryan introduces Jack to Ray, who is surprised Jack was a friend of Lewis'. Jack says he is also a friend of Ryan's, and tells the man how he owes his life to his son. Jack then meets Connie, apologizing for crashing the party. Connie puts him to work helping with the wedding. Ray is suspicious.
Later, Jack and Micki talk. He tells her there is a pipe in the manifest and it was never listed as sold. They agree to look for it, but also agree to keep Ryan out of the loop until they are sure.
As Ray gets ready for the wedding, he asks Ryan why he is really here. Ryan says it is just to be there for him and for the wedding. He asks about Micki and Jack and Ryan says they are just here because they are his friends. Ray then asks if what Jack said is true. Ryan says yes, and he also owes his life to Jack. He tells his father he might not believe what they do is true, but it is, and it is dangerous. Ray asks Ryan why he does it. Ryan says it is because of him, because he taught Ryan about right and wrong and about doing for yourself, because no one will do it for you. Ray tells Ryan he was wrong, all this time he has seen Ryan as a boy, but he isn't the little boy he was angry at anymore. Ryan can't find the card key for the factory when Ray tells him to get it. Ray panics, running out to ask Connie where Jack and Micki are. She says they went out for a bite to eat. Ray snaps at Ryan, saying he was stalling him an lying to him. Ray takes off. Ryan asks if Connie can get them into the factory and she runs off to get her car keys.
At the factory, Ray comes upon his boss with some foreign men who are there for the demonstration of Ray's weapon. Ray makes an excuse to head inside, needing to find Micki and Jack. When they hear Ray coming, they hide and when Ray gets the pipe out of the desk, Jack grabs him and Micki grabs the pipe and flees. Ray chases her and him and Jack struggle. Ray tazes Jack, knocking him out cold. He then hides an unconcious Jack behind the targets to be used for the weapon demonstration. Ray goes after Micki.
Clemens and then foreigners arrive and take the free moment to make a toast. Then he begins to show the general the weapon and when the man asks to try it out, Clemens agrees. The man holds the weapon, its sight point at the targets ahead. He blows one up. Connie and Ryan arrive, telling Clemens they are looking for Ray. He doesn't know where Ray is.
Ray comes upon Micki and they struggle. He slugs her and gets the pipe away from her. As he begins to prepare it to light, Micki runs.
At the shooting gallery, Ryan spots Jack behind one of the targets and manages to move the gun up at the last minute, sending debris from the ceiling down onto the general. Ryan rushes over and they wake Jack, who tells them Ray has been using the pipe and Micki is in danger. Ryan and Connie rush off.
Micki has locked herself in a storage room and begs Ray to stop, but he lights the pipe anyway. She uses duct tape to try and seal the doorway, but the smoke slowly seeps in. She begins coughing, begging Ray to stop. Ryan arrives and demands the pipe, holding the weapon at his father. Ray gives over the pipe and Ryan wants to know where Micki is. He tells Ray he isn't his son. Ryan rushes to find Micki and the smoke moves from her to him, enveloping him. Ray sees this and is shocked by what he has done, so he pushes Ryan away and the smoke surrounds him instead, burning him before making him vanish before Ryan's eyes.
At the house later, Micki is turning away confused wedding guests. Connie is on the phone with the factory, they haven't seen Ray. She thinks he has just run off and left her. Micki consoles the sad woman.
Jack finds a mourning Ryan, who asks him why his father got mixed up in all this. Jack tells him Ray probably felt limited in his options, since he was older and feeling like this may be his last chance at success. Ryan says he didn't know his father at all, but Micki says he did. And Jack reminds Ryan that his father renounced the cursed antique in the end, since he loved his son too much to let him die. As Micki embraces him, Ryan breaks down.
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My thoughts:
A wonderful episode! We get some more insight into Ryan's past. Not only do we meet his father, but we get to see the strain that his younger brother's death put on their family and their relationship. Ryan feels like a failure to his father and Ray sees Ryan as a reminder of the son he lost.
Quite interesting to hear that Ray was a sort of surrogate son for Lewis. It explains why Lewis left part of the store to Ryan. Wish we could have had an episode that explained why he left the other half of the store to Micki. What special connection did he feel to her side of the family?
Constantine is a great choice as Ryan's dad, I think. He is a good actor and him and LeMay play the troubled relationship between father and son well.
