Is it live or is it Memorex?

Is Victor in over his head, partnering up with one of the FBI's Most Wanted? Hippy-dippy Kelly drugged a bound Jack to wipe out the memories of the wedding to his one true love. And will the chip off the old block be able to knock the chip off his shoulder to chip away at the ice around his true love's heart? To learn more, check out Two Scoops.

Is it live or is it Memorex? For some reason, the debate about Jack's supposed signature on the merger document brought that old advertising slogan to mind. I can still picture songbird icon Ella Fitzgerald singing and hitting a note high enough to shatter a wine glass. (I thought Nikki would appreciate my mention that the glass was for wine.) Then when her song was played on a cassette tape (Memorex, of course), Ms. Fitzgerald's high note would break yet another glass. The illustration was to show the quality of the recorded tape, which was of a much better grade than the signature written on the contract provided by Victor. Not only is the handwriting not Jack's, it is not even that of fake Jack, the guy we now know to be named, Marco. That impostor could never have provided a signature close enough to Jack's to pass muster, but Victor would know someone who could fool the experts.

So, Marco may look like Jack, but odds are he wouldn't be able to write like him. Something's been bothering me about this whole doppelgnger scheme, and it has to do with the voice. No, not the singing competition (Go, Sawyer!), but Jack's voice. You can't tell me the con artist, who also happens to be on the FBI's Most Wanted list, really talks just like Jack. That would take some work to get the voice and his inflections in speech down pat.

Maybe I should just ignore it and go with the flow, but if this is the storyline the writers are offering, the thought comes to mind. My husband has a very distinctive voice, so much so he has even done some online radio shows. Absolutely no one could talk the same way without a whole lot of practice and maybe not even then. But if the scammer could get Jack's voice down, he wouldn't talk that way all the time, especially when he was alone.

Just imagine how much work it would take to talk like someone else. I can't help but think of how many people have tried to impersonate John Wayne over the years. Mr. Wayne had a very distinctive way to talking and would use his own unique inflections on certain words in his sentences. It's probably a chore yet a privilege to successfully be able to imitate him, but I'm sure it would get tiring after a while. If you were portraying John Wayne, you would eventually need a rest and would naturally slip back into your own way of speaking. So, let's say Marco trained himself to talk just like our dear Jack. Shoot, maybe he even used a Memorex tape to help him in the process.

Even with Marco disguised as Jack, he would still talk in his own voice every once in a while, however, there has been no indication the phony is even putting any effort into disguising the way he talks. Even when Marco flashbacked to the past and spoke Spanish, he talked in Jack's voice. That doesn't make sense. Your voice is very unique to you, almost as much as your fingerprints. And speaking of fingerprints, wouldn't it have been the perfect time to get his fingerprints while he lay helpless and unconscious in a hospital bed. Too bad his loved ones didn't suspect he wasn't Jack, right? It would have been easy enough to check his identity out then.

While the phony-baloney had truly been in a coma, he pretended to have amnesia so he could barter more with Victor, who was not thrilled. See, I knew Victor would regret trying to be puppet-master over such a loose cannon. To continue the charade, Marco wanted more freedom to play. It seems to me the dude has been playing around enough since Jack's supposed return. Victor didn't take too kindly to his renegotiation demands, however, and offered the con artist a sudden cardiac arrest so he could rot in Jack's grave. Gee, I think the chump should have settled for the now-damaged Ferrari.

Thank goodness, the bogus fellow had Adam as his champion. Wow, at one time, I never would have believed I would write Adam and champion in the same sentence. But due to Adam's impromptu visit, "Dr. Death" was stopped so Marco could lie and con another day. Really, does the doppelgnger dude have no conscience at all? Phyllis poured her heart out about how much she wanted her beloved Jack, back but he still said nothing. I think he might be falling under her spell, though, and he will probably give her the best version of his Jack that he knows how, even if it means "Jack" returning to work. I just wish Billy had become more suspicious when the fraud called him, "Billy Boy." That's a nickname Victor would call Billy, not Jack. Why didn't Billy question that?

Now, I understand that since Marco was only faking memory loss, he would continue to speak in Jack's voice around the others, but why around Victor? Dear Vic already knew the man was as phony as a three dollar bill, so the fraud should have felt free to talk in his normal manner around him. Unless, of course, Victor demanded he stay in character, which would also explain why Victor called him "Jack" when they were alone together in the hospital room. But why would the impostor comply, since, so far, he hasn't done anything else Victor has commanded of him? If the charlatan knew Victor better, he would know the elder Mr. Newman has never been the "voice" of reason and to beware. On the other hand, I think the Jack-wannabe probably has a few more tricks up his sleeve, as well, especially involving Phyllis, whom he seems to be quite captivated by.

Victor already appeared to regret hiring Marco to portray Jack, and it's no wonder. After all, Marco's name on the FBI's Most Wanted list would most certainly give me reason to pause. What in heck was the reason he was on the Most Wanted list? I would hope Victor would check that much out before bringing the viper into his loved ones' midst. Victor's kind of villainy might be child's play as compared to a potentially vicious killer.

