"Marital Privilege" is the fourth episode in Season 5 and the seventy ninth episode overall.
Written by Richard Gollance
Directed by Larry Elikann
It aired in USA on October 20, 1983.
Plot[]
Karen and Mack bring Diana home as Eric and Michael are glad to have their sister back. Mack tells Karen that Diana needs to go to headquarters to answer questions regarding Chip's involvement in Ciji's death. Detective Morrison interrogates Chip as to how he killed Ciji and deposed of her body, which would explain how Ciji's body washed up on shore. Naturally, Chip denies it. Karen tries to talk to Diana who feels as if she abandoned Chip. Diana refuses to annul her marriage to Chip. Chip claimed that he tried to call Ciji to Janet and Morrison, but they don't believe him. Abby calls JR in Dallas regarding Gary's inheritance which is 10% of Ewing Oil. Jim Westmont advices Abby that she could build a corporation. Gary has five days for his divorce from Valene becomes final. Abby has five days to marry Gary as he will then inherit 10% of Ewing Oil and she wants it to become community property. Valene gets ready for the final divorce hearing. Lilimae cautions Valene that things may not go her way and Gary's lawyer may deprive Val of what's rightfully hers. Valene assures Lilimae that she won't be taken advantage of and they'll both keep the house. Morrison and Janet talk to Diana who swears that Chip was at the party the night Ciji was killed. Diana tells the detectives that she and Chip eloped in Las Vegas. Abby and Westmont secretly start a subsidiary of Gary's company called "Apolune". Gary drops by to check out Abby's new office. Abby tells Gary that Jim Westmont will be handling their legal affairs. Abby offers to give Gary a complete tour as Gary informs Abby that he hired Laura their real estate broker for Gary Ewing Enterprises. Diana demands Karen and Mack to get Chip a lawyer. Valene and Gary's final divorce hearing becomes ugly as both attorneys debate over dividing up community property. Valene tells them exactly what she wants and walks out with Gary following her. Abby, representing JR Ewing, meets Greg Sumner, a candidate for the US Senate, who was an old friend of Mack's. Abby's attempt to buy her way into Greg's US Senate campaign of Greg Sumner is rebuffed. Gary tells Valene that she earned her settlement, but she don't want to be beholden to him forever. She wants to be independent. Gary agrees not to give Valene his filthy money if she agrees not to be proud to call him. Karen and Mack debate over Diana's love for Chip. Diana wants to see Chip, but Karen forbids her to. Eric offers to take Diana to visit Chip. Chip tells Diana not to tell the cops anything. Diana agrees to keep his silence since a wife doesn't to testify against her husband. Chip swears to Diana that he'll be out in no time. Abby and Laura go over some paper work. Abby learns that her Uncle Roger died and left her a piece of land and asks Laura to look into it. Abby also tells Laura that she plans to expand Gary Ewing Enterprises although Laura is sure Gary's satisfied with the investments. Abby thanks Laura for finding her and Gary their ranch. Karen still wants Diana to annul the marriage, but she refuses to. Diana tells Karen that Chip killed Ciji for her. Karen realizes that Chip told Diana he killed Ciji. Karen goes to the police to tell them that Chip told Diana. Karen offers to testify, but Janet tells her that Diana's the key witness. Abby tries to talk to Gary about Westmont although Gary still has his final divorce on his mind. Valene is left with their house and their car. Gary tells Abby of his chat with Valene. Gary tells Abby that everything's fallen right into place. Lilimae wonders if Gary's attorney tried anything to discredit Valene's settlement. Valene tells Lilimae that she didn't ask for alimony. Lilimae can't help but worry about all the trouble that Chip has caused, although she's not sure that Chip murdered Ciji. Karen tells Mack that she doesn't understand Diana who takes Chip's side. Mack is sure Diana will get through it. Gary looks back to his troubled past but Abby tells him to go forward, not backward since things seem to be going right for them. Janet tries to talk to Diana who refuses to say anything. Diana gets angry that Karen betrays her confidence and runs away. Valene jogs to Ben's beach house and confronts him about concealing his occupation as a newsman. Ben explains to Valene that he hopes she'd get to know him as a person instead. Ben gives Valene a flower to apologize and he wants to get to know her better. Valene decides to give him a chance. Mack runs into his old friend Greg who asks him about his current career as a lawyer. Greg offers Mack to be part of his investigating team so he could do more. Karen calls Mack to tell him that Diana ran away. Lilimae visits Chip as she tries to reason with Chip about the things that he did. Chip laughs right in her face and accuses Lilimae of making him talk. Lilimae realizes that Chip killed Ciji and tosses the broach he gave her at him. Karen told Mack that Diana never wants to see her again. Abby calls Mack that Diana is at her ranch. Abby hangs up on Karen as soon as she got to the phone. Abby tells Diana that she's welcome to stay with her as long as she likes. Laura and Gary go horse riding as they chat about Abby and Valene. Mack shows up at the ranch to talk to Diana. Abby and Gary tell Mack that it's better she stays with them for a while. Diana refuses to go with Mack and tells him that Karen should be hurt. Mack yells at Diana for blaming her mother for everything. Abby hugs an upset Diana and sends Mack on his way.
Main Cast[]
Kevin Dobson as Mack MacKenzie
Julie Harris as Lilimae Clements
Michele Lee as Karen MacKenzie
Claudia Lonow as Diana Fairgate
Constance McCashin as Laura Avery
Douglas Sheenan as Ben Gibson
Guest Starring[]
Michael Sabatino as Chip Roberts
Joanna Pettet as Janet Baines
Executive Story Consultant[]
Diana Gould
Guest Starring[]
Steve Kahan as Nick Morrison
Clayton Landey as Jim Westmont
Peter Brandon as Gary's Lawyer
Co-Starring[]
Steve Shaw as Eric Fairgate
Pat Petersen as Michael Fairgate
Donegan Smith as Val's Lawyer
Gigi Vorgan as Carol
Ron Recasner as Diana's Lawyer
Featuring[]
Tony Martinelli as Attendant
Jack Wagner as Aide
Cynthia Janos as Abby's Secretary
Note[]
William Devane joins the cast and makes his first appearance as Gregory Sumner. This episode also marks the last appearance of Lisa Hartman as Ciji Dunne. Lisa would rejoin the cast as Cathy Geary three episodes later.