One thing I wonder: Does Ray know how the pipe works before he uses it to kill the inventor at the beginning? He has carried it around for awhile and obviously uses it, since he has tobacco and matches. So, did the pipe never activate before because Ray was never in the right situation? Or did Ray use it previously? His lack of success would tell us he hadn't used it prior to this. Maybe Lewis had mentioned something to him about it, but Ray just scoffed and tossed it up to an old man's ramblings. I wonder.
This is yet another episode that shows how much Ryan has changed since he came to inherit the store, how much he has lost to the damned curse. He suffers so much loss due to Uncle Lewis that when he snaps at his father's fawning admiration of the man, it makes sense. Little does Ryan know he has more yet to lose.
Micki is so nice and supportive of Ryan here. She pushes him to attend the wedding and make peace and she helps out with the wedding plans. She also has to push him, a little, when she knows something is up with Ray and the pipe.
Also like how Jack speaks of Ryan, telling Ray that he saved his life. He treats Ryan like the man he knows he is, whereas Ray treats him disdainfully, as a disappointed parent. But, in the end, Jack also is able to give Ryan some comfort when he explains how trapped his father must have felt. The trio has become good friends and this episode clearly shows how much they have come to care for each other.
Next week: "What a Mother Wouldn't Do"
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Episode Recap #24: Pipe Dream
Original Airdate: July 16, 1988
Starring:
John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion
Louise Robey as Micki Foster
Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak
Guest cast:
Michael Constantine as Ray Dallion
Frank Canino as Esposito
David Christoffel as Nathan Fielding
Marion Gilsenan as Connie
James Kidnie as John York
Nick Nichols as Buck Clemens
Daryl Shuttleworth as Keith Fielding
Christian Vidosa as General Abelar
Written by Marc Scott Zicree
Directed by Zale Dalen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We open in the conference room of an Inventors Seminar. As the meeting breaks up, Ray Dallion approaches one of the men and asks for a light. The man comments on the unique pipe Ray has. As Ray loads his pipe, from an uncle he says, he talks to the younger man, telling him he looks for people such as him to represent. Ray knows the man is on to some big invention. The man gives in and tells Ray about his plans for a new gun that is like a miniature guided missile. Ray is impressed. Ray mentions a partnership to the man, but as he lights his pipe, red smoke comes out and surrounds the young man, deforming his flesh and causing him intense pain until he simply vanishes. Ray watches, then takes the missile plans and leaves.
Curse has to make the poor guy suffer first. Egad.
At a later date, we see Ray giving a demonstration of the weapon to some potential buyers. The head of the firm, Mr. Clemens, is impressed and hires Ray, telling him the gun is going to be manufactured immediately. One of Clemens' subordinates, John York, is unimpressed and resentful of Ray's success.
That night, Ray comes home with flowers for his girlfriend Connie. She wonders if he spent the rent money on them. Ray tells her he is sick of them living so poorly and promises she is going to get so much more.
Ray will do anything for Connie. Or is it for himself?
At Curious Goods, Micki comes in and brings the mail, including an invitation for Ryan from his dad, Ray, and Connie. Ryan tosses it but Micki fishes it out and asks why he'd just ignore it. Ryan says he doesn't get along with his dad and is tired of feeling like a disappoint to the man. Micki says that maybe it is time to try and make peace. Ryan is unsure, but Micki keeps on him. He relents, on the condition that Micki is his guest.
Ryan relents, but Micki has to be his Plus One!
Ryan and Micki arrive at the address on the invitation and Ryan is surprised his father could afford a house like this. Ray opens the door and is surprised to see his son, asking why he is there. Ryan mentions the invitation, but Connie appears and tells them that she is the one who invited him, and invites them into the house. Ryan introduces Micki as cousin Catherine's daughter.
Connie tells Ray she invited Ryan because it was time they buried the hatchet. She tells Ray to take Ryan to the factory and show him around. When Ryan says he'd like to see it, Ray reluctantly agrees. Connie and Micki bond over wedding planning.
Damned ugly antique. And this one has just been biding its time.
At the factory, Ray tells Ryan about the weapon he says he designed. Ryan make a comment but Ray overreacts, saying this is serious business and that there are people in the business that would like to see him fail, or worse. John York comes up, asking to speak to Ray, but says he'll meet him later. Ray tells Ryan the man wants to be like him.
Ray tells Ryan that even though his father died when he was born, Ray did have someone to look up to, his Uncle Lewis Vendredi. Ryan is understandably shocked to hear this. Ray relates how he cut his throat accidentally as a boy and Lewis saved his life, apparently by magic. Ray says that even though Lewis was dirt poor, he loved the old man. He always wondered how Lewis suddenly went from a poor shop owner to a rich man and swears he will do the same.
