Episode #586

[Michael]

Episode #586 has just been released!

In this episode: Philip awakens to a very welcome surprise from Molly... Claire is desperate after finding Tempest's goodbye note... Cassandra tries to reign JD in, but they might be in too deep... The character of Spencer Ragan, Loretta's younger son, debuts.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll take the time to share your thoughts on this episode and the current storylines!

[capekeintrich]

Afternoon Michael it is nice to have some free time at home and catch up today.

Phillip/Molly/Spencer- I loved their scenes. Could have been the whole naughtiness of Phillip dreaming about Molly and Spencer's quips but I loved it and they were the highlight of the episode for me.

Claire/Brett/Tempest- The storyline started out good with Tempest but now I am a bit lost as to why she would run away from Claire? I was a little put off by Brett leaving Claire's side too but I got his motivations.

Cassandra/JD- I love how you continue to build this mystery and I can't wait till the ball to get here. I love how matter fact that Cassandra is about her stance with JD. But I smell trouble brewing in the form of JD on the horizon.

A great read Michael! Always great to come here and catch up with FP.

Kelly

[Michael]

Thanks for reading and for taking the time to post, Kelly!

Originally Posted by capekeintrich

Phillip/Molly/Spencer- I loved their scenes. Could have been the whole naughtiness of Phillip dreaming about Molly and Spencer's quips but I loved it and they were the highlight of the episode for me.

I had a lot of fun with those scenes. We haven't spent much time in Philip's head yet, which I'm now planning to remedy. I think we know him well enough from the outside to want to get in there. And Spencer's entrance was very enjoyable to write. He's a shit-stirrer, and those are some of my favorite characters. I hope you like what I have planned for them!

Originally Posted by capekeintrich

Claire/Brett/Tempest- The storyline started out good with Tempest but now I am a bit lost as to why she would run away from Claire? I was a little put off by Brett leaving Claire's side too but I got his motivations.

Tempest's reasoning will become clearer soon, but if it's a little "WTF?" for you, that works. She's not so much thinking logically as emotionally. This is all very overwhelming -- suddenly she's plopped into this new life, with new expectations, and there seem to be a million things she has to do. Big change from how she has been living.

Thanks again for posting!

[Dallas]

Oh Michael,

What a delightful episode! Every scene was nice and moved the storylines ahead.

Molly/Philip -- Whoa, the first scene was intense. I actually only bought it because Philip and Lauren never got super serious, so I can totally get that Philip has a crush on Molly. Spencer was a riot telling him he'd do Molly if he got the chance. His new found sexual desires for Molly certainly add a twist on the storyline with Loretta out to get her family.

Claire -- Ah ha! I knew something would happen for Claire to go to the ball with Brett. She's worked so hard to go that far not to attend the grand finale. I've never been a big fan of the Tempest storyline, so I'm not devastated that she's MIA.

Cassandra -- The devil lies to the cops! I always thought she was a snake, and this really confirms it. JD and her agruing about the ring is something I couldn't care about, but him threatening Tim is something. Because JD was so ticked at Tim, I doubt this is over. Interestnig twist though.

Fantastic read, I'm looking forward to the ball!

d

[Andy Eckles]

Wow, those Philip/Molly scenes were scathing. I loved the fantasy sequence and how detailed it was. My favorite part, because of it's subtle inuendo, whether intention or not, was:

“I’ll go easy on you,” he says with a smile.

“You’ll need to.” Molly stares out over the grounds, at the rich green grass and the well-maintained tennis court in the distance.

It could have just been me, but that line was screaming with sexual overtones.

Philip's brother seems like he's going to be an interesting addition. Great casting choice, too, btw.

Cassandra/J.D.: I have a feeling he is not going anywhere. After finding out that Tim went to Brent, he will probably go berserk! I fear for the retaliation that will follow, even though it will undoubtedly ratchet up the tension in this enjoyable situation.

Speaking of J.D./Cassandra/Philip/Spencer: I noticed this episode was about 1/2 supporting character-driven, but you did it very well. I didn't feel like I was reading a different story or anything. The scenes with these characters still managed to keep me invested in the big picture.

Glad that Claire has confirmed that she's going with Brent to the ball. SO excited to see what happens when they get there!

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Dallas

Molly/Philip -- Whoa, the first scene was intense. I actually only bought it because Philip and Lauren never got super serious, so I can totally get that Philip has a crush on Molly. Spencer was a riot telling him he'd do Molly if he got the chance. His new found sexual desires for Molly certainly add a twist on the storyline with Loretta out to get her family.

I realized we hadn't fully seen Philip's perspective on the relationship, and after Lauren had those inklings that Philip breaking up with her was not purely altruistic, I felt it was time to get inside his head some more.

Originally Posted by Andy Eckles

Wow, those Philip/Molly scenes were scathing. I loved the fantasy sequence and how detailed it was. My favorite part, because of it's subtle inuendo, whether intention or not, was
...
It could have just been me, but that line was screaming with sexual overtones.

No, it was written that way very intentionally. Glad those scenes worked for you.

Originally Posted by Dallas

Cassandra -- The devil lies to the cops! I always thought she was a snake, and this really confirms it. JD and her agruing about the ring is something I couldn't care about, but him threatening Tim is something. Because JD was so ticked at Tim, I doubt this is over. Interestnig twist though.

The Cassandra/JD scenes in isolation really exist to flesh out the storyline, which is about the effect of their secret upon Tim and his family. Otherwise I think it'd be pretty cardboard, if we had no idea what was going on on their side of things. And this is definitely not over! JD is pretty out of control, as we're going to see.

Originally Posted by Andy Eckles

Speaking of J.D./Cassandra/Philip/Spencer: I noticed this episode was about 1/2 supporting character-driven, but you did it very well. I didn't feel like I was reading a different story or anything. The scenes with these characters still managed to keep me invested in the big picture.

I'm happy that you mentioned this. I've been concerned because there have been a lot of scenes focusing on non-central characters lately, but it's sort of necessary to the stories I'm telling. I worry that it'll feel like strangers are taking over the series, so my strategy has been to really come at them through the eyes of the people we know and then switch POV when it's absolutely necessary. Really, these people exist to facilitate stories for the characters we know very well, so I'm pleased that the intent isn't being lost in some of the POV switching. Whew.

Thanks so much for your comments, Dallas and Andy!

[Allan]

Interesting episode, Michael!

Is Spencer a new character? I really enjoyed his presence in this episode, having a viable young man as an alternative to Travis on the canvas opens up many storyline possibilities.

JD and Cassandra are pretty intense. As I've been out of the loop for a few months I'm not exactly sure of their past on the series, but I want to go back and read what I've missed.

"You can’t fix seventeen years of shit with a few weeks of kindness and some meals" was maybe my favourite line in the episode. I get that Claire's intentions towards Tempest are good, but maybe a little too much for Tempest to take? I know if I'd had a rough upbringing and suddenly this well to do family were taking me in I'd be a little overwhelmed...I suppose that explains why she bolted.

This was a really enjoyable episode, Michael! I'm glad I stepped back into Footprints again!

ETA: I am BEYOND DEAD that you have cast The Situation on Footprints. I love it! Surely Snooki can't be far behind?

[Ira]

Good episode, Michael.

I'm liking everyone's inclusion of fantasy sequences lately. From Andy's Brett/Suzanne to your Philip/Molly, it's been a pretty steamy few weeks! It was really cool to get inside Philip, though jarring at first, because we weren't normally accustomed to it. But I'm glad we did, I remember the episode during our first writer's swap, where it also felt weird dipping into Seth's head for the first time but then it started to feel normal.

A good strength that Andy mentioned about the use of secondary characters to manage an episode that still felt very Footprints, so nice job on that. I like Philip and Spencer a lot as brothers, and once Spencer makes his way to King's Bay (of course he will), I immediately see clashing between him and Travis. Spencer seems the Ryan to Travis' Tim, or even the Josh to Travis' Jason.

The JD stuff is also really interesting to me now. I wonder if he'll actually leave town then resurface again, or if he has other plans now that Cassandra is cutting him out. Either way, I'm become a lot more invested in the character after thinking she was just sort of "there" late last year.

[Michael]

Thanks for your posts, guys!

Originally Posted by Allan

Is Spencer a new character? I really enjoyed his presence in this episode, having a viable young man as an alternative to Travis on the canvas opens up many storyline possibilities.

Originally Posted by Ira

I like Philip and Spencer a lot as brothers, and once Spencer makes his way to King's Bay (of course he will), I immediately see clashing between him and Travis. Spencer seems the Ryan to Travis' Tim, or even the Josh to Travis' Jason.

