Tag Archives: 80s TV series

A couple more hugs in our walk down huggy lane [thanks Julia, LASinLA, KC, Valerie and Happy Camper!]
SBTB- awhhhh..

Hooo haaaa! I am not now..

ACAct.. whoa!!

FRaul- LOL!

Tee hee!!! See now this is when Lee wasn’t half as comfortable at being sweet! so glad you mentioned this ‘awkward embrace’ KC!
And last one:

[Shame it’s a long way away though]

Okay I just had to throw in that last swoony one! 😉
Have I missed any?

On with the show! As tags go… this one is rather cheesy.. but given how heavy the episode was- I don’t mind a light ending! The way the last scene ended was perfection- so why try and top it?! 

We find Amanda, Dotty, Phillip and Jamie in the hallway putting their coats away..
Dotty: I hate to give up room service, but it is nice to be home [Love how that contrasts with Dotty’s reaction to be home from camping.. yep.. Dotty is not going for the outdoorsy girl award!! ]
Amanda: It sure is Mother.
The boys hand Amanda their coats (they can’t hang up their own coats?!).. but just look at Phillip’s jeans!!

Rofl!! did you notice?? Phillip has ‘Lee’ Jeans!!
Dotty: the police did say it was safe didn’t they?
Amanda: Ah yes mother its safe.

Phillip and Jamie make their way up the stairs.. only Jamie finds a fingerprint on the bannister so he stops to point it out..Hmm more bratty Phillip.. he tells Jamie it’s calamine lotion from his hand ‘Bozo’ – that’s wearing thin.. enough.. please grow up!
But hooray!! Poetic Justice!!! Phillip begins to scratch!

Dotty notices: Oh my Gosh!!!!!… [Yep!! she really does say it here!! ]
To Amanda: …I told you now they both have it! [Love how she says this as she grabs the bannister both the boys were just touching- when she thinks it’s contagious.. lol!] She rushes the boys upstairs into the bath.. leaving Amanda downstairs – conveniently alone [What would Amanda do without Dotty??!!]
Amanda calls upstairs: Ahh How you would like a little hot chocolate from room service huh fellas?!

boys: sounds great! Yeah!
Amanda (room service) heads into the kitchen as Dotty yells down: Don’t forget the Marshmallows!
Amanda puts the light on in the kitchen and Lee knocks quietly at the back door [wow.. it’s like he was waiting for her out there.. and when the light came on he knew he could knock- just how long was Lee out there huh?!! ] Amanda hears and comes out to join him..

Love how as Amanda makes her way to the door- you can see Lee looks around- he’s happy to be there!  

Lee quietly: Hi

[Oh my.. even just the way he says ‘hi’ now sounds different!! ]

Amanda: Hi

Lee: How you feeling?

Amanda: Oh I feel alright now.
Lee: good…

… I just came by to tell you that it looks like Redding won’t be getting out on parole this time.

Amanda: Ohhh well good. that makes me feel a whole lot better.

Okay, I know I don’t watch smk for the amazing crime drama.. but.. they never found Redding’s money.. he can just hire another hit man/woman from prison! tee hee.. [Fan Fic!] They should have mentioned finding his money..
Lee chuckles: Yeah!

Amanda: you know it was really awfully strange.. Looking at somebody who looked exactly like me. You know I use to think that I wanted a twin..  [love the look on Lee’s face here? eh??!!]

…when I was at school and I would go to school on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays and she would go to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and you know we’d alternate off like that [breath Amanda!] …but to really at somebody who looks exactly like you, who could just walk right into your life, and take your place..

I do love that Lee listens to Amanda’s amandaramble here about wishing for a twin..[She really did have a rich fantasy life as a child huh! along with fantasies about secret agents ]

Lee actually looks like he is trying to listen and take it all in!! but it’s still clear that she’s being a little errr.. unique!   hehehee..
Lee stops her here..

He’s got an answer for that: Amanda, I don’t think anyone can pull that off.

Lee knows Karen didn’t pull it off- and he knows why! 😉  I love how he basically compliments Amanda telling her no one could pull off taking her place..awhhhh!

They share a silent look and Amanda grins..
We hear Phillip off camera: Hey Mum (Mom!) don’t forget the marshmallows! [err ever heard the word please??!!! ugh..]

At hearing this Amanda smiles.. and responds: You’re right and you know why?
Lee quietly: why?
Amanda quietly: because nobody knows where I hide the marshmallows!

