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 manny story

as lived by their fans

What exactly happened with Michelle and Mick? I know that she and Drew killed him in self-defense. What was he doing? Attacking Michelle or Drew? Did he rape Michelle? Just wondering.

Drew had Mick busted for selling drugs at her club so once he got out of jail, he attacked Drew who was waiting for Michelle at the beach, and when Michelle showed up and he tried to get her alone, Drew hit him on the head with a rock, he fought back, Michelle hit him and this time he went down. The girls panicked, went back to Millennium and came back with Jesse and Bill, only to find Mick gone. They later heard on the radio his body washed up ashore. The fact that his body was moved led to the speculation that they hadn't really killed him.

I'd started watching GL off and on late summer. Saw the kiss that Bill planted on Michelle (Rebecca Budig then) and thought they'd make a more interesting couple than Michelle and Jesse. Then of course, Michelle and Drew scuffle with Mick on the beach (notice I don't say "kill"?) and everyone starts talking about Mick's brother due in town to look into his brother's killing. In the SOD article Danny Oh Boy, they're not kidding when they say he exploded onto the scene. Once he blew into the place, I was hooked. What a breath of fresh air. And the fact that he and Michelle came together is no surprise (before he got the part, he read with JL and Paul Rauch had to at one time stop taping a show and TELL PAS that it wasn't Drew he wanted him to flirt with...) Anyway, PAS has definitely reinvigorated the show for me.

Manny's first conversation at Millennium where Michelle was studying while Drew was wearing that slutty dress trying to get Danny's attention:

Basically, Drew decides to make him "fall" for her. She puts on a slinky dress and slides up to him and begins to flirt. He kinda flirts back but really he was saying that he's here to look into his brother's death and isn't interested in anything else right now. The whole time he's saying this, he's making eye contact with Michelle who's trying to seem like she's studying. Once Drew flounces off, he zeroes in on Michelle. Asking about her school work, mentioning his college courses and he's so obviously making a connection with her. It was like he looked at all the "four buddies" who were all there and separated the "weakest" one—Michelle. After that, it was kismet! The looks they exchanged and their body language pretty much announced their attraction.

And remember when he kisses her outside the diner? That came after yet another of one of their long gazes at each other. I have that show on tape by the way and it was, umm, what word should I use ... Oh! how about FABULOUS! Manny has great potential! I'm all for this couple and can't wait for the next two months when they get married (again), she falls for him and of course (drum roll) he finds out about her little plan to bring down the mighty Santos family.

The Thanksgiving episode: Lizzie and Marina took some makeup from their Moms to put on, then got scared and hid. In the meantime, Danny and Michelle had another confrontation (he was upset that she asked him how he was but she and the others didn't bother to go to Mick's funeral) and then of course Jesse got all he-man and fired Danny. When everyone discovered the 2 girls missing, both Drew and Michelle jumped to the conclusion that Danny must've kidnapped them! When Cop-man Frank got there he had 2 cops hold Danny for questioning and Danny said "hey man I'm clean just check my record". He even offered to help find the kids (and of course he was the one who found them!). Was funny because when Danny asked Frank why would he want to kidnap the girls, India said ... well for the money of course, Lizzie's a Spaulding. Danny just laughed at her and said "Lady, I don't need your money"!

I was curious about this storyline from the beginning because I couldn't figure out where the entire Michelle/Jesse/Drew/Bill plot was headed. I remember seeing Danny's introductory scene... and not being too impressed... but I was interested enough to keep watching his scenes. By the Christmas-time scene at the mall, I was already trying to figure out whether he had real feelings for Michelle or whether he was simply trying to goad her into telling Jesse about his advances.

The episode that really made me stand up and pay attention was the one that ended with the kiss outside the diner. That was when Danny was sitting at the counter and Jesse walked up to him to say that Michelle told him that Danny thought he (Jesse) was the one who killed Mick. And Danny stood up and turned around and stared at Michelle. Meanwhile, there was poor Paolo (Jesse) saying his lines as if nothing was going on... and all the while PAS is giving Michelle this absolutely amazing look. And I remember thinking to myself that his was one unique actor and, of course, when the show ended with that kiss outside the diner, I knew I was hooked and reeled in completely!

The diner kiss was their first kiss, I think. Danny told Michelle the day before at the beach that his suspicion was on Jesse after witnessing just how overprotective Jesse was of Michelle. At the diner, Michelle told Jesse this and as soap fate would have it, Danny was there, too. Jesse approached Danny and apologized for their mini brawl at the beach (Jesse saw Danny manhandle her and went nuts, fueling Danny's suspicion further). Jesse wanted to start some kind of truce but of course, Danny didn't buy it. Jesse told Danny that if he had anything to say to him, he say it to him, not Michelle. Danny said "Fine" in a "whatever" kind of tone and left the diner. Michelle thanked Jesse for being so calm and collected and they felt they had nothing more to worry about. Michelle then went outside of the diner alone to pay her parking meter or something. As Michelle was waving good bye to someone, Danny appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her head and gave her that long kiss (It lasted a good 5 seconds). The guy didn't utter one word; he just left.