Hey, maybe Marco killed Austin and Courtney, too -- but why? Just a thought. But no matter what he did, Marco acted like he could be quite ruthless and diabolical. Maybe Victor really is in over his head this time. While Victor is a big, scheming fish in a small pond, Marco could be a humongous shark in a giant, bloody ocean. Watch out, Victor! Sometimes it is better to stick with the devil you know (Jack) than the one you don't (Marco). Victor didn't scare easily, though, as he declared to Marco, "Winner take all!"

Oh well, moving on, I do feel horrible for Phyllis because she wants her beloved Jack back. Believe me, Phyllis, we all do, especially Jack. Phyllis has the proof right at her fingertips, and she's so close to grasping that Jack's look-alike is not really Jack. How could someone who had butchered the Spanish language in the past wake up from a coma and speak it fluently? Sure, Ashley, maybe he could have recovered the skill from the coma, except Jack never had the skill in the first place. And there has to be more to Marco's nightmares than we know. Heed the red flag, Phyllis!

I really feel for Jack. Kelly made sure to pump enough drugs in him to thoroughly scramble his brains. From what I gather, Jack really did marry Phyllis before he was kidnapped, and Kelly was determined to replace those memories with ones of her very own wedding to Jack. Once Kelly was done with Jack, his mind was just as far gone as hers. Even John couldn't help him.

Poor, sad, deluded Kelly. The only way for her to get her man was to turn his mind into mush. Kelly sure dressed the loony-tunes part too, didn't she? She looked like a 60s hippy with her flower power earrings. Make love, not war. Peace, baby, peace. Kelly's "Jabot is no mo'." Those phrases are all pretty hippy-dippy. That term reminds me of George Carlin's hippy-dippy weatherman on "The Flip Wilson Show." Hippy-dippy Kelly. Yeah, that fits. The devil made her do it.

Back to the signature on the merger document, I applaud Billy's declaration to Victoria of how he had been "pursuing truth and justice and got blindsided by corruption," as he also explained his split lip, courtesy of Neil, to her. Unfortunately, Nikki was the one who got caught up in the corruption. For Victor, it must be like a cat batting a mouse to keep Nikki under his thumb. He claims to love Nikki, but all he does is use her to get whatever he wants at the time. Nikki and Neil were the tools of respectability Victor needed for his Jabot-stealing plan to succeed.

It doesn't seem to bother Victor at all what his decisions and actions cost the supposed love of his life. Nikki is constantly teetering on the brink of sobriety, and Victor always appears ready to push her over the edge. Sadly, her desire for alcohol prevents her from walking away from Victor to become the independent and forceful lady she could be. Nikki has had her own share of success in the past, and she knows you don't have to play crooked to get ahead in business and in life. If only she could find the strength to battle and defeat her own demons -- and Victor.

Please remind me -- just what exactly was Adam's plan for Chelsea again? I thought it was to get Chelsea to fall in love with Adam's version of Gabriel Bingham. So, why does he keep pushing Chelsea to believe she could love no one else but Adam? That just doesn't make any sense unless his endgame is for Chelsea to eventually learn the truth of his identity. But last I heard, Adam was going to stay dead, and Gabe was going to win the hearts of both Chelsea and Connor. Adam could then remain free from prison and, at the same time, also be reunited with his family. So, why would "Gabe" tell Chelsea she cried out Adam's name when they made love? Did Adam want Chelsea to admit her eternal love for him despite the complications that could have for his plan? He told Sage it meant Chelsea's heart was with both Adam and Gabe. Okay. Let's just hope he isn't as deluded as Kelly.

So, Victor believed he knew Gabriel Bingham and saw him as a loyal and dedicated employee with a chip on his shoulder. Gee, the person Victor described has a remarkable resemblance to Adam, Victor's own son. A chip off the old block. And Adam sure is a chip off of Victor's block, although Adam's chip is somewhat jagged and flawed physically, of course, but also mentally and emotionally, thanks to the warped views of dear old dad.

Adam is cunning, though, and could be next in line for master puppeteer. He certainly has all the makings for the job. Strangely, I think Adam has a little more compassion and empathy for his fellow man (and woman), which Victor seems to lack. Maybe while Adam is knocking the chip off his shoulder, he can chisel the chip out of the block too.

Victor had better watch out for Gabriel Bingham. Although he knows "Gabe" has a secret, Victor couldn't possibly know the guy is his very own son. Just what does Victor have on Gabe? I loved that Adam was able to "negotiate with leverage" after seeing Victor with syringe in hand, aiming toward the phony Jack's I.V. Adam was able to worm his way into a position comparable to Victoria's in the newly merged company, but we all know it was Victor's way to punish Victoria more than to reward Gabriel for his artful guile. Shame, shame, Victoria, for questioning your "shady" father's ethics. Of course, Victor forged Jack's signature and lied about how he had strong-armed Jabot away from the Abbotts, but how dare Victoria question it! Victor sure showed her.

