Soap: Episode 78

Soap: Episode 78
ABC
January 14, 1981
Dramedy
DVD
C+

For a six-writer episode, this isn't bad.  Yes, the "Juan, this is Everybody.  Everybody, Juan" routine gets old quickly and it seems hypocritical for El to call Annie a slut (although admittedly El hasn't yet slept with Jessica), but it's easy to understand Jessica's glee at El standing up to Chester.  Meanwhile, Danny and Gwen confess their love (based on what, I have no idea, at least Danny and Polly went on actual dates), and he decides to have her stay with his family, thinking Tibbs will never think of that.  (Um, the sheriff and deputy live there, and there's a shadow lurking outside the window.  I think Tibbs will figure it out.)  Jodie and Maggie are also falling for each other, but at least they've been spending a lot of time together.  He says the last time he felt this way about someone, that person had a beard, so either Jodie never felt this way about Dennis, or Dennis had a beard before we met him.  Carol has apparently left New Mexico for Alaska, but unfortunately this will not mean the return of Alice.  And, in the best scene, Burt goes to talk to his childhood pastor, now a bishop, who dies at the end.  It's a downer but at least it's good acting by Mulligan.

Fred Struthman, who plays the Bishop, was Hawkeye's Professor on M*A*S*H.  Mary is the only regular character who's absent.