The scene that got me really hooked on Manny was when he first kissed her outside of the Diner. It was the way he did it. He grabs her, kissed her and then left without saying a word. LOVED IT!!

That kiss stunned me as much as it did Michelle, and I've been hooked on Manny and Danny ever since, and it's all due to PAS and JL.

I think my favorite Danny and Michelle pre-marital kiss was the one he did right in front of Jesse, saying "Morning Sexy!"

It's early morning and only Michelle still in her bathrobe is up and studying. Jesse sneaks up behind her and they talk quietly and snuggle. Drew gets up crabby complaining about them and how they make her sick ooohing and cooing so early in the morning. Next Bill surfaces from the floor asking if they could all shut up so he could sleep. While they're all arguing, there's a knock on the door. Michelle (of course) answers it. Danny comes in looking at her, gives the room and the others the once over and then says to Michelle "Morning Sexy!", grabs her and pulls her in for a KISS. Of course everyone's stunned. Commercial. He's still kissing her when we come back. By this time, Jesse is launching himself (can you picture that?) at them and Bill's trying to stop Jesse and Drew is ... well as always trying to make sure that Jesse doesn't get hurt. Finally pry them apart. Danny says that Michelle knows why he kissed her! He then informs Jesse that they're lab partners and this was part of a lab experiment in predicting violent reactions to certain actions (he plays Jesse like a fiddle sometimes). Of course Michelle can only sputter as Jesse turns on her in surprise. Drew gets Danny into the hall and they have quite a conversation. It's then that he lets on he's attracted to Michelle. There's more to the show and I could definitely go on and on but you get the point.

I remember both of those kisses. I don't know how many times I hit the rewind button to watch them over and over again. The one outside the diner was really sweet. Because he just grabbed her (not in a rough way) and kissed her. Then he gently touched her chin and left. Not one word was said. Michelle was too stunned to say anything. The one at the apartment was good because he just sauntered on in there and kissed her in front of everyone and made no apologies about it. LOVED IT!!

It wasn't me who gave the "Morning Sexy" kiss description, but whoever it was, they were right on it! Danny eyeing the room the way he did and then just pulling her head to his was classic! That was a "Danny-ism," as I'd like to call it. Can someone fill me in on their next scene after the Diner kiss when Michelle said that Danny and her were in the same class? I know it was the episode right after Jenna died. I don't remember watching it though. Details aren't necessary, I just want to know what they were generally talking about... since I have absolutely no idea on it. By the way, I saw Friday's lighthouse episode... Wow! Yeah, I think that did beat out "Morning Sexy." 8-)

PAS had come down with bronchitis and it seemed to me like even though Danny and Michelle had episodes that were supposed to take place in class, they didn't end up on the air -- because they always ended up explaining what had happened. Michelle refers to the day Danny showed up to audit her psych class and they're studying inkblots. While she's being student-Michelle, Danny's telling her that he sees 2 people making love... her & him! There was a definite gap between the "kiss outside the diner" and when Michelle gets Danny's peace offering in the mail. Danny sends this peace offering because as he says at the Mall, he was "sorry for crossing the line in class the other day" -- you definitely get the feeling that he pushed her pretty hard in their study-partner session -- You KNOW this is one episode that would've been great but I still think because PAS was ill, that they never filmed it. ANYWAY, we see Michelle getting ready for school. Drew comes in with a package for her. Michelle opens it and it's an inkblot with a note saying "I see a truce... I'm sorry" along with a cell phone number. Of course, it's from Danny. Bill and Jesse come in and they all make small talk. Michelle leaves and calls the number. Danny answers and Michelle says they need to meet and talk. This is when they meet at the Mall by the Santa Claus display. It's a good episode and the one where Danny starts to let Michelle know how he feels about her (and the by way, as sick as he obviously was, he still looked and sounded GOOOOD).

Danny seemed convinced that Jesse had killed Mick so he figured the way to get to Jesse was through harassing Michelle and hitting on her. At that point in the story he was acting all creepy on her with the sexual innuendoes (the inkblots) and following her to her psych class. Needless to say, he grew attached to her and became shocked to find out that she had killed Mick. And the rest is history...

It was the day after their encounter at the Mall. She'd just left (or rather Holly threw her out) Holly's place after stopping in for Christmas cheer. Of course, Michelle and Danny had already "bumped" into each other earlier that day at Millennium -- she leaving a gift for Jesse while whistling a Christmas carol and he looking on amused (was a good episode, sorry). Anyway, he approaches her outside of Holly's house and they talk for a minute and then he gives her a Christmas present. At first she doesn't want to take it but then she does and opens it to discover a picture of her taken when she'd been at the park alone... She asked Danny how he got it but all he says is "It's important you don't forget me" and of course the look she gives him is... how could I? Indeed.

I remember the dialogue of that scene because I thought it was funny and insightful. Danny creeps up in *front* of Michelle at Holly's door.

