From: susanm@an.hp.com (Susan Margulies)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps
Subject: AMC: Update Thursday 12/17
Date: 19 Dec 1992 16:00:05 GMT
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AMC Update, Thursday December 17th

(Susan M substituting for Susan L)

Featuring: 	That's The News, Folks - And I Am Outta Here!
                starring An Li, Terrance, and the babysitee from hell
 
                Why Do I Put Up With Thee?  Let Me Count The Reasons! 
 		starring Hayley and Charlie

                STUDS (aka Child Custody Court)
                starring Adam, his lawyer, every man Dixie ever looked
                cross-eyed at last summer, Turbo Lawyer, Livia, Tom, 
		those loving, supportive Courtlandts and Martins, Brian,
                GloBo, Stuart, Brooke, Edmund, Charlie, and a suprise 
                guest!

		Wouldja Like Chicken Fingers With That?
                starring Faux-Ted and Faux-Mom, and Dimitri


Why Do I Put Up With Thee?
--------------------------
At the detective agency, Charlie has been holding a crying Hayley who
apologizes for getting him all wet.  Charlie is wonderfully
understanding when Hayley explains her dilemma about Adam the snake
versus Adam the caring, protective father.  The two stare deep into each
other's eyes (BTW, Ripa really looked her part today - very realistic
I've-just-been-crying face) as Hayley asks Charlie why he puts up with
her.  Charlie looks uncomfortable with the question and hems and haws
about owing her money being one reason.  Other reasons included her
great legs!  She smiled at this, and it seemed he was able to cheer her
up.  He reassured her that he is not going to try to guilt her into
testifying on Dixie's behalf, but also observes that he is positive
Hayley will do the right thing because she is a good person.  Charlie
leaves for the courthouse, and Hayley smiles.  Looks like she is
beginning to forget about Brian, and if you ask me, it's about time!

Outta Here
----------
An Li and Terrance are giving the babysitting thing their all, but
Junior doesn't want to play or talk or eat.  He just mopes around (this
little guy can act!) and is generally sullen.  Then when An Li brings
him lunch anyways, Junior throws it across the room and storms off to
his room.  An Li and Terrance feel like failures as babysitters and go
into the kitchen to make themselves some lunch.  When the coast is
clear, Adam Junior puts on his winter coat, zips up (sheah, when's the
last time a kid did this on his own?), and bolts for parts unknown.
Uh-Oh.  This does not look good for the Dixster's custody case!

(P.S. Is this the most totally obvious set-up for Ted finding Junior 
or what?)

Wouldja Like Chicken Fingers With That?
---------------------------------------
Ted and Dimitri's business conversation was replayed for those of us who
FF'ed through it on Wednesday's show.  At the point when Dimbulb
mentions Pine Valley, Ted has a flashback of the center of Pine Valley,
complete with Red Brick Firehouse and strip mall (the scene they used to
show as a lead in to scenes at the Boutique!).  Nola starts saying stuff
to Ted about how wonderful Dimitri is while Dimitri calls PV.  Ted is
pre-occupied with his vision and tells Mommy all about it.  

Ted asks Dimitri if this Pine Valley is the kind of town with a red brick 
firehouse and a main street with a bunch of shops on it.  Dimitri says they 
have all that and much more!  Ted guesses they have a greasy little burger
hang out (that'd be McKay's) and a chapter of the Daughters of Fine Lineage!  
Right on target!  Dimitri invites Ted and Nola to come to Pine Valley to
see for themselves, but Ted is pretty adamant about not going. Dimitri 
leaves with the perfunctory "my people will call your people" speech 
combined with his gracious open invitation for a stay at Wildwind, also 
known as the Happiness Hotel -- NOT!  

Nola wishes Ted would reconsider going to PV, but he just wants to get 
back home!  He hasn't slept since they got to NYC and keeps having *THAT* 
dream.  Nola is worried about him and thinks maybe going to Pine Valley 
might help; perhaps his vision is a sign that he was in Pine Valley right 
before he got amnesia!  

