'Eastwick' Cybil Shepherd, Martin Mull get witchy

Remember how last week I said I might love 'Eastwick' more than chocolate brownies? Put powdered sugar and icing roses on those brownies and I still might love this show more.

Roxie is trying avoid Jamie, because she's having premonitions about him killing her. It's not an easy task however, since he rented the apartment above her shop, is determined to interview her for his book about Eastwick's history and is painfully hot. She would also like to cause Gus - the guy who nearly date raped her daughter last week - serious pain, as well as keep Darryl's hand off her and Chad in her life but at arms length. None of those plans go too well as Chad sees her and Darryl in just enough compromising situations to have doubts. And doubts tend to lead to bad things - like break-ups.

Cat is trying to avoid Ray, because last week he threatened to take the kids from her. And she electrocuted him. Well, inadvertently, since she said he had no spark and he was struck by lightening a moment later. Unfortunately, it's hard to get high school sweethearts out of your system sometimes. Especially when there's enough raw passion there to lead to several years of marriage, not to mention 5 kids. So, against her better judgment she sleeps with Ray once he's released from the hospital - but her goodbye is his hello! And when he asks and gets his job at the candle factory back from Darryl, it's apparently harder to say farewell.

Joanna is trying to avoid getting caught as she puts her investigative journalism skills to their full use, tracking down leads on who Darryl really is. The death certificate Penny dug up last week belonged to an infant, so it was an easy identity to steal. But the plot thickens when she finds an old story in the newspaper about the death of millionaire Sebastian Hart - who just happens to be the spitting image of Darryl. She calls in the retired reporter who wrote about Sebastian, but all Milton Philmont (Martin Mull) can recall is that he was scared of the man. She breaks into the town records, and before getting chased down by a dog, she snags a picture which leads her to the reclusive Eleanor Rougement (Cybil Shepherd). Unfortunately, all Eleanor says is that she killed Sebastian, and then offers to kill Joanna and Penny too. But she does recognize Jo's "look into my eyes" trick for what it is...and laughs her off her property.

There are some interesting connections, however. On Eleanor's porch, there is a Triskele burned into a post. It's the same shape as the scar Roxie keeps seeing in the visions where Jamie is killing her. When Jamie helps her with the tire Gus slashed (well, she had to see that coming - she did nearly run the little sociopath over) she sees that he has no such scar and decides she was wrong about him. So, when we see him branding himself with the ancient symbol at the end of the episode, we know something's afoot. Is he really going to try to kill Roxie? Hard to say, since the symbol seemed to be protective in it's use on Eleanor's porch. And since Eleanor defeated the man who was once Darryl, that might be a good thing. Or not. Hard to say, but when Darryl warns Jo to lay off her investigation of him, caution seems wise.

There were some good things though. For example, Will seems to really like Joanna, even if she still thinks it's because of her spellcasting gaze.  Chad and Roxie stick it out, since she gives him a drawer. But I wonder if she will clear out the one that formerly belonged to her husband? And Roxie gets her wish to see Gus hung up in the town square rather literally, as one glare from the girls sends him backwards over a technical rig, leading him to get the strung lights wrapped around his neck as he falls to his demise.

The Funny:

Roxie: Cat, you're not alone. At least, not until Jamie kills me.

Roxie: Don't wave at my murderer!

Joanna: I ran out of deodorant, so I rubbed my pits with a dryer sheet and now I smell like mountain fresh B.O.

And, of course, the running "Like a Virgin" gag!

So, is anyone else loving this show as much as I? I really hope next week we get to see some real background stuff with Veronica Cartwright and Cybil Shepherd.