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# 171 <7.16> A Madness Most Discreet
 
 
(revised 11/13/2023)
 
 


 
 
Shortcuts to this episode's
 
Script | Credits | Filming Locations
 
 

 
 
The episode title is a quotation from "Romeo and Juliet" by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564 – 1616), Act 1, Scene 1, Line 199.
 
Tentative title: Love Me Do.
This tentative title was a reference to the 1962 song by THE BEATLES.
 
The recap featuring the scene with Richard and Maggie reacting to Melissa and Carly's tumultuous action during the wedding ceremony in the preceding episode contains additional footage. When Richard and Maggie look towards the pool area, Melissa and Carly are hardly visible behind Maggie (screen grab 1). This moment was not presented in the preceding episode, but only a similar moment was featured (screen capture 1) when Melissa and Carly were already visible far back in the center.
 
Different takes: In the recap of the current episode, the moment when Eric, during the wedding ceremony, brings Richard Chase's second codicil is presented in a long shot (screen grab 2) while the scene itself in the previous episode featured that very moment in a close-up of Eric (screen capture 1).
 
Opening, closing and end credits are slightly different in font shape (kind of narrow) from the ones in the previous episodes (compare e.g. # 170).
From this episode on, all the supporting rôles are listed in detail in the end credits — with both the actors' and the characters' names.
 
The outdoor scenes in this episode are filmed in Malibu Canyon, too; especially the opening scene with Lance in his car and the scene with Richard and Maggie on the country road (actually Mulholland Highway).
 
The license plate number of Lance's black Mercedes-Benz 560 SL Convertible (type R107) is now 2NKO561 on the front and back plates (compare # 164). In # 181 and 182, it will be the old license plate (2PAO139; see # 156) again. The current plate, however, will be used later this episode on both Emma's BMW and Lance's rental limousine also (see below). Prop master's negligence!
 
Richard and Maggie's rental limo is a white stretched 1985 Lincoln Town Car.
 

Product placement: Lance's skis are manufactured by Spalding.

 
Uncredited stand-in MARTHA MANOR appears as an extra again — this time as Len Potts' secretary. She changed her looks with spectacles for this part.
Compare # 202 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about MARTHA MANOR, compare # 001.
 
Deleted scene: Curtis is alone in Richard's outer office in the New Globe and rifles through the secretary's filing cabinet. When Richard and The Thirteen's Bald Man arrive, Curtis hides in a corner near the cabinet. He overhears their conspirative conversation and sneaks away, unbeknownst to Richard and the Bald Man. This scene was removed in post-production.
 
As in # 166 and 168, Maggie can be seen drinking again — although it is not mentioned explicitly that her drinking problem is about to start.
 

BUCK McDANCER, who portrays one of the Thirteen's henchmen this episode (on the left in the screen grab), also portrayed various rôles before and will play various other characters in the future; compare # 083 for details.

 
The current picture behind Richard's desk in his New Globe office — visible in full in this episode (hanging on the wall since # 166 though) — is a 1987 painting of a battle field with soldiers by WILLIAM LYNN EVANS (1951 – 2010). Compare # 165 for another EVANS painting, his biographical background and connection to the show's producing staff as well as # 168 and 177 for two more of his pictures.
 

Cameraman's mistake: After Angela left Richard's New Globe office, the studio lights can be seen in the upper left part of the screen.

 

Uncredited extra KEVIN G. TRACEY appears as the thick-eyebrowed Tuscany Valley gentleman again, who works as the concierge at the Del Oro.
Compare # 185 for a list of all his appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 001.

 
The interior set that has been in use as one of the rooms in the Falcon Crest Winery Building since # 152 is the same as the one that has been in use as one of the rooms in the Gioberti Winery this season. Although the set was rearranged during season 6 (compare # 152), the art department made the same decision as with the previous set (compare # 114). Using it for both wineries without any change in set dressing is not an appropriate way to save money though.
 
Mistake: In the scene with Angela and Maggie at the Falcon Crest Winery Building, Angela's hands are far apart in the far shot from the catwalk. In the subsequent close-up, they are folded together on the desk though.
In the usual process of making a movie or a TV show, scenes are shot at least twice from different angles (e.g. as a wide angle shot and in close-up), which bears the risk of inconsistencies. Compare # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for the advantages and disadvantages of this shooting procedure.
 
Allusion to Greek mythology: Carly compares Lance's body with the one of Adonis, the personified beauty.
 

