Diane Planting Doubts in Jack’s Mind

[phacksadam]

First Diane makes Jack wonder about Phyllis’ intentions with her “marking her territory” remark. Today, it was her comment about knowing what it’s like to be lonely. Jack quickly struck that assumption down, but then had a look on his face after leaving. She’s trying to get to him. Emotional mind games. Playing on his insecurities the same as she’s done with Phyllis.

I thought Jack had had a wake up call about Diane when she was at the Abbott mansion manipulating Kyle and immediately giving herself a nickname for Harrison to call. The idea of a nickname and her already establishing herself as part of the family again was bad enough. But I have to wonder if she knew Dee Dee was Delia’s nickname, or if it was just a failure on the writers part to remember the show’s history. Anyway, Jack tried to warn Kyle about her again. But then his reaction after leaving the GCAC makes me unsure of whether or not the loneliness comment has still gotten to his head. And then there’s the previews for next week where he questions Phyllis about marking her territory. Idk. But Diane has already started trouble . . .

[Angeldar]

If Jack wants to dance around her orbit and take in every snide and manipulative comment she makes, then he deserves to be without Phyllis. Phyllis needs to tell him to take a hike and then just walk away.

[DallasGal]

Well, there no point to Diane’s return if she isn’t going to cause trouble. And, her comment after Jack left saying things were going better than she thought seems to indicate that she is quite pleased with herself.

Jack and Phyllis know Diane’s mind games so it’s a bit frustrating because it sure feels like the writers are going to have them fall into Diane’s trap. I don’t like when characters are dumbed down to make a story work.

[phacksadam]

I agree. This storyline should be about the older, more experienced adults warning and protecting their adult children from the dangers of Diane. It shouldn’t be about them being sucked into her manipulative mind games again. They’re supposed to have learned from having gone through it before. These characters are smarter than this. Oh, well. I still love that Phack are together again and have storyline.

[Rubythroat1]

Planting doubts in Jack's mind is just yet another of the techniques of a Personality Disorder and possible sociopath. Especially if the manipulator knows
a person's Achilles Heel. Diane is intimately aware of everyone's soft and hard parts and will willingly kick them when they are down.
Phyllis and Nicki will be harder to crack, and maybe Summer.

[thecourt99]

I really didn't like what Diane implied. I think she told her on herself. For her to say that, she has to have been watching Jack for a while.

[phacksadam]

Super creepy!

[TunerEyes]

What exactly are you guys referring to?

[thecourt99]

TunerEyes Diane made a comment about feeling lost and looking for love. It was a vague statement, but it was a direct reference to the "mopey Jack" that we've seen for months. It made me think that Diane has been watching Jack to know his emotional state and then hit the right points to mess with his mind and emotions.

[TunerEyes]

We have seen for ourselves, watching Jack these past years since Dina died and his stepping back from Jabot, that Jack is very self aware of his feeling alone and kind of drifting in his life. He’s had these discussions with Jill and Victor in fact. Seems to me that Diane has been feeling the same in her life and it did hit on how Jack is feeling at this point in his life. So what? Actually sounds like she’s very astute. Just don’t get how someone discussing being alone or lonely should be causing trouble. I venture there are many retired or semi-retired adults with kids out of the house who feel some of that too.

As far as Diane’s comment about Phyllis’ timing and marking her territory, people here saw it that way too.

These GC-ites are kind of hilarious getting all worked up about comments made. Kind of like a child coming home and telling their mom that so and so said this to me on the playground! So far I’m seeing what Diane said as being insightful but not worth blowing up out of proportion. It’s really all these people making the effort to get in Diane’s face constantly that is more annoying. I can see why both Diane and Ashland (with Newmans) feel they have something in common. Jack then takes it to the next level by seeking out Diane at her hotel. Like really? He and Phyllis just make it worse for themselves and continually engage with her. Like kids on the playground, trying to pick a fight by daring someone else to throw out the first punch.

[thecourt99]

But that's the point. As viewers, we've seen this. Diane wouldn't know to bring it up unless she's been watching Jack too. That's what makes it creepy.

[TunerEyes]

Diane knows Jack was very sad and feeling guilty in a way at losing Keemo before they could reconnect. For not making more of an effort over the years. So why wouldn’t he be lonely and feeling alone and Diane understanding that? Here’s Diane, wanting to connect with her son while she can so she won’t be in that same position. Kind of similar situations for those two in a general way.

[RedheadTeacher]

Diane knows that she won a victory with Kyle's acceptance and now she's going to work on Jack. Smooth move on her part.

[TunerEyes]

Phyllis, I understand tries to get a rise out of Diane by constantly confronting her when she sees or seeks her out. That is just So her. Jack I had thought was smarter than that (I’ll throw Victor and Nikki and Ashley into that mix as well btw). The way these two go after Diane is simply a self-fulfilling prophesy on their part, their facing off against Diane and plotting with each other will cause Kyle and Summer to take sides. So it will be Jack and Phyllis’ reaction that really causes the problems.

