DRW50

Emily/Paul is an odd one for me, because I felt like it made sense mostly as an example of psychological hangups - Paul wanted to feel like he was a man, and protecting and loving Emily was part of that. Emily needed to be protected (as they mentioned in the recent interview, nearly all of MS Emily's love interests gave her a gun!), and she also bonded with Paul because they were both scarred by James. Yet I don't think they ever would have worked as a pairing once they both got older. It's one of the reasons the later Emily/Paul relationships are white noise for me. Thanks - I forgot she gave it to Lily rather than battle. ATWT got some flak in the early/mid-90s for having too many companies and too many rich characters. On paper I can see where cutting the material down made sense, but in the long run it left a void. The corporate battles in the '00s also did nothing for me because they felt hollow, and also because I was completely repulsed by Craig. We also got no hint of reality or work in the corporate dynamics compared to Marland or the first few teams post-Marland. Yes, I know that wasn't realistic either - gorgeous people in perfectly tailored suits and tight blouses and skirts - but at least it was an attempt, one which made the people involved seem close to human.

To be honest a story where Lucinda got too attached to a barely closeted gay man (with the implication being that she knew, but she had come of age in an era where she was willing to play dumb as long as he was a handsome escort to parties or kept her company) and then he ended up betraying her with a family member is something which might have been interesting with better handling but it was so rushed and seemed to be something someone got cold feet about (I'm surprised it got through at all). I was talking more about her storylines in 2010 as enjoyable to me, although I agree part is down to low expectations. It's the same reason I enjoyed Barbara's material in her last year more than anyone here, probably. Liz did offer ideas for stories that would have been about Lucinda, like Lucinda going back to school. I wish they'd been accepted, even if in Lucinda's case, her being a spoiler/meddler was ingrained in the character and seemingly difficult to shake.

On the one hand, I agree, but, even if it wasn't anything especially original for the character, it's still probably the most i enjoyed anything they did with Lucinda in ATWT's last 10-15 years.

Generally the show would focus on Lucinda reacting to another relative, usually one who was long-lost, if the story wasn't about Lily. Marland returned to the pattern previously established with Sierra by bringing in Neal and Royce. Then after Marland's death, Sam filled that void. Then as Lily moved into a more settled life, they brought in he's-her-son-oh-wait-he-isn't David, and granddaughter Georgia, along with the bizarre James romance. I don't think any of this ever would have lasted, to put it kindly, but Liz Hubbard's hostile relationship with Felicia Minei Behr ensured it wouldn't. Then, when Liz returned to the show, she was mostly kept in an even stricter supporting role, there to react to Lily or to Craig. I do think Lucinda's use in the last year, so heavily manipulating various story strands and finally leaving for a life of her own after Lily took Worldwide away from her, was satisfyingly done - more than I would have expected by that point, anyway.

Bruenig made sure to get the expected anti-Semitic digs of the far left in, and his phony hatemonger of a wife made sure to do her tee hee routine while directing attacks toward those who have no stomach for it: Speaking of the hatemonger, she recently wrote a "defense" of Ilhan Omar which is just using Omar as an incoherent screed against a party she despises. Just another reason not to give your money to the Atlantic.

There are differences from 2009, no doubt, like the racism Obama faced, which can't be understated; there's just enough similarity, both in media agenda, Manchin and Sinema, gerrymandering, etc. to make me uneasy. What may bother me most is how, just as in 2009, so many are working to normalize extremist and activist actions against democracy. Here is Dave Wasserman's response to more voter purges in Georgia:

If that is the story where all of the men in the Martin family hounded Dixie nonstop about getting an abortion (she did not want to because she feared she would never be able to have a child due to giving a kidney to Del), the story was so incredibly offputting it helped drive me away from being a regular viewer of the show.

This left me feeling numb for a long time after I saw the news on Twitter, especially when I remembered the law right wing media hero DeSantis signed. It feels like this is just the beginning.

It's hard for me to imagine the Holden of these years having fun with anyone - he was cold and miserable much of the time. I don't think that changed until after Jon Hensley left again for a few more years. I would have rather seen Heather's Lily get a bit more time on her own. Lucinda did become too defined by the Lily relationship, although I suppose that was almost always her central relationship. At this time we did get some other sides of her, but I always wanted more. I agree about people who should have been banned from the wedding. Sadly I was glad that they even had Lily upset at all on her mother's behalf. Later on they wouldn't have bothered. I was going to post this too: GSN Tattletales promo, 1997 - YouTube Probably the last time Frank Runyeon was mentioned on national TV.

Thanks.

She wrote for Dawson's Creek and Wasteland. https://people.com/tv/dawsons-creek-writer-dies-by-suicide-after-year-long-covid-battle/

He's a pundit who is mostly known for his takes on Virginia elections. He used to have a blog, Not Larry Sabato, based on the election analysis guy of that name.

The Monmouth poll from a few days ago has mostly gotten notice for Biden's approval rating, or the clickbait of Republicans approving of Putin more than Biden. This is the number that worries me more (I know Ben Tribbett is an overly pessimistic source): This is what McConnell, and the media that hates us all, is banking on - Democrats becoming increasingly demoralized and apathetic. I hope Congressional Democrats will realize how short time is (instead of doing like Dick Durbin and responding to other senators with these concerns by saying "get a life") and if there is any slim chance Manchin and Sinema and those hiding behind them can be moved on anything, there is no time left.

I read that de Blasio supposedly is for Adams, on the sly, but then that may just be gossip spread by a rival campaign. Did anyone have any idea de Blasio would be what he turned out to be...or were people just so fired up over Christine Quinn they ignored his flaws?

Heartbreaking. The New York mayor's primary seems to be becoming even more of a dumpster fire in its last days. Andrew Yang and Kathryn Garcia, likely knowing the polls showing a strong likelihood of Eric Adams winning are accurate, teamed up today asking their supporters (in Garcia's case it was more of a wink-wink) to rank both of them one and two. This has gotten some vocal backlash, including:

Ernie Lively, character actor and father of Blake Lively and Robyn Lively. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ernie-lively-dead-sisterhood-of-traveling-pants-blake-lively-1234965653/

I had forgotten he wasn't on ATWT at that time. He seemed to know Melanie and Mary fairly well - I guess through other avenues.

Karen Gillan seems to enjoy picking eclectic projects.

Karen Attiah works for the Washington Post, which tells you - again - what a shitty paper that is, one that does not get the deserved criticism and scrutiny that NYT rightfully gets.

He was also a proxy of the Palins, who had been feuding with Murkowski for most of the '00s. Given the fealty to Trump and the increasingly insane far right who dominate the GOP, I am not really sure what will happen, but at this point Murkowski toes the party line when it counts anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.

The hatemonger Trump is pushing to replace Lisa Murkowski: