| "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" Analysis #15 When the photo of Caleb and Alison hits the newspapers the next day, it gives visual form to Livvie’s and Rafe’s worst fears. Even though Livvie and Rafe both know the photo is clearly a sensationalistic distortion of what actually took place, they cannot help brooding over it. Openly confiding his worries and suspicions to Alison, Rafe even blames Caleb for somehow instigating the seemingly impromptu photo shots, whereas Livvie, concealing her malevolent jealousy from Caleb, secretly devises a way of killing Alison. |
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| Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| As Caleb shows her the newspaper photo, Livvie pretends to be unfazed by it, claiming that the press always cooks “up all kinds of rumors” about celebrities and “that’s the price” she pays “for being with a big, sexy rock star.” She smiles, caressing him. “Oh, come on, honey, what were you expecting?” she murmurs sweetly. “From you? I guess I was sort of expecting the usual,” Caleb confides, referring to Livvie’s “usual” hysterics. “Oh, yeah, the usual. No, not this time. Not anymore,” she vows. “No more meltdowns over Alison because I think I finally realized you love me. I know you love me, and there is nothing in this world that is going to come between us. I understand that now.” |
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| “Yeah,” Caleb looks at her quizzically, amazed by her sudden turnaround. “I’m starting to think that you do realize that.” “And I understand why you have to play at the fashion show tonight,” Livvie continues. “It’s not about Alison. It’s about us and about you getting your ring back. And playing your new song is going to do just that. I just. . . I want to help any way I can. And if that includes eliminate . . . ” |
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| Caleb interrupts her remarks with a kiss, stopping her from blurting out her real motivations for shifting her opinion about the fashion show—her desire to “eliminate” Alison. The kiss prevents this disclosure, prevents Caleb from hearing perhaps what he does not want to know. He may guess her intentions, yet he is spared having them openly revealed. “I love you, maybe more in this moment than I ever realized,” he whispers, caressing her face. “This is big for us.” |
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| “I’m not going to pretend,” Livvie lies, cloaking her deception with the guise of candor. “You do know how I feel about Alison. I just . . . I realize that it has nothing to do with you unless I make it. And, besides, I don’t think anyone can get to you the way I do.” |
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