[I love how she starts cracking up before she’s actually gotten the words out!]

They share a laugh together!

Just enjoying each other and sharing a joke!

hooo haaaaa!!!  I like to think as Lee laughs away here he’s secretly thinking to himself- Well, that’s not how I knew it wasn’t you Amanda – but I’ll go with your explanation!!! yeah.. that’s it!!! marshmallows and Oh My Gosh.. but Lee knows something else that was missing between Lee and Karen!! There was no zing!!

Love how Lee  joins in heartily on Amanda’s joke.. They are very close friends now aren’t they- it’s all so warm and fuzzy!!
Is there a metaphor here about these two and marshmallows?? I’ll leave that up to you ha!

Don’t like the tag?? do tell!!!!    [btw- there was no Amandaramble in the script] Like the tag?? do tell!! Love the tag?? Oh okay.. do tell! 😉

For me, I think this is a perfect way to end the episode.  I wouldn’t rate it a tag favourite.. but in the context of the whole episode- for me it works.
Lee said something genuine here, light-hearted but sincere – underlining how irreplaceable Amanda is!
Then, Amanda brought it back into the safe territory of friendship.. and instead of taking things into a serious zone, she lightens things with a joke I think Amanda wants to keep things light where she can.. a coping mechanism because of her growing confusion and feelings for Lee? Hmm… well next episode we will have a few of our Amanda musings and questions answered!!! whoo hoo!

The title! Ahhh yes.. the title! Odds on a Dead flippin Pigeon???!!!! I’ll share a few ideas..
I don’t have  a definitive answer!  tee hee.. Please feel free to share your thinking!

Like many smk titles, I think it refers to more than one meaning..
Firstly, Karen says Lee is a ‘dead pigeon’ – what do you think that means?? Pigeon shoots use to be real hunts and shoot real pigeons.. now they use Clay pigeons!!!
But.. Lee is odds on favourite to come out a winner here! So odds on a dead pigeon!

Then.. ever heard of a stool pigeon? A stool pigeon is a fake pigeon, who is put on display to attract other pigeons so they can get caught or shot or whatever.. is Amanda the stool pigeon? Is Karen the stool pigeon (acting as Amanda) – When Amanda whistles Lee comes..right? 

Finally, we’ve already seen smk do the doppelgänger.. In Dead Ringer – Francine and Magda had their double trouble.. There was an old Betty Davis movie titled: Dead Ringer-   the plot of the movie Dead Ringer fits this episode and it’s theme well.. an evil twin, a good twin.. one twin kills the other and takes over her life – yep… just like Karen tried to .. it seems like the inspiration to me.. but! you can’t call the episode Dead Ringer – that’s already been done!!!

According to IMDB, the Dead Ringer movie was based on a novel by Rian James titled: ‘La Otra’  It’s english title? :… ‘Dead Pigeon’ !!!
– so there you have it! I think this is the original inspiration for this episode and explains the title of the episode.. but I don’t know for certain.. just my ideas I’ve worked out from reading Agatha Christie tee hee..

Well in spite of a slow start.. and some big old plot holes.. this episode rocks! I’ll probably just fast forward through the dumb dull bits next time – but too much swoony goodness here to have this episode be anything other than brilliant!

I love this phase of the show.. short hair? ear buttons?? who cares!!! I like to joke about it.. but really- I don’t care about her hair or ear buttons..this is a wonderful time in the character’s journeys- Lee looks at Amanda like she is wonderful – and she is.. so who really cares?? right??  

What’s your overall impression of the episode? did you like the tag?? Go for it and share! There’s lots of smk fans who want to hear what other smk fans think!! and.. I’m one of them!  Coming up in a couple of days- we will be having KC’s big debut- with her first tie patrol post – she has a few arrests to make! hilarious!!! Stay tuned!!! then.. Morley has a post share.. and then on to DOA: Delirious on Arrival we go!!!

I’d love to hear your thoughts – as always! byee everyone!! 

Hiya!!!
Back to the high rise construction site.. looks like Gordon has been rambling on the whole time.. LOL!

We re-join Amanda and Gordon with Gordon in midsentence: –if you’d just stayed on that camping trip-

Gordon’s head snaps around as he notices the noise of Lee’s car arriving..
Absentmindedly Gordon finishes his sentence: –it wouldn’t be necessary to kill you too.

I must say.. Amanda must be getting use to hearing she has to die she seems to cope quite well! I like to think it’s because she knows Lee is coming and if he is alive, then they have hope!