Danny: You can't accuse me of creeping up behind you.
Michelle: I can accuse you of following me though.
Danny: How else am I going to give you your Christmas Present?
Michelle: Ever hear of the US Mail? Besides you have no right giving me gifts.
Danny: No right? I should take it up with the ACLU.
Michelle: I don't care if you call the FBI!

The Christmas gift was just another way for Danny to harass Michelle. He gave Michelle a picture of herself that he'd taken of her when she was in the park alone so she wouldn't forget him. In other words, so she wouldn't forget that he was there waiting for her or Jesse to slip up. It was just a reminder from Danny to Michelle that he was waiting to pounce if she ever weakened.

At this point it was obvious how he felt about her but I took the present to mean that he was there and watching even when she thought he was alone. He'd told her before when he confronted her at the beach on Thanksgiving that he could "feel" that she knew something and that's why he stuck to Michelle like glue... I believe that Danny was attracted to Michelle from the moment he laid eyes on her (and remember he knew about her from Mick...)

In the beginning, Danny was attracted to Michelle, but he also enjoyed toying with her. He told Jesse during the diner scene that Michelle was a class act, and Jesse responded that she's not an act she's the real thing. Danny tested Michelle and he found out that Jesse was right. He knew Michelle was beautiful and smart, but when he started following her around to expose Jesse as Mick's killer he discovered that she was also popular, well loved, generous, loyal, and tough. Half of SF showed up at her Thanksgiving dinner at Millennium, and everyone from the working class Coopers to the upscale Spauldings all like her, and treat her like family, and all their kids love her. He put a lot of pressure on Michelle by kissing her, following her around, auditing her classes, and giving her inappropriate gifts, but she didn't crack and go running to Jesse.

He wound up forcing the issue by kissing Michelle in front of Jesse and their friends. The attraction Danny felt for Michelle intensified as he got to know her better, but I doubt anything would have come of it if he hadn't have found out that this beautiful, smart, sweet, innocent girl killed his brother. Danny lost all self-control and went a little crazy when Drew told him that, but in the end he couldn't kill Michelle, and he couldn't let his family kill her. I don't think love had anything to do with his decision to marry her, it was more about attraction, yearning, and maybe a little guilt and anger. Although Danny isn't afraid of exploring his physical attraction to Michelle, I think he is terrified of falling in love with her. He may hope she falls in love with him, but I don't think he's anymore interested in loving her than she is in loving him. Poor Danny still thinks he controls this situation, and I think that's one of the reasons he's so intent on pushing for intimacy.

I was thinking it'd be interesting to see how and when each of us got hooked on Manny. In my case, not much of a surprise, the clincher was the week of the confrontation/marriage. As disturbing as the beach scenes were, they did show Danny in a different light: no longer the cool-as-a-cucumber leather-jacket guy, but shaken and emotional. That alone was worth seeing. And I was already half in love by the time he put his jacket (or was it a blanket?) around Michelle in the next episode. I think that was the week he became human and started to care for Michelle, instead of seducing her -- the character was given another dimension.

There are indications that Danny does not revel in violence, like when he saw Jesse with Michelle at the country club, he could have punched him right away or have Dietz throw him out but he didn't. As furious as he was with both of them, he also tried to rein on his emotions and get Jesse out without the situation escalating into violence. So it's a little bit confusing for me to sort all these contradictions out and try to come up with a plausible explanation with how he sometimes manhandles Michelle. Is this what growing up in a mob family will do to you? I'd like to know. No matter how much he hates it, I assume he had to absorb what he saw around (esp. the henchmen's way) and he seems to have mastered the art of threatening. Yet he doesn't seem to have been conditioned enough to act on the slightest provocation, like his brother.

I think you've found the answer. Danny is good at threatening, and that's why he's having so much trouble with Michelle. He's used to being in total control of himself and the situation, and he was until he found out that Michelle killed Mick. Danny was toying with Messe until Drew told him that Michelle, not Jesse, had killed Mick. That knowledge turned Danny's world upside down, and he's still trying to right it. Michelle gets to him, she pushes all his buttons, and makes him say and do things that he wouldn't otherwise. I doubt Danny has ever been in a situation were he has felt so totally out of control, and the more out of control he feels, the more he tries to regain control by intimidating Michelle, and Michelle being totally oblivious to his turmoil doesn't help. We're watching a private, confident, self-contained man slowly unravel, and fly apart at the seams exposing his weaknesses, desires, and most carefully guarded secrets. At times it won't be pretty.

Does anyone know when grandma Santos is first seen? I am assuming it must be coming pretty soon because I think she is going to play a big role in helping Michelle to change her mind about Danny. I also think that one of the first things Michelle is going to do in order to get "deep in the family" is to agree to meet with Grandma. She was so dead set against it last week that I think the next time someone brings it up she will agree to it. What do you all think?

Agreed. On a side note, I *loved* how that scene was blocked in the 01/26 Tues. show. Here was Danny almost pouring his heart out, wanting Michelle to meet someone he obviously cares for a great deal (not even Michelle could have been oblivious to that), and she wouldn't look at him, as if she couldn't deal with the fact that... I don't know, he has feelings? It was wonderful. :-)