AMC DECEMBER PREVIEW

"It's a month of destiny," says Head Writer Megan McTavish. "There's romance, danger, secrets from the past - and, of course we have our trdition at ALL MY CHILDREN of a Christmas miracle." There's also a big-deal mystery too hush-hush to talk about in detail just yet [i.e. Murder Mystery] - but here's what else to expect:

Zach/Kendall: "We're going to learn a lot more about Zach and go deep into his past. Danger comes and they face it together; Kendall's not about to let him fight any battles alone."

Kendall/Ryan/Annie: This week, David informs Kendall that Ryan (thanks to his former status as a sperm donor) is Emma's biological father. "We'll see a big blowout from that. Kendall is not sure she wants Spike to have to share his father." As for the unsuspecting parents, "Annie is falling in love, and she is there for Ryan in a critical emotional moment." [Erin's murder; ugh, big blowout, can't the big blowout just be that Emma is Kate? No? Sigh, again, this is not revenge on Ryan!]

Adam/Krystal/Dixie/Tad: Now that she knows that Krystal's baby may be Tad's, "Is Dixie going to interfere with Krystal and Adam? Dixie years to put a little girl in Tad's arms. If she had her druthers, it would be Kate, but they're all sort of losing hope about Kate. Of course, it's Christmas, the season of hope...."

JR/Babe/Josh: "Josh believes that Babe is his destiny, that he can make this woman happy." As for JR, "Nobody trusts JR a whole lot yet! JR still loves Babe, but forgiveness is not his best event."

Jack/Erica/Jeff: "There's a real shot for Jack and Erica, although I would not count Jeff out of the box."

Julia/Jamie: Julia opens the house to other people, including Jamie; Wildwind becomes the young people's place." Also, "Julia makes a wish for Christmas, and she will get it; it's part of the magic of the Christmas season."

Bianca: "Bianca is not here simply to listen to Kendall's troubles. There is a very important story for Bianca in which she learns a great deal about herself."

Jonathan/Amanda/Lily: "Lily has moved on. Jonathan and Amanda get very close, but he is faced with something that shatters his world." [Erin's murder; ah, Lily has moved on to backburner cafe, I guess, not that I'm complaining]

Aidan/Di: "Di steps up in a very important way that really builds the relationship with Aidan. They have an adventure to go on that has really scary takes to it."

Zarf: "He blows in and sets the Fusion worly topsy-turvy. He's a bigger than-life, crazy rock star [who] shakes up Pine Valley on many levels."

The Teens: "Colby has a deeper side than she has yet to seem to have. We'll find out stuff about Sean, about how he feels about himself and his father, Travis."

SOD: THE AMC STORY EVERYBODY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
On November 30, Jeffrey Carlson returns to AMC in the now-contract role of Zarf, outrageous rocker, who, it turns out, is harboring quite a secret: The character is a transgender. Executive Producer Carruthers says the idea is to tell this transgender coming-out story originated over a year ago with Addie Walsh, an asoociate head writer. "Megan and I very much wanted to tell this story. And we got very excited when we saw Jeffrey playing the role [for two days in August] and realized that Zarf's rock star persona could actually work as the maks for the tortured soul underneath. At the same time, we were in talks with Eden about coming back. One hand layered on top of the other hand and we realized that the puzzle pieces were fitting together logically. It's those story gods telling you, 'Now is the time.'" How does Bianca fit in? Zarf falls for her, but "Bianca's responses may not be what you expect. Bianca will become the voice of the audience, in a way; we will take the journey with Bianca of learning to accept and understand." "...What we're portraying is the experience is the experience of coming out and the beginning of the transition, so you are actually taking the journey with the character - her realizing, finding and claiming her real life and her real identity." So they brung Carlson back and then told him about the story...they told him if you're fine with it - here's a contract, if you don't want to do it - "you have a free pass not to accept the contract. I told him the story as Megan had pitched it to me and with tears in his eyes, he jumped up and said, 'Absolutely. I can't believe I am being given the opportunity to tell this story.'" When you really hear what the story is, "it's very hard to turn your back on. You take all the labels away and you're talking about someone just wanting to belong, just wanting to fit in their own body. It's just filled with compassion and love, it's a classic ALL MY CHILDREN story."


SIMONE DIES ON AMC
Expect tears aplenty in the Fusion office on December 4, when one of the company's founding members, Terri Iven's Simone, is found dead. Her demise has been in the works since August when Terri gave her notice. Ivens on Carruthers: "I know her best from being my friend; she's my boss second. I cried in her office, saying, 'I don't want to leave you!" But I knew it was the right thing to do; it was a family decision, so that my husband and daughter and I could all finally live in the same place. And at the same time, I asked her if Simone could die." Ivens actually pitched a story for Simone's death, "Julie sat very patiently and listened as I said, 'I think Simone should implode! It's fresh! Kendall finds Simone's ear and goes, "I know it's her - I gave Simone those earrings!"'" Carruthers reaction? "She looked at me and rolled her eyes and said, "I don't know if it will be that dramatic, but I promise you something good." Did she make good on that promise? "There is not one aspect of how Simone leaves the show that was not done with care and a great dela of love. I went out like any AMC female would want to go out: Lying in the morgue with Mikey [Tad] crying over me. The last thing he did was give me a kiss on the forehead. I thanked Julie: 'You gave me the princess exit!' Seriously, what woman doesn't want Tad the Cad to cry over them?" So what causes Simone's death? There's no sign of foul play, so the Fusion women think it's suicide. But Zach and Tad just don't believe it. Ivens is like, "Yeah - avenge my death!" Heh. "I'm going to be watching the show from 12/4 on because I want to be inundated with how much everyone loves Simone! I told Alicia [Kendall], 'You better not phone it in when you're crying over me because I'll be watching! I expect an Emmy nomination from this material!'" There will be more with Terri in the next Digest, so says Digest.


VCR ALERT
Babe pours her heart out to Josh on Monday, December 4. "She is so torn," says her portrayer, Alexa Havins. "As much as she's telling Josh, 'Go away, I'm not leaving my husband,' he's the only one other than Krystal who's in her corner. On Tuesday, December 5, Zach fears that a murder has been committed.