"Tempted": Allure and Menace in Port Charles' "Tempted,"An Analysis (c) by Alison Armstrong
An analysis of the "Tempted" episodes of the show "Port Charles," formerly of ABC-TV. This  site will focus  on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley (portrayed by actor Michael Easton).  The character of Caleb Morley and any other characters relating to Port Charles are the property of ABC and their creators.  This is a fan-run site and is not an official site, nor is it affiliated in any way with ABC, Port Charles, or the actors portraying any of the Port Charles characters.  No copyright infringement is intended.   The writings on this site are copyrighted by the author, Alison Armstrong,  and may not be reproduced without the author's express permission.
"Tempted" Episodes 25-27 (cont.)

As Rafe whines to Ed about his futile task, Caleb visits his distraught accomplice, Livvie.   Having been manipulated into betraying Jack, Livvie wanders into the woods.  “Why can’t I remember what happened?” she sighs mournfully.  Caleb appears before her, softly fondling her face and hair. 

“Don’t be sad, Sweetheart,” he murmurs.  “Sometimes not remembering is a good thing.  And Jack, well he’s better off without you.  You know that.  Everything’s happening just as I said it would.  Exactly how it’s supposed to.”  He smiles, touching her hair gently and kissing her.    Melting into his reassuring embrace, Livvie finds comfort in the amnesia, the annihilating eroticism of surrender.
"Tempted" Episodes 28-29

Lured by false clues that confirm inner doubts, the couples of Port Charles become further and further estranged.  Eve and Ian, Lucy and Kevin, Livvie and Jack see their relationships wither as Caleb’s seeds of distrust grow into smothering vines that destroy the loving foundation on which they feed.  Eve’s fear of Ian’s mysterious past causes her to turn to Ian’s accuser, her former husband Kevin, for safety, while Ian’s jealousy of Kevin creates complications between Kevin and Lucy.  As the hypnotized Livvie regains awareness and learns that she has betrayed Jack, sabotaging their future together, she is torn between her need to regain Jack’s trust and her fear that Jack is better off without her.  In this atmosphere of suspicion and anxiety Caleb thrives, offering Livvie the kind of enduring love everyone else seems to lack.

When Livvie finds out about Jack’s marriage plans, she tries to get him to propose to her despite her infidelity.  “Please ask me,” she begs.  But Jack sadly refuses, acknowledging his love but saying he can’t marry her.

“I do love you,” he explains, “maybe too much. . . . I don’t know why you were with that guy.  I don’t know what makes you lose hours at a time.  And I don’t know why you say one thing and do another.  But I do know that I almost killed somebody last night, and that took me to a place that I thought I’d never be again—so angry that I didn’t even feel human anymore.  I almost ripped that guy’s head off. . . . It was like . . . like the only thing that was missing was the craving for blood.  Other than that, everything’s pretty much the same.  . . . Livvie, I don’t know what’s going on with you or us.  But I do know no matter how much I love you, I can’t fix you. . . . And marrying you’s not the answer.” 

“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” Livvie observes.

“For both of us,” Jack replies.

“You think being with me, you’ll turn back into that . . ., ” she hesitates, as if hating to say the word that is on both of their minds.

“Monster.  Yeah.  I’m sorry,” Jack says with self-loathing, finishing her sentence and putting an end to their painful conversation.  He leaves, and she is drawn, once again, towards Caleb.
Snappies of "Tempted" scenes taken by A. Armstrong
"Tempted" Episodes 28-29 (cont.)