Airdate: December 21, 1968
Writer: John McGreevey
Director:Gene Reynolds
Guest cast: William Daniels as Blair Thompson
William Fawcett as Mr. Pertwee
Guy Remson as the sailor
Rating: 5 bells
Synopsis:
Mr. Pertwee comes up to Gull Cottage at night on his bicycle to deliver a telegram to Mrs. Muir, and then quickly departs. Carolyn, already in her robe, takes the telegram into the living room and is reading it when the Captain appears, asking if there is an emergency and if he can help. She assures him everything is fine and that it is a personal matter. He fades out and she throws the crumpled note into the fireplace, turning off the light as she leaves the room to go upstairs and to sleep. The Captain reappears and pulls the telegram out of the flames. He reads it and realizes it is from an old flame of Carolyn's, Blair Thompson, who is planning to visit. He is visibly upset at the situation.
The family, including Martha, goes to greet Blair at his yacht. Blair immediately proposes to Carolyn, who laughs him off. Jonathan makes an obvious Captain Gregg-inspired comment about the yacht which is in sea lingo. Blair, supposedly a sailor, doesn't understand him. As everyone is walking off the dock to return to Gull Cottage, the Captain tries to trip Blair by placing a coil of rope in his path, but Carolyn sees what's happening and prevents the "accident."
Upon returning to the house, Carolyn and the Captain discuss his attitude, which is none too sympathetic toward Blair. Blair presents the family with gifts -- a ship in a bottle for Jonathan, a radio for Candy, and a locket for Carolyn, within which is a photo of Blair and Carolyn taken years earlier. Blair then notices the decoration of the parlor and begins making disparaging remarks about old sailing life and the Captain, which, needless to say, angers the Captain even further.
Blair and Carolyn go outside onto the porch, where Blair tries once again to propose to Carolyn, but is interrupted by Candy's blaring radio and a sprinkler which seems to follow his every movement, soaking him in the process. Later, on the yacht, Blair tries to impress Carolyn with canapes and champagne, but the Captain sets the boat to rolling and heaving, forcing Blair to retreat outside and heave himself.
After returning to the house, Blair is resting on the couch with a compress on his head, but is constantly interrupted by the kids and Martha, and then witnesses Jonathan's ship "sail" out of its bottle and return to it. He gets even sicker. Carolyn confronts the Captain about his antics, accusing him of jealousy. He asks her if she is in love with Blair, but rather than answering his question, she tells him to stop interfering and she goes downstairs. The Captain sees the locket, picks it up, and fantasizes that it is him in the photo with Carolyn rather than Blair.
Carolyn comes into the parlor to talk to Blair, the lights go out, and unseen, the Captain puts the locket around Carolyn's neck. Blair spots the locket on her and interprets this to mean that she cares for him. He suddenly feels better and tries to kiss her, but she stops him by saying they need champagne for the moment. She goes to the kitchen where the Captain is opening a bottle of champagne and cleaning glasses. He admits that he is jealous, but that he will rise above it, and that he feels Carolyn should marry Blair. She again tells him to stop interfering and takes the champagne out to the parlor. The Captain follows her and sits near the window, witnessing the scene. Carolyn almost immediately accepts Blair's latest proposal of marriage, but then proceeds to tell him about all the new responsibilities he will have and he quickly squirms his way out of the proposal, asking her to drive him back to his boat so he can leave in the morning.
This angers the Captain, who questions Blair's motives. Carolyn explains that she knew her acceptance would scare Blair off, and she and the Captain make a toast and share a drink together, gazing at each other rather longingly.
Later, Carolyn comes upstairs to prepare for bed and finds the Captain waiting for her. He assures her he won't meddle any more and wishes her a goodnight, walking out through the French doors. She decides to change into her nightgown by taking it into the closet. She emerges, turns out the light and gets into bed, but is startled into sitting up when the Captain's voice thunders "And sleep well, Madam!" He is pacing on the widow's walk, laughing.
