“He’s
a Crowd,” like all L.A. Law episodes,
had several interconnected storylines that echoed off each other
in theme. The overarching plot of the episode concerned a man
with multiple personalities, with one of his personalities on
trial for murder. At the same time, Abby Perkins (Michele Green),
who had been a cast regular from Season 1, found out from C.J.
that the law firm wasn’t going to offer her a partnership.
Rather than stick with the old boys and keep the fact a secret,
C.J. confided the news to Abby, and the two banded together
to turn the tables on the men in the firm.
After
successfully winning a big case together, C.J. and Abby had
dinner together, and then walked out to the parking lot to say
goodbye. The two women hugged, and C.J. quickly kissed Abby
goodnight, then kissed her again—this time with a clear
lesbian intent. Although Abby initially returned the kiss, she
quickly departed, flustered. At the office the morning after
the parking-lot kiss, Abby came to see C.J. to clear the air:
ABBY
(nervously): About last night...I was feeling very indebted
to you. And probably very close, as well. That's why when you
kissed me, I didn't push you away.
C.J.: You kissed me back.
ABBY: Yeah, well, I'd kinda like to forget the whole thing
C.J.: It's no big deal, Abby. (getting up) Look, it happened
once. It doesn't have to affect our friendship.
ABBY: Good. Because I'm not phy...si...I like men.
C.J.: So do I.
ABBY: Then you mean, you're, uh...
C.J.: Flexible?
ABBY: I see
C.J. (Laughs): Relax. Abby, it was just, well the way the moonlight
hit your face the other night. Look, in the daytime you're not
even that cute. (laughs) Why did you kiss me back?
ABBY: (laughing) I don't know. I was probably a little curious.
I don't know. Why did you kiss me. You don't have to answer.
C.J.: Well, I didn't plan it, and I hope you don't think my
helping you with Douglas was part of some overall plan to seduce
you.
ABBY (smiling): No, no. Don't be silly.
C.J. (looking serious): It is going to effect our friendship,
isn't it?
ABBY (smiling): No. No, I don't think so.
C.J. (doubtful): Hmm.
Meanwhile,
the man with multiple personalities took the witness stand.
When the personality accused of murder was coaxed to “come
out,” the personality turned out to be a woman claiming
to be protecting her two sons, who were abused by their father.
Feminist scholar Judith Mayne, in her book Framed: Lesbians,
Feminists, and Media Culture, notes: “Surely, it
is no coincidence that a story line concerning multiple personality
disorder appears on the same episode as C.J. and Abby’s
kiss, particularly given the immediate framing of the kiss as
bisexual, not lesbian, at least for C.J.”