In the meantime, Victor's other son, Nick, was having his own soap opera story going on with an ex who had just been released from jail and a not-quite-yet love interest who just realized she was pregnant. I am still trying to figure how Sage being pregnant makes for a good tale to tell, other than her belief she could never carry a child. Nick barely knows her. Maybe that's the point. We really don't know anything about her. She probably has some skeletons in her closet. Hopefully they aren't the actual skull and bones kind though.

Sage believed the father to be Nick, and since her fling with Adam was so very recent, she's probably right. So, why would she think back to her romp in the sack with Adam? Could she be more enamored of the look-alike of her lost love than she believes? Maybe Adam's physical resemblance to Gabe is just too much for Sage to get past. It must be hard to constantly see and be reminded of the man she had once loved so dearly.

To make the Nick and Sage romance story work, though, she will need to become more interesting. I loved Kelly Sullivan as Connie/Kate on General Hospital, so I know she can pull "interesting" off. Joshua Morrow portrays Nick as a straightforward, goody-two-shoes kind of guy, so Sage needs to be the one to bring something unique to their table. But maybe Adam will figure more into this than what I thought, which would be pretty fun, pitting brother against brother.

Since Sharon has been written in a more complex way the last several years, she might just be a good fit for the simpler Nick right now. Or his brother, Dylan, who has become the superhero of Genoa City since his arrival in town. I am not totally against Sharon getting together with Dylan. I just fear by doing so, she will end up losing the only friend she has had in years. Why ruin a good thing? But Sharon almost seemed determined to, and you have to wonder if she even wants any friends.

Fortunately for Sharon, the relationship between Dylan and Avery was already on the fritz due to Avery's guilt about Joe's accident and Dylan's developing feelings for Sharon. Once Avery took off Dylan's ring, the path was clear for Dylan to run to Sharon, and they made love. Now, that's really going to mess up their friendship. Avery didn't even get the chance to stand Dylan up at the altar. We can only hope Avery's part in helping Joe recover will ease her guilt and heal her broken heart.

Avery was right when she insinuated that Dylan turned to Sharon because he needed someone to protect. Well, Sharon sure needed someone to protect her from herself. Nick and Dylan are both so alike in that respect. It's no wonder they were both drawn to Sharon at one time or another. Dylan just takes it a step farther into superhero territory. He's so like his dad. I have to admit the writers did the character of Dylan justice by giving him some of the attributes of his biological father and some of his brother. Since Avery no longer needed the security Dylan had provided, they were history as a couple. How long before Paul turns again to Nikki, since she always needs protection from Victor?

Too bad Dylan and Nick aren't more aware of what's going on with the Scooby-Doo gang. No one needs protection more than they do, and Ben's just not going to be enough. Fen's text sent them scurrying to the cabin, where he admitted he had been in contact with the killer from the beginning. The murderer changed Fen's failing class grade on the college computer system so he could blackmail Fen into spiking the punch at the cabin. Man, what a steep price to pay for a passing grade in school. Two cold-blooded murders! To be fair, Fen felt bad about it all.

I noticed Fen is sporting his Under the Dome look again. It's still a cool look. Fen's deceit was not all for naught, since Paul was able to confirm a match on the DNA recovered from the envelope. Could the villain be Detective Harding? I read he is on his way back to G.C. But would he be able to hack into the college computer system?

Neil learned Devon and Hilary were reunited, and needless to say, Neil didn't feel so good. Actually, he wished Devon a lot of pain and unhappiness as he emphasized the word "son." Devon still didn't seem to completely understand or realize the helping of devastation he heaped on his father. In fact, he appeared almost clueless. Neil certainly appeared to have lost his integrity, thanks to the two lovey-dovey birds. As "Billy Bob" Abbott put it, Neil looked to have been pulled over to the dark side.

Actually, Victor's new henchman may prove to be more interesting this way, especially if Neil still wants a little revenge on his not-so-devoted loved ones. The blinders are certainly off now, and with his new, rather severe haircut, he's ready to roll.

The red of Chelsea's fingernail polish almost matched the color of the red dot in her left eye. Hopefully, it wasn't as painful as it looked. Injuries to eyes heal fairly quickly, which, thankfully, hers did.

Adam's still got it, even in his guise as Gabriel. Adam noted to Sage that her eyes were shaped like hearts whenever Nick was around, and he then indicated she acted like a puppy dog around Nick. How cute and true.

I liked Nick's line, "Sometimes the person you know the best, you actually know the least." In the soap world, that's almost a given. (And after all his years with Sharon, he should know.)

I almost feel bad for Kyle, since he believed he had caused his dad harm. Almost.

When Kyle showed her Jack's Harvard ring, Phyllis insisted Kyle show his dad the ring to make him remember everything he knew about Harvard. The odds for that happening should pretty much be zero.

I have to wonder if anyone ever plays the CDs on the jukebox at Crimson Lights. Whenever the jukebox is shown in the background, the pages are always flipped over to the same CDs. Is the music ever changed or updated? It's another mystery that deserves to be solved!

Until next time, please stay tuned.Teddi

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