Soap: Episode 85

Soap: Episode 85
ABC
March 23, 1981
Dramedy
DVD
C

OK, we're down to four writers again, Clair & McMahon having left, but it doesn't really help.  This can be seen in the rescue scene, where characters enter the dungeon one or two at a time and all the chatter is supposed to be funny, but I actually sympathize with Burt who wants to get things moving.  Of course, that's the only time I sympathize with Burt, who's still being a conceited jerk, especially towards his family.

Now that Jodie and Maggie are rescued, she wants him to live up to his dungeon marriage proposal, but he has doubts because he might still be gay.  They discuss this at the same Japanese restaurant (I think with the same actor as the chef), but it only serves as a reminder of how much funnier the Jodie & Carol scenes were.  And Jodie tells his therapist later that he didn't love the mother of his child, but the truth is I'm not at all invested in Jodie & Maggie (especially since she says, "You're not a cupcake"), while Carol was a much more interesting character, and I in fact was more convinced of Jodie's affection for her, while he just seems to love Maggie because the script says so.

Not unlike Gwen & Danny.  She's written him a goodbye note, in order to protect him, but he doesn't know that.  He wonders why whenever he falls in love, it goes badly, and he wonders if he's meant to be alone.  Unfortunately for him and us, this is not the case.

Still, Jessica forgives Mary, so that's worth something, as is Jessica recalling what a fainter Mary has always been.  And the amazing thing about Soap is that it doesn't seem like it's going to get flat-out awful.  It's just not good anymore, except for moments (like the old prisoner's worry that Nixon is President with Ike dead) and sometimes scenes.

George Wyner, who was Rex Pottinger on The Bob Newhart Show and Cpl. Benson on M*A*S*H, makes his first appearance as Jodie's therapist Dr. Rudolph.  And Jim Staahl proves he can be even less funny as a bee-fearing patient than he is as Nelson Flavor on Mork & Mindy.  Chester and Eunice are missing.  Note that Wendy looks like she's played by another baby, but it's hard to tell.