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For the most part, this was one of those "setup" episodes -- it looks like most of the fireworks will happen next week.
At the end of the day, Jake leaves with Jane and he asks Syd to lock up. Out of his earshot, Syd calmly accuses Jane of stealing her boyfriend. Jane is equally calm and says they're just going out to the movies. Syd is not thrilled (but at least she isn't calling up the cult -- yet).
Jo later shows up at Matt's in a panic: The drug dealer has died and Internal Affairs wants to talk to her again. Matt says he'll cover for her. He brings the photos to the police station the next day and hands them to Wilkins. When Matt declines to name the photographer, Wilkins says, "I wasn't born yesterday" -- he knows it's Jo. Matt tells him to keep Jo's name out of it. Wilkins says he'll try to keep her involvement to a minimum, but he can't make any guarantees. As Matt leaves, we see that Psycho has been hovering near the bulletin board, observing the whole thing.
As Matt is visiting Jo, Psycho bursts in. He says he's been betrayed by them. He pulls his gun, saying "As long as I'm going to be held responsible for one accidental death, I might as well be responsible for three!" Matt, pleading, attempts to reason with him. He tries to keep Psycho's anger directed away from Jo. When Matt tells Psycho that he'll go to the police and lie for him, Psycho lowers his arm -- and Jo grabs the gun! He sinks to the couch defeated. Matt calls the police, and Jo tells Psycho, "I'm tired of playing the victim!" Why, Jo, have you been reading the Melrose Place recaps?
In New York, it turns out that Amanda and Michael have been booked into the same room. Gee, what an accident -- NOT! Amanda isn't thrilled, but as long as there are separate beds, she's willing to deal with it. Kimberly calls the hotel that night and asks for Michael Mancini's room. Michael's asleep, but Amanda is watching Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The phone rings, and Amanda answers! Kimberly is stunned and hangs up.
The next morning, Kimberly calls Dr. Steele and warns him about Michael! She says Michael just wants access to Steele's technique so that he can make a name for himself. Steele tells his receptionist to inform Michael that Steele is taking an early retirement and no time for Michael today or any day. The receptionist does so and hands Michael a list of referrals. Michael demands to see Steele, but the receptionist tells him to get out, saying, "This is New York -- we eat worms like you for breakfast!" (Boy, dietary habits have declined since I was last there.) Amanda doesn't want to make a big fuss, but Michael swears they'll be back. To cheer her up, he agrees to take her on a visit to Tiffany's. Amanda is interested in a brooch. She says, "Maybe this is the key to this [survival] -- doing normal things." (Well, normal for you maybe...) When they find out that the brooch costs $10,000, they do a Homer (D'OH!), but Amanda decides to buy it when the man tells her she can pay for it over two years.
Alison and Billy (and presumably the unseen, unheard staff of D&D) have pulled an all-nighter working on the presentation. Billy says, "Daaah, I haven't stayed up all night since college." Alison says coyly, "That's not true..." Billy smiles a bit (watch out for drool). She's convinced they've done a really good job, but Billy worries: "If Franklin doesn't like this, gaah, we're dead!" They do their big tag-team presentation. Franklin's reaction? "I hate it!" He announces he's going to pull the account!
Amanda and Michael are dancing (at the hotel?), but she's not happy. She tells Michael that he should have just let her die in L.A. He says she can't give up -- he needs her with him if he's to have any chance of seeing Steele. She just wants to rest. He kisses her. Surprised, Amanda says, "What I need is a friend and a doctor, not a romance." Michael presses the issue, but she doesn't go for it. Later, she calls D&D; Alison tells her, "Everything's fine on this end. Just peachy, boss. It's not like we lost an account or anything." After the phone call, Alison informs Billy that she wants to tell Franklin about Amanda's condition in order to "guilt" him into staying with D&D. Billy says no -- it's an invasion of Amanda's privacy. Alison pulls rank, though. She meets with Franklin and tells him about Amanda's cancer. He's shocked. Alison asks him to delay any final decision until Amanda returns from New York. Franklin says he'll consider it. Alison returns to Billy, confident she's been successful. Then she gets a special delivery message from Franklin (wow, speedy mail service!). Although he's sorry for Amanda, he still pulling the account! Oooooh, Alison is in deep doo-doo!
Michael barges into Steele's office. Steele reads him the riot act; he says a "colleague" warned him and he's had the opportunity to check Michael's background. He won't have anything to do with him. Michael, in perhaps a major turning point for the character, pleads with Steele to treat Amanda anyway, and he promises he'll completely remove himself from the picture. Steele relents and says he'll see Amanda. Over dinner, Michael gives her the good news, but says she'll have to get a new doctor back in Los Angeles. Amanda is then asked to take an emergency phone call from "Jake Hanson" -- surprise, it's Kimberly! She tells Amanda everything, specifically that Michael is looking for an excuse to "get in your pants" and that Amanda has no hope of survival: "You're terminal, sweetheart!" Amanda walks out.
The next morning, Amanda returns to the hotel. When Michael asks where she's been, she says she's been walking around New York for the past 13 hours. She has it out with him. When she tells him about Kimberly's phone call, he replies, "The woman who wrote the Cliff Notes on lying?! And you believed her?!" When Michael confesses that he voluntarily removed himself from the case and that he cares about her, Amanda believes him. We cut to Steele's office, where Amanda tells Steele that she's confident his treatment will save her (wow, that was fast!) and she talks Steele into letting Michael stay involved. That night, Michael presents Amanda with flowers and apologizes for his behavior. She says, "Yes, you stepped out of line -- why don't you step a little farther?" They start smooching!
Next Week: Women With a Vengeance! Sydney declares war on Jane! Kimberly prepares to kill Michael and Amanda in the hot tub!
--Ken Hart
