"SWINGERS" She's Melting November 7, 1998

by
Gordon Hom

Last week it was humma humma; this week it's swinging. Can you tell that November is a ratings sweeps month? The antagonistic relationship between Nash and Caitlin is starting to crack, as they pose as swingers, a topic that Nash claims "I wouldn't know anything about that stuff." Since Nash doesn't, it's Harvey that composes the ad (the copy which Joe gleefully reads): Wealthy gentlemen and very hot Latina spitfire seek equally wild but discreet couple for mid-week trysts and weekend romps.

They are then put into a situation where most men find comfortable and women find uncomfortable. Double standards abound - Grace confesses that she was a reluctant swinger, that it was "a stunt" her husband pulled. Female swingers frequently are bi-sexual, while the men aren't. Caitlin is groped by the couple Cole and Sidney. Sidney (the female) nuzzles Caitlin's neck; if Cole (the male) did that to Nash, we suspect Nash would have his gun out and Evan raiding the party quicker than one could utter HOMOPHOBIA. Aw, let's not get into that, there's too much fun to be had with the uptight, Starr admirer Caitlin Cross. There's a surprising aggressiveness to Nash as he grabs Caitlin for a kiss; but then he's posing as Teddy Malone, his undercover alter ego.

The kiss between Caitlin and Nash is highly charged as she gets dreamily glassy-eyed. This is the height of contrived sexual tension, much like the anticipated kisses between Scully and Mulder of THE X-FILES. They only kiss when Mulder isn't himself, but a weird shape shifting humanoid attempting to seduce Scully (just like Nash isn't himself, but undercover alter ego Teddy Malone). It's Teddy Malone that's the wild man; Nash is guy who "wouldn't know anything about that stuff." But Nash is sure willing to learn, as Caitlin points out "If you get anymore information, somebody's going to have to sleep with somebody." to which an eager Nash responds "Well, you say that like it's a bad thing." And Nash does know enough to get Caitlin a low cut black dress.

Where's this all going? You know that Caitlin is going to be won over - the fun is in the when. We just hope that when she is won over, the Don and/or the writers don't kill her off, or send her out of the country, or make her discover she wasn't divorced when she thought she was, or....

For more, see synopsis for Episode 61

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