His time was up!
Spencer Truman's days were numbered months ago, but his increasingly erratic behavior coupled with that little hostage incident involving him, a gun, and Dr. Marty sealed his fate. It's just such a shame that his final moments on earth involved his drugging Blair, putting her in a wedding dress, and trying to have sex with her while she was unconscious. When Paul Satterfield premiered as Spencer, he was touted as the next smart villain, someone whose agenda would be slowly revealed and would involve a significant number of Llanview residents. Little did we know then that he thought he was yet another Asa Buchanan offspring!
Over time, Spencer became more and more desperate, took more and more chances, and became less and less likeable (if he ever was to begin with!). When he was stabbed in the back (quite literally), it was as though the end of a tedious era concluded and a fresh outlook in Llanview took hold. But with Spencer Truman's demise comes the inevitable whodunit and a round-up of the usual suspects. See if you agree with my assessment of the guilty and the not guilty.
Suspect #1: Rex
Balsam is, of course, the suspect caught red-handed. The interesting part of having Rex be the prime suspect is two-fold. First, it creates a complex caught-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place situation with Bo. As Commissioner, he is obligated to find Spencer's killer. On the other hand, he is certainly no friend to the guy, and he has a special pseudo-father/son relationship with Rex. Putting Rex in that hot seat can't be particularly easy for him, and Rex will also be faced with the quandary of whether or not he should reveal Tommy's true parentage. The secrets and the ramifications that potentially could unfold after such an earth-shattering revelation could be what propels this usual suspect to prime suspect in a murder trial. However, did Rex kill the evil Doc? Nah. Chances of his being guilty? 10%
Suspect #2: Michael
Having just found out that the son he and Marcie are planning to raise is really Todd's (and was given away by Spencer), Michael has every reason to want Spencer dead. He ruined this child's life by placing him in a situation filled with lies and deceit, and he is also responsible for the death of Michael's father. Knowing that the elder McBain's death ripped his family apart, Michael still harbors a great deal of emotional pain and agony over his disrupted childhood. To know that Spencer is the root of that pain can be just the impetus to lead someone like Michael to commit murder. He seemed emotionally unstable following Spencer's stabbing, and despite the impression that he believes his brother is guilty of the crime, I believe there is more guilt behind his eyes than one might think. Chances of his being guilty? 60%
Suspect #3: John
Certainly if anyone has a greater hatred for this man (other than Todd), it is John McBain. He spent most of his adult life looking for the person responsible for his father's shooting, and once he learned that Spencer orchestrated the event, John spiraled into a rage and a sense of revenge that we have never seen before. John's one mission in his life, and the reason he works on recovering from his accident, is to make sure that Spencer pays for the crimes that he committed. One of John's greatest weaknesses is his impulsivity, and reacting to Spencer rather than letting the court system handle him is what might make John a viable suspect. Adding fuel to his guilt is the secrecy to Michael Easton's extended contract as John. If Easton only signed on to continue playing John for a short time, perhaps this is the way to write Easton out. With that said, I think the producers realize that for the amount of money Easton costs, they need to get a huge bang for their buck, and this definitely isn't the way to maximize his effectiveness on the canvas. Of course, if his medical condition on the show is so precarious, that would be just the excuse needed to make sure he is cleared of the charges! b>Chances of his being guilty? 40%
Suspect #4: Jack
This one cracks me up! I've read it all over message boards, and I have to chuckle every time I see it. Sure, Jack hates Spencer and told him so. Sure, Jack wants to stick up for his mother. But whoever walked into Blair's room had gloves on---the person intended to do some type of harm. What reason would Jack have to be wearing those types of gloves (ones a little boy certainly wouldn't be wearing), and how could Jack stab Spencer so high in his back? Even while sitting on the bed, the person standing over Spencer would have to be tall enough (and strong enough) to stab this 6'4" (or taller!) man to death. It ain't Jack, folks. Trust me on that one. b>Chances of his being guilty? 2% (only because Higley is still writing the show and has been known to do foolish things)
Suspect #5: Addie
Poor Addie. Always blamed for things involving stabbings. Again, message boards point to the fact that Blair's unstable mother might be the culprit. But friends, I implore you to think carefully, do you really think Addie is capable of sneaking out of St. Anne's and getting to the hospital, finding a pair of leather gloves, grabbing a pair of scissors, stabbing Spencer to death without making any noise, sneaking out of the hospital, getting back to her room, and washing away any signs of blood? Even I cannot suspend reality enough to believe that one. Addie is no more guilty of this crime than if I were to leap through my TV and do it myself (and believe me, I wish I had several times). Addie's role in this is to cast doubt on Todd's alibi, since Addie is incapable of providing a solid eyewitness account of Todd's whereabouts that night. b>Chances of her being guilty? 0%
