Volume I, Issue vi

February 1999

PC in Review by Amy McWilliams

Port Charles

Julie and Cooper

• Greg repeats his offer; he'll trade Lucy for Eve. Scott and Garcia object, so Lucy sneaks in through a coal chute. Meanwhile, Julie stops Kevin from reaching the fireplace poker. Lucy enters the room, looking at Eve, who tries to indicate what Lucy realizes too late--Cooper's waiting for her behind the door. He takes her gun, mocks her, and puts her in a straight jacket and behind the growing wall with Eve. Scott notices that Lucy's missing, and Garcia sees her on the monitor. (1/4)
• Kevin continues to talk to Cooper, getting nowhere. Julie, meanwhile, talks to Frank by radio and instructs him to get rid of the police. He tells her that he'll take care of her, but she doesn't want to hear it. Lucy and Eve, behind the completed wall with the others gone, note the irony and then try to knock down the wall as a delay. No luck, says Cooper, because it's quick-drying mortar. Scott and Chris are determined to get in, and they find the coal chute. They also find a booby trap in the floor when Chris steps on it. Cooper and Julie are headed out through a secret passageway with Kevin in tow. (1/5)
• Scott and Chris make it past the booby trap and break through the wall to Eve and Lucy just as the two women pass out. (1/6)
• Frank and Garcia realize that Cooper has gone out through the tunnel, and they follow. Meanwhile, Kevin has managed to pick up a rock, and he bashes Cooper in the head. Cooper falls, shooting Kevin in the shoulder. Frank and Garcia catch up with Kevin, who goes back to help Chris and Scott. Lucy sees Kevin hug Eve, and he in turn sees Scott holding her. (1/6)
• When he sees Garcia, Cooper grabs Julie. She doesn't believe that he's simply tricking Garcia. She struggles, Garcia makes a move, and Cooper drops her. Frank grabs Cooper, threatening to kill him, but Garcia gets him away. Garcia arrests both Julie and Cooper. (1/6)
• Julie rudely greets Karen and Frank when they come to see her in jail. Frank promises to help her, but she says that she never wants to see him again. (1/12)
• Julie again tells Frank that she wants nothing to do with him. She later asks Garcia is he thinks that she can redeem herself for what she's done. He tells her she can start by answering questions, so as to give the victims' families some peace. She agrees, but begins to feel ill halfway through the questioning. She believes it's morning sickness. (1/14)
• A doctor comes to question Julie to determine her competency to stand trial. Julie believes that her father is there, but tries to cover her hallucination from the doctor. The doctor is not convinced, and tells Lee, Frank, and Karen, who have been waiting outside, that Julie will most likely be ruled unable to stand trial. Frank wants that so she won't face the death penalty, and Karen tells him that she's proud of how he's stood by Julie. Lee, meanwhile, is angry to hear that Julie's been talking with Garcia alone. (1/21)
• Garcia asks Karen to examine Julie because of her symptoms. Karen tries to strike a truce, but Julie wants nothing of it. She becomes enraged and Karen leaves. Julie then fantasizes about her unborn daughter and says to the child that she's glad Frank doesn't know she's really pregnant. (1/22)

Wacky Julie doesn't do it for me any more than nice Julie did. By this time, I just wanted this whole thing to be over. My favorite moment? Chris and Scott doing movie references. The Raiders of the Lost Ark solution was great, but the "Do we go on three or after three" bit was straight out of the Lethal Weapon movies, and I loved it.

Joe and Courtney

Frank

• Frank returns the pills he stole from Karen; they are unopened. He's worried about Julie and she's worried about Joe. Karen makes a call to the Kanelos house in Greece. (1/7)
• Hearing that Joe and Courtney are missing, Karen and Frank decide to head to Greece. (1/11)
• Upset after being rebuffed by Julie again, Frank tells Karen that he's done all he can for her. Karen says that he might, instead, deal with his own guilt, and he goes to Eve and apologizes. She's not very gracious. (1/14)
• Karen tells Frank that his test results prove that he's clean and off DL-56. Frank apologizes to Matt, who gives him the cold, sarcastic shoulder. They talk again at the Recovery Room, when Matt reminds Frank that Julie had them all fooled. Frank notes that he's always chosen the wrong woman. (1/18)
• After receiving the news about Julie's breakdown, Frank is arrested while drunk and disorderly, and Garcia releases him into Karen's custody. At the Scanlon house, Frank kisses Karen, then goes to bed. (1/25)
• Frank is hung over the next morning, and horrified to hear that he kissed Karen. Karen tells him that she's worried he has a drinking problem, but Frank doesn't want to hear it. (1/26)
• Lark is surprised and touched when Frank tells her that he's throwing her a birthday party. (1/26)
• Frank tells Joe the truth about his drug use. Meanwhile, Chris threatens Lance Pharmaceuticals for backing out of their deal, and they agree to represent Chris at his hearing. Chris begins to set up Frank to take the fall. (1/27)
• Frank hits on Courtney, who refuses him. He accuses her of being stuck on Joe. She'll flirt with Chris, however, who comes to see her. Chris tells Frank that the deal with Lance is off, then steals Joe's prescription pad in his plan to set up Frank as a druggie. He tells Eve that the hospital will see the potential behind DL-56 and won't fire him. (1/28)
• Lark is thrilled when Frank announces at her party that the adoption has gone through. But Chris drugs Frank's drink, and Frank attacks Chris under the influence, accidentally punching Joe. (1/29)

This seemed to be the groundwork for the Karen/Joe breakup; they're moving towards something with Karen and Frank, I believe. That was a bore, and Karen was even more preachy than usual.

