Episode 164 - 2/9/67

Guthrie discusses what David saw in the painting with Vicki. She confirms David never saw the portrait when he was in it. He then asks what or who Liz may have seen before she lost her short term memory. Vicki tells Guthrie that Sam Evans said he was compelled to paint the paintings of Laura. Guthrie wants to meet Sam, and Vicki agrees to coordinate the meeting through Maggie.

Sam and Maggie talk in their house. His hands are still bandaged, and he laments his inability to paint. If he can't paint, he wants to drink.  He sends Maggie off to work.

Vicki and Guthrie talk with Maggie in the coffee shop, and she suggests they go over right away. Burke walks in and asks Vicki if they can talk. Guthrie says he can make his way to the Evans house on his own, and Vicki sits down with Burke.

Sam throws down his brushes in frustration when there's a knock at the door. He yells, 'go away,' and Guthrie enters, asking if he said to come in. He asks to look at Sam's paintings. He goes to shake his hand, and Sam flies off the handle about his hands. Guthrie says he's a fan of Sam's work. Sam tells him that he's very expensive. Guthrie asks about his portrait work. Sam says he only does commissions. Guthrie starts digging through Sam's paintings, and pulls out the burned canvas. He asks Sam if it was a portrait of Laura Collins. He tells Sam he might be able to help him figure out who did paint that painting.  He tells Sam he's trying to get to the bottom of things going on at Collinwood.

Burke tells Vicki that he thinks Laura is the most wonderful woman in the world. And then he says he doesn't want to talk about Laura. He wants to talk about the two of them. He then talks about how she just does whatever Liz tells her.

Sam describes to Guthrie what was going on in his mind while working on the paintings of Laura.

Vicki says she's worried about Liz, and Burke says he is too. He said Liz was strong when he saw her the night she fell ill. He tells Vicki that Liz walked in on he and Laura that day. Guthrie returns to the coffee shop, and after Burke leaves, Vicki tells him Liz was alone with Laura before she fell ill.

Our thoughts

John: I love how Guthrie says that the style in the burnt painting of Laura matches Sam's style as he looks through the hole in it.

Christine: My favorite quote today comes from Dr. Guthrie: "In an artist, anything is permissible." There is some interesting muzak playing in the diner today. I believe it's the first time we've heard music there. It's no longer playing when Vicki and Burke have their conversation. Sam's got a lot of his paintings on display today, perhaps in hopes of creating something other than Laura Collins in flames, or so Guthrie can come in for his unannounced showing.

John: Burke appears to still be under Laura's spell. He says he wants to talk about he and Vicki, but then keeps circling back around to Liz and Laura.

Christine: I love the transition between Sam describing the Laura Collins he painted as evil incarnate and Burke saying she's the most wonderful woman in the world. Is it only me that gagged as he describes her to Vicki as a warm, understanding, sensitive woman?

John: It's worth noting that Burke finally takes a turn putting a puzzle piece in place for a change. They can now more directly pin Liz's state to something that Laura may have done when they were alone together.

Christine: It shouldn't have been that hard to figure out. I mean, how many places could Liz go to be entranced on the estate? The burnt painting of Laura Collins has changed somewhat. Here is a comparison of the portrait when Guthrie finds it and the first time we saw it destroyed.