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# 203 <8.20> Ties That Bind
  In the sneak preview for this episode (at the end of # 202), there is a close-up of Angela, which is not used again in this episode — neither in the current sneak preview (before the main title) nor in the respective scene in the current episode itself. There is no close-up shot towards Angela's back.When Irene attacks Angela, JANE WYMAN is replaced by a photo double only in this close-up from behind: It is MELODY McCORD, who usually plays the maid at Falcon Crest, in a wig.
The interiors of the State Mental Hospital — except the visiting room and the observation room, which are sets — are actually the Rehearsal and Audition Facilities of the Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Cast and crew background: Executive producer CAMILLE MARCHETTA apparently likes working with actor JOEL FABIANI (Dr. Quentin King). They previously worked together on "Dallas", where he portrayed Alex Ward, and on "Dynasty", where he played King Galen of Moldavia. Inside joke: JOEL FABIANI's character name, Dr. King, is an allusion to his character name on "Dynasty", King Galen.
  Mistake: The close-ups of Dr. King and Angela in the State Mental Hospital are from various takes that were combined in the editing process. This becomes apparent when Dr. King's right hand is on his chin in the first frame, but on his cheek in the subsequent frame.Again, this is the typical mistake caused by the particular close-up filming technique — check # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for details.
 
The filming location for the San Francisco street — Richard and Garth are followed by Lone's investigators — is Cedros Avenue in Sherman Oaks in the beginning and end of the segment (screen captures 1 and 4). These parts are filmed in southern direction, first approximately from the intersection with Benefit Street; the corner where the limo makes a sharp right just before the bus is Dickens Street.But the frames in between — close-ups of Garth and his point of view from the driver's seat (screen grabs 2 and 3) — are from Hoffman Street in Studio City, very close to the CBS-MTM STUDIOS (nowadays RADFORD STUDIO CENTER).  The burgundy Jaguar XJ (Series III) parked at curbside while Richard's limo is being followed by Lone's investigators (Hoffman Street in Studio City, CA — compare screen grab 2 in the preceding paragraph) is the same picture car that was used as Louella's vehicle in # 123 and for another purpose in # 078; compare there for a list of other episodes featuring this picture car.For LORIMAR's further use of this picture car, check out the Beyond the Show – Props – Picture Cars section.
  Editing mistake: During Amos and Maggie's meeting with Mrs. Lopez at the Del Oro Spa Restaurant, Amos and the nurse are served cocktails, Maggie gets bottled water. First, there is quite some distance between Mrs. Lopez's glass and Maggie. When Mrs. Lopez has left, her glass, however, is right in front of Maggie although the nurse has not touched the glass during the scene — at least not in the scene as it was edited for being aired.Once again, this is the typical mistake caused by the particular close-up filming technique — check # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for details.
  Real-life allusion: The cereal named Crunchies in the kitchen at the Agretti Residence is a fictional product. The prop's design is obviously modeled after a package of the real Cap'n Crunch corn and oat cereal (compare the second picture) manufactured by the Quaker Oats Company.Real-life allusion: Nathan Farley, Nick's private investigator, asks Christopher Harris for "The Education" by HENRY ADAMS, a real book.  The filming location for the mall in San Francisco where Lance sees the Melissa look-alike is a mall close to the building that portrayed the Bank of Tuscany Valley in # 148 (see there). That mall on Ventura Boulevard at the corner of Cedros Avenue in Sherman Oaks, CA was rebuilt in the 1990's and looks totally different nowadays. The current name is La Reina Shopping Center. License plate number of Andrea Thompson's silver Volkswagen Rabbit convertible (series I, type 17): 2BCO976. Again, this is a plate seen before: on Chase's GMC High Sierra in the scenes filmed at Stags' Leap in # 134 (compare there), on the Tuscany Land Company's Mercedes-Benz S-Class in # 147 (see there) and on Angela's light beige Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Convertible between # 165 (see there) and 175 — not an appropriate prop policy!The filming location for the Tuscany Valley hillside road is the berm near the heavily filmed bend seen in # 073, 084, 089, 113, 121, 135, 137, 148, 172, 174, 176, 180, 191, 192, 196, 197 and 199 — on the backlot of CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) behind stage 4. Click here for a sketch of the multi-purpose use of this part of the studio grounds.
As so many times before this season, drunk driving is the topic again in the scene with Ben and Andrea in her car and later with Nick. It is amazing how fast Ben's can of beer is empty after just three sips.
 The writers and producers originally planned to use stock footage of a different famous Parisian hotel, Le Bristol.It remains a mystery why post-production did not use an establishing shot of that place although the art department, in contrast, had already created a prop towel with a "B" logo embroidery (as seen in the later night scene in Samantha's bathroom; yellow mark), obviously for Le Bristol albeit not the real logo of the actual hotel.
LORIMAR's original blueprints of this set and many others are available for DFCF members in the Show – Production Office – Filming Locations – Movie Studios – Interior Sets section.
Early script drafts suggested a lunch scene with Maggie and Cynthia at the Del Oro Spa Restaurant in act 3: Maggie says that, after she lost the custody suit, she actually contemplated kidnapping Kevin and Michael and taking them to Australia. This scene was omitted before shooting began.
  The filming location for the exteriors of San Francisco Municipal Court in this and the following episode is the Auditorium of the Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, CA.It remains unanswered why the hearing about Angela's competency takes place in San Francisco although Tuscany Valley County has county courts of its own. Although the nearest State Hospital to Tuscany is situated in San Francisco, this is strange considering that judge Stratton from the Tuscany County Courts ordered her to be examined in the State Mental Hospital.  The San Francisco courtroom where Angela's competency hearing takes place in this and the following episode is a permanent standing set at GMT STUDIOS in Culver City, CA (the same studio where Julia's prison block in Fairlawn was filmed in season 3). The same courtroom was seen in # 151 as a courtroom in the Tuscany County Courthouse also. It was heavily used on various other TV shows, too, including "Dallas" and "Dynasty".Actress VALERIE REDDING was the original choice for the character of the woman in the courtroom who Angela, at first glance, believes to be Melissa or Samantha. In the end, however, CLAUDIA RUSSELL won the rôle. The original name for judge Robbins was Roberts in early script drafts. Episode time frame: This episode continues on the same day where # 202 left off, i.e. Friday, 03/31/1989. It closes on Tuesday, 04/04/1989. ← Previous episode... → Next episode... |
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