Favorite lines/scenes:
I gave this episode five bells because I feel it contains the most revealing honest dialogues that the Captain and Mrs. Muir ever had about their relationship, so I decided to quote them all verbatim. Reading "between the lines" of these is almost as interesting as hearing them spoken! (I am also including some things which I think are amusing as well.) Here goes:
Captain: Some sailor, that fairweather dandy in his ice cream britches and his mainsail
jacket. He wouldn't know an in and out jigger from a pig yoke.
Mrs. Muir: Well, who does?
Captain: And that floating locomotive he calls a ship! All engine and no style!
Mrs. Muir: I don't care what you think of Blair or his yacht!
Captain: Jonathan is more of a sailor than that dead cargo. And what about the basket he's
carrying? What's in that? His knitting?
Mrs. Muir: Captain, I'm warning you . . .!
Blair (about the Captain): Poor old duffer. Why today, he'd be lucky to hold down a job on the Staten Island Ferry.
Blair (about the blaring radio): Must be a short circuit.
Mrs. Muir: Or a tall ghost.
Mrs. Muir: Captain Gregg! Captain!
Captain (appearing): I do not find that imperious tone ingratiating.
Mrs. Muir: You haven't heard anything yet.
Captain: Shouldn't you be down in sickbay, ministering to Captain Queasy?
Mrs. Muir: Of all the mean, heartless tricks . . .
Captain: He cut quite a dashing figure, your Philadelphia sailor. Dashing out of the
lounge, dashing on to the deck, dashing over to the rail . . .
Mrs. Muir: Have you finished?
Captain: Quite.
Mrs. Muir: Blair's fallible. Sometimes he's pompous and stuffy. He can even be ludicrous.
Simply because he's human. Human, imperfect, vulnerable. The only human trait you seem to
have kept is your jealousy!
Captain (rising): Are you suggesting that I am jealous?
Mrs. Muir: Why else would you set out to make him appear so riduculous?
Captain: I am not now, nor have I ever been, jealous of anyone. And if Thompson appears
ridiculous, blame heredity, not me!
Mrs. Muir: Well, you've just succeeded in reminding me that Blair is one of the kindest
men I've ever known , and I suppose I should thank you for that.
Captain (quieter): Mrs. Muir . . . are you in love with this fellow?
Mrs. Muir: What I feel for Blair concerns him and me and no one else; and I'm warning you
don't, try to embarass or humiliate him again.
Mrs. Muir (entering kitchen): You are to stop. Immediately! Now I warned you upstairs .
. .
Captain: Not to humiliate Thompson, and I certainly haven't. In fact, I've been doing my
best, which is extremely good, to facilitate his courtship.
Mrs. Muir: I don't want you to facilitate anything!
Captain: Now if that isn't just like a woman. Really, madam, there is no pleasing you.
Mrs. Muir: I will be pleased, Captain Gregg, when you stop meddling!
Captain: Mrs. Muir, upstairs you accused me of, uh . . . of, uh . . .
Mrs. Muir: The word is jealousy.
Captain: Yes. Well, after a careful scrutiny of my motives, I'm prepared to admit that
there is a certain grain of truth in your accusation. Since such behavior is unworthy of
me, I have decided to rise above it. It is now quite clear to me that, uh, marriage . . .
for you and . . . Mr. Thompson would be best for everyone.
Mrs. Muir: Oh, really?
Captain: Yes. You . . . the children . . . everyone. So I'm merely trying to be helpful.
Mrs. Muir: Well, I don't need or want your help. When and if I marry Blair, or anyone
else, it will be without benefit of your facilitation.
Captain: I trust you put Mr. Thompson safely aboard his yacht, and pointed him in the
right direction.
Mrs. Muir: And I hope you learned a lesson from all this, Captain.
Captain: I did, I did. No more meddling for me. No more interference.
Mrs. Muir: I can count on that?
Captain: Absolutely! In fact, I shall never again be near you unless you expressly summon
me.
Mrs. Muir: You are reformed.
Captain: Totally. Good night, Mrs. Muir.
Mrs. Muir: Good night, Captain.
Captain: And sleep well, madam!
Interesting note:
William Daniels later went on to play KITT in "Knight Rider", costarring Edward Mulhare.
Contributed by Sheila Kaminsky