Expert: Mel - 2/29/2008

Question
Hello Mel! I am a huge Kelly Taylor fan and one of my favorite episodes is "Perfectly Perfect" I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if you could give me the Kelly scenes from that episode? If you can't, that's ok. Your help is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.

Answer
Hi Marissa,

Here are most of the scenes Kelly appears in for the episode "Perfectly Perfect", a few edited down to what's necessary.  Ideally, I'd like to transcribe a maximum of 2 scenes per question and will specify that in my profile soon.  Fortunately, this is also one of my favorite episodes, so I did several.  

As the episode begins, Kelly is in her room before school, compulsively exercising.  She snaps at David for eating the banana she had saved for breakfast and reiterates to her mother that she wants her birthday celebration to be low-key.  

[...]

Kelly comes over to sit with Dylan on the lawn outside West Beverly High.

Kelly: Hi.
Dylan: (looks down, reading; holds potato chip up) Chip?
K: No, thanks.  ... Dylan, have you noticed anyone acting weird around here lately?
D: Like who?
K: Like David ...
D: David IS weird.
K: And Donna.  And Brandon and Steve.  ... And you.
D: I'm not acting weird.  I'm just reading a book.
K: I don't know. I just feel like something weird's going on.  (she takes out a pack of diet pills)
D: (disapproving) You still taking those things?
K: Yeah, so?
D: So maybe you oughta eat something.
K: (smirking) I think you're missing the point.
D: (reads back of box) Vitamins, fiber, ... what's 'nenopropynola' mean?
K: I don't know.  I guess it's the stuff that makes you lose weight.
D: How many of these are you takin'?
K: Just like it says on the box, one before each meal.  I did read the directions.
D: Sure they're good for ya?
K: Dylan, they're over the counter appetite suppressants.  You can buy them anywhere!  You are the last person that I'd expect would be turning into my mother.
D: I just don't like to see you starving yourself. (Kelly mockingly eats some chips before getting up)
K: Mm. Happy?
D: (gets up and races after her) Kel ...
K: (stopping) Just get off my back.
D: Look, I'm not on your back.
K: (sigh) Then let's just drop it.
D: What about tonight?
K: What ABOUT tonight?
D: I'll pick you up about 8:30.
K: Okay.  (she gives a quick smile that fades)

-----

Kelly stares out across campus.  Steve comes by.

Steve: What's the matter, Kelly?
Kelly: You tell me.
S: Tell you what?
K: See that?  David, Donna, and Andrea. (the three are walking and talking in the distance)
S: So?
K: So, they're talking about me again.
S: Kelly, it's just your imagination.
K: No, Steve.  Just tell me what's going on.
S: ... If I tell you, you gotta promise no one will know that it was me that told you.
K: Okay, I promise.  ... Tell me.  
S: It's about your birthday.
K: Oh, god.
S: Come on! Donna's planning a surprise party for you.  Practically the entire class is gonna be there.
K: I told Donna that I didn't want a party!  I told Dylan and my mother that I -
S: Calm down.  Calm down.  You do this to yourself all the time.  Remember when you were 16?  You made a big deal to your mom about how you didn't want a Sweet Sixteen party.  So she didn't make you one.  Then you got furious at her.
K: I know, but that's different.  This is a surprise party and I hate surprise parties.  
S: What's going on here?  This is not the Kelly Taylor I know and love.
K: (solemn) Well maybe I just don't feel like being Kelly Taylor right now.  ... I'm gonna go home.
S: Want me to walk you to your car?
K: No, that's alright.  I'm fine.  I just - I'm gonna go.  (shoots a finger) You're gonna be there, right?
S: Wouldn't miss that for the world.  
K: Good.  Cause you're like the only person in this whole place I can trust right now.  (she leans over to give him a kiss on the cheek)
-----

Kelly comes home and starts to binge eat some potato salad.  Then she changes her mind and abruptly starts washing it down the sink drain.  The realtor comes in and tells some prospective buyers how good a school West Beverly High is.  Kelly replies snidely, "I wouldn't know.  I just dropped out." [...]

