DRW50

I don't mind Chesney. He's harmless and kind of cute. I enjoy his scenes with Gemma. I didn't mind Andy either. Oates focuses on the wrong characters. Kill off Michelle or Fiz.

I have to shake my head when I see tweets like "All our hope is in Germany's hands." Germany isn't going to be there for us. And not for the Western world either. They are going to look out for themselves (as the US has done) and we aren't going to be able to go along for the ride. We have to sort out our own problems, and after Merkel was burned so bad over the refugees, so will most of those who are struggling outside her borders. It's odd to me how someone is always looking for a hero or a new idol in politics when it always has the same disillusioned, unhappy ending.

She was just on there very briefly. I think she came back for a wedding or something maybe. I think she said later on that she wasn't any good (or was that on AMC?). She wasn't much good on AMC either but she had a lot of presence. I remember her eyes always stood out. She had an edge. They could have done something with her if they'd tried. Daddario was always dull.

Kirk had floated around for a few years after Renee Props left, mostly pining over Connor. They paired him with Samantha and I think this was supposed to give her some happiness and move her on after Craig left, but she would then lose Kirk (he went off a yacht on their honeymoon) and would be paired with the recast Scott, who had a past with her. When Valente came in, Scott was moved into being more into Rosanna's money, while Sam was with Kirk, was then blinded and became a helpless victim until Brooke Alexander was fired.

Valente brought him back. Caso got rid of him.

They let him go once in 1995 (he was supposed to die while on a yacht with Samantha) then for good in 1998 (or was it 1999). The character had felt like a spare part for quite a while. I do think they should have kept him around in some role though. I really liked his relationship with the first Samantha.

I think that was due to Renee Props leaving the show. I can see the idea of Ellie and Kirk being drawn to each other as Iva was so draining on Kirk, and the sister conflict, but it was not properly explored (I think because Marland did not want his "good" characters to ever look "bad" or "mean"). I didn't mind Kirk and Ellie as a couple, but I do think he and Iva could have been a great couple if the show had tried. I wonder if Marland also split them because he was planning the Aaron storyline and Iva had to be isolated.

They've probably been waiting for the day they can move away from the US (I think she also mentioned the UK) and feel free to do what they want, knowing we will have less and less say in the world. And clearly that's what a lot of Americans want them to do, so I guess we brought it on ourselves.

Things are too polarized now for most people who supported Trump to ever admit they're wrong. There will always be someone else to blame. The media will scour around looking for tearful closeup photos of Betty Sue but for the most part it's going to be something that is either never said out loud or is only said to a few people. The problem isn't just Trump anyway, it's the Republican Party as a whole. Even if they do say "oh Trump wasn't really with us anyway," they will still nod along for Pence, Paul Ryan and friends.

Rewatching the two episodes, I think I probably got into the Black Lodge material the most, mostly because I felt like the various scattered pieces shown there over the years were threaded together to effective use, especially the bookends of Leland - the part at the end where he asked Cooper to find Laura gave me a chill. The tree was ridiculous and the tree's doppleganger was also ridiculous, but the two combined tipped over into some kind of sublime ridiculousness, especially when the "bad" tree attacked Cooper. The scenes of Cooper floating out and the strange elevator blip crash sequence in the glass box as he tried to leave reminded me of old FMV cut scenes, which I appreciated, as I prefer quasi-kitsch to shiny effects. The last scenes between Margaret and Hawk were almost too sad to process. When she said she was too weak to go out and help him look for Cooper I had a lump in my throat. I liked that her last words to Hawk were that she'd give him some good food when he came by to visit. I'd almost rather that be our last image of her - caring and nurturing and still being there - and they leave the character alive in our minds. The whole sequence where "bad" Cooper killed that Darya woman was one I didn't watch at first, mostly because I think that we already knew he was monstrous without needing a set piece, and also because I felt like it was almost fetishizing such violence against women (although that may be why they had him move the pillow away to show her after he'd shot her - to show the reality), but the woman who played Darya did harrowingly good work in the scene, alternating between numb fear when he would ask her questions and desperate panic when she would try to get away even when she knew she couldn't. Kyle MacLachlan is doing a very good job as "bad" Cooper - he isn't overplaying the depravity of Bob, or trying to do a Frank Silva impression. Even without the murder sequences you would easily know this Cooper is completely dead inside, just from looking into his eyes, or the way he pitches his voice so flat and calculated. I also liked the touch of "bad" Cooper using a tape recorder to let Darya know he was onto her - the best possible way of showing how he has perverted everything Cooper stood for (Cooper using a tape recorder for heroics, for everyday musings, et al). I didn't realize that was Jennifer Jason Leigh as one of his mini-harem/organization. Odd use of her, but...she certainly had a lot of screen presence. The parts with the Ruth Davenport murder were probably most stilted for me, although Matthew Lillard gave a decent performance. I was anxious the whole time the plus-size woman was on as I was afraid she was going to be humiliated or violently killed and it would be treated in a grotesque way. I'm glad that wasn't the case. Of anything in these episodes I think I may have been happiest to see a show that had actual closing credits again. The song was gorgeous too.

I think it was said that Geraldine Court really hated her return stories, wasn't it?

Thanks. That last bit does seem ludicrous. Did Norma have an exit or was she just a victim of producer changes? I think someone said Elizabeth Savidge was unhappy with her stuff as Gwyn and that's why they brought Christine Tudor back? Or did they just bring Christine back anyway? I can't remember. What did you think of Chip Albers as Curtis?

I'd never heard of Nola until after Lisa came back to GL, so I just knew her as Iva. I loved Iva - I think because I've known a lot of people like her (I'm probably a bit like her myself), so she was sort of like a family member to me. And Lisa Brown did such a good job of playing the sorrow of the character. She always laced it with humor and a bit of awareness. And the Aaron story at the time was one where I felt very sorry for her, as she tried to do the right thing for everyone and it all went badly haywire. I hated that Holden took that child from her and then dumped Aaron over and over in favor of his latest girlfriend, or precious, precious Lily. Looking back the character seemed less downtrodden in earlier years, and I wish they'd done more with her relationship with Kirk. I think playing the role took a real toll on Lisa Brown, as she was so somber during her GL return.

Thanks for all your replies! Talking about Loving is something I enjoy a great deal, especially with someone who actually saw these episodes. I can see where they might have felt Horan was too young, but I thought he carried it off well. What was your favorite period of the show?

I think they were pushing her baby rabies (with her losing a child before this story) in order to interconnect the story with Abril and Clay. A great example