The Eternal Triangle

"The Eternal Triangle, Part II"
June 9, 1993

Same day ...

GILLY: Roger, I think you're fooling yourself about Jenna's involvement here.

JENNA: Oh, come on. She's enthusiastic because she just bought herself a new toy. She'll settle down.

GILLY: Ah, Roger. She doesn't have to rely on you anymore, and she knows it.

HOLLY gets off the elevator.

HOLLY: Good morning.

ROGER: What are you doing here?

HOLLY: I didn't come to see you.

HOLLY walks into ROGER's office, where JENNA is sitting at the desk.

JENNA: And what are you doing here?

HOLLY: Heavens, you're starting to sound alike. I'm here from the Journal. I'm here to interview you.

Next scene:

There's a little disorder in the newsroom: HOLLY "explains" to JENNA that as a new partner at the Journal, she wants to get a little "hands on" experience, while ROGER tells GILLY that they need to stop this.

GILLY: Now Roger, I recall getting a warning about allowing my emotion to obscure my business judgment. Now, let's just think about this. Maybe we can find a way to deal with it.

ROGER: Okay.

Back in ROGER's office:

JENNA (suspicious): Now why not choose someone else, like Fletcher Reade, for instance. After all, he may be a bit more objective, and he certainly has more experience than you do.

HOLLY: He doesn't have any experience sitting in that chair. Most of the time when I was here, my uh, ex-partner, your partner, Roger, was off on some project or another, and I ran the place. So no one knows the questions to ask but I do.

JENNA: Such as ... ?

HOLLY: Such as ... how do you plan on splitting the decision-making process? After a lot of teeth-gnashing we managed to find a workable solution, but I'm just curious, with Gilly as his right hand, how you plan to manage him ... them?

JENNA (turning to give HOLLY a skeptical look): Now I thought this was all about the public's curiosity ...???

ROGER walks in.

ROGER: Holly, a word, please. Excuse us. (They walk out into the newsroom, leaving GILLY and JENNA in the office).

GILLY: Hello, Jenna. The Journal's sudden interest in WSPR is certainly interesting.

JENNA: Yes, it is. Seems like I'm going to be a profile for our competition.

GILLY: That's a dangerous idea. You're not going to let them do that, are you?

JENNA: Tell me something. What is Laurel Falls all about?

GILLY (confused): Laurel Falls. At the lake?

JENNA: That's right. What do people do when they go there? Do they have picnics? Do they go fishing? What do they do?

GILLY (laughs): Well, when I was growing up, that's where we went to make out.

(Wrong answer, Gilly!)

JENNA looks out the open door to ROGER and HOLLY:

ROGER: Okay, just tell me, what is the point in all this?

HOLLY: We think Jenna is newsworthy.

ROGER: Amazing, but the answer is "no".

HOLLY: Still so protective, Roger. I thought you reserved that for your children.

ROGER: See, what's truly amazing is that not two hours ago, I was protecting you!

JENNA walks in.

JENNA: You know, none of this is necessary Roger. I'm not some young ingénue who is incapable of standing up for herself.

ROGER: You're new here. Holly's an old pro.

JENNA and HOLLY are both amused.

HOLLY: You've got such a way with words, Roger. I mean, you're trying not to offend either one of us, and you manage to insult us both in one fell swoop. But, of course, your friend Gilly ... good thing she doesn't offend so easily ...

ROGER: Hey, look, enough is enough ...

HOLLY: I dunno ... I haven't gotten my answer yet. What's it gonna be, Jenna? Are you going to cringe behind your defending champion ...

ROGER: ... oh, come on!

HOLLY: ... or are you going to show the public that you've got nothing to hide?

JENNA: Well, I think this interview would make a lot more sense after I've been on the job for a bit longer, say a month or so ...

HOLLY: No, it's your initiation into the news business that's of particular interest. And all that that initiation entails.

JENNA: Well, I'll think about it.

ROGER: No, don't give it a second thought! Look, look the whole idea is a set-up.

JENNA: Why?

ROGER: You're brand new here. Now they knwo full well you're not going to come off knowledgeable. (almost whispers) You can barely find your way to the ladies room!

