Well I can’t believe this is the final review and the final episode of Season 1. I really enjoyed these episode threads and hopefully sometime in the near future we’ll be able to do this again with Season 2. Let’s keep our fingers crossed! :thumbsup:

In this final episode of Season 1, Marcy has planned a two-week Caribbean vacation cruise and brings in Lorraine as a temporary replacement. She chooses Lorraine because of her efficiency and skill; she knows Lorraine can do the job well while she’s gone.

The problem starts when she begins to see just how good Lorraine is while being trained. Everyone on the staff is very impressed with her and Marcy starts feeling threatened. Afraid she might end up losing her job to Lorraine, she decides to cancel her vacation. :(

Marcy has a weak alibi as to why she has to cancel her vacation, and Benson can see what’s really going on. Soon enough, Lorraine also sees what the trouble is and decides she should leave.

Now feeling foolish and embarrassed, Marcy spills her guts to Benson and we discover how truly insecure Marcy is and where her low self-esteem comes from. Benson explains to her why she’s important and how everyone in their own way, is irreplaceable. Marcy decides to go ahead with the trip and ends up having a great time. :cool:

Favorite quotes:
Lorraine: And how does Taylor drink his coffee?
Benson: By himself.

(After Marcy and Lorraine rip Taylor’s proposal in half)
Governor Gatling: Unless I’m mistaken, Taylor wanted two separate and complete copies.

Benson: Why are you humming?
Kraus: I am humming because I am happy. What’s it to you?
Benson: Annoying.

Benson: Governor, I think your driver’s getting tired of waiting. He’s playing “Feelings” on the car horn.
Taylor: Well why don’t you ask him to stop?
Benson: I did. He doesn’t take requests.

Lorraine: I’m lucky I guess but I’ve never met a person I couldn’t get along with.
Benson: Well in that case I’d like you to meet Miss Kraus.

Lorraine (about Kraus): She’s sweet.
Benson: So’s flypaper.

Not exactly an exciting episode but I like it. Benson’s talk with Marcy at the end was great and what he said made a lot of sense. I think it really made people stop and think about their own significance and why their uniqueness makes them so special. :)

I find it a little odd, though, that the opening season of a new show wouldn’t end things with a “hook”; something left hanging to make people definitely want to come back and tune in the next season. So in that respect I think it’s kind of a weak final episode. No one has any clue what’s to come (for some people that might be a good thing— I guess it depends on you) and no one watching is yet aware that this is Lewis J. Stadlen’s final appearance on the show. They just sort of left things wide open to the imagination. Fortunately, the show’s first season was strong enough that people did tune in for Season 2. :D

And speaking of Season 2, let’s hope that we’ll see it in the very near future. I personally liked the additions of Rene Auberjonois and Ethan Phillips. And you know you can count on my episode threads again, so thanks to you guys who participated—it’s obvious we all had a lot of fun with this! :happyface

This episode had me puzzled since Marcy had no problem taking a vacation in episode #16. If you recall, she was not in the "Bugging the Governor" episode. Other than that, this episode was fair - not really good OR bad. Hey, let's do this again when Season 2 comes out!! It's been fun, guys!! :D

Yeah, this was her 2nd vacation in Season 1 and as far as I can recall none of the other cast members took even a single vacation themselves. :lol:

We did discuss this a little in another thread (I think it was "Bugging The Governor") and I gave my theory why they got a replacement for her the second time around. Really a strange way to end the first season though. :confused:

Sounds like some subconscious thought's on the writers part.:wink2:

23 -- Marcy’s Vacation

Mainly fave quotes for this episode review:

Marcy: …she’s a *wonderful* person, so I’m sure you’re going to be *awfully* nice to her, aren’t you?
Kraus: I am nice to everybody.
[Benson looks up and stares at her]
Kraus: Well, almost everybody.

Taylor: Any messages? I’m expecting a very important phone call.
Benson: You’ve been writing your number on the walls again?

Kraus: ...I am happy when my plants are happy.
Benson: I don’t hear them humming.
Kraus: That’s because you hear only what you want to hear.
Benson: That’s not true. I hear you.

Benson: Nothing that a nice long boat ride won’t cure.
Gene: Oh, now, that’s true. There’s nothing like the salt air to take your mind off troubles. Oh, I’ll never forget my Navy days…
Taylor: [sighing] Oh, Governor.
Gene: Out on the open sea/ocean, as far as the eye could see. Everywhere you’d look, not a speck. Completely took my mind off the fact that we were lost. We’d have been in a heck of a mess of those Japanese planes hadn’t found us.

+++

Interesting point when Marcy says the governor doesn’t take anything in his coffee. In the first episode, he added sugar to his coffee, so he must have quit. Of course, we all know his major addiction is milk!

I love how Benson finally loses it with Kraus’ long-distance eavesdropping!

Looks like the others entered into the scene late, because Gene and Taylor are in the middle of a conversation re: Senator Glick. Interesting how the Governor is nodding at first... but then shakes his head at Taylor. I have no idea how to interpret that! ???

Overall, rather a dull show for me, since I’m not a Marcy fan. Oddly, I liked Lorraine. Oddly because I don’t usually care one way or another about guests.

I also thought it was a strange script for a season finale. It was treated like just another day, nothing very important/cliff-hanger-like occurred. Was that how it was enders were done in those days? Or was this just an oddball thing?

I do hope Season 2 come out soon. Much enjoyed sharing impressions with fellow Benson fans!

Overall, rather a dull show for me, since I’m not a Marcy fan. Oddly, I liked Lorraine. Oddly because I don’t usually care one way or another about guests.

I liked her too. It's too bad she didn't make another appearance on the show later. Not necessarily as Lorraine again, but even some other character.

And was it just me or was Taylor sort of hitting on her (despite the fact that she had a fiance?)

Definitely hitting on her. Icky to the end, he was!

:bye: -:bye: Taylor.

I can totally relate to Marcy. Caroline McWilliams really made Marcy a warm, likable gal. Being a secretary of sorts myself (administrative assistant), I can even relate to her job!! :D

I can totally relate to Marcy. Caroline McWilliams really made Marcy a warm, likable gal. Being a secretary of sorts myself (administrative assistant), I can even relate to her job!! :D

Same here! And by the way, Marcy's behavior in this episode would really make sense today with this crummy job market, wouldn't it? ;)

Same here! And by the way, Marcy's behavior in this episode would really make sense today with this crummy job market, wouldn't it? ;)
Sad but true. :mad:

who was the lady that filled in for Marcy

This episode sort of foreshadowed her last episode in season 2- Denise came in and no one was showing that they cared about Marcy leaving (until they surprised her near show's end).

This episode sort of foreshadowed her last episode in season 2- Denise came in and no one was showing that they cared about Marcy leaving (until they surprised her near show's end).

True. Almost makes you wonder if she was much liked on the show. (And I mean Marcy, not Caroline McWilliams).

True. Almost makes you wonder if she was much liked on the show. (And I mean Marcy, not Caroline McWilliams).
Ditto!!

Marcy was liked. Benson was a decent pal, and we saw the sendoff for her when she left.

BTW- anyone know if Caroline McWilliams was let go, or did she want to leave? I liked her on the show, something seemed missing when she was gone (though that happens at times when original cast members leave during a show's run).

Marcy was liked. Benson was a decent pal, and we saw the sendoff for her when she left.

BTW- anyone know if Caroline McWilliams was let go, or did she want to leave? I liked her on the show, something seemed missing when she was gone (though that happens at times when original cast members leave during a show's run).
I think it was her choice to leave - she married Michael Keaton not long after leaving Benson.

Yeah, but she did things after Benson, so I wonder if she did leave, if it was because she just wasn't happy with the show or something.

Yeah, but she did things after Benson, so I wonder if she did leave, if it was because she just wasn't happy with the show or something.

True but maybe she could pick and choose a little more what things she wanted to do. Benson was a full-time gig so she'd be tied down with it. I'm not sure what her husband was doing at the time.

True but maybe she could pick and choose a little more what things she wanted to do. Benson was a full-time gig so she'd be tied down with it. I'm not sure what her husband was doing at the time.
Wasn't he about to do Mr. Mom??

Wasn't he about to do Mr. Mom??

I don't think so. She left the show in 1981 and Mr. Mom was released in 1983. He was in Night Shift in 1982 though.

Sometimes actors leave a series because they fear they may become typecast in a particular role but I don't know if that was Caroline's situation at the time.

I don't think so. She left the show in 1981 and Mr. Mom was released in 1983. He was in Night Shift in 1982 though.
Thanks!

Sometimes actors leave a series because they fear they may become typecast in a particular role but I don't know if that was Caroline's situation at the time.
That's a good point, but maybe she also just wanted a break from working for awhile. She was in a lot of shows in the 70s and early 80s, so perhaps she just wanted to relax and focus on starting a family with Michael at that time.

That's a good point, but maybe she also just wanted a break from working for awhile. She was in a lot of shows in the 70s and early 80s, so perhaps she just wanted to relax and focus on starting a family with Michael at that time.

There may be a lot of truth to that. Those of us who are not in acting think of it as a fun job but the fact is that apparently many actors and actresses put in long hours when they are on a tv or movie set. And from things I've read, I would say it sounds as if it can truly be exhausting.

There may be a lot of truth to that. Those of us who are not in acting think of it as a fun job but the fact is that apparently many actors and actresses put in long hours when they are on a tv or movie set. And from things I've read, I would say it sounds as if it can truly be exhausting.
She was on soaps AND sitcoms. Obviously, there's a LOT more dialogue to learn when you're on a soap and you're on every day. She was on Guiding Light from 1969-75, Another World in 1976, and then went onto Soap in 1978 and Benson in 1979. She was also doing a lot of episodics at that time as well (Barney Miller, Kojak, Quincy, The Incredible Hulk) and a couple of TV movies (Rage!, The Aliens Are Coming, The Death of Ocean View Park). So she needed/deserved a rest by the time she left Benson at the beginning of its third season.