When Dan hits Lance, it is obvious that BRETT CULLEN's fist does not even come near LORENZO LAMAS' face.

 

Uncredited extra DOUGLAS MAIDA appears as Dave in this episode again — this time, as a patron at the Coit Café.
Compare # 224 for biographical details about this minor rôle and a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 034.

 
555-2368 can be read on Richard's New Globe telephone. It is obviously his office phone number. The figures to the left, which are written in a smaller font, are (311), which is a fictional area code — the real area code for San Francisco is (415).
 
For more information about the use of this phone number in other series, check out the Props — Set Dressing overview in our Beyond the Show – Props – Phone Numbers section.
 
Fred's (nickname "Grey Suit"; The Thirteen's vice chairman) phone number at his San Francisco office is 555-7823.
 
Mistake: When they are discussing over a beer in the Del Oro lobby why Dan punched Lance, they both burst into laughter. At the time the camera is behind Lance, he is laughing. In the very next cut when the camera is facing Lance, he only has a partial smile on his face and there is no full laughter from him; also, his head in in a slightly different position. In addition, Dan's hands are in different positions in these subsequent frames, too.
In the usual process of making a movie or a TV show, scenes are shot at least twice from different angles (e.g. as a wide angle shot and in close-up), which bears the risk of inconsistencies. Compare # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for the advantages and disadvantages of this shooting procedure.
 
The establishing shot of The Thirteen's San Francisco office is building 1 of the Embarcadero Center whereas the entranceway is portrayed by the southern view of the CBS-MTM (RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) Administration Building (compare # 074 for details about this location).
LORIMAR's original map of this part of the studio lot is available for DFCF members in the Show – Production Office – Filming Locations – Movie Studios – Exterior Sets section.
 

Curtis Estabrook's car is a gray 1980 Buick Electra Park Avenue Sedan.

 
The Thirteen's Bald Man's car is a black 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue.
By the way, it is the same picture car that was previously used as Frank Ryan's (compare # 128) car and as the vehicle of Saunders' henchmen (# 148) as well as Wilkinson's car (# 155 and 160) and Petko's vehicle (# 166).
 
The place from where The Thirteen's Bald Man watches Curtis come out of The Thirteen's Embarcadero office is actually the corner of Radford Avenue and Ventura Place in Studio City, CA — opposite the main gates of CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER). The building seen in the background of the Bald Man's car is the Ventura Place office building (known as the Tuscany Valley Bank from # 164). In real life, there is no direct view of the front entrance of the CBS-MTM (RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) Administration Building from that particular point.
The heavily used red Volvo 242 DL sedan (compare # 055 for details) is used as a prop again; this time, it drives along the street while the Bald Man takes photos of Curtis.
 
The Tuscany Bus Depot is portrayed by the cashier building at CBS-MTM STUDIOS (nowadays building 3 at RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) in this episode and # 173.
 
Dan wants to sent Carly back to Pittsburgh on a coach of the Transway Bus Lines. This entity has been known from # 025, 113 and 131.
 

Uncredited extra LARRY HUMBURGER appears in another rôle — this time at the Tuscany Bus Depot.
Compare # 227 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 078.

 

Both Transway Bus Lines buses are 1966 GMC PD 4107 ("Buffalo Bus") models.

 

License plate number of Emma's white BMW 3 model convertible: 2NKO561. Due to the prop department's negligence, this is the same license plate as on Lance's Mercedes-Benz 560 SL this episode (see above).

 
The same license plate, however, is also on the black stretched 1985 Lincoln Town Car rental limousine Lance is driving (scenes with the Habermans shot in Greater L.A.; screen grab 2) — not an appropriate way to trim down production costs!
 
In the scenes with the Habermans shot in Greater Los Angeles (screen capture 2 above), it is, by the way, the same picture car that has been in regular use as Richard's limo in the scenes filmed in Greater L.A. this season.
The only exception is the first establishing shot in the current episode, featuring the limo's exteriors on a country road (screen capture 1 above). Although this is also a 1985 Lincoln Town Car, it is a different stretched modification built by Classic Limousine of Fountain Valley, CA (a commercial coachbuilder). This limo was also used as Richard's limousine in scenes of # 160 through 162, but only in ones photographed in the Wine Country. The establishing clip in the current episode was filmed during this season's early distant location shooting, but remained unused.
For the slight differences in both picture cars, particularly on the B1-pillar (yellow arrows on the above screen grabs — Wine Country vehicle with roof band), compare # 160 for details.
 