But for now, Mom and Son turn their immediate attention to scarfing
food.  Nola suggests Room Service, but Ted makes fun of everything on
the menu.  He thinks they should just drive out in search of food.  
Nola makes fun of this idea and the mention of one particular junk food
item sparks a baffling memory for Ted!  When Nola says "chicken
fingers," Ted hears Dixie's voice saying, "I've got news for you;
chickens don't *have* fingers!"  He looks completely confused but says
nothing.  They head.  Later in the cab/limo while stuffing her face, Nola
looks up to catch a highway sign that says "Leaving NYC."  She is
thrilled to death that Ted changed his mind; they are on a direct path
for Pine Valley!  (Something tells me she's gonna rue this day!)
[cliffhanger]

STUDS
-----
And back in child custody court, we are treated to a replay of 
Adam observing to Dix that after all these years, they are right back 
where they started as far as Junior's welfare is concerned.  Adam
assures her that this time the judge will decide differently because the
truth is on his side.  All head into the courtroom and mill about.
Palmer starts in about how he hates lawyers, those scums of the earth!
Jack overhears and Palmer qualifies that he is talking about Adam's
lawyer, not Dixie's of course! :]  The family reminds Jack how they are
counting on him and how Adam simply cannot be allowed to separate Dixie
and Junior!  Somewhere amid all of this, Jackson send Livia back to the
office to handle something - I'm not even sure if it was case-related.
(If someone remembers, please fill in!)  Seems Jack will be handling all
of the cross-examining of Adam's witnesses and Livia will be handling
all of Dixie's witnesses - actually a very smart plan considering their
distinct styles as laywers!

When Adam sees Gloria he suddenly forgets that his immediate concern is
winning custody and goes back to his 2nd favorite obsession, stealing
his brother's woman.  Adam tells Gloria he knows she is just trying to
replace him with his brother, but Gloria isn't interested in hearing it.
She is here for Dixie, make no mistake!  (Of course that doesn't keep
her from staring hungrily at Adam - and vice-versa - throughout the
trial!)  

Dixie takes one final glance over her cheering squad who are almost all
witnesses for the defense!  The opening statements are made as Charlie 
arrives.  Adam's lawyer says her client seeks full and immediate custody
on the grounds that Dixie is unstable and irrational (the term unfit
mother was not used).  Jack's opens with a request that the proceedings
be altered from a court hearing to private consultation with legal
counsel, the judge, Dixie & Adam, and a family counselor.  He stresses
that private proceedings would be better all around and would still
allow both parties to reach a satisfactory solution regarding Adam
Junior's living arrangements.   He even says, "We beg Adam Chandler
to consider this."  (Bet that was tough to say!)  Adam confers with his
lawyer who informs the court that Adam is not interested in more liberal
visitation or settling out of court - he wants the whole shebang.

So Dupres (I haven't a clue as to how to spell this woman's name!  It
sounds like "Do pray" - possibly a message to Dix?) begins calling
witnesses.  Just one quick note on how all this was done - IMO AMC did 
a good job of entertaining us with a montage of examination-cross
examination.  They didn't try to show every witness or every question,
but rather mixed everything together and kind of phased the incomplete
sequences together.  I think this was a first - normally the trials
involve forcing us to sit through every stupid thing!  However, one
thing that did bother me was the way they made every witness state his
address!  Is this a normal thing? 

First at bat is Billy the bartender from Hal's.  He tries hard to make
it sound like Dixie was fine, but she brings up the wedding rings and he
is forced to admit that Dix told him to throw them away.  Dupres also
brings up the fact that Dixie was going by Didi and that she used to
leave the bar with men she just met - all confirmed under oath by Billy.
During cross-exam, Jack gives Billy a chance to tell about the night
Dixie came in to tell him goodbye and collect her rings.  He does a good
job of painting the picture of a woman no longer insane, but some damage
has been done.

Next up is a random guy (I think the first one) Dixie met at Hal's.  He
explains how she took him to her dead brother's place and seemed to want
to have sex with him but then suddenly told him he had to leave because
her brother would be coming home soon.  Dupres tries to make the case
that Dixie was nuts - that she actually thought her brother would be
coming home.  Jackson successfully redirects by asking the witness what
exactly Dixie did that made him think she wanted to sleep with him.  The
witness is forced to admit all they did was kiss and that they remained
fully clothed.  The big stud also admits that it is possible that Dixie 
only told him her brother would be coming home soon to spare his feelings 
because she really *didn't* want to sleep with him - not 'cause she's
bonkers.  

