Soap: Episode 24

Soap: Episode 24
ABC
March 21, 1978
Dramedy
DVD
B

There's more fun with the trial, although the Major's attempt to "rescue" Jessica goes on a bit too long, like a lot of his material.  Burt and Mary decide to work things out, despite him killing Johnny.  (Danny puts in a good word for Burt, showing they've come a long way from the first episode, where they "hated" each other.)  Chester is arrested for SEC violations although able to post bail in time to go to court to support Jessica.  Corinne returns home and refuses to return to Ingrid, who swears revenge on the Tates.

And Jodie sleeps with Carol.  It's interesting to see how this is handled, in light of the times and in light of what would happen between them later.  We're of course not shown anything of the sex, but he's angry and confused the next morning.  They say that they love each other, platonically in his case, which seems awfully quick, considering they met so recently.  But Crystal and Balding have enough chemistry and are good enough performers that they make it convincing.  Jodie still identifies as gay (Crystal does a funny bit about his hormones), and she claims she's not just after his body.  The irony is that, if she weren't so manipulative, they'd have a sweeter relationship than the one he had with Dennis.  And, while it may seem like a cop-out to have the gay character sleep with a woman, I appreciate that it's not shown as a "cure" for his homosexuality.  I'll get back to this when he again becomes involved with women (more than with men), but for now I'll say that this plot twist has actually aged better than the one about him planning on becoming female just to keep his boyfriend.