Welcome Home, Trip

"Welcome Home, Trip" is the first episode of Bay Cove Terrace. In it, the town's wealthiest family, the Dannons, welcome home their son Trip after a long and difficult time overseas, during which he has apparently joined the Peace Corps and been kidnapped by Thai bandits (who claimed one of his eyes during capture).

Synopsis
After being dropped off by the kindly town Sheriff, Pat McGiggles, Trip is reunited with his family and gathered townsfolk at Dannon Manor and it becomes apparent there is more going on than meets the eye. Trip's mother, Serena, has become an alcoholic following the disappearance and presumed death of Trip's sister, Kimberly, in a polar bear attack in the Alaskan Tundra. She is also being blackmailed by the Dannon's rival, Clint Muldano, using unspecified documents in a file he carries with him everywhere. Meanwhile, Trip's good-natured best friend, Elliott Costello, has started a band called "Streetwise Hercules" and expresses a romantic interest in his bandmate, Nirvana Presley, who later calls Elliott in distress, leading to his departure from the party. Later, the mysterious Malachi, the former fiance of Kimberly Dannon, appears at Dannon Manor claiming to have amnesia. He expresses contempt for all present and leaves after taking possession of Kimberly's arm (the only part of her body recovered after the polar bear attack).

Throughout, Trip makes reference to the auction of the Dannon family's prized painting, last valued at $1.5 million, the proceeds of which plan to be donated to the Bay Cove Terrace Community Center. In the final scene, Trip realizes the painting has disappeared, much to his dismay.

The Painting Thief
This episode begins the Painting Thief storyline, which follows the disappearance and investigation of the Dannon family's stolen, $1.5 million prized painting intended to be auctioned for charity. It is the central focus of Episode 2, "McGiggles Investigates", and is resolved in the Episode 3, "Trip and the Yakuza".

Kimberly's Arm
This episode begins the saga of Kimberly's arm, a fixture of the early era of Bay Cove Terrace. The only part of Kimberly recovered after her presumed death by polar bears, the arm is on the mantle of Dannon Manor before being claimed by Malachi in the first episode. Later, the arm becomes the central focus of the fourth episode, "Destroy the Arm".

Clint Blackmails Serena
This episode begins the Clint Blackmails Serena storyline, in which Clint Muldano, the Dannon's bitter rival, blackmails Serena Dannon using a top secret file he carries everywhere. The contents of the file are revealed in Episode 2, "McGiggles Investigates" and the blackmail is partially resolved in Episode 3, "Trip and the Yakuza", though it unravels into the deeper mystery of Serena's past.

Elliott & Nirvana
This episode begins the Elliot & Nirvana storyline, chronicling the creative and professional partnership of Elliot Costello and Nirvana Presley. Bandmates at the time of Episode 1, Elliot expresses a romantic interest in Nirvana, and rushes to her aid when she calls him in distress. The backstory of the phone call is revealed in the webisode "Polly Wants a Cracker", while Elliott and Nirvana's relationship passes through many phases before coming to an end in the "Bay Cove Nights" saga.

Malachi & Kimberly
This episode begins the Malachi & Kimberly storyline by touching on Kimberly's death and Malachi's subsequent psychological issues. The mystery surrounding her death is uncovered slightly in Episode 2, "McGiggles Investigates", and becomes a central focus of future episodes, as does Malachi & Kimberly's torrid, on-again/off-again romance.