From the April 7, 2009 issue of Soap Opera Digest (pp. 38-41): Family (Un)Tiesby Devin Owens and Naomi RabinowitzSo, the nagging question as to why two DNA tests proved there is no biological connection between Katherine and Jill is finally answered: Because there simply isn't! That's right, the ladies aren't mother and daughter after all. "I had some suspicions that was where the story was going," admits Jeanne Cooper (Katherine). "Then [Head Writer] Maria Bell told me several things that I had to be aware of so I could prepare for the future, so I sort of knew, but Jess Walton [Jill] was not aware of what the outcome would be."
"I'm loving it!" Walton now declares. "It's going to be real fun. Jill is going to be turning into heck on wheels again."
First, let's back up. This week, Jill still won't entertain the notion that she is not Kay's daughter. "It's inconceivable to her," says Walton. "Jill doesn't believe it for a second because she lived through the Marge thing before. Jill saw Katherine's body, which was in her clothes and with her car, plus this woman didn't remember where her own bedroom was when she showed up at the Chancellor mansion after Christmas. So Jill has turned a blind eye to the possibility that Katherine is alive."
Jill's refusal to believe the second conclusive DNA test brings a visit from Nikki, who suggests that Jill find a lab of her own choosing to process another test. Jill retaliates by suggesting that Nikki summon Brock to Genoa City for a final DNA procedure. "Jill says this before she really thinks it through and she regrets it just as soon as she says it," Walton sighs. "At this point, there may be a little doubt that's creeping in there, but not very much. She's still pretty sure another test will come out like the other two before."
Later, Nikki informs Katherine that Brock has agreed to return to Genoa City for a DNA test. Nikki assures Kay that he will know his own mother, unlike Jill because she and Kay are not truly related. This compels La Chancellor to make a little confession. "Katherine says she's sad because she has come to appreciate Jill as family," laments Cooper. "Katherine changed dramatically in order to accept that they were mother and daughter. Even though Katherine is now happy to prove who she is to everybody, she's saddened that she's losing a daughter."
Brock returns to Genoa City, and Nikki meets him at the coffeehouse. "She asks if he is ready to see his mother again," says Cooper. "Not surprisingly, he's a little hesitant, but they go to Murphy's trailer, where Brock and Katherine see each other."
Brock instantly realizes his mother is alive and is overjoyed. After they share a warm reunion, Kay recounts how her memory problems have complicated the quest to prove her identity. Brock considers Kay's symptoms and advises that she be tested for Lyme disease. "I was wondering how the memory loss would be addressed" smiles Cooper. "It's interesting because I know someone who had it in real life and it really affected her like that. She really did have trouble remembering things. It's a scary disease."
Brock then calls on Jill and shares his steadfast belief that his mother is alive. "He begs Jill to see Katherine, but she refuses and they end up crying a lot with each other," says Walton. " Just the possibility that Katherine and Jill aren't related is stirring up a lot of emotions that she doesn't want to confront."
After a visit to the doctor, Kay soon learns that Brock's suspicion of Lyme disease is correct. Kay is stunned when Jill shows up at Murphy's trailer. At first, the encounter is tentative, until Kay reveals that she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which caused her memory lapses. "Right away, Jill assumes this is just another con," says Walton. "Katherine gets fed up and gives this long Katherine speech that Marge would never be able to pull off. That's undeniable to Jill. She suddenly thinks, 'Oh, my God, this is Katherine.' This is even before the results come back on Brock and Katherine's test. Jill gets really upset and orders Katherine to stay away from Billy and Chloe's wedding. But Katherine shoots back that she's more welcome there than Jill is."
On her son's big day, Jill goes on a bender. "She's very nervous, so she's having a lot of mimosas," Walton chuckles. "The test results are coming back on the day of the wedding, so Jill is starting to feel what's coming and she's getting lubricated."
Which doesn't help when Katherine makes her entrance for the wedding and Jill goes on the attack. "She's going back to being her selfish, vitriolic self," sniffs Cooper. "It's definitely the dark side of Jill. The Chancellor family tree is going to have so many footnotes now [
laughs]. But the viewers are going to have a good time with all of this."
The above article was typed up and posted at The Colonnade Room, with credit given to its source.