At the house, Micki is helping Connie with chores and accidentally drops a box. A photo album falls out and Micki looks through. She comments on a picture and Connie says it is of Ray and his Uncle Lewis. She tells Micki how the man was the only person to give Ray a Christmas present when he was a child. Micki asks if Lewis ever gave him anything in later years, Connie mentions the pipe.
Huh. An Uncle Lewis Christmas card. Weird.
Back at the factory, Ray is telling Ryan about the weapons they sell and then shows Ryan his invention, the one he stole after the pipe killed the true inventor. Ryan sees how it works, but is surprised his father invented such a deadly weapon. Ray thinks Ryan just has trouble believing his father is smart enough. He wants Ryan to try the weapon, but Ryan scoffs. Ray berates him, calling him "artistic" and wondering why he dropped out of college to run an old antique store. He wants Ryan to come work for him and says how Uncle Lewis would want it, too. Ryan snaps and tells his father about what Lewis did at the store and what him and Micki are going through to get the cursed antiques back. Ray is shocked, but Ryan tells him to forget it. York appears and tells Ray they need to talk, now. Before he leaves, he tells Ryan he wants to talk more. Micki arrives at the factory, looking for Ryan.
York wants Ray to sign a contract signing over all rights to his weapon to him. Ray scoffs, but York pulls out a file that proves that a man named Fielding is the true inventor and threatens to go to the big boss with the information. He also produces Fielding's brother, who has been searching for his missing brother. The man is unaware that York is using him to pressure Ray. York leaves, telling Ray he better make up his mind. Ray pulls out his pipe and lights it as York watches. The red smoke chases the man down the hallways of the factory, eventually cornering him and deforming him before he vanishes into thin air. Ray just watches, then walks away. Micki hears the man's screams and finds him burning up. She runs for help and finds Ryan, but when they get back, York and the smoke are gone.
Wonder if the smoke smelled of brimstone?
Ray comes over to them and demands to know what Micki saw. She says she saw nothing, she was confused. She leaves, with Ryan following. Ray watches them go. Later, in his office, Ray decides to lock the pipe in his desk.
At the house, Micki comes into Ryan's room and asks Ryan about his father. Ryan says he feels like a kid again, wishing the man would see him as an adult, as who he is as a man. Ryan says it got worse when he younger brother died, his father dragged him and his mother from town to town, trying to hit on some big success. Micki listens, then tells Ryan she knows what she saw, the man was dying in a cloud of red smoke.
And the mentions the pipe Connie said Lewis gave him. Ryan doesn't want to believe it, saying his father would never use a cursed object. Micki relents, telling him she will back of her search for the pipe.
In their room, Ray tells Connie he wants Ryan and Micki gone, he doesn't want them there. He has too much to concentrate on between his presentation tomorrow and the wedding. He snaps at her and she cries. Ray realizes how far he went and begs her to forgive him. Connie says he has changed since he has been working on this weapon. He says it is just the pressure. Micki goes downstairs and calls Jack. She asks him if he knows about a pipe.
Ryan and Micki help Connie set up the house for the wedding. Ray catches Micki looking in the hutch and wants to know what she is searching for. Micki covers and then the doorbell rings. Jack arrives, saying he wanted a break and to meet Ryan's father. Ryan introduces Jack to Ray, who is surprised Jack was a friend of Lewis'. Jack says he is also a friend of Ryan's, and tells the man how he owes his life to his son. Jack then meets Connie, apologizing for crashing the party. Connie puts him to work helping with the wedding. Ray is suspicious.
Later, Jack and Micki talk. He tells her there is a pipe in the manifest and it was never listed as sold. They agree to look for it, but also agree to keep Ryan out of the loop until they are sure.
As Ray gets ready for the wedding, he asks Ryan why he is really here. Ryan says it is just to be there for him and for the wedding. He asks about Micki and Jack and Ryan says they are just here because they are his friends. Ray then asks if what Jack said is true. Ryan says yes, and he also owes his life to Jack. He tells his father he might not believe what they do is true, but it is, and it is dangerous. Ray asks Ryan why he does it. Ryan says it is because of him, because he taught Ryan about right and wrong and about doing for yourself, because no one will do it for you. Ray tells Ryan he was wrong, all this time he has seen Ryan as a boy, but he isn't the little boy he was angry at anymore. Ryan can't find the card key for the factory when Ray tells him to get it. Ray panics, running out to ask Connie where Jack and Micki are. She says they went out for a bite to eat. Ray snaps at Ryan, saying he was stalling him an lying to him. Ray takes off. Ryan asks if Connie can get them into the factory and she runs off to get her car keys.
