Bright Eyes

Well, if B&B are impressing us with Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag like it's 2008...

Have to say it, Michael Dietz looked stunningly handsome. The silver fox look suits him perfectly.

They explained that she got food poisoning.

Thank God the truth is going to come out before we had the disservice of hearing those sure to be nauseating and cringe speeches from Martin and Kat. Hallelujah!

Round of applause for Raven Bowens. She was stellar as usual. The Julie/Maggie scene was wonderful as well. With our recent talk about the Bistro, I could see Julie and Maggie going into business together. And Philip learning about Doug was an interesting development.

Brandon Beemer was great today talking about his guilt regarding Bo and reminiscing about being raised by him on the boat. Jada as his support through this only amplifies their chemistry. It felt like an actual measured conversation with the both of them getting to share a point of view. There was a moment it looked like they could have kissed, but I'm glad the show is making us wait. I loved hearing Jada talk about Marcus more and that little scene with Steve really helps cement her as someone we should care about. The miracle cure deserves an eye roll, but Bo having a real diagnosis is a better than the usual. Johnny confiding in Marlena felt so refreshing. I don't even remember them sharing a scene since I started watching. I did laugh when Marlena basically told Roman to leave them alone. She gets it. I almost thought instead of Johnny telling Chanel how he feels, that he was going to nuke the adoption behind her back/on purpose, only for it to blow up in his face after. Still, them holding off on him telling her the truth definitely made me excited for tomorrow. My heart breaks for Chanel already. It took me a little to understand why Chanel would give two sh*ts about Felicity. She works at Sweet Bits right or is it something else? Rachel Boyd was truly horrific today. When Leo hugged her, it almost look like she orgasmed and malfunctioned at the same time. Madelyn Kientz why did you leave us?!? It was a nice surprise to see the high school setting again. It does a lot to make the teens actually feel like their age. Almost felt like I was back in 2002 again! As for someone taking over the Bistro. If it was Maggie, she needs to bring back Tuscany, not Chez Rouge. But I am in agreement with @carolineg that Javi could get into cooking. My thought was that he would work at Sweet Bits and form a friendship with Chanel. Both need friends urgently.

Emmerdale paid homage to it's first episode in what is arguably (I'm arguing it!) the best funeral episode of a long time character (Jack Sugden). The show started with the funeral of the Sugden patriarch, Jacob Sugden, Jack's father. A returned to the village Annie asks who the lady riding her horse is, the answer being Natasha Wilde, just like her now deceased daughter Peggy asked her then husband Matt Skilbeck about who they would soon learn was Marian Wilks. Ron Carlivati has paid homage various times on OLTL and DAYS to the point of nausea, but he definitely did so in a way where you eventually felt he was just blatantly copying. One of the first that comes to mind is when he had Sarah Roberts go over the waterfall just like her mother Tina.

It was Cwikly/Brash who killed him off last time so I think if he ever does it will be for the last time.

Gabi and Brady were a fresh interaction for me. I was caught off guard when he was rude to her until they reminded me why. And then telling her to just suck it up, I almost clutched my metaphorical pearls! I was mortified in soap opera glee when Johnny admitted he wasn't ready to be a father. My heart is going to break for Chanel, but bring on the drama! Rafe revealing he was re-joining the FBI made me excited, but if the writers are yanking my chain, that would just be cruel. With the Bo cliffhanger, I couldn't help but think FBI-Rafe would get involved. But previous people have tried to get rid of Rafe before and it didn't work out so I won't get my hopes up. I don't even hate him, but he's just not really necessary. Lastly, I'm rooting for Shawn and Jada!

Yeah, I think I've only mentioned her hair and eyebrows bothering me, but that's a styling issue. And thankfully, I have not seen one iota of that horrid "story" and hopefully I never will.

I've ragged on her a bit myself, but I've come round to her with this story. She can be frustrating, but I never denied that she was a good actress and she's been especially great all the times she's hoping to God sh*t doesn't hit the fan.

Request: Yorlin Madera - I couldn't find him in the list. It's weird how some people I just assume you've done already

That was never not the plan, so far anyway. What the new writers do is anybody's guess. I did feel when Stephanie popped up and ushered Charlotte away that it felt like they could be hinting at that relationship potentially being revisited. Also, forgot to mention, as cringe as a lot of the fundraiser was, the part where Charlotte got sad because she thought someone was going to take Chad away forever did touch me emotionally, which I was happily surprised by.

I maintain, the baby switch and all that came from it was the last great story this show ever told.

Recasting Rachel with Alice Halsey was a smart decision. She's a natural. I already like her better than Abigail Klein and whatever the hell Annalynne McCord thinks she's doing. However, I did laugh when she was talking to JJ and spit out how she "didn't want to talk about it at all" only to go back to her acting like she's 12. EJ has always been a bastard, but this new leaf he's supposedly turned over makes him creepy to me. This probably is only a coincidence, but I thought it was a relief during the Kristen/EJ scenes that no mention was made of the being brother/sister/siblings. Legit question, have Maggie and Chad had literally anything to do with each other before today? Still, props to the ol' girl for knowing a million dollar piece of ass when she sees one. Kayla was great this episode, but why does she have her hair styled like early Barbara Windsor Peggy Mitchell? Like jswift, a missing beat to EJ's shooting is JJ relating to Johnny how he felt when he learned his father was a rapist of his own aunt, or at least EJ having the audacity to ask JJ how he moved forward. Something.

Finally! @slick jones we are so back!!!

I'm really surprised Carlivati never brought back JT Reiber, with as much as he loved forcing Dr. Rolf on us. He is biologically his great uncle after all.

For those interested, here is Ron Carlivati's full cast list from his entire tenure:

I also wish Philip would start his own small company from scratch that deals in something specific, like Gabi with Gabi Chic, where he can prove his worth to others, the audience, and himself. Obviously, his self-made success should come with its hurdles, but once it proves worthwhile then whoever is running Titan at the time could try to bring him and his new product/company into the fold. But Philip would wonder, even though he thought it was his dream, has his newfound success away from Titan been more fulfilling than he realized? And whoever ends up working for him could give him some new dynamics. For some reason, Tate, freshly graduated, is the first that came to mind, who wouldn't want to work with his Dad for his own pride's sake etc...

Eva/Leslie were the bright spots again, like they are in any episode they are in. As it is now, if they left, the show wouldn't be worth watching. The show needs to use Tomas just as a quick stepping stone in the Kat/Eva rivalry and then get rid. Have Kat dump him after finding out Eva slept with him and we never hear from again. Kat wants revenge, and when Eva finds herself a new man, Kat will happily do anything she can to ruin it. As for the person who asked why Vanessa is contract and Doug isn't, personally I can't help but feel Doug is definitely going to be the first character to be killed off. Whether Joey kills him or pressures him enough that it'll be self-inflicted, that man feels like a goner to me. I really hope Mona gets to be at the anniversary party where 'Leslie' is poised to show her true colours. And sorry, that song was awful and Tunie did not sound good. Anita was right to be worried about her voice. But by her presence alone, I am intrigued where her story will go. The u/5 praising Vernon scene was cringe. Unless one of them is going to get a psycho stalker, stop the ass-kissing please.

As a spoiler free man, I'm very excited about what is to come, which I know nothing about beyond some casting news. However, the show has kept me invested steadily since November, with the obvious bad things notwithstanding. But also, Haiduk's Susan makes me want to do physical harm. The Belle and Philip scenes were a nice surprise and perfectly what each character needed. How long until they bang? Belle to help rinse EJ out of her hair and Philip to keep himself away from Sarah after they have a one night stand (personal speculation.)

BH: I only see the show through clips on TikTok, so maybe this is a dumb idea, but with this cycle of the coven, always slyly headed by Kyle, of piling up on a girl until she quits going on and on, why doesn't a Housewife come on the show and be the villain they all cry about. Numerous people have mentioned if these girls were on almost any show, they would get ate up and spat out with the quickness. Kyle is psychologically stuck in high school, Dorit is a deluded moron, and Erika is a sociopath. Kenya and Phaedra are free. Bring them on to destroy these hoes once and for all. They wouldn't even break a sweat.

