DRW50

I think actors encouraging any pressure campaigns is a very bad idea.

Andrea was all but comatose for two episodes and nearly killed herself. In other cases we didn't see as many reactions, but that's because their story was about other things. Sasha was tough and competent in part because she didn't want to care. When Bob and Tyreese convinced her to start caring, they died, horribly. I get why it would be annoying considering it stretched out over 6-7 episodes, but I think it's probably over now.

Some of those memes crack me up. A lot of fans don't care about Sasha. Other fans, like me, care a lot and want to see her stay around. There are some fans who will never accept anyone who isn't within a certain small group (like Rick/Daryl/Carol/maybe Michonne). Norman was on SNL last night, briefly.

In this case I'd say it was warranted. A producer calling out a network publicly and then a few weeks later again publicly saying he's done isn't a great way to get negotiations going, to me. The whole thing is unfortunate, because even if Showtime does go on with it, even if the actors do because they are under contract or need the money, they will be trashed as being traitors and ungrateful. I wonder how far along this is, if Showtime may just pull the plug. It's not like it was going to be a huge hit for them anyway, more just a cult show that might sell some DVDs.

Same to you

I've had a bad feeling about this for weeks now. I think it may just be time to let the past stay the past.

September 1974 TV Radio Mirror. Mostly liked the lovely photo of Susan and the woman who played her mother - I haven't seen a lot of photos of the latter.

Is this Karen Morris Gowdy? I can't tell.

Thanks. How do you remember dates that well? I wonder how much the show will have changed by that point, if we get to those episodes...

I like Ramona's tag. The others, eh. Dorinda's is OK.

In totally random news, Bonnie Langford will be guesting as Kush's mother. Always happy to see more Who actors on Eastenders, and I do have a soft spot for Bonnie. http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32187747 Those Carter scenes last night were awful, especially the duff-duff. Linda Henry is wonderful but so much else is bad. And Matt di Angelo needs a better hairstyle to hide his thinning hairline. Everything up to Alfie realizing Kat had taken the pills was strong (especially her saying goodbye to Stacey and Alfie and trying with Tommy), but the scene of him carting her around went on too long and was too much about him, not her. That paramedic was hot though. I liked the bit where Jane and Ian were going to put the wreath in the back of her car and then remembered Lucy had been in there. I just wish the Cindy and Beth drama didn't feel so repetitive for Ian and Jane. And I still wish they weren't together, but I can't take more prossie or cheating drama.

Oh, and I was surprised at just how quickly and efficiently David O'Brien slipped into junior leading man/antihero role. It was truly effortless. I guess Terry Kiser's departure helped him a great deal; I tend to wonder what his stories would have been if John had stayed around. Does anyone know who played the man at the marriage bureau who kept talking and talking?

Thanks for reminding me. I might try to call my cable company again and try to contact Retro TV. Even in the summer episodes I do notice a difference. I feel like Bethel and James had a more cool, old Hollywood type of chemistry - cracked ice and detachment. I could see them solving mysteries together. Lydia is so much more vulnerable (although Bethel did well at that too) and earthy, and there's a lot more of things like her laying (lying?) on the bed, her head in Matt's lap. It feels like a real marriage, complete with crackup and fear and emotional distance. I loved the scene in his office when he told Maggie he'd spent weeks alone, only hearing from her if she needed to tell him how much she hated him, and that wasn't easy to get past emotionally. I also like that she is a loving stepmother to Mike, instead of what we would get now - they'd sleep together, or she'd hate him and try to run him off. I'm not sure what Mike was like the last time he was on the show (how old was he?), but I like Peter Burnell a lot. I also like that they reference the demonstrations and unrest in Europe in a way that is evenhanded and contemporary. There are moments that have real bite - like an angry Nick being sick of Althea's uneasiness about moving forward so he lists all the terrible things that happened that should keep them apart, including the deaths of RFK and MLK. This also feels very "real." I guess this must have been Lakin's influence? I love Zaida Coles as Anna. The way her voice quavers (similar to Lydia Bruce in a way), and how she can project strength and fear at the same time. She's like no other woman on the show and she helps open it up. I really adored the scenes with Nick and Ed where she moved her hands and arms for the first time. I guess the August episodes were when Pamela Toll left to make another Disney movie. You don't really notice Liz's absence too much. I tend to wonder how much longer she has before Toll left - the character feels pretty isolated. If I had any complaint about these episodes it's only that Penny gets on my nerves somewhat fiercely.

I finally watched today's episode - I wonder if they are planning on putting Jai and Rachel back together. I wouldn't be sad to see them both leave, honestly, although I'd settle for Jai and Georgia. That toffee factory has never worked, and it only worked in earlier years when Steph was around. I was horrified when Laurel mentioned Daniel, but it made a sick kind of sense that she used her sainted baby in order to offload blame onto a child she resents and sees as Donna from the grave. Those were such difficult scenes to watch, between Laurel insisting that Marlon smell her breath (grabbing his neck to make sure he smelled), shaming him about Daniel, working overtime to make sure he'd never ask April. It was so ugly, but everything about it has built up to where we are now. And the scene at the grave was also very good - her begging forgiveness and swearing it won't happen again (yet again), as Ashley tries to comfort her even as he clearly has no idea why she's truly upset. Such harrowing stuff which uses years of history, without beating viewers over the head with lengthy explanations about who Daniel was. I'm not sure why the pacing and characterization on some stories can be so off and then with moments like this it's so right.

Has she lost a lot of weight? She looked better on AMC, unless it's just the photo.