Ryan and Ray really bonded here,
until Ray accused Ryan of just stalling him.
At the factory, Ray comes upon his boss with some foreign men who are there for the demonstration of Ray's weapon. Ray makes an excuse to head inside, needing to find Micki and Jack. When they hear Ray coming, they hide and when Ray gets the pipe out of the desk, Jack grabs him and Micki grabs the pipe and flees. Ray chases her and him and Jack struggle. Ray tazes Jack, knocking him out cold. He then hides an unconcious Jack behind the targets to be used for the weapon demonstration. Ray goes after Micki.
Clemens and then foreigners arrive and take the free moment to make a toast. Then he begins to show the general the weapon and when the man asks to try it out, Clemens agrees. The man holds the weapon, its sight point at the targets ahead. He blows one up. Connie and Ryan arrive, telling Clemens they are looking for Ray. He doesn't know where Ray is.
Ray comes upon Micki and they struggle. He slugs her and gets the pipe away from her. As he begins to prepare it to light, Micki runs.
At the shooting gallery, Ryan spots Jack behind one of the targets and manages to move the gun up at the last minute, sending debris from the ceiling down onto the general. Ryan rushes over and they wake Jack, who tells them Ray has been using the pipe and Micki is in danger. Ryan and Connie rush off.
Missed Jack by thissssss much.
Micki has locked herself in a storage room and begs Ray to stop, but he lights the pipe anyway. She uses duct tape to try and seal the doorway, but the smoke slowly seeps in. She begins coughing, begging Ray to stop. Ryan arrives and demands the pipe, holding the weapon at his father. Ray gives over the pipe and Ryan wants to know where Micki is. He tells Ray he isn't his son. Ryan rushes to find Micki and the smoke moves from her to him, enveloping him. Ray sees this and is shocked by what he has done, so he pushes Ryan away and the smoke surrounds him instead, burning him before making him vanish before Ryan's eyes.
Ray does the right thing, in the end. Poor Ryan.
At the house later, Micki is turning away confused wedding guests. Connie is on the phone with the factory, they haven't seen Ray. She thinks he has just run off and left her. Micki consoles the sad woman.
Jack finds a mourning Ryan, who asks him why his father got mixed up in all this. Jack tells him Ray probably felt limited in his options, since he was older and feeling like this may be his last chance at success. Ryan says he didn't know his father at all, but Micki says he did. And Jack reminds Ryan that his father renounced the cursed antique in the end, since he loved his son too much to let him die. As Micki embraces him, Ryan breaks down.
Micki and Ryan console a grieving Ryan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My thoughts:
A wonderful episode! We get some more insight into Ryan's past. Not only do we meet his father, but we get to see the strain that his younger brother's death put on their family and their relationship. Ryan feels like a failure to his father and Ray sees Ryan as a reminder of the son he lost.
Quite interesting to hear that Ray was a sort of surrogate son for Lewis. It explains why Lewis left part of the store to Ryan. Wish we could have had an episode that explained why he left the other half of the store to Micki. What special connection did he feel to her side of the family?
Constantine is a great choice as Ryan's dad, I think. He is a good actor and him and LeMay play the troubled relationship between father and son well.
One thing I wonder: Does Ray know how the pipe works before he uses it to kill the inventor at the beginning? He has carried it around for awhile and obviously uses it, since he has tobacco and matches. So, did the pipe never activate before because Ray was never in the right situation? Or did Ray use it previously? His lack of success would tell us he hadn't used it prior to this. Maybe Lewis had mentioned something to him about it, but Ray just scoffed and tossed it up to an old man's ramblings. I wonder.
This is yet another episode that shows how much Ryan has changed since he came to inherit the store, how much he has lost to the damned curse. He suffers so much loss due to Uncle Lewis that when he snaps at his father's fawning admiration of the man, it makes sense. Little does Ryan know he has more yet to lose.
Micki is so nice and supportive of Ryan here. She pushes him to attend the wedding and make peace and she helps out with the wedding plans. She also has to push him, a little, when she knows something is up with Ray and the pipe.
Also like how Jack speaks of Ryan, telling Ray that he saved his life. He treats Ryan like the man he knows he is, whereas Ray treats him disdainfully, as a disappointed parent. But, in the end, Jack also is able to give Ryan some comfort when he explains how trapped his father must have felt. The trio has become good friends and this episode clearly shows how much they have come to care for each other.
Next week: "What a Mother Wouldn't Do"