Yes, this was Spencer's very first appearance. He's been mentioned a few times before, but all we really know about him is that he attends a boarding school. I don't think it's any surprise, since I'm introducing a character who happens to be the same age as Travis, Elly, Landon, and Tempest, that Spencer will eventually interact with those kids. He will serve, in some ways, as a counterpoint to Travis -- though I have a thing or two planned to turn that dynamic on its head a bit.

Originally Posted by Allan

"You can’t fix seventeen years of shit with a few weeks of kindness and some meals" was maybe my favourite line in the episode. I get that Claire's intentions towards Tempest are good, but maybe a little too much for Tempest to take? I know if I'd had a rough upbringing and suddenly this well to do family were taking me in I'd be a little overwhelmed...I suppose that explains why she bolted.

Exactly. It's overwhelming to have not only new things, but to think about the expectations that come with those things. Claire is obviously well intentioned, but she's been going about this as if all Tempest needs is a roof and some dinner, when there's clearly more to her past that needs to be delved into.

Originally Posted by Allan

I am BEYOND DEAD that you have cast The Situation on Footprints. I love it! Surely Snooki can't be far behind?

I love anything that gets someone to describe himself as "BEYOND DEAD," so you just made my day. And no, Snooki is actually not far behind... bwahahaha!

Originally Posted by Ira

I'm liking everyone's inclusion of fantasy sequences lately. From Andy's Brett/Suzanne to your Philip/Molly, it's been a pretty steamy few weeks! It was really cool to get inside Philip, though jarring at first, because we weren't normally accustomed to it. But I'm glad we did, I remember the episode during our first writer's swap, where it also felt weird dipping into Seth's head for the first time but then it started to feel normal.

I thought that was long overdue, in terms of understanding where Philip is coming from. Whatever might be developing between him and Molly isn't one-sided, and he has certainly been able to spin certain situations (the breakup with Lauren; Molly's need for a getaway) to his advantage. I would like him to be a longer-term character, so it was time to get inside his head.

Originally Posted by Ira

The JD stuff is also really interesting to me now. I wonder if he'll actually leave town then resurface again, or if he has other plans now that Cassandra is cutting him out. Either way, I'm become a lot more invested in the character after thinking she was just sort of "there" late last year.

Amazing how creating an actual dramatic situation makes characters more interesting! Ha. I know Cassandra's intro was way too soft, which was a result of me wanting Tim to have a semi-normal, drama-free relationship for a bit, but that's not especially interesting. Pretty soon, we'll get the full story as to what happened with Cassandra, JD, and Cassandra's mom in the past, which should make her character as a whole make a bit more sense.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

[kira]

Spencer's a lot of fun, in the grand tradition of pricky spoiled brats, and feels like a fresh new character 'type' for you to play with! (At least, I don't remember any other spoiled brat on the canvas, though as usual my memory could be playing tricks on me.) I got a kick out of Philip's fantasy, especially his being so specific about Molly's clothing -- I guess that makes sense for an artist! Though I was surprised that he'd be so embarrassed about his arousal in front of Spencer. Waking up standing at attention is hardly unusual, nor is the hands-on response to same. Seems like a guy long past puberty should be used to that by now! I kinda like seeing Philip less characteristically sure of himself, especially in his home. Being cocksure as an independent adult but reverting to insecurity once returning home isn't unusual.

By the way... I'm curious about the age difference between Philip & Spencer. Gotta be at least 10 years. Is there a sibling in between them, or am I wrong about Philip being 30ish? Either way, Molly appears to be doing some serious cradle-robbing! You go with your bad cougar self, girl!

Those cops were ... not the brightest bulbs in the drawer, that's for sure. Those were some mad interrogation skillz they were displaying. "Duuuh... that Equinox ring, what's that?" Hilarious! I grinned at that. Of course, on a force where Brent Taylor is chief, you gotta figure the lower-downs are going to be pretty dim. The KBPD might be almost as bad as the Salem PD, and that's saying something!

And Cassandra is seriously shady, yipe! I'm sure hoping she's got some good explanation for everything, though her behavior with JD and lying to the cops aren't encouraging signs. It'd just be kinda nice to have one black character who's not a criminal of some sort. (Even going back to Julian St. John, who was, I think, the last black guy they allowed in King's Bay. ) Poor Tim, though! JD might be out for his -- or worse, Travis & Samantha's -- blood. He's scary, that's for sure. That sort of unpredictable bastard is very frightening, and you've painted a chilling picture of someone who's very much a wild card in this storyline.