Edmund is questioned about Dixie's behavior towards him at Natalie and
Trevor's wedding.  Dupres asked if Dixie approached him, and Edmund says
they just started talking.  Dupres asks about what, and Edmund is very
flip in his replies - the weather, the horrible parking situation at the
Wallingford mansion - he starts to describe this in detail when Dupres 
asks for details.  Edmund has the court in stitches!  Dupres is visibly
frustrated and asks if Dixie didn't suggest they go talk somewhere in 
private.  Edmund puts it bluntly, "Are you asking me if she was trying
to pick me up?  If so, the answer is no!  I've been picked up before,
and I know the difference between a woman who is picking me up and a
woman who wants to talk about parking problems!"  This is vintage
Edmund!  Dupres tries another tact - how about the night he saw Dixie at
Hal's?  She makes Edmund explain that he was there celebrating his
engagement - he looks sadly at Brooke.  Dupres asks about the
confrontation between Brooke and Dixie, but Edmund is pretty
tight-lipped, saying the two women have a history full of confrontation.
He denies that they had a screaming fight, but also says that he tries
to get the hell away when two women are fighting!  Again, the court was
cracking up.  IMO, Edmund came off as the best witness for Dixie because
he was so natural and relaxed, didn't seem like he was hiding a thing!

Brooke is called next, and she explains what happened that night at
Hal's when she and Dixie were arguing.  Dixie got defensive when Brooke
Brooke expressed concern over her being there, but she was justified in 
feeling that way because the two women have a problematic past.  Brooke 
specifically points out that the father of her own son was the love of 
Dixie's life.  She also relates all of the rotten things Adam did to Dixie 
while married to Brooke - seducing the young girl, trying to pass her baby 
off as someone else's, trying to get Brooke to adopt the baby, having 
Dixie committed to get her out of the picture, ad infinitum.  Jack's
cross-examination lets Brooke testify that Dixie gave her wedding rings 
for the homeless shelter and that Dixie was just fine and rational.
 
Steven is asked to testify about the time he saw Dixie in Hal's and 
tried to beat up the man she was with - Red.  Dupres makes it clear 
that Steven tried to get Dixie to realize Red was bad news but Dixie 
told him to leave her alone.  Dupres describes the fist fight between 
Red and Steven  -  "and yet another brawl erupted over the defendant!"  
Jack successfully cross-examines Steven by bringing up Steven's 
left-over feelings for Dixie as a motivating factor in his brawl
with Red rather than Dixie's behavior towards Red.  Also, Steven admits
no one was hurt in this altercation, and Jack quickly points out that
this could hardly  be considered a brawl!

Adam's star witness, Red, is called to the stand where he testifies
about Didi picking him up and taking him to her dead brother's apartment
because it turned her on to have sex there.  He tells the court that
Dixie only freaked out because she got caught by her jealous lover,
Brian who threw him out.  During Red's testimony, Hayley enters the
court and takes her place next to Charlie on Dixie's side of the
courtroom.  Jack cross-examines Red but cannot get anywhere with trying
to prove he is a rapist. 

A brief recess follows this testimony.  Major events included:

 * Stuart arriving and hugging Gloria close as Adam looks on;
   Gloria looks over Stuart's shoulder straight at Adam.

 * Brian and Dixie and Jack confer in a holding room about Brian's
   upcoming testimony; Jack stresses that Brian must contain his 
   infamous temper and not allow Dupres to make it look like he is 
   just another in a long line of men Dixie has picked up for sex. 

 * Charlie is proud of Hayley for coming to court.

 * Edmund approaches Brooke and tries to talk about how painful it was
   for him to mention the night they were out celebrating their 
   engagement; Brookester says ix-nay to the stroll down memory lane,
   compliments Edmund on his wonderful testimony which was sure to have
   helped Dixie, and heads back into the courtroom.

After the recess, Brian takes the stand.  Dupres questions him about his
relationship with Dixie, and he says they love each other and are
lovers.  Dupres wants to know when this started, and Brian says it
started about a month after he saved her from Red the rapist.  Dupres
wants to know exactly how long till they started having sex, and Brian
says a couple of months (In the words of Tim Clark, "I don't THINK
so!").  Dupres turns her attention to the relationship between Brian and
Junior - and Brian says he is crazy about the kid. 
[not much of a cliffhanger - perhaps I forgot how this stuff actually
ended?]

--------------

Happy Weekend!  Susan L. will be back with your Christmas Eve update,
unless some VCR problem or pre-emption occurs!  And then it's back to 
me for New Year's Eve!

Hope everybody has a great holiday!
Doesn't matter what you celebrate, as long as you do!

Susan M.

P.S. I can't wait to see how the judge justifies giving Adam custody
when Jack has done a stellar job of redirection with almost every
witness except Red!

--
Susan E. Margulies       |  "Isn't revenge enough?"
HP Imaging Systems       |     -- Erica Kane  
susanm@hp-and.an.hp.com  |  

Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps