Summary of Eli's Coming
Dan chokes on the water that he's drinking when Casey announces on air that Bobbi Bernstein will be joining them in the studio tomorrow afternoon for their coverage of the Sweet 16. After the show ends, Dan asks when this happened. Casey says he guesses that Dana forgot to tell Dan. Dan says that yes, Dana forgot to tell him. At that moment, Dana walks over and tells Dan that she forgot to tell him that Bobbi Bernstein was going to be sitting in for Jack tomorrow because Jack has flu-like symptoms. Dan seems upset, and Dana asks him if there's anything wrong with Bobbi Bernstein. Dan says no, there's nothing wrong with her. They both agree that Bobbi Bernstein knows college basketball. Dana mentions to Casey that she wants to get a cake for Isaac to greet him back from his vacation with a party in his office. Casey asks what kind of cake. Dana is surprised that he cares. Casey says that he's very particular about his cake, and in his experience men buy better cakes than women. He starts lecturing on why women buy bad cakes, and Dana tells him she'll get whatever cake she wants. Dana asks Dan again if everything is okay with Bobbi Bernstein, and he says yeah. Dana walks off, and Dan looks at Casey in desperation. Casey tells him to go for it. Dan goes over to Dana, who rants and raves about how out of line Casey was for lecturing her about cake. Dan gets the point across that he wants to talk to her, and tells her that there is a sort of thing with Bobbi Bernstein. Or rather, there really isn't a thing. Dana is confused. Dan says he is too. He tells Dana that no one ever believes him when he tells this story. Dana says she'll believe him. He stresses how unbelievable a story it is. Dana assures him she'll believe him. He tells Dana that it really is the truth. Dana says she is standing there telling him that she will believe him. Dan tells Dana that Bobbi Bernstein thinks that Bobbi and Dan met in Spain, slept together at her hotel room, and then Dan never called her. Dan says he never met Bobbi until she started doing work at CSC, he's never slept with her, and he's never been to Spain. Dana looks at him and asks him why he never called. Dan says it's because he didn't sleep with the woman. Dana doesn't believe him. Dan says it must be something that women put in their hair that makes none of them believe this story. Dana says she puts nothing in her hair and her hair color is completely natural. Dan says that Rebecca is going to be at the show tomorrow. Dana tells Dan that Rebecca's hair color is not natural. Dan says be that as it may, he'd still like to keep her as a girlfriend, and if Rebecca hears Bobbi going off about sleeping with Dan and Dan not calling, it's not going to look good. Dana says that Dan should have called. Dan realizes Dana is going to be no help and gives up. Casey wanders by and suggests chocolate cake.
Casey is trying to get the whole production crew psyched up for the special expanded coverage show this afternoon. Dan blows through and tells Casey he needs to talk to him. Casey follows Dan into their office. It turns out that Dan is upset because he went down to Rebecca's office, and her ex-husband Steve Sisco was there. Casey wonders why Steve Sisco was there on a Saturday. Dan wonders why Steve Sisco was there at all. Although Dan tries to act cool about it, he is obviously very upset.
Dana is in Isaac's office with Natalie and Jeremy instructing them in hanging a "Welcome Back" banner over the window. She is being very particular, and questioning her own judgment. She is already anticipating Casey being judgmental about it. Casey and Dan come in. Dan tells everyone that he went down to Rebecca's office and Steve Sisco was there. Natalie wonders why Steve Sisco was there on a Saturday. Dan can't figure out what's so important about Saturday. Dana asks Casey what he thinks of the banner. He says he likes it. She is pleasantly surprised. He goes on to compliment her, reassuring her that it's not too "on the nose" as she was worries. He says it's precise. Dana overreacts and interprets that to mean that Casey is implying that normally she runs at the mouth. She says she can be even more precise and cut the word "back." Everyone assures her that's unecessary.
In the studio, it's two minutes to show time. Dana is concerned that Isaac isn't there yet when he said he'd be there "well before" the show started. No one else seems as concerned. Rebecca hasn't showed up as she told Dan that she would. Dan thinks the day is strange. He decides that Eli is coming, and Eli is something bad... because once he misinterpreted a Three Dog Night song. Bobbi Bernstein shows up and things are decidedly chilly between her and Dan. Dan says there isn't a calm before the storm – stuff happens.
Dan and Bobbi are at the anchor desk. Just before they go on air, Dan makes a flailing attempt at a little conversation. Bobbi is as cold as ice, but she hasn't brought up the incident in Spain yet. They go on the air. In the control room, Elliott passes on the news to Dana that Isaac's plane landed four hours ago at JFK. Dana is concerned. Jeremy tries to be comforting and tells Dana that if Isaac took the Triboro Bridge, four hours in from JFK wouldn't be a record. Dana tries to paste a smile and her face and tries it out on Natalie who looks back at her grimly. Meanwhile, on air, Dan flubs a line and asks how Rebecca's ankle is. Bobbi is blank, and Dan recovers, asking how Rick O'Brian's ankle is. When the get off the air, Bobbie wanders away, and Dan follows her. He says that she seems calmer than usual. She says she's not going to harp on the incident anymore. He still tries to defend himself even though she's not attacking him, telling her that he's never been to Spain and that next time she shows up she should bring a picture. She hands him a picture. He recognizes himself wrapped in a towel that has "Hotel de Espana" printed on it. Then he looks at the girl in the picture, and says that that girl is not Bobbi, in fact, her remembers that girl and her name was Roberta. Suddenly, he looks at Bobbi and realizes that she was right all along. She holds her hand out and mock introduces herself to him. He tries to stutter apologies. She's very calm. Rebecca walks in mentioning that her ankle is fine. Dan introduces Rebecca to Bobbi. Bobbi leaves, and Rebecca asks if Dan has time for coffee. He doesn't really, but they go into an editing room to talk. He tries to play it cool, like seeing Steve Sisco in her office didn't bother him, but with some cajoling kisses, she gets him to admit the truth and ask the questions he so desperately wants to ask. It turns out that she's not actually divorced from Steve Sisco, they're just separated, and Steve Sisco was in her office today (on a Saturday! would it have been okay if it were on a Tuesday?) to suggest that he and Rebecca go to couples counseling. Dan doesn't have time to react because he has to get back on the air.
Dana is considering calling the police to figure out what happened to Isaac. Casey, during a break, wanders back into the control room. Dana snaps at him. Casey suggests they take it outside. They walk out of the control room and into the conference room. Dana asks Casey when he's going to let her off the hook. He feigns that he doesn't know what she's talking about. Finally he admits that he's giving her a hard time because she dumped the show for Gordon the other night. And he takes off to go back on the air without letting her off the hook. Natalie comes out and Dana tells her that she wants to rip Casey's face off.
Dan finds Rebecca at his next break. He tells her that he will support her decision no matter what it is. She is astounded at his understanding and generosity, and kisses him. He does feel that he has to mention, however, the Steve Sisco is a terrible man. She doesn't really want to think about it anymore today and decides to stick around and watch Dan on TV.
Dan goes back to the anchor desk and apologizes beautifully to Bobbi for not calling her. She accepts his apology gracefully. Casey storms off to have it out with Dana again. Dana is raving about Casey to Natalie when Casey comes storming in. She anticipates his attack, but instead he tells her that Isaac had a stroke and is in the hospital. She is shocked. Casey goes to tell Dan who is about to go on air. Dan is shocked. "Eli's Coming" starts to play its haunting intro in the background. Casey asks Dan if he's okay, and Dan says yeah, he is. He goes on air with Bobbi. The now rockin' song of "Eli's Coming" roars over the broadcast.
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