Brio Cheese

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. The Titans cauldron officially started bubbling with the Oct. 11 airing of its second episode, which picked up where the first left off: at the wedding of wealthy fiftysomething businessman Richard (Perry King) and sly twentysomething money-grubber Heather (Yasmine Bleeth).

It didn't take long — at the reception, in fact — for things to start heading downhill for the Williams clan of NBC's new primetime soap. Heather deliberately kissed Chandler (Casper Van Dien), who is her recent lover and new stepson, right on the lips and later informed him that she was going to keep their baby. The fact that Chandler isn't Richard's biological son will probably figure into the storyline at some point.

Meanwhile, perpetually pissed-off Peter (John Barrowman) announced his intention to thwart Richard's plan to give Heather the family's $100 million Internet corporation. Gallant (and stupid?) Chandler defended their dad's wishes and got his way in the end, but undoubtedly that will come back to haunt him.

Heather and Richard jetted off to Maui, a location that stirred up flashbacks of her and Chandler romping and writhing on its beaches. The newlyweds cut their trip short, though. She claimed to be homesick and anxious to start their lives together. The real reason? To get back to Chandler. Heather, honey, he ain't interested!

Viewers also were introduced to new regulars Jack (Jack Wagner), Richard's brother — who harbors secret feelings for his ex-sister-in-law, Gwen (Victoria Principal) — and blond hottie David (Ingo Rademacher), Jack's protégé, who was hired to run Laurie's (Josie Davis) nightclub. Laurie told David that their relationship is all business, but as sure as the sun rises in the east, the sexual tension between them will soon be thick enough to cut with a machete.

Nighttime soaps need time to heat up and develop plots substantial enough to make audiences return week after week. Titans, still in its infancy, is setting things up quite nicely, presenting us with enough personal and business conundrums to pique my interest. Are you getting hooked, too? — Jenny Higgons