We see the vette pull up and Lee and Karen get out. Still holding Lee at gun point, Karen directs him to start climbing the stairs.. LOL yes love the shot to remind us of how oh so very very high the building is!!

Only, when Lee and Karen reach the level where Gordon and Amanda are- they are not at all out of breath!

Love the look Lee gives Karen as she gives him a shove.. he’s had enough of being held at gun point tee heee..

Gordon calls out: I’m over here Stetson!
[rofl.. it’s like he is saying- here is the moment you’ve been waiting for Stetson! I’m here!! but Lee? couldn’t care less about Gordon! LOL!]

We see Gordon emerge from behind some lumber, he’s pushing Amanda along from behind [whooo good thing he doesn’t notice she’s been working on those ropes!]

Gordon ‘puts’ Amanda to one side.. and takes centre stage for his final showdown with Lee Stetson!

I think Lee is utterly relieved to see Amanda.. but he directs his attention to Gordon – don’t want to show those baddies how important Amanda really is to him! [If they really got it? Amanda wouldn’t be to one side.. she’d be in the middle of Gordon’s intended drama!]
Lee as usual tries not to upset the baddie: Still using someone else to do your dirty work huh Redding?! [LOL! Lee is either really stupid.. or has a lot of guts – remember? 😉 ]

Note here: Karen is standing behind Lee pointing the gun at him.. see her over his right shoulder?? [why? you’ll see!!]
Lee continues: Just like your brother Lloyd?!
Gordon: Shut up! I don’t want to hear you mention my brother’s name.

[This is where we see Amanda starts rubbing her bindings on the post behind her.. I think Lee does have a lot of guts – and he’s doing it on purpose to enable Amanda to get her ropes untied]
Lee quickly: Why not?!! isn’t that what all this is about huh??…

… Treloggen! [LOL the way Lee says it, it sounds like Trelargen!] Credle! Me??!!

Gordon: I’ve got a long memory Stetson [oh boy.. Gordon truly is pathetic.. but feel free to keep going Gordon.. give Amanda time to get her ropes cut!]

Lee: yeahh.. and someone to pull the hammer down for you.

At this, Karen storms over next to Gordon- rofl! for a second both Amanda’s are in the same frame.. but suddenly the real Amanda has turned her face very interesting to see how they managed all this! [The lighting in this scene is pretty bad.. apologies if my pics are not brilliant boo]
Karen, still aiming the gun at Lee asks Gordon: Do you want to do it? Or do you want to watch?

[ I think she’s tired of Gordon and wants this job over with ]
Gordon: no I want to watch. [wimp!]

We cut back to Lee reacting – only over his right shoulder, you can still see Karen magically behind him rofl!! I think they’ve just reused shots!

We see Amanda is working hard on those bindings furiously- hurry Amanda!!

as Gordon continues: No I want you to go real slow.
[Snap! Amanda’s bindings are cut!!! Just in time I’d say..  quietly she manoeuvres around to the wooden plank. ]
Gordon: Let’s start with the Kneecap.

Karen aims her gun..

We see Lee is calmly waiting.. LOL.. and there is Karen still behind him over his right shoulder! whahaahaa!!! [no wonder he’s so calm 😉 ]

They must have run out of reaction shots from Lee that day or something! but the fuzzy Amanda hair can be seen plain as day!
Then! we cut to Amanda as she pushes on a wooden plank- miraculously positioned in such a way that it works like a seesaw, the other side lifts and knocks the gun out of Karen’s hand!

What luck! and sooooo the fight begins!

I see when Karen’s gun goes flying she raises her arm and you can see under her top – she’s wearing some kind of a harness! LOL.. must have been for the hanging scene that’s coming..

The gun goes flying and lands next to the lovely dirt free ledge.. Karen and Amanda struggle over the gun. [LOL I think there are now four Amandas! as they struggle near the edge- I think that’s two stunt women! ha!]

then they suddenly both fall over the side of the ledge..

LOL! It looks so staged!! but.. who cares right?! All the plot holes have led to this one big moment! Both Amandas hanging over the ledge!! argh!!!!
Lee knocks out Gordon (I won’t even insult it by calling it a fight.. Gordon? fight?! wimp!)
Lee hears Amanda’s cries: Help me Lee I’m slipping!!!!
He looks up and sees what’s happened.. was that Amanda?? or the AntiAmanda????!!!
He rushes over yelling: hold on!

