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Laura's importance; Laura, is she who she appears?




Episode dated 1-3-67

“Stay loose, Sam.”—Sheriff Patterson
“That’s why I’m here.”—Sam Loomis, downing shots of scotch at the ole pub.

At the Blue Whale, a notable location Sam spends much of his time, needs (or maybe feels compelled is better termed for how he feels) to know updates on Laura. Roger would soon him not call the Collinwood home, but yet Sam can’t resist due to his unsettled nerves (sure the liquor can’t be helping, either). The gloves come off and the bare knuckles are exposed as Burke Devlin enters the Blue Whale looking to confront Sam about coming to his side now that Laura has returned to Collins Port (or as Burke puts it, “the winning side”), eventually greeting Roger who answered Sam’s call about meeting him for a talk about their current developing predicament. Burke is loud and vocal about his goal to encourage a new trial to clear his name with Laura, now a completely different woman than the reckless, selfish person she once was, setting the facts straight. Playing his hand right in Roger’s face, Burke intentionally wants to provoke a response, but Roger (while perhaps different internally) doesn’t externally allow him to see the fear and anxiety that is just under the surface. Roger, however, uses a psychological ace up his sleeve, pronouncing to Burke that Laura is living at Collinwood, moving from Collins Port Inn. This shatters Burke’s resolve, momentarily, until after Roger and Sam leaves and Carolyn informs him that Laura is actually staying at Matthew’s old cabin. 









Meanwhile the sheriff receives a teletype that says that Laura Collins’ body was, in fact, found burned to death in Phoenix, Arizona! This episode does a good job of “sandwiching” Sam in between Roger and Burke, a visual image of the exact situation he’s thrust into because of his involvement in the wrongful manslaughter charge. Sam insists on Roger meeting him alone, showing him the portrait of Laura, in flames. This infuriates Roger, and Sam is left in a shambles of emotional turmoil. Burke continues to utilize one of a few advantages left to him, the desire of Carolyn for him. It does allow Carolyn to re-enter the picture; her yearning for Burke causes friction in the household at Collinwood. The news of Laura’s burning does raise a whole cloud of suspicion towards the woman claiming to be her in Collinwood. If that woman is or is not Laura Collins, who is the burned victim and, better yet, is the woman currently in Collins Port an imposter or the real deal?

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