Hmm, so I'm the first to comment on today's show. I watched it last night. I was surprised the episode was so long, since before this I only had the videos and the first 8 videos are edited, and this episode had so much more than I expected. I thought it ended with Willie falling to the foyer floor in a faint but it went much further.
Willie looked absolutely HAUNTED as he sat at the Blue Whale, putting up with Jason's interminable questions. Jason does seem to sincerely care for Willie, and he sees that something is definitely wrong with him. But by shooting off one question after the other he was not helping. He demanded to know how Willie got blood on his sleeve. Willie said it was dirt, not blood but Jason knew better than that.
Then Jason told him to come back to Collinwood with him to apologize to Carolyn and Liz for his behavior. I was a bit confused by this scene. At one point Jason said he wanted to have Willie come back to stay there, and if he apologized Liz might be willing to let him come back, but in another place he said Willie was leaving town. Willie did not want to come back to Collinwood. Burke got in the mix and again, as if he owned the town and could determine who lived there and who didn't, demanded that Willie leave town. I'm wondering if he's beginning to be concerned about the inhabitants of Collinwood at this point, it's not long ago he wanted them destroyed. Or is it just that having Willie Loomis in Collinwood at all was not a good thing? I don't like his high handed manner, the town is not called Devlinville, and he ain't the king or sheriff thereof.
Burke asked Jason if Willie often pulled a switch such as this, Jason has never seen Willie this way before, but that was a valid question, it could be part of a scheme. But he kept on interfering with his own questions and finally Jason said, "Leave it to me." I can see that Burke does not trust Jason, but at this point it was best to let Jason deal with his own friend.
I think that Jason kept on insisting on the apology by Willie to get himself a bit further into Liz's favor, so that he could milk her for more. He told Willie to finish his drink but Willie didn't want it. This was a first, and Jason was confused by his behavior, thinking he's losing control of him. Little does he know that Willie now has a new master!
So off to Collinwood they went. Meanwhile Liz told Carolyn it was a bit late to go out, but Carolyn was still concerned about the whereabouts of Willie. Liz thinks he's left town but when Carolyn asked if she was sure, Liz had to admit she wasn't. Then Jason and Willie came in and neither Liz nor Carolyn was happy to see him. Willie gave his apology but the words had to be spoon fed to him since he was really out of it. Liz felt this made the apology insincere, and Jason kept insisting he was sincere. Jason then asked to speak to Liz alone in the drawing room and Carolyn said, "Oh, now the pitch. A tender plea for Willie's reinstatement as houseguest number two." (great line by Carolyn!)
After Jason and Liz go to the drawing room, Willie offered a very sincere apology to Carolyn which she accepted. She sees the change in him and wonders if he is ok.
In the drawing room, Jason insisted that Liz believe Willie was sincere, but she didn't believe it. Then he said, "If we are going to live here together we should get along. I know I'm trying my best!" Oh what a rat. Yeah the blackmailer is trying his best!
In the foyer, Willie is trying hard NOT to look at Barn's portrait, he shrinks from it, but it's drawing him. He moves toward it, putting his hand over his face to try to shield his eyes from it. But finally he does look at it. He gives a moan and falls to the floor. Jason and Liz exit the drawing room and come to him.
Later upstairs in Willie's room he comes to and is surprised to be there. Jason tells him what happened and that he will talk Liz into letting him stay. Willie doesn't want to stay but he's too sick to leave. He asks Jason to tell Liz he's sorry. Jason said, "Let's not overdo it!" After Jason left, Willie lay there moaning, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" and we know he means he's sorry he opened that coffin...
Downstairs Liz accuses Jason of having set the whole thing up to let Willie stay longer, but Jason insists that she allow Willie to stay. He made some very disgusting insinuations that no one is totally bad, even her, that we all find ourselves doing things we never thought we would, but that doesn't make us terrible people, and this whole speech made me sick. Then he forced her to allow Willie to stay.
Later she has to tell Carolyn that Willie is staying, clearly expecting Carolyn to blow up, but Carolyn is more understanding, says that Willie really is sick but the sickness was more than physical, it was emotional and spiritual (very astute observation). I'm glad she was understanding about it.
Upstairs Jason tells Willie that Liz agreed to his staying but again Willie says he doesn't want to stay. But since he's sick he has nowhere else to go (Oh yeah??) Then he tells Willie he needs to get comfortable to rest and removes his jacket. Then he sees that Willie's wrist is bandaged up, and he wants to see the wound. Willie pulls away from him and freaks, saying he can't see it, no one can see it, no one can touch it. Jason looks at him as if he's lost his mind.
So now everyone is totally confused by the change in Willie, some wonder if it's a put on, and others are convinced the change is real, though they have no idea what the reason is.
Alondra