Chris, however, surprised me. His scheming to lay the blame for the outbreak at Frank's feet was inspired, but wiped out whatever sympathy he had gained in the last month--or so I hear. I was so delighted with him I couldn't care less what lies he told. I wondered, however, if Eve would ever decide that enough was enough and stop sticking up for him.

The Light-the-Firehouse Gang

• Serena wants to spend Christmas with Lucy, since they're having it late. Scott finds out that Lucy's gone to visit Kevin, and he tells Serena that Lucy may want to move out of the Firehouse. (1/8)
• Eve admits to Chris that she has feelings for Kevin, and he encourages her to tell him. Lucy visits Kevin and they are both surprised when a fancy, catered meal arrives. Eve arrives soon after, devastated to find Lucy there, and departs quickly. Lucy and Kevin realize that they're parting, say good-bye, and Kevin goes after Eve. He catches up with her and explains, and they return to the lighthouse together. (1/8)
• Everything about their evening together reminds Kevin and Eve of Lucy, so they go to Johnny LaLa's for some karaoke. Romance ensues, but they get a little too much into the spirit of the thing and Kevin throws his back out in a limbo contest. (1/11)
• Eve takes Kevin home and puts him to bed. He asks her for a massage, then pulls her to him and kisses her. (1/12)
• Kevin tells Eve that he's been up all night-thinking of her. She worries that he's not over Lucy because of all her things in the lighthouse, and after she leaves Kevin notices just how much of Lucy is still there. (1/13)
• Meanwhile, Scott, Lucy, and Serena learn that the "treasure map" they found is just an old dress pattern. Thinking of Florida, however, Lucy tells Scott that their romantic reunion wasn't a mistake. They make love again. (1/13)
• Kevin tells Ellen that he doesn't think he'll ever be completely over Lucy. Ellen assures him that he can move on. Kevin packs up Lucy's things and sends them to the firehouse. (1/15)
• Lucy is upset at the bad business Jacks Cosmetics is doing. As she talks to Scott, however, she gets the idea for a new line of romantic clothing, based on the dress that she wore in Florida. (1/15)
• Eve tells Chris that she's worried Lucy will do something to ruin her new relationship with Kevin, but Chris tells her not to back off out of fear of being hurt. A newly-determined but hesitantly-articulate Eve calls Kevin several times, trying to make herself clear. When he picks up the phone and says that he heard everything, she's horrified, but he tells her to hang up and come over. She's thrilled. (1/15)
• Kevin and Eve prepare for their date. She calls him, however, to tell him that her car has broken down and she's stranded at a thrift shop. He goes to pick her up; they get locked inside after hours without a phone, thanks to Eve's passion for platforms). Making the best of it, they play some laser tag and then make love in a race car bed. (1/18)
• Back at Kevin's house, Eve realizes that Kevin has removed all of Lucy's things. They make love again, passing on a laser tag rematch. (1/19)
• Scott hears Lucy on the phone with Don, telling Don that she's going to move back to the PC Hotel. Scott is upset, but Lucy tells him that she's not breaking up with him, but that she doesn't want to give Serena the wrong impression about them living together when they're not married. She sees Kevin later and tells him that she's moved out of the firehouse. (1/19)
• Serena cries when Lucy tells her that she's moving out. Later, she tells Scott to marry Lucy so that she'll move back in with them. (1/20)
• Kevin and Eve talk about Lucy's move, and he says that it changes nothing about his feelings for Eve. Later, Eve tells Chris that she's glad Lucy's moved out, and Chris believes that she wants Scott back, despite her protestations. (1/20)
• Lucy tells Ellen about her plan for a line of romantic clothing, and Ellen ends up telling Lucy a story from her past. (1/25)
• Serena refuses to eat until Lucy moves back in to the firehouse. Lucy visits, and tries to reassure her, but Serena tell her father to get Lucy back. Lucy tells Scott about her plan, and they become business partners for the new clothing line. Lucy's worried about the delays she's facing, and Scott suggests an infomercial. Lucy wants to use Ellen's story for the first dress and the infomercial. (1/26)
• Lucy and Scott stage a performance of Ellen's story, with Victor's help, to ask for her permission to use it. Ellen is resistant, and says no. (1/29)

Just when you thought I was going to have nothing good to say in this issue, or at least about the month of January, along come Kevin and Eve. They lit up the screen for me, and I simply want more more more! I'm a huge fan of Kevin and Lucy together from way back, but I'll take Kevin any way I can get him. It's been great fun to see him realize that he doesn't have to depend on Lucy for his humanity or sanity. Eve's insecurity and Kevin's memories are touching, and I worry what a breakup for these two would do to Eve. I love them, and they were definitely--by far--the best thing on PC in January.

I wasn't fond of the kids though, either Serena or Neil.

Matt and Ellen

• Inspired by Kevin's continued attachment for Lucy, Ellen goes to Matt's house with things to remind him of her even after she's gone. He assures her that she won't be gone any time soon. (1/15)

Yawn. Or retch. Whichever you prefer. Matt has gone from an exciting, dynamic, interesting guy who could more than hold his own against Cooper or the mob, who was a delightfully flirtatious friend of Karen's and a great romantic lead to a self-righteous, one-noted jerk. Right now it appears that they've ruined a great character with no hope of recovery. The recast for Ellen isn't much better. Ellen Burgess was a force to be reckoned with, a chilled but broken soul with defenses up against the world. She was a teacher and a supervisor, but also a good friend. Now she's simply shrill, and I'm hard pressed to remember that this is the same character who mourned the passing of a good friend when the show began, who has faced the death of a husband and the distance of her family, and who opened up only because Matt--the old Matt--wouldn't give up on her. Neither of these characters are who they once were, or who I once adored.