As a nurse, Claire should have some way to connect with a social worker, so hopefully she'll get a clue and, once Tempest shows up again, hooks the girl up with some help!

And the runup to the masquerade ball continues apace. The Ragans are a hoot and I'm really looking forward to seeing how Loretta uses this party to wreak havoc for the Fishers. I'm envisioning her campy little sidekick dude pushing a huge gargoyle from a roof down onto Molly's head.

Fun episode, especially the Spencer intro! Thanks as always.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by kira

Spencer's a lot of fun, in the grand tradition of pricky spoiled brats, and feels like a fresh new character 'type' for you to play with! (At least, I don't remember any other spoiled brat on the canvas, though as usual my memory could be playing tricks on me.)

We really haven't. There are pieces of Josh and post-SORAS Travis in him, for sure, but it's a different blend than we've had to play with. I'm excited to get to know Spencer a bit more.

Originally Posted by kira

I got a kick out of Philip's fantasy, especially his being so specific about Molly's clothing -- I guess that makes sense for an artist! Though I was surprised that he'd be so embarrassed about his arousal in front of Spencer. Waking up standing at attention is hardly unusual, nor is the hands-on response to same. Seems like a guy long past puberty should be used to that by now! I kinda like seeing Philip less characteristically sure of himself, especially in his home. Being cocksure as an independent adult but reverting to insecurity once returning home isn't unusual.

Still seems kind of embarrassing to get caught, especially by an obnoxious little brother. I do agree that it was valuable to see Philip less confident than we usually do -- a benefit of finally getting inside his head.

Originally Posted by kira

By the way... I'm curious about the age difference between Philip & Spencer. Gotta be at least 10 years. Is there a sibling in between them, or am I wrong about Philip being 30ish? Either way, Molly appears to be doing some serious cradle-robbing! You go with your bad cougar self, girl!

I'm playing Philip as about 33-34, and Spencer is 17. The age difference is significant for a reason that'll be explored in the story pretty soon. As for Molly, she's in her late 30s, close to 40, so yes, there's a bit of a gap between her and Philip.

Originally Posted by kira

And Cassandra is seriously shady, yipe! I'm sure hoping she's got some good explanation for everything, though her behavior with JD and lying to the cops aren't encouraging signs. It'd just be kinda nice to have one black character who's not a criminal of some sort. (Even going back to Julian St. John, who was, I think, the last black guy they allowed in King's Bay. ) Poor Tim, though! JD might be out for his -- or worse, Travis & Samantha's -- blood. He's scary, that's for sure. That sort of unpredictable bastard is very frightening, and you've painted a chilling picture of someone who's very much a wild card in this storyline.

Cassandra is, regardless of how her explanation shakes out, not exactly a shining beacon of morality or great decision-making. I'm with you on the "Can we get one black character who's not a baddie?" thing... I've struggled a bit with this in recent years. A lot of the more central main roles I've cast have had to be white, because they're related to people we already know who are white (though I really, really wish I had made Elly biracial). So I either make these other roles minorities, or I make up completely useless roles just to fit some minority quota, which seems ridiculous. I guess it's just the structure of the series that a lot of the characters who come in happen to be troublemakers, because the main cast are more stable (well, moreso than knife-wielding, diamond-stealing, maybe-murderers). Though Tempest's intro was criminal in nature, with her stealing Elly's purse in L.A., I don't have any plans for that to be the essence of her character. Which is not to say she'll be perfect, because she clearly has issues, but she's not a disposable baddie. There's also Mia Davich, Matt's sister-in-law, and her young son, who we've seen briefly as a kid but is SORAS-able in the future.

Originally Posted by kira

And the runup to the masquerade ball continues apace. The Ragans are a hoot and I'm really looking forward to seeing how Loretta uses this party to wreak havoc for the Fishers. I'm envisioning her campy little sidekick dude pushing a huge gargoyle from a roof down onto Molly's head.

Dammit, now I wish I had that planned! The ball should be a lot of fun. I'm very much looking forward to writing it, but there are so many pieces to move into place first.

Thanks, as always, for your feedback.