DRW50

I do think she handled Adam well. I'll be surprised if they don't sleep together.

I enjoyed more of the episode than I thought I would - the only real bad moments for me were all the cuts to Linda's usual misery, Martin taking jabs at Sonia so we could see her doing yet more toothless sourfaces (it made them both look petty), and the Ronnie hospital scenes, which were hugely disappointing - this should have been a happy moment, and instead Charlie was (to me) clearly hoping his wife would die and was upset when she didn't. The idiocy of Roxy and Charlie talking about their tryst over her hospital bed (which I'm pretty sure she overheard) made my head hurt. Why? I just want to see more of Roxy's leather jacket. Peggy coming back to go and berate Dot was odd, as was her quickly bonding with her and asking her to move to Portugal! I can imagine Grant or Courtney having a few things to say about that. I get that Peggy and Dot are both legends and the show needs these types of characters to share scenes for the anniversary, but it just seemed weird and random as hell. On the other hand, Peggy meeting Mick worked much better than I'd expected, mostly because of how underplayed it was. I really appreciated that we got to see so many moments of Ian being contemplative and vulnerable, instead of being a joke. Beyond his thinking of Lucy, I also loved his long talk with Sharon. We so rarely get to see that and it's so important to both characters and to the integrity of the show. It was difficult to care about the Brannings, as it's been on a loop for days now and the way they write Abi doesn't work for me. I did like the last scene between Peter and Lauren.

It's funny you mention that, because some fans last week were upset that every thread they started on DS about Kathy still being alive was being locked.

I'm glad they finally had more scenes showing him struggling to cope, as I'm so tired of the idea that he's a remorseless killer who loves every minute. And the show too often does nothing to stop that view. Someone on tumblr made this:

Oh definitely. It's just the different approaches of Cynthia trying to make it seem like she's not really enjoying this and it's about standards, and Kenya lapping it up like a gourmet meal. It was amusing.

I'm amused that Cynthia is selling this as about combating double standards, rather than just hating the bitch.

Cringing so, so hard at this Jamie Rose disaster.

Peter Barton in a promo for what must have been a campy mess...

No wonder he went back to GH...

I didn't know Rick Edelstein was involved with this show. Poor Barbara Stanwyck, trying and failing to muster up the right absurdist camp for this fading genre.

She was a nasty woman - I had forgotten how much until watching some of this time again. Putting all of her anger for Woody's affair onto Linc screwed him up, which the show could have run with but instead badly mishandled with that recast and murder mystery. I didn't realize Lee Bryant played her. I liked her when she temped as Lyla.

That's how I always remember Marcy too. And yes she was very harsh and fake. Linc's mother was a dumbass to buy her act. The woman who played Hannah was a good actress but I wanted someone to shitkick that woman all across Luther's Corners.

That's the first Marcy Breen (don't know who the actress is). I guess she was recast because she was a little too polished.

Watch those ratings fall with each word spoken! Maybe this wasn't any worse than what came before, and viewers had just had enough. With that said, the gunfire on the truck makes my eyes go back. Whenever I see Alexis there I always remember Chris Schemering's description - "Alexis, tricked out in a nun's habit..."

Almost none of Loving is on Youtube. I'd forgotten Kiberd popped up on Loving. I remember now reading that he had a joke scene with Shana where they both yelled, "I feel sorry for the jerk who's married to you!"

Yes. Other than maybe the early 80s or the early 00s, I'd say ATWT was always more sedate than GL. Just compare Bert (whose problem was being too emotional and needy) with Nancy (whose problem was not being emotional enough). Even the 70s, which mostly seemed to be sedate for GL - in reading about them, had some nutty, nutty plotlines like Kit Vested Gone Wild.

Based on his past political donations, that helps explain the tone of the show's "humor." And the fear of diversity which he only changed somewhat after the show was dragged through the mud for a period of several years. It's a shame, as SNL, while always full of racism and sexism, once tried to be somewhat cutting edge. Now they make Mad TV seem current.

When Daryl cries I mostly roll my eyes.

Cheri Oteri talks about why she wasn't part of the show. http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/cheri_oteri_explains_why_she_didnt_appear_snl_40_anniversary_special-2015-02

Lucinda's bewilderment over John/Iva is hilarious. "From me...to HER?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjAyqAEZk1E

It's not about sketch quality as much as laziness and toothlessness. The decision to encourage or allow actors to flub lines constantly, because this is "cute," means that no one takes it seriously, and you get huge dead spots as a result (and when the people making these flubs are not adorable puppylike pets [see: the fan hatred for Leslie Jones], viewers get very angry about it). Then there's the need to continue with "political" sketches, even though the show is terrified to write anything beyond "both sides are bad...but Democrats are a little worse." Choosing to address the Ferguson protests with an Al Sharpton joke was one of the most embarrassing, insulting moments in SNL's 40 years. If that is how Lorne Michaels sees the world, then he needs to just cut social commentary out entirely. Speaking of social commentary, it's also embarrassing that in 2015 we are still getting LOL GAY MEN ARE ICKY AND SICK! EW THEY MIGHT KISS!! LOL OMG OMG!!!!! Why? Are they that sure that their audience is made up of bigots and fools? The show has no idea what it is or what it wants to be. And they can fix this with minimal effort if they try. No one seems to want to try.

Thanks for sharing that. Julie did a good job with the P&G books. I've probably posted this before, but part of this episode is up on Youtube. Oh how I love the Hal/Barbara scenes in this. I didn't realize just how sporadic and stalled out Hal's story was in the early '90s, I guess due to whatever issues Ben had, or his theater work, but Marland and Ben made it work somehow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4arYMz_CIEg&spfreload=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v98GzZGa3U

I keep forgetting he does that. Anyway, the Danny Dyer thing is from this puff piece on why "posh girls" love Eastenders, listing him as some sort of totty. I always got the feeling that Dyer had been a back number in the UK for years for everyone, posh, girl, or no, but I guess he's a "name," and most of the hot guys on the show are either leaving or play rapists, so slim pickings. (seriously - Masood is better looking than most of the male cast these days...not that he'll ever get on "posh girl" lists) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/eastenders/11410913/Why-posh-girls-love-EastEnders.html

Jake Wood wins weird crush award. Nothing weird about having a crush on him...a world where it's weird to think he's hot but seen as the norm to want Droopy Dawg Dyer is not one I care for. http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a629256/eastenders-star-jake-wood-awarded-heats-weird-celebrity-crush-2015.html

Thanks. June always looks so youthful for 88.