Soap: Episode 51

Soap: Episode 51
ABC
October 4, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
C+

The shark licks its chops for much of this Harris & Silver episode, although another scene of the female characters in the kitchen discussing sex helps save it.  (Jennifer Salt's amusement at Helmond looks completely genuine.)  The episode starts with some unfunny and implausible time travel by Burt and Saul.  (Not only can they perfectly communicate with Romans and Mexicans, but their hands are bound simply because they show up in front of a firing squad.)  And Billy's romance with his divorced History teacher, Leslie Walker (25-year-old Marla Pennington in her first of seventeen Soap appearances), begins here.  Leslie is actually kind of sweet, if unethical, here, but knowing what would happen to her character, I'm not happy about the start of this thread.  And Chester starts cheating on Jessica not long after Donahue finally leaves "for good."  (He'd be back later in the season.)  At least we finally find out where Danny is, tied up in a barn by Mel but freed by a smitten Millie.

Jodie, the Major, Chuck, and Bob are absent.