[zenmaster5]

The she-devil strikes again with her mind games she is playing on Jack. Diane always seems to leave Jack scratching his head wondering if she is on to something when it comes to Phyllis. Diane sure knows how to get into Jack's head and cause him doubt.
It is so obvious that Diane has not changed and is up to no good. I now wonder too if she knew about Delia's nickname being Dee Dee.. after all, Diane said she kept tabs on what's been going on with the resident's of GC.

[couplingchick]

Well maybe instead of Internet searching her obsession about the Abbott’s and other residents of Genoa City perhaps Diane could’ve made an effort to get in touch with her son a lot sooner like she has claimed she wanted.. I think it’s obvious by the way she speaks to everyone but Kyle ( who is the only one who buys her whole innocence act?) that she has ulterior motives for being in town… and she will use both Kyle and Harrison to get what she wants.

[zenmaster5]

I completely agree with your comment. I was really expecting Kyle to take it a lot slower when it came to letting Diane in, but he's still that little boy who remembers how close he and his mother were which is guiding his decision making when it comes to him and Harrison I feel. I see nothing but trouble ahead for him because of it.

[Theresa_Fan]

It's so obvious that Diane is going to try to take break up Phack. She will do anything to break them up because she's always been jealous that Jack chose Phyllis over her. "Changed Diane" is a farce lol. I enjoyed SW's Diane though.

[DallasGal]

Agree; Diane has never liked it that Jack doesn’t consider the love of his life.

[DallasGal]

Diane has been watching all of them from afar. She admitted that was the case with Kyle. She has subtly making too many comments about their lives for her not to have been mining the information. Diane accusing Jack of being lonely and unsettled is the last information that she puts out there.

Phyllis needs to dive into what Diane has been doing for 20 years.

[TunerEyes]

If you haven’t been back home for 20 years wouldn’t you look up people you knew online? I bet people do that especially at class reunion time. I know I’ve searched a few times for news on old classmates over the years. I don’t find anything underhanded about catching up online like that.

[DebJN]

Kyle and Jack are too naïve, easy to manipulate, always need someone else to take charge and do the work. I like them both but it’s frustrating to watch sometimes.

[taramartin]

Currently Phyllis seems like the one to be cautious around - she seems very out of control and yes it did seem like she was marking her territory. Not to say Diane can't have her own agenda.

[phacksadam]

Diane revels in subtly triggering her enemies’ insecurities. She plants seeds of doubt and/or fear in their minds. Then she sits back and watches them self-destruct, all the while appearing like an innocent victim of their hatred of her. It’s diabolical.

I don’t blame Phyllis for acting the way she’s been acting recently. She’s been giving everyone warning signs since the very beginning. But they all want to let Kyle decide for himself how to handle Diane. And in the meantime Diane has all the time in the world to subtly torture her enemies and manipulate the ones who haven’t experienced what she’s really capable of doing.

Not to mention the fact that this isn’t the first time Phyllis has warned people about others. She was right about Sally, and right about Tara. Now Diane’s back and instead of Jack and Summer wanting to form a united front against her, they want to let Kyle sort it out for himself. It has to be extremely frustrating to be the only one who can see what’s coming and is willing to get ahead of the problem.

[DallasGal]

You are so right about the united front. Summer is on a slippery slope so it’s best to let her deal with Kyle. However, Phyllis and Jack, who have first hand knowledge of the damage that Diane can do must stick together. Jack should go to Phyllis and talk about Diane’s latest mind game, both Jack’s “loneliness” and Phyllis’ “marking her territory”. Talk it out. Listen to how it sounds out loud when trying to determine Diane’s motives. Put the pieces together starting with Allie, Diane’s comments about their lives that she shouldn’t know without research. And, find out what the heck Diane was doing in LA.

[phacksadam]

Maybe Diane chose LA because she knew people in GC had connections there, like the Forresters. Maybe she was able to keep tabs on them by lurking around that restaurant and overhearing meetings between Eric and Lauren, Jack, or Victor? Just a thought. I do wonder how she was able to obtain information on their personal lives. She could’ve hidden out in GC for a while as well for all we know. She changed her name and became a realtor, so she might have purchased a remote place on the outskirts of town without anyone being the wiser. Idk. So many possibilities.

I’m hoping Phyllis and Jack do talk everything out next week. With the preview of his asking her if she was “marking her territory”, I hope everything gets out in the open. I’m afraid, though, of Jack not mentioning everything that Diane has said to him. Then Phyllis might be offended by his accusations and storming off without discussing everything.

[Shoelover]

Diane hasn't changed and will do all she can to wreak havoc. Kyle's going to give her a chance and will end up defending her actions, which she hopes he will do..