Well, Lee gets the shock of his life when he gets to that ledge!

Which one is Amanda???!!!

[Looky! another line down the screen.. I guess this is a three split?? but- suddenly the ledge is covered in dirt! ]
Left Amanda cries: Leeee!!! Help me!!! She tried to kill me!!!

Right Amanda looks on silently..
Lee looks between them confused.. and the pressure is on!!! Both women are dangling and the whole of this at times ridiculous plot comes down to this one moment of truth- Will he know which is the true Amanda?? and.. how will he know?? Because it’s not based on anything superficial!! He can only save one- because if he saves the wrong ‘Amanda’ Karen isn’t going to let him rescue the true Amanda!
Lee is struggling here: Hold on. Just. Just hold on!!! [err literally and figuratively! give him a minute to figure this out!!! only.. they might not have a minute!]
Check out those fingers!!!

I saw whiter knuckles on Amanda when she was clinging to the windowsill as Lee kissed her in Sudden Death –  you know.. during that ‘in depth’ interview haaaa..
Neither Amanda is talking..

Lee is still scrutinising the Amandas and thinking.. and then.. Right Amanda  squeezes her eyes shut and says to herself in despair: Ohhhh My gosh!!!!!!

Immediately! A light goes on in Lee’s eyes!!!

This man knows Amanda soooo well he knows what her final words could be.. and it immediately rings true- the Amanda on the right is the ‘Right Amanda’!
Lee immediately gets down to grab Amanda and help her up.
What an insanely brilliant moment!!

As Lee finally pulls Amanda up – Karen’s fingers slip [LOL! no ring on her fingers!] and she falls to her death.

That is a huge fall- Kudos to the stunt woman!!! I can’t see a parachute!!

I need to stop here sadly.. though stopping here means I can take my time on the next fabulous moments between Lee and Amanda!!! Frame by frame sooo much smk goodness!!!! No need to rush right??!!

So I’ll finish up this post with a little tribute – to mark the passing of the positively awful (but extremely attractive 😉 ) psychopath: Karen Brinkman. She managed to get Treloggen and Credle.. but Lee? No chance!!! She was no match for Lee and Amanda 🙂

Karen.. this one’s dedicated to you!
‘Crying icicles instead of tears’ ?? That’s Shakespeare!!   and.. sounds like something Karen would do  

I’ll aim to post the next part asap guys! Hang in there!!! Sooooo good!!! and sooooo worth the wait!!! As always- I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!!!!!!!!

Prepare yourselves..It’s double vision time! We find Amanda in her room, not in a hospital gown or anything.. in her clothes, wanting to get out of there! She’s talking on the phone to Dotty: Yes Mother, well tell Jamie not to scratch. [LOL gee why didn’t Dotty think of that..]

The shot widens to include Karen entering the room unnoticed behind talking Amanda..

[can anyone here the terminator noise???!!]
Amanda: alright I’m sorry and I’ll be home as soon as I can… [home? they are in a hotel yes?] …I love you too Mother. Okay, byeee..

Amanda hangs up…

and looks up to find a sourpuss version of herself!

Karen: Hello Mrs King.

[LOL dig the hand on the hip with attitude!] Whoooooooooo!!! Love the line down the centre of the screen there.. this must have been top stuff way back in the 80s before Computerised everything!

Rofl!!! the music here is hilarious!!! very weird, off kilter and errr …creative!
There goes KJ with those fabulous facial expressions!!!!

Karen gives Amanda a big smile when she can see Amanda is taking it all in..

and then in a split second – evil!!!!!

whooooo Fabulous job KJ!!! she sells it for me!!! Plastic surgery?? yeah it’s really possible! this is possible!  

The scene ends here..

Poor Amanda!!! It must be insane to suddenly see someone who looks just like you walk into your room like that  – Amanda must have wondered about the side effects of that gas after all!  KJ does fabulous facial expressions…but I find myself thinking: if I saw my twin walk in the room – I think my brain would seriously go into another dimension!! LOL.. I guess Amanda can’t scream or there’d be  problem with this plot.. again! Amanda could have fainted at the end of the scene.. then things would have made better sense. (IMHO of course! )

I couldn’t help but think though, when she looks Karen up and down all shocked,  that she is finally getting a look at what she looks like in that hair..with those ear buttons… and that outfit!!! argh!!!! very scary stuff.. Seeing a dead ringer of yourself? that’s easy compared to this fashion epiphany!! 😉  Be afraid Amanda!! After forcing Karen to get her haircut like that – she is no mood to be merciful!!!