JENNA (quietly): Roger, you of all people know that I've been up many, many nights studying ledgers and spreadsheets so that I can contribute more here.

ROGER: I know you want to do a good job and you will, but now is not the time to jump in the tank with the sharks!

HOLLY (as if overhearing them): I can only assume you mean me? You better watch out, Jenna, when he's working this hard to sound reasonable, he's sitting on heavy-duty rage.

ROGER: Listen, that is not true. I am not angry. I'm trying to point out a few home truths. That's all.

JENNA (territorial): You know, I think that I am quite capable of working out when Roger is getting angry!

HOLLY (drama queen): I don't know. You know, Roger's rage is like multiple layers of bedrock. It takes years of sampling before you can get down to experience everything!!!

ROGER: Okay, okay, that's enough. Jenna, can we please put a halt to this charade performance and all of us get back to work?

HOLLY (excitedly) : But this is exactly what Journal readers are going to be fascinated to know! Jenna, are you your own woman ... ?!!!

ROGER: ... please!!!

HOLLY: ... or is Roger calling all the shots?

JENNA (taking control): You'll get your interview. I have one hour for you, right now! (JENNA walks into the office).

ROGER: ... Jenna?

HOLLY (gloating; to ROGER): Excellent!

GILLY (in the office with JENNA): Jenna, I think it would be a good idea if Roger and I were present during the interview, just to make sure WSPR's interests aren't compromised.

HOLLY (in the doorway): With all due respect, Gilly, the person we are interested in here is Jenna.

JENNA: Do you know what? I am quite capable of taking care of myself. And I am not going to compromise my investment in WSPR, thank you! (to Gilly and Roger, as she shuts the office door): Why don't you both buzz me, in an hour!?

JENNA: Now, when I bought your half of this station, I thought you were going to disappear into the sunset like a good little girl? Now either you don't want to, or you just don't know how!

HOLLY: I'll leave soon. You can have the old place to yourself. That is, whatever corner you can manage to stake out as your territory.

JENNA: Uh huh. Something tells me that you actually do miss this place.

HOLLY (as they both sit down): Not at all. Well, there's something flashy about working in television, but really, the heart and soul of journalism is still in the newspaper business.

JENNA: But the Journal doesn't have good ol' Roger Thorpe.

HOLLY: That, my dear, is entirely your privilege.

JENNA: Something I hope you won't forget.

HOLLY: So, may I record this ...?

JENNA: By all means ...

HOLLY: Good. Ms. Bradshaw, umm, you certainly have startled the business world with your sudden acumen as a business executive, though relatively inexperienced. Can you tell us how you managed to do that?

JENNA: Well, I've had a great deal of help from some talented and very experienced executives.

HOLLY: Very modest of you. Another one of your noted assets is your flair for public relations. How do you plan to implement that here at WSPR?

JENNA (annoyed): Could you turn that off for a minute?

HOLLY: Problem?

JENNA: Holly, what's going on here? When are you going to ask me about my sordid past?

HOLLY (sweetly): Old news.

JENNA: Oh, I see. So all of this is just softening me up for the kill, all of these compliments?

HOLLY: Standard operating procedure for any interview. You'll find that out if you hang out here long enough. But I will get to the personal questions.

JENNA: Oooh. Such as ... ?

HOLLY: Such as ... the pros and cons of spending twenty-four hours a day working with the man you ... live with.

Meanwhile out in the newsroom, who should walk in but ...

ED BAUER: Roger, this time you've gone too far.

(Huh, Ed. This time?)

Next scene:

ED (yelling): Now why the hell would you try to exploit a woman who never did you any harm!??

ROGER (calm): Now, what is it? You want story control here, Ed? Is it that? You want me to check with you every time I send somebody out in the field, or maybe you'd like me to do some interviews with some of your bloated matrons who contribute so heavily to your hospital fund drive. I mean, anything you say, Ed!

HOLLY: What's going on?

