| "The Gift": Analysis of "The Gift" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles (c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "The Gift" episodes of the show Port Charles, formerly of ABC-TV. This site will focus on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley/Stephen Clay (portrayed by actor Michael Easton). The character of Caleb Morley/Stephen Clay 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. |
| "The Gift" #14 (cont.) "Yeah, I think I'm going to need more than just a little towel," Alison reluctantly concedes. Heading into the bedroom to change her clothes, she warns Caleb not to "even think about coming in there." When she returns, wearing one of his black silk shirts which, though large on her, barely covers her thighs, Caleb is reclining on a chair going over the lyrics he wrote for his new song. This scenario (half-clad woman alone with a man she distrusts) is somewhat of a soap opera cliché, and, as can be predicted, the circumstances set into motion a chain of events involving jealousy and suspicion. |
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| Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| Seeing Caleb working on his lyrics, Alison is curious to see the type of song he is planning to sing at the event. While she waits for her damp clothes in his dryer to be ready to wear, she glances at the piece of paper he is writing upon. "What are you working on? Is that a song?" she inquires. "Maybe," he answers evasively, with a mischievous smile. "Is it for the show?" she probes. "I think so," he replies, twirling his pen, taunting her with his reluctance to tell her anything more about his composition. "Can I see it?" she asks, moving closer and trying to sneak a peek at the words on the paper. "Oh, no, I have to draw the line somewhere," he smiles tauntingly, concealing the piece of paper he is working on. Frustrated yet somewhat amused by his teasing evasiveness and determined to see the lyrics, Alison, giggling girlishly, grabs at the paper, but he pulls it away. She reaches again, and ends up falling on top of his lap. "Let me see it!" she laughs while he playfully resists her tugging arms. Unknown to Caleb and Alison a photographer is standing by the open door, taking pictures of them. Why the door just happens to be open and why the photographer just happens to be there are never explained. These are merely contrivances, deus ex machine devices serving to advance the plot regardless of their implausibility. Like the ring, they impose circumstances, at times unlikely, upon the characters and/or manipulate them into behaving in atypical ways. "Give it to me!" Alison giggles as the photographer snaps pictures. "Give it to me," ironically, turns out to be the name of the song Caleb will sing at the fashion show. It will be his command, given magical force by his voice, his music, his supernatural powers, that he will use to draw the possessor of the ring to him. "Shots like this I'll sell a dozen times," the photographer mutters proudly as Livvie, returning home, approaches. "Sell what? What are you doing?" Livvie asks. "What are you talking about?" "Stephen Clay and his new flavor of the month," the photographer smirks. "I'll get ten, maybe twenty, grand." "Yeah, all right, get out of here!" Livvie snarls, and the photographer, having gotten his prize shot, hurries away. When Livvie enters the apartment and sees Alison getting ready to leave, she tries to conceal her jealousy for fear of angering Caleb. She even makes a point of saying "hi" to Alison instead of lashing out at her as she normally does. Clearly, she wants Caleb to think she has learned to put aside her paranoid insecurities and is willing to be cordial to Alison. The fact that she is attempting so hard to suppress her real feelings about Alison indicates that Livvie may be hatching some secret diabolical scheme, some way to get back at Alison without Caleb's knowledge. Jealousy has been the catalyst for many of Livvie's actions towards Alison and is now becoming an obstacle in her relationship with Caleb. Her inability to trust in Caleb's love is sabotaging their solidarity as a couple, their unity of purpose, their dreams for an ecstatic future. So consuming is her insecurity that Livvie is even jealous of the ring symbolizing and manifesting Caleb's destiny as vampire king. Instead of helping him fulfill his plan to regain the ring, she is sidetracked by her fear that she will lose Caleb to a rival of flesh and blood or of metal. |