The Fruits of Passion

"The Fruits of Passion" was a sataric Soap Opera spoof featured on public access in Iowa City, Iowa from 1994-1995 and then again from 1997-1998. The Fruits of Passion: the Complete First Season (2004)] The Fruits of Passion: the Complete Second Season (2005)] The show achieved cult like popularity in the years following its initial run after episodes were provided to video stores throughout the Midwest and subsequently viewed by a much larger audience.

The show primarily focused on the rivaling Rock and Hardplace families.The Daily Iowan "A Profile of the Fruits of Passion" by Erin Jordan, November 28, 1997] In the fifth episode, the show was revealed to take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, although the majority of the show was filmed in Iowa City and Des Moines, Iowa.

The show was created by Shawn Wilson, Jeff Clayton, and Colt Valenti, who also appeared on the show. The three were also writer, producers, and directors during the first season. After Valenti's departure following the first season, Wilson and Clayton remained as the sole writers, producers, and directors. During later episodes, Kurt Hagge also was a producer.

The majority of scenes were improvised by the actors. Most episodes contained music videos which propelled the story to a song relevant to that particular episode.

Characters

In the initial episodes, the Rock family consisted of Richard "Dick" Rock (Shawn Wilson), his identical twin sons Jim and Buck Rock (both played by Jeff Clayton), and Dick's second wife Delayla Rock (Christie Corkery). The Hardplace family consisted of Hector Harplace (Colt Valenti), his wife Carla Hardplace (Alexis Bierman), their son Aaron Hardplace (Nick Von Bergen) and their daughter Korin Hardplace Diamond (primarily played by Korin Sanderson and, later, Erica Fogue).

Later additions to the core families included Richard's long lost sister Sally Rock (also played by Shawn Wilson), who had been placed in a nunnery years ago, and Richard's nephew Randy Rock (Kurt Hagge). Additions to the Hardplace family included Hector's brother Hermie Hardplace (Craig Mueller) and Hector's illegitimate daughter Alibi Malone (Kathy Trim).

Other notable characters during the show's run included Tofu Hempley (Phong Pham) and his daughter Sheila Hempley (Andrea Lichtenberger); Dr. Chaz McCoy (Scott Mikesell), the first husband of Alibi Malone; Dr. Lipton, Carla's psychiatrist and eventual husband; Oscar Hallahan (Marc Shoemaker), Alibi's uncle; and the Puppeteer (Joe Medina), a love interest of Sally.

Overview

First Season

The show's premier focused on the star-crossed "Romeo and Juliet" love story between Buck Rock and Korin Hardplace Rock. Their families were bitter enemies and Korin was wed to Ace Diamond. At the end of the first episode, Ace was pushed over a balcony.

During the remainder of the season, it was learned that Korin's mother Carla had tried to kill Ace because he knew she had been a prostitute. Carla attempted to kill several other people, but was unsuccessful.

Also during the season, Hector became an alcoholic and learned that he had a long lost daughter in Alibi Malone. Alibi's mother, Monica, was killed on a cruise ship.

Korin and Buck eventually married, but he became addicted to cocaine laced pretzels. To discredit his brother, Jim Rock had hired Oscar Hallahan (Alibi's uncle) to trick Buck into eating the laced pretzels.

Carla had a nervous breakdown after she was revealed as an attempted murdered and was committed. She revealed she was pregnant. In an ironic twist, Carla was unable to have the baby and so it was transplated into her husband Hector, the world's first male surrogate. The situation was further complicated because Jim was the actual father. Hector later "gave birth" to Rita. One episode later, in a mockery of soap opera liberties regarding Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome(SORAS), Rita returned at her Sweet Sixteen party.

Jim later married Alibi to get ahold of her stock Rock Enterprises, which her late mother Monica had owned.

In the season finale, an earthquake struck Tulsa. Carla revealed that Rita was actually Jim's daughter. Carla had previously hired a hit woman to kill Hector. She regretted the decision, but Hector was shot by the hit woman, as well as Dick Rock. In the finale's last moments, Hector died.

econd Season

In the expanded second season, Korin drove off a cliff in the first episode and was presumed dead. A widowed Buck became closer to his sister-in-law Alibi, and they eventually became engaged. Jim became lovers with Sheila Hempley, a Madame recently released from prison.

During the rest of the season, Buck became closer to "Anastatia" who eventually was revealed to be Korin Hardplace with plastic surgery.

Dick Rock later fell in love with Alibi, who he slept with when she was disguised as a prostitute. Alibi became pregnant and lied that Buck was the father, but eventually it was revealed to be Dick's child.

Other stories that season included Buck finding his long lost Aunt Sally; Alibi's first husband Chaz McCoy courting and then attempting to marry Delayla; Anastatia's "adoption" by Tofu Hempley and his subsequent marriage to Barbara Bush; and Sheila's attempted murder of Korin in which she accidentally was killed.

References