Episode 42 - 8/23/66

Sam is looking for Roger. Liz introduces herself as his sister, and Sam introduces himself as the painter. They had met more than 18 years earlier. Sam wants to talk to Liz about Roger. He brings up the auto accident from 10 years ago. Liz asks him to get to the point. He mentions how her husband Paul had asked about having a portrait done back then.  It then comes up that Burke has commissioned a portrait from Sam.

Burke meets Mr. Blair in a Bangor restaurant; Bronson won't be joining them. Blair explains Burke can obtain control over any Collins property he's interested in. Carolyn sneaks into the restaurant and sits at a table close to Burke. Burke mentions the pleasure or ruining the Collins empire, and somehow Carolyn doesn't hear it. Devlin catches a glimpse of Carolyn and joins her at her table

Sam finishes what we can only assume is yet another drink, and tells Liz that he has something to share with her about her family. As Liz berates Sam for attempting to extort money, there's a knock at the door. She goes to answer it, and it's Joe.

Joe tells Liz that Carolyn is likely in Bangor with Burke Devlin. She asks him to talk to Sam while she makes a call.

Carolyn tells Burke she followed him. He explains Mr. Blair is his banker, and introduces Carolyn to him. He jokingly says Mr. Blair is arranging for him to buy out Carolyn's mother's interests and she gets a good laugh out of that. Blair leaves and Burke proceeds to flirt with Carolyn. He orders lunch for the both of them (though she changes hers from a baked potato to french fries) and he gives her a fancy silver pen.

Back at Collinwood, Bill Malloy's name comes up in conversation, and Sam says they should ignore anything Bill says about him. Liz presses Sam to say what he came to say, but he can't, and leaves.

Our thoughts

John: Considering how the actor playing Sam had already changed within the first few weeks of the show, I love that Sam tells Liz that he's changed since he had last seen her.

Christine: I'm surprised Sam and Liz don't flinch when something crashes nearby in the foyer. In Vicki's opening narration, she states that "130 years ago, the love of a man and a woman built this mansion on the crest of Widow's Hill. Today, fear, distrust and hatred have almost destroyed it." That's a bit melodramatic though, isn't it? Is Collinwood nearly destroyed at this point? Also, I thought the house was built 150 or more years ago, though I don't remember which episode I heard that information.

John: Interesting that Liz fixes Sam a drink without asking him what he wants. Of course he quickly downs it.

Christine: It doesn't matter to Sam as long as it has al-kee-hol. Liz acknowledges that her brother keeps "quite a supply on hand." We hear another mention of Paul Stoddard today. Could this mean we'll be meeting up with him soon?

John: Carolyn's middle name is Collins? Maybe it's Elizabeth Collins Stoddard's middle name, too.

Christine: Foolish, naive Carolyn is playing right into Burke Devlin's clever hands. Liz probably named Carolyn with Collins as her middle name as a way of keeping the powerful name, but in Elizabeth's case, I would think that she simply retained her surname after marrying Paul Stoddard.

John: Don't make me implement a sarcasm sign. One more thing we've learned about Burke in these past few weeks—he sure loves his steaks. So much so that he's not particular about specifying a particular cut of beef.

Christine: Was Sam going to spill the beans to Liz about what happened ten years ago? Roger will bust a few of his stitches when he finds out.

Was Dan Curtis on a rant during today's taping? The slate holder looks like he wants to cry.

Isaac is on the move again. The portrait hung to the left of the bay windows in yesterday's episode.