Fictional entity: The flight tickets in the scene with Melissa and Arthur are from an airline named Transcon (known from # 119, 155 and 165).
The Transcon name was also used beyond "Falcon Crest"; check out the Beyond the Show – Identical Names section for details.

 
The outdoor scenes on the country road with the Habermans are filmed on the grounds of Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu Canyon.
The place where the limo arrives first is just a few feet from the place where the Habermans are let off later.
 
The road seen through the windows of the limousine Lance is driving (scene with Emma, Melissa and the Habermans) is a blue screen technique on the sound stage. The Tuscany Valley country road seen in the projection is Oak Knoll Avenue outside Napa (driving from northeast at approximately the intersection with Big Ranch Road in southwestern direction); it is stock footage LORIMAR shot during earlier location filming in the Wine Country.
Mistake: When the limo drives away after the Habermans were let off, they ought to be seen through the rear window. This is not the case, however; the blue screen surroundings do not match the surroundings of the real country road either.
 

Cameraman's mistake: When Lance drives off with the limo, the cameraman and his camera are reflected in the window.

 
The following parts of scenes were edited in post-production:
  • The final scene in the limousine, when Melissa gives the negatives to Emma, was longer in the director's cut. Emma puts the negatives in an ashtray and sets fire to them as she and Melissa watch them burn.
  • Shortly before Lance arrives in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion in the chauffeur's outfit, Chao-Li is busy in the dining room adding the finishing touches to the table setting. Angela smiles approvingly. Chao-Li was completely cut from the scene.
  • During the night scene in the master bedroom suite of his house, Richard receives a phone call from Grey Suit, who tells him not to worry and that the problem with Chase's codicil will be solved. The call came in during Richard and Maggie's conversation, creating the idea that Richard finally asked Maggie (again) to marry her after he learnt that the matter of the codicil can be taken care of. The producers finally felt that it was more appropriate for Richard's character to propose again regardless of the codicil problem so they cut the phone call to emphasize Richard's romantic side.
 
Richard says that when Cole was in the hospital "three / four years back", he first knew he was in love with Maggie. Richard misremembers here because it was actually five years ago.
 
Despite LORIMAR's "new wardrobe for new season" policy, this episode, Maggie wears the white silk suit again during her wedding ceremony; she already wore it at Chase's party in season 6 (# 130). The suit was just paired with a different necklace and white stockings for her wedding with Richard. SUSAN SULLIVAN particularly liked this outfit.
 
The final scene in this episode when Angela catches Maggie's bouquet of flowers is not from Saddlerock Ranch as the rest of the sequence (left picture). The shot of Angela was originally filmed there, but it was unusable. During the shooting of # 173, a retake of that pose was done — on a small road behind stage 4 on the backlot of the CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) close to the heavily filmed bend (compare # 172, for example); the fence in the background is similar to the one at Richard and Maggie's ranch, but has two instead of three cross beams only.
 
Series time frame:
Angela's check for Maggie is dated February 15, 1988. As for the conclusions for the previous episode, first refer to # 170.
This episode continues with the events of Saturday, 02/13/1988 (day 1 of the current episode). The night scene with the phone conversation between Richard and Maggie — according to Maggie, it is supposed to be the first night of her and Richard's honeymoon — must take place on Sunday, 02/14/1988 because Angela hands over her check the following morning (Monday, 02/15/1988). It seems logical that the first night of the honeymoon was supposed to be the night of Sunday / Monday because Richard and Maggie apparently wanted to go on their trip the day after their wedding reception.
"It has been exactly a year," Gabrielle says at Chase's plaque at the Gioberti Family Cemetery on Tuesday, 02/16/1988. She obviously does not refer to Chase's death because he disappeared in April 1987 (compare # 155 and 156). She must refer to a particular event in her relationship with Chase, maybe when she and Chase totally fell in love with each other — the closest date is the night of Feb 18, 1987 (# 148) when they slept together for the first time (compare the explanations about the time frame in # 147 and 148).
Five days must have gone by between the night scene in Richard's bedroom when he and Maggie decide to eventually get married (night 3 of the current episode, i.e. Tuesday 02/16/1988) and the wedding ceremony itself in the final scene. The wedding takes place on the same day that will continue in # 172: Sunday, 02/21/1988.
 
 

 
 
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