Later, in Kelly's room.  

[...]

Jackie: Kelly, what are you doing home?
K: Gee, I thought I still lived here.  This IS our house, isn't it, mom?
J: Yes, but maybe not much longer.
Mrs. Breyer: It's a beautiful house.  
J: Thank you.
K: And we're selling it real cheap.  So why don't you just take it?  Take everything while you're here.  Need some new jeans, new shoes, new underwear?  Why don't you just help yourself to my closet?  
J: Kelly ...
K: What, you like this sweater?  Take it.  It's yours. (she throws it on the woman's daughter)
J: Okay, that's enough!
K: How 'bout some new CDs?  A new life?  Why don't you take my boyfriend?  We're not getting along that well, anyway.  
Girl: I'm really sorry ...
J: Kelly, I want you to apologize to Mrs. Breyer and her daughter right now!
K: (sarcastic) Did I say something wrong?
J: (scoffs) Thank you VERY much.  
K: You're welcome.  (she shuts closet doors and sighs) Ah, damn it ..."
-----

In the kitchen, Jackie and Kelly talk about the recent outburst.

K:(hesitant and apologetic) Did they make an offer?
J: No, they didn't.  And I seriously doubt we'll be seeing THEM in the near future.
K: I'm sorry.
J: Yeah.  You should be.  Whatever possessed you to be so awful to those people?
K: I don't know.  I mean, I - I walked in and saw these total strangers going through my closet.
J: Kelly, what am I supposed to do?  Tell every prospective buyer that your room is off-limits?  
K: How 'bout we start by telling your broker not to smoke in the house?
J: How 'bout we start by changing your attitude right now?  Or maybe we should just take the house off the market and declare bankruptcy.  
K: (pushed to the brink) How 'bout I never say anything about anything ever again?!
J: That is exactly what I am talking about!  Practically every conversation we have had for the last month has ended in some kind of snide remark.  And I'm sick of it.  
K: (low) So am I.  (on the verge of tears) My life is a total mess and nobody understands.
J: Honey ... I know you're going through a rough patch with the divorce and the move.  We all are.  I hate to see you so moody all the time.  You're not a kid anymore.  You're gonna be 18 years old tomorrow.  You gotta try and cope with some of these things.
K: (closes eyes) ... Don't remind me.
J: Is that what's bothering you?
K: I don't know.  (sigh, looks down) Maybe ...
J: This, too, shall pass.  (doorbell sounds)  Ugh.  I hate Open Houses.  

Kelly takes some more diet pills.
-----

Driving to the Peach Pit in Dylan's car.  In a prior scene, it's revealed that Kelly again took more diet pills while getting ready to leave.  

K: Are you hot?  It is so hot ...
D: No, it's not.  It's freezing, Kel.  (She takes off her coat, Dylan looks her over)
K: (hand to chest) My heart is beating so fast.
D: What is it, something you ate?
K: Hardly.  
D: It's probably those diet pills, Kel.
K: I told you, they are over-the-counter, harmless nothings.
D: Ehh ...
K: I'm just really stressed out about this whole birthday thing.
D: What whole birthday thing?
K: Nothing.
D: (sigh) Who told ya?
K: Nobody ... I figured it out on my own.  All that whispering behind my back had to mean something.
D: That's why you were so stressed out about what to wear tonight.
K: Well, I couldn't look like a slob at my own birthday party.
D: (amused) Kel ... y'never look like a slob.  ... You remember in the 2nd grade Ms. Dovietch made me king for a day on my birthday?
K: (smiles) Yeah, you looked very cute in your little crown.
D: Yeah.  But it was also Kathy Collins' birthday, so she got the wand, I got the crown, and we had to agree on what all our royal commands were gonna be.  It was awful.
K: Brenda told me once that she asked to move her birthday so she wouldn't have to share it with Brandon anymore.  So, I guess none of us are very good at sharing.  ... Do you think she'll be there tonight?
D: Yeah.  Of course she will be.  (Kelly stares)
-----

Upon arrival, Kelly learns that Steve isn't there, she greets all her friends, and goes to use the Ladies Room instead of dancing with Dylan.  There, she passes out.  Brenda finds her and she's brought to the hospital.  

