| "Tainted Love" Diary 76 (c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Tainted Love" 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. |
| Insisting that she is not afraid and that she loves him as he is, Livvie tells Jack that now, with his new powers, he can make all their wishes come true. "Caleb showed me what they can do. I've seen it," she persuades. "He created a world, an incredible, beautiful world, and you can, too. We can have so much more than Caleb and I ever could have. You can make it happen, Jack. God, it's what we both want. . . .You have the power to do anything you want. Jack, you have the power to make me all yours. . . . We can be together forever. Jack, feed on me," she pleads, "and the pain will go away for both of us. One bite and I will forget everything and everyone but you. One little bite and I'll forget Caleb forever." In this scene we see emerging in Livvie the beginning of traits that will become much more pronounced in later arcs-- neediness, unfaithfulness, and selfishness. Switching back and forth between Jack and Caleb, pledging her heart and soul to one, then the other, she shows herself to be fickle and dependent, self-centered and power- hungry. Already she is different than the Livvie seen at the start of this arc. The process of splitting that takes physical form in the creation of Tess is evident here. Caleb again fights with his own split self when he is confronted by Michael in the monastery basement. In this violent encounter the shift in power gradually becomes apparent. Although Caleb, as usual, adopts his sarcastic, mocking, defiant tone, his confidence is less assured, and his Michael aspect is stronger, shrewder, more cunning. "It's you or me, Caleb. One of us doesn't leave here alive," Michael warns. "I'm already not alive, not in your world anyway," Caleb boasts. "I don't have time to play games tonight, Michael, so let's just skip to the point where you whine for Eve and the baby's life, I deny you, and you waddle out of here with your head between your legs." |
| "You're right, Caleb. This is no time for games. After all, isn't this supposed to be your wedding night?" Michael points out. "Hey. You already turned down your invitation," Caleb rather nervously jokes. "It's too late to change your mind." "Oh. But the wedding's going ahead as planned?" Michael asks with a steely edge to his voice. "What do you think?" Caleb sneers. |
| "What do I think?" Michael pauses. "I think it's strange to find the--the groom hiding in the church cellar on his wedding night. I think I want to ask what happened, Caleb. What went wrong? Why are you here? And where's your beautiful bride? Where's Olivia?" he questions as he pretends to look around the room for Olivia. His expression is animated, assertive, while Caleb looks sullenly down at the ground. |
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| "You still haven't answered my question. What went wrong, brother?" Michael persists. "Nothing," Caleb mumbles. |
| "But the wedding didn't happen," Michael replies. "It will," Caleb says, flipping his hands nervously. "It was a--a temporary interference, but nothing I can't handle." "You seem so sure," Michael observes. "And why shouldn't I be?" Caleb retorts. "In the end, I'll still have Olivia--and Eve's baby. It's just a little delay." "Is it, Caleb?" Michael probes. "What does that mean?" Caleb asks. "I don't know," Michael muses as Caleb looks uneasy. "I'm sensing something else. You're weak. I can feel it." "Aaah," Caleb scoffs, with a dismissive wave of his hands, and turns away. "Something happened, didn't it?" Michael notes. "Something you don't want to admit." Caleb has his hand on his mouth, avoiding Michael's eyes. "You can't even look at me, can you, Caleb?" "I'm sick of looking at you, all right?" Caleb says with a pained, defeated expression. "I've seen enough of your face." "And I've seen enough of you to know when you're afraid. That's it, isn't it? It's all making sense now," Michael observes. "Something or someone has frightened you. That's why you're here. That's why you're back hiding in the basement." "Shut up!" Caleb yells, his mouth clenched in rage. "You got a glimpse of the future, didn't you? You know what's ahead of you now, don't you, Caleb? It's a one-way ticket to Hell, brother," Michael lectures, a slight look of triumph on his face as Caleb's expression shows fear and hollow despair mixed with anger. "I ain't afraid of nothing," Caleb snarls defensively, like a fox in a trap, "especially not you. And as for one-way tickets to Hell go, you fill me in on what it's like. You're a priest and you're in love with another man's wife." He looks down in disgust as Michael's face reveals his guilt and shame. "What? What, did you promise Eve you'd get rid of me for her?" "Never mind what I promise," Michael says sternly. |
| Snappies of "Tainted Love" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |