Eden's real byes
By Isabelle Caron, Télé 7 Jours, 1991	Home   Cette page en Français

Eden in an upholstered coffin ! The eyes closed. These American scenario writers are able of everything ! Indeed, Eden is not dead. Although this shock scene symbolizes the real good-byes of Marcy Walker to Santa Barbara, it is only the dream, or rather the nightmare, of Sophia Capwell, Eden's mother. Let's summarize. Sophia, who every Santa Barbara fan knows she is played by Judith McConnell, has been shot. She has been urgently carried to the hospital, in coma. In her delirium, she realizes that she is responsible for all Eden's misfortunes. Didn't she have gave up the family when Eden was only 9 years old, before coming back, many years later ? At her return, didn't she accidentally killed Channing, her son, Eden's brother ?

Sophia sees that again in this episode, and also that Eden has shot her. Yes, didn't Eden drowned, while falling from the top of a cliff under the eyes of Cruz, like Télé 7 Jours already showed ! Well, this is not really her. That would be too simple ! It is Lisa who "had taken" Eden's personality, before she is at her turn "taken" by Suzanne, a painter ! Eden is then alive, and from now on "inhabited" by Channing, her brother; she wanted to avenge him and thus shot her mother. Become a murderer - she does not know that Sophia will be perhaps saved -, she chooses to leave the town of Santa Barbara. This is not the most clear it could be !

And who does go and fetch her in a black limousine to help her to run away from those she loves or she hates ? Stephen J. Cannell, a producer the televiewers know well. He created in particular Wiseguy, 21 Jump Street and Hunter and he has the habit to appear at the end of each episode, behind his typewriter, before launching a paper sheet. As Marcy Walker leaves Santa Barbara to play in Palace Guard, that Cannell produces, she has imagined with him this "exit door", suggested it to the producers of Santa Barbara and they accepted ! The ultimate scene with Eden shows her turning over on her seat, at the back of the limousine and saying goodbye with a sign of the hand, a great smile, and a wink. Explanation of Cannell : "I steal them their star, I owed them that well." And of Marcy Walker : "I thus wanted to greet all those who have liked me in Santa Barbara for seven years. The drowning scene prepared the televiewers to my departure. I did not want Eden to be killed, but that the end leaves the possibility of seeing her again one day." Would she be afraid to fail in Palace Guard ? "Not at all. I believe a lot in these twelve first episodes that I shot as from August. The producers of Santa Barbara believe in it even as much as Cannell ! For me, it is the chance to make me known in the prime-time." This expression includes the shows aired from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. - the moment when there are the biggest ratings. In the United States, Santa Barbara is aired, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., on NBC.

After the shooting of this ultimate scene, Marcy Walker had tears at her eyes. "It will be hard for me not to go to the studio every morning any more to find my "family"." She also evoked the gifts, the letters of the French televiewers, often received thanks to Télé 7 Jours : "I have been spoiled, my son Taylor too. Now, we leave for fifteen days on holidays with my husband, Stephen, and of course, Taylor. I will profit from it to well penetrate myself of the role of this detective I have in Palace Guard."

The life continues. Santa Barbara too ! Bridget Dobson, the creator, writer and producer, has already envisaged what's next : "No other actress can replace Marcy. She marked the role of Eden too much. We will develop the character of Suzanne, from who Eden had stolen the identity and who, in the beginning, is a friend of childhood of Eden." Terri Garber, who played in Dynasty and North and South, will be Suzanne. She will certainly fall in love with Cruz, but she swears it : "If Eden comes back one day, I will leave her the place !".