[...]

In hospital room, speaking with a doctor.

Jackie: I still don't understand how this happens!  I thought these things were supposed to be safe.  You can buy them in the supermarket.

Dr. Tolika: They generally are if used properly.  But Kelly's been taking twice, maybe three times the normal dosage for a couple of weeks now.  Combined with too much caffeine and no food, her heart couldn't handle it.  
K: But I feel fine now.
Dr: You got off easy.  I've seen much worse problems.  Kidney damage.  Even strokes!  
J: Honey ... what could possibly have possessed you to do this to yourself?
K: I didn't do anything to myself.  I went on a diet.  That's all.
J: A starvation diet that could have killed you.
K: But I'm fine now.  Right, doctor?
Dr: Well, I don't see any need for you to stay in the hospital after tonight.  But, I want you eating, young lady.  A balanced, sensible diet.  And - I want you to consider getting into some kind of professional support system.
K: How 'bout if I promise to pig out a couple of times?
Dr: This is no joke, Kelly.  You're not in real trouble yet.  But you're on your way.  Now, the hospital has a very good eating disorder group.  
K: I don't have an eating disorder.  (The doctor gives Jackie an impatient look)
J: Honey, I think you should consider what Dr. Tolika is suggesting.
K: What, spend an hour in a circle with a bunch of girls groaning about food?  No, thank you.  
J: Okay, we'll talk about it later.
-----

Later, with the gang all inside.

Donna: Leave it to you, Kel.  You know how to get attention on your birthday.  ;)
Kelly: I told you I didn't want a party.  ;)  (greetings)

[...]

Brenda: The paramedic was very cute.
Brandon: Yeah, how was all that mouth-to-mouth, Kel?
K:  I had mouth-to-mouth?
Dylan: Don't get excited.  I don't think "very" is the right word ...
Andrea: Oh, he was -
Jackie: You better get out of here before the nurses have me arrested.  (K says goodbye to Brandon and Donna, Steve shows up)
Steve: You picked a hell of a place to have a birthday party.
K: Steve, you came.
S: I wouldn't miss your birthday ... (goes in for a hug, then whispers) You didn't tell 'em I told you, did you?
K: (big smile) No, of course not. (they hug)

[...]

Brenda: You scared me.
Kelly: Don't worry, I'm fine.  In fact, it looks like I'm gonna live, so you can't have Dylan back (joking, to break the tension).
B: (serious) Kelly ... we all have to stop making ourselves nuts about the past.  (Kelly looks, smile fades)  But Kelly, please, ... if you were trying to punish yourself ...
K: Brenda, I really think you're over-reacting.  I just took too many diet pills.  Why is everyone acting like I tried to commit suicide?
B: I'm not saying that.  All I'm saying is that no matter what's happened, I love you.  ... Even though you don't always know it.  And even though I don't always show it.  (Kelly smiles) So don't ever let it happen again, okay?
K: Okay.  (they hug)
B: Call me tomorrow and I'll take you out for ... ice cream (joking).
K: Ha ha.  

[...]

Dylan: You doin' alright?
Kelly: Yeah, I guess I am.  (he sits on the hospital bed)
D: Well, it's after midnight, so ... happy birthday.  (they both smile)
K: Thanks.  (he touches her face)  ... Dylan?
D: Mm hm?
K:  ... Thanks for staying.
D: Where else would I want to be?

They look at each other.  He turns off the light and sits down in a nearby chair as Kelly rolls over to go to sleep.
-----

Thanks for the question!

All the best,

Mel