Either Wednesday or yesterday I had, for the first time, a mid-show break voiced by Clifton Davis saying, "Beyond the Gates will continue." Anybody else? Eva and Bill are my top characters for this show. Without them this show wouldn't have a pulse. As much as my eyes glazed over every time those three paralegals were on-screen, those Naomi/Bill scenes were engrossing to me. I also hate every time they pronounce that one woman's name has Stef-an-knee-a. That is no one's name. Stef-ahn-ya is how it should be pronounced. Rage-bait! I still find most of the material with Martin/Smitty absolutely boring as hell most of the time, especially seeing them as parents. Martin's best scene so far was when he was an [!@#$%^&*] to Anita and Vernon. That made him a bit messy and more interesting. I find myself indifferent to too much of the show. Little things here and there pique my interest. I struggle with the character of Vanessa, too. I thought she would be more bad ass, but the actress comes off more mousy then I'd like. I anxiously await Joey making his first big villainous move. I want him to do something awful and exciting like kill Doug and frame Randy for it. He preys on Vanessa and marries her, and she finds out after the fact and feels trapped. Episodes not ending dramatically really does the show a huge disservice. Whatever happened to wanting to make people "tune in tomorrow." They're dropping the ball there, hardcore. I also don't understand the Pamela character at all. Vanessa should have just been friends to both Dani and Nicole. I don't understand why Pamela is even friends with Dani. Dani treats her like a henchwoman more than anything resembling a friend.

The most annoying part is that when he doesn't pull crap like that, like in the confession scenes with Xander, he's damn good. I was really worried when the truth came out, the writers were going to take it as an opportunity to just pile on Philip, but they surprisingly went the emotional truth route. No macho flexing, just two brothers genuinely hurt, one betrayed, one contrite. It was beautiful to me. Especially the part where Philip made sure to state he wasn't laughing at Xander behind his back made me tear up a little. And he kept Sarah's name out of his mouth, which continues to make me feel like something might happen there once her part is exposed. I was a huge Sami fan until they tried to make her a heroine and she took over the show, so I never really cared about her with Rafe. I actually always liked her best with Brandon, until his weird second stint. Still, I really enjoyed her reunion with him. They do still have great chemistry, I have to admit. Plus, it excited me to believe that Rafe would go to Italy with her and we'd finally be rid of him. I do think there should have been a goodbye scene with Johnny, at the very least. I rolled my eyes at the convolution of Vivian and Sami using a ride-share or being on the same flight, but still enjoyed the two characters interacting regardless. The scene would have been much better if they would have grounded it with a John mention. Also have to rep for my boy, Casey Moss this week. He was fantastic in those Gabi scenes, clearly wrestling with his duty and his loyalty and all the rest. I think he's the best male actor on the show. I loved Sami/Kate shooting the [!@#$%^&*]. It would have been fun if they started off purely gossiping about other people in town and then got into their own business. The way Kate's eyes lit up when Sami mentioned that Jada slept with Shawn was a little moment that made me smile and even when Kate first apologized to Sami with Roman earlier in the week, the way Sami responded with, "Since it didn't end badly, I forgive you, almost feeling like a subtle threat. Like she said, okay, but not too much now. I enjoy Gabi getting to have a fire, but Cherie Jimenez sounds way took much like a valley girl with no grit. I like her well enough, I'm invested in her with JJ, but I'll think there's someone better out there to play her and would probably write her out, too, eventually. As for Leo, who brings this show to a grinding halt everytime he unfortunately appears. I am choosing to believe that Sami jumping on the hate train and warning Javi about him means that Leo will be screwing up again soon, making Javi look like a fool. I have to believe it for my own sanity. I do wish people were more pissed at him for writing these articles about him. He's much easier to take when I see other characters hating him.

The fact all three of them went on and continue to have bright futures in the industry.