Suspect #6: Dorian
Although Dorian has just as much (if not more) motive than anyone to want Spencer dead, her opportunity wasn't there. Just moments before, Dorian was scheming with Lindsay to win back Clint and Bo for the two of them. Malice and murder were certainly not on the dinner plate that evening. Does that mean Dorian isn't capable of stabbing Spencer in the back, especially when she saw him attacking Blair? No, and if she did do it, that will be the excuse that doesn't land her in prison...again. But Dorian's opportunity wasn't there, and because of that, I don't think she will be much more than a small blip on the radar. b>Chances of her being guilty? 8%
Suspect #7: Paige
Oh, Paige, I hate to see you go, but I think your time has come, darling! Paige definitely has the means, motive, and opportunity to have committed this crime. The pain and heartache that this man put her through for the better part of two and a half decades is enough to push any woman like Paige to her breaking point. From having her taking the heat for being drunk the night that Michael and John's father came into the ER that night in Atlantic City (which Nora later was able to refute) to her being blackmailed to help deliver Margaret and Todd's baby, Paige has been emotionally manipulated by her ex-husband to the point of complete and utter hatred. If she had walked into Blair's room and saw him attacking her, I can see no better opportunity for her than to stab her husband squarely in the back. Comeuppance hurts, buddy. Furthermore, it has already been revealed that a future storyline involves Lindsay and Nora battling over Bo's affections. That might be hard to do with Paige still in the picture, so what better way to remove her from the equation? You guessed it! Chances of her being guilty? 85%
Suspect #8: Marty
Please, producers, I implore you, bring back Susan Haskell! She's already delivered a healthy baby, so give her a chance to bond with her child, get back in emotional and physical shape in order to come to work, and offer her the role back! Christina Chambers, while very lovely, is not Marty. She would be great in another role, I am convinced, but she does not embody the spirit or the tenacity of Marty Saybrooke. With that said, Marty had just been held at gunpoint by this lunatic, and her professional reputation was scarred because of his manipulations. To walk in to Blair's room and see a man trying to rape this poor woman might be what sent Marty back all of those years to the frat party during which Todd raped her. Having a delusional posttraumatic flashback (doesn't that sound plausible? I don't even know if such a thing exists, but it sure looks great) is what could make Dr. Marty one guilty lady. < b>Chances of her being guilty? 70%
Suspect #9: Asa's Mysterious Henchman
Remember that call that Asa made after his and Renee's anniversary party? He said something about eliminating the problem? While that could have been absolutely anything, it could also have been one of Asa's men taking care of the problem on behalf of his boss. Do I think it's likely? Nah. But Dena Higley could go for the Agatha Christie route and have the guilty one be someone nobody would ever be able to figure out. < b>Chances of his being guilty? 4%
Suspect #10: Todd
Of course I had to save the most obvious choice for last. Quite honestly, I expected Todd to be the usual suspect, the one that everyone would assume did the deed first. Having Rex be the #1 suspect is a twist that I appreciate, even though I know Rex isn't guilty by any stretch of the imagination. But I do believe that Todd was with Addie that night, asking her to convince Blair to marry him. Why? First because it's something Todd would do. Relentless is his middle name. So to have him do anything in his power to allow him to get his way has Todd written all over it. Furthermore, Todd isn't a killer. If Todd wanted him dead, he could have achieved that when he kidnapped Spencer. And if Todd had witnessed the creep trying to have sex with Blair, there would have been no way for him to control the rage and the anger that would have emerged. Todd was far too calm upon his return to the hospital and upon hearing the news of Spencer's death. Todd may be looked upon as a suspect with suspicious eyes, but he won't be found guilty of this crime. Chances of his being guilty? 25%
So as the investigation continues, I will be curious to see what evidence emerges and who suddenly appears to be guilty. One person I chose to purposely omit from this list of usual suspects is Spencer's brother, David. Although I know he is briefly returning in March, this knucklehead isn't a killer. He's just whacky David. If you have your own thought about the whodunit that I failed to mention, don't hesitate to share. Although I may not necessarily get back to you, I will thoroughly enjoy reading all of your guesses and speculations!
Enjoy your week,
Ryan