ED: He sent a reporter to interrogate Dr. Guthrie at the Fryman Institute. I mean, you scared the poor woman half to death!!! It was despicable enough when you went after H.B. Lewis, but then everyone just figured you were indulging your vendetta against Billy, but to send somebody into a psychiatric institution with a video camera ... I mean, no reporter with any ethics at all would do that. There is no possible explanation!

HOLLY: Who were you trying to get, Roger?

ROGER: What's the matter with you? Don't you think the people of Springfield have a right to know when a respected physician on the staff of a reputable hospital suddenly finds herself locked away in a mental institution?! How many patients had she treated when her judgment was impaired? And where does Nick McHenry figure in to all this?

HOLLY: You're after Nick?

ED (forlorn; doing a darn good Eeyore impression): No, Holly, he's after me.

JENNA: Don't you people ever get fed up with this eternal triangle that you seem to be in? As far as I know, Holly isn't married to either one of you at the moment, is she?

GILLY: Well, you know, I have seen this all before. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to get something constructive accomplished. Jenna, if you have any questions about the news format, I'll be glad to answer them as soon as you're free.

JENNA: Great.

ROGER: A little paranoid, aren't you Ed? I mean, why would I be coming after you?

ED: How can you even ask that question after all these years?

ROGER: Oh, please, come on! Stop rubbing each other's backs, will ya? I have a business to run here! Get out of here!

Someone in the newsroom tells Roger he has a phone call.

ROGER: Thank you. Yes? ... What? Oh sure. Absolutely, you go for it. You got my support, one hundred percent!

As he hangs up the phone:

ROGER (to ED): So much for your self-righteous indignation. That was the Fryman Institute. I just heard what happened. And you know what? The station is going to press charges against you for assault!

JENNA: He assaulted our reporter?

ROGER: He's in the hospital as we speak.

HOLLY: You can't do this, Roger. He had every right to pulverize the man!

ROGER: Right to assault? Now that has a jarring ring to it, Holly, and happily, nowhere found in the Bill of Rights!

ED: You don't scare me Roger.

HOLLY (excited, playing cheerleader): He can't prosecute unless Jenna agrees! Don't let him do this Jenna. Here's your chance to show what you're made of. Don't let him browbeat you!

JENNA (unimpressed): Well, then, Holly, Ed should not have hit the man.

HOLLY: He was provoked! (whispering) Think of Michelle, and think of what it's going to do to her to be dragged through something like this.

JENNA (laughing): Oh, ho, ho, ho ... this is dirty pool! And, actually, I'm still trying to figure out what you're having more fun with: bashing Roger to pieces, or cuddling up next to Dr. Bauer.

ROGER (to HOLLY): You know, you're a fine one to be asking for favors. I've spent the last hour trying to talk you into dropping this interview insanity with Jenna.

HOLLY: Oh, is that it? I drop the interview, and you leave Ed alone.

HOLLY looks at JENNA, who isn't pleased.

ROGER: Fine, if you like it that way.

HOLLY: All right.

ROGER: Some things never change, do they Holly?

ED stands with HOLLY.

ED: Holly, don't be conned. I'd love to go to court. The reporter had no right to be there.

JENNA is with ROGER.

JENNA (sad): You, Roger, are forever going around and around in this tiresome circle. I do wish you would find it as boring as I do. But since that doesn't seem to be happening, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to wash my hands of all of you.

[And so, exit Jenna, off to Laurel Falls for a lesson in "making out" with Buzz Cooper ... unfortunately for her, they're not the only ones present for the class ... ]

Later, still at WSPR ...

ED: Gilly, excuse me, if you get the chance, when you see Holly, will you tell her I had to go?

GILLY: Sure will, Ed.

Just then, ROGER and HOLLY walk out of his office.

HOLLY: I'm glad we understand each other.

ROGER: Ultimately, we always do Holly.

HOLLY catches ED at the elevator.

HOLLY: You going?

ED (whispering): I thought that you wanted to stay away from here?

HOLLY: I do.

ED: Then what are you doing here? I mean, now?

HOLLY (stammers): I ... I ... you're not going to understand.

ED: I guess not.

He leaves.

And we leave with ... The Look.

Next Episode:
Family Business