So how did they kidnap Amanda, use Gordon and the trolley/ambulance props? No idea!!! ugh.. I can’t say I mind not knowing..I’ve given up on this plot making sense..maybe I’ve reached saturation! 

We cut to the ambulance at the construction site of a high rise.. note everyone- it’s very high!! ahem..

Gordon’s touching Amanda’s face and admiring Amanda’s bone structure..

man.. does every baddie have to do that?? Von snob, Sinclair.. now Gordon.. gag..

Just what the heck could Amanda be thinking at all this?? She is asking questions about who Karen is.. so I guess she is trying to get her head around it.. whoo Gordon told us her last name! Karen Brickman lol..
Amanda: I don’t understand, I thought it was Lee you were after?

Gordon rolls his eyes: Ohhh I wanted to get Stetson Mrs King.. haaa hii.. ugh.. I even hired two gentleman very highly recommended.. then they moved in to do the job.. huh! you know what I got for their troubles? They’re both dead.
YAWN!!!

We already know this.. At least we can see when Gordon’s back is turned, Amanda is trying to untie her bindings.

Go Amanda! seems she is trying to keep Gordon talking while she works to get free.. After everything, Amanda’s brain is still in gear! [LOL it’s almost superhuman!]

Gordon explains that he had lots of pictures of Lee and Amanda was in lots of them.. and that she wasn’t hard to find. this is rather disconcerting no?? [Not everyone who can put two and two together is a friendly Russian agent trying to collaborate to stop a nuclear bomb from going off!]
Whooo this bit is semi interesting..
Gordon: From the video tape, it was clear that you and Stetson were close. So we turned Karen into you, put her in your place. Stetson drops his guard and he is deeaad!

[ Muahahaa!]

Awh!!! Amanda looks really sad at hearing this!!!  Though I love love love the idea that with Amanda-Lee’s guard is down! Awh!!

ugh.. do we need to hear again about phony Amanda killing Credle and Treloggen? yawn.. this dialogue is repetitive.. this actor playing Gordon, Dennis Lipscomb – he is listed as a ‘Special Guest Star’ – who is he?? Is he well known? He mostly has lots of scenes with KJ, are they former co-stars?? anyone?? seems to me like they’ve given him a lot of lines they didn’t need to because it’s him.. and I have no idea who he is
Amanda: Lee is Dead?
Gordon: He will be soon…

[Love the look Amanda gives him at hearing this- maybe this is her version of a ‘you’re scum!’ look! ] … You know I never intended for you to be in the middle of all this.

[BTW- this whole scene?? Not in the script at all!!!]

Cue the other worldly chimes! LOL.. Very appropriate too! I’ve never noticed this before but look at the writing in that car space in front of the entrance! It says “LAPD!” whahahaa!! That is magical and weird huh!  

We’re back at the hospital and Lee has come to pick up Amanda..

I love how Lee looks to be in such a good mood to be picking up Amanda as he approaches her door – He’s excited to see her wouldn’t you say??

with his cheery knock on the door and listening at the door..  He is such a goner!!! Don’t tell me this man isn’t crazy about Amanda!!

[Look at his jaw go BJo!]
Lee knocks on the door: Amanda? It’s Lee. Is it okay to come in?

Amanda’s voice: Oh yeah sure come in Lee!

We see Lee opens the door with a big smile for Amanda.. and I can’t help but think Noooo!!! Don’t be nice to her now!! This isn’t Amanda!! ugh!!!  He is so cute though, being all attentive- but it is so frustrating that he is being attentive to Karen and not Amanda! Amanda had to wait a long time to get that kind of treatment! I don’t like to see it wasted on Evil Karen!
Lee: Hi!
Karen (who Lee thinks is Amanda): Hi.

I’ve got to leave it here for the moment sorry! Otherwise this post will be huge, or small and pretty darn depressing when ending with that pointless scene between Amanda and Gordon! You know, kgmhror made a great suggestion in the comments of post 9 of this episode- that maybe this was intended to be a 2 hour special – showcasing KJ as the baddie kind of thing.. I thought that was a great idea!! good one Kgmhror!! (or ‘Bink’ ) – It’s worthwhile reading comments and joining in the fun  

Okay well I’ll finish up now and be back very soon with the rest of this scene –it’s one of my favourites of the episode..and when you read what I think of it- you’ll know why! byeee!