Melrose Place
Episode #106 / Season #4
Title: "Amanda Unplugged"
Original Air Date: Monday, October 30, 1995

Synopsis

[Wilshire Memorial Hospital]
Jack is resting comfortably in a coma, enjoying a couple of vacuum hoses crammed down his throat. At least this may keep him from talking for a while. Fortunately for him, the neck brace he was wearing in the previous episode has somehow disappeared. A nurse, so big that she gives Roseanne a run for the money is acting busy, doing whatever she can to sneak a peak at Jack's Italian pepperoni. Amanda is sitting on edge of Jack's bed. The nurse is so irritating, referring to Amanda as Mrs. Parezi and oinking incessantly about the merits of fried pork fat, that even Amanda wishes she was in a coma. Then Miss Piggy sits on edge of the bed alongside Amanda, squashing Jack's legs in the process so that he'll probably never walk again. She tells Amanda that miracles can happen and that patients often hear things LOVED ones say to them even though they're unconscious, so Amanda leans over and whispers to Jack, "For every black eye or bruise you ever gave me, you son-of-a-bitch, I hope you die!" Too bad Amanda doesn't love him; otherwise it just might have worked!

[MP, Apartment 8]
Brooke and Billy are reminiscing about their heavy love making the night before. Brooke whimpers that she has something in her eye. It just may be the "twinkle" that soon becomes Billy Jr.!! Billy appears to have a haircut. Along with whips and chains, the Flo-bee seems to part of their sexual repertoire. Billy goes to the bathroom followed by a crashing sound. Dimwitted Billy asks, "Hey, what's your diaphragm doing in here?" Brooke admits she's been trying to get pregnant. This infuriates Billy so Brooke tries to relieve the tension by saying, "At least I've learned to breathe from my diaphragm." Billy states, "I'm fed up and I'm not going to sit for this anymore!" He finally puts his foot down -- then the other, then the other -- in other words, he walks out the door.

[Mid-Wilshire Professional Building]
Matt needs a favor from Michael: a recommendation so that he can go back and finish med school. Matt had completed two years of medical school in the past, but found studying and grades dehumanizing so he decided to become gay instead. Michael thinks the idea is ridiculous but gives Matt a recommendation anyway. Peter confronts Michael and Syd regarding Mark Paul, the fake Henry they hired. Peter is understandably upset because Kimberly is his ONLY patient and if she's cured he can't continue to charge her his exorbitant rates. Kimberly drops by to thank Michael and Sydney for caring enough to help her fit back into society. Michael accidentally leaks some information regarding Amanda and Jack, whetting Sydney's appetite for more.

[Wilshire Memorial Hospital]
Amanda sits in Jack's room, perched like a vulture waiting for its next meal. Mr. Diamond drops by. He wants Amanda to sign some papers to indemnify Jack against any future claims by Amanda for prior acts, or whatever. He hints that if she doesn't cooperate he may have to publicize that she had a motive for murder. He's very scary -- if he represents the quality of acting in La-La Land these days. Can it get any worse?

[D&D Advertising]
Amanda seems to be spending every moment at the hospital, so Alison is goofing off at the office. Billy catches her browsing through a Sears catalog. "Oh, Hello Billy. Hayley wants me to dress better for dinner at his mansion so I'm looking for some new clothes. She shows him some nice polyester, but Billy just shakes his head. He's still numb from Brooke pulling the lambskin wool over his eyes instead of his head!

[Hart & Mancini Designs]
Richard sits in his office, occupying his time with his GQ coloring book again. Jane interrupts telling him she has planned the summer shoot in Hawaii and hopes this trip together will rekindle his interest in her. Richard doesn't think so, and insists that Jo go along as the photographer and referee. Jo says she'd love to go to Hawaii, even if it means canceling her exciting date watching "Cheers" reruns with bartender-boy Jake.

[Shooters]
The camera pans the room. The place looks packed and you can barely see through all the cigarette smoke. This is another example of editing bloopers because when they cut back to the same bar moments later, it's practically empty and all the chairs are still on top of the tables! Jake goes into the back storage room where Shelly is busy working on the computer. She's running a program called, "The Magic 8-Ball." When Jake complains that business sucks, Shelly confirms saying, "The computer has spoken, your account's a disaster." Just then, Jo arrives to tell Jake about her unexpected trip to Hawaii. Of course, this leads to the Jake-Jo-Jealousy-Jeesh-Give-Me-A-Break story line. She explains she needs to pack; finish cropping her catalog shoot; ask Shelly where she can get a butt-floss bikini, etc. She and Jake argue causing Jo to leave and Shelly eagerly volunteers to help Jake dance his troubles away. They must be getting dizzy from all the dancing because, although they want to run an event at Shooters and charge a cover, they simply cannot think of a theme on this Halloween night.

[Hayley Armstrong Mansion]
Alison is about to have one of those fancy dinners that she had described to Billy earlier. Alison tries to impress Hayley by planning the dinner. She gives the staff the night off and instead, orders a pizza to go along with her new Sears outfit. He suggests that she should go to the cellar and grab a bottle of wine that goes well with a $5 pizza -- maybe one with a screw-top. Alison wanders down the hallway, trying to open each door in search for the cellar entrance. What's behind door #3? We may never know because before she can open it, Hayley rushes over and says sternly, "Don't ever go in that room! It's private. Is that understood? IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!?!" He adds to the eeriness by speaking with an echo.

[Wilshire Memorial Hospital]
Syd tries to see Jack Parezi by pretending she's a niece of his. She is extremely interested in uncovering Amanda's secret past. She finds out that he's in a coma, but before she can learn anything else Mr. Diamond jumps in. He very quickly ushers her out, telling her that she isn't going to get any of Jack's money.

[D&D Advertising]
Brooke wants a progress report regarding Alison, daddy, and the mansion. Alison asks about what's behind door #3. "It's my mother's..." Brooke stops speaking, and instead gives Alison the key to the locked room and tells her to find out for herself.

[Hart & Mancini Designs]
Jealous Jake goes to see Jo but Richard intervenes, saying she can't be disturbed because she's working in the darkroom. Of course, this makes Jake more persistent. Not only is he computer illiterate, but he knows even less about darkrooms. He storms in, almost ruining all of Jo's hard work. Then we hear them whine about the same old crap. (Why can't the writers drag out INTERESTING story lines as they do this BORING subplot? Inquiring minds want to know!) Seeing these two is pathetic and the scene would have been much more bearable if it remained dark rather than lit by a red safety light.

[Peter's House]
The phone rings. Kimberly is now being stalked by Dr. Joyce Brothers of K-CHAT, who must have used caller ID to acquire her number. Dr. Brothers is setting up a radio program where the most active wacko's get to run the show, and it ends up that since Kimberly frequents the show the most, the doctor figured she'd be the perfect host. Dr. Joyce Brothers also figures that since Kimberly has nothing better to do than call the show all day, every day, it seems logical that she must not have a life and could come into the studio immediately to discuss details. Kimberly, however, must first figure out how to outsmart her wrist snitcher so she makes an appointment for the following day.

[Hayley's Mansion]
Alison goes into the forbidden room, a shrine for Brooke's mommy, Laura. There's a million trinkets of hers, everything from porcelain dolls to pink teddies. Hayley pops in, all pissed off. He freaks out. "What are you trying to do, huh? Discover who she was? Become her?" Alison, thinking quickly, replies, "I'm not looking for her, I'm looking for you." Hayley is dumbfounded, thinking, "Why would she look for me in this room?" Alison packs her bag and plans to leave. She doesn't want a relationship laced with secrets anymore, forcing Hayley to explain that he married not out of love but because Laura was rich, barefoot, and pregnant. Brooke represents the lie of his life. Brooke, however, doesn't know this; she still thinks her parents loved each other. He feels he's kept the room all these years as a type of sick, demented, perverted punishment. Alison realizes he's a sensitive guy so she stays and they lip lock.

[Shooters]
The place is packed. Shelly is so excited about the success of the turnout that she plans to throw a Halloween party EVERY Tuesday and Thursday!! Jake thinks that's great. Billy is hanging out at one end of the bar looking like a whiner and sucking on a beer. On the other end, Brooke sits planning her next manipulative move. Matt, taking a break from studying for the re-entrance exam, downs a few cold ones instead. After all, he's only studying for a test; it's not as though he'll be operating or something. Michael is trying to drink his woes away since he lost out on the Chief of Staff position. Michael tells Matt he's doesn't have the right stuff to be a doctor. Syd hears this and reminds Michael how Matt befriended him when he was drunk and almost killed Kimberly in that memorable automobile accident. Meanwhile, Amanda is pounding shots of whiskey. Peter waits until the right moment, then takes her home knowing the time's right for the picking. Yes, a Halloween party for a bunch of partying "hollow weenies."

[MP, Amanda's Apartment]
Peter was right -- Amanda was ripe and he picked all night. The next day, she has a massive headache. It's either from last night's alcohol or having to look at the leopard-skin sheets on her bed.

[Peter's House]
Kimberly puts her hand in a waffle iron. Like an oversized walnut she crushes her hand and slips the black box off. She only broke all of her knuckles. It probably would have been easier if she used a meat grinder. In any case, it's off to see Dr. Joyce Brothers!

[Hart & Mancini Designs]
Richard and Jane clash. She reminds him that she is still wearing their engagement ring. Why? As soon as he's alone, he conjures a plan to send her to NYC on business, hoping that he can make his move on Jo in Hawaii.

[Radio Station]
Joyce Brothers has been around longer than anyone can remember. When we see her face as she meets Kimberly we realize why she sticks to radio. "Are you a homemaker?" she asks Kimberly. No, she's more like a home "breaker." (If you could call Melrose Place a home.)

[MP, Nighttime]
Jake runs into Jane in the courtyard. Jane's bags are packed and she's headed to New York. Jake doesn't understand. Jane hints that Richard and Jo are planning a little fling on the isle of paradise. She welcomes Jake to the "Friends of Jo Club, where any fool can join." Then some trick or treaters come and Jake dumps the entire contents of his wallet into their sacks. They cry because they would rather have a 5-cent piece of candy than all the money in the world, showing that life at Melrose Place is still down-to-earth and innocent -- or else everyone's really stupid!

[Mid-Wilshire Professional Building]
Amanda finds out that Jack is getting better so she runs to Peter's office to tell him the news. Amanda swears if Jack ever wakes up and reenters her life she'll kill him for sure, but Peter reassures her that it would be justifiable homicide. Syd eavesdrops and records the entire conversation. It has good blackmail potential. It's about time Syd returned from her hiatus of exploitation and betrayal.

[D&D Advertising]
Brooke tells Billy she's pregnant. Billy can't figure out how. One of these days he'll have a clue. He thinks about it for a second then exclaims, "I'm having a baby? Oh, I'm having a baby!" No, Brooke's having the baby, you dweeb! He's so happy he could cry.

[Wilshire Memorial Hospital]
Matt takes the medical entrance exam but thinks he failed since he answered True-False even though it was a multiple choice test. Michael breaks into the hospital computer to check on the test results and confirms Matt's ridiculously low score. Michael, figuring maybe Matt will one day join the cracker jack staff at Wilshire Memorial, tampers with the test results so that Matt appears to pass with flying colors -- a whole two points above the minimum passing score!

[MP, Nighttime]
Richard drops by to pick up Jo on the way to the airport. She wonders where Jane is. When Richard admits that he sent her to New York, Jo finally realizes that Jake was right; "Ricardo" is slime and maybe not a bad choice for Jane after all. Jo rebuffs him and says she's going to spend the night with the real Jake.

[Mid-Wilshire Professional Office]
Peter says, "I'm going home. Can you handle any emergencies that come in tonight Michael?" Michael responds, "I can if they have insurance." Syd shows Michael the cassette she made of Amanda's secret confession. Michael tries to get it from her, explaining in his most sincere voice that, "Everything in life is not about exploitation and betrayal." But that's what Syd and the viewers have missed for so long now. Syd keeps the tape but says she'll try to stay out of trouble. Yeah, right, that's why next week's episode is entitled, "El Syd."

[Shooters]
The real Jake, aka horn dog, goes for Shelly, who is still trying to figure out what "boot the computer" means. Jake shows her by giving the PC a swift kick. Jake then approaches Shelly, saying, "Hey babe, how about sitting on my laptop?" She responds by rubbing his trackball, and he moves in to mouse her click. Moments later, as Shelly's screaming out, "More RAM Jake, more RAM!", Jo walks in. Well, she wished for the real Jake and she got it. She storms out, he tells her to have a nice trip and he and Shelly continue on top of the desk like a couple of dip switches.

[Wilshire Memorial Hospital]
Amanda reaches for the power cord, thinking about disconnecting the respirator. She hesitates, then Jack speaks. He apologizes and says he'll never hurt her again. Surprise! He tries to strangle her but fortunately, dies. Just to make sure, she slaps him. A voice breaks through the air. It's Syd, who witnesses the entire scene and says, "Why Amanda, that is no way to treat your husband." Amanda's eyes bug out like she has a thyroid problem.
[To Be Continued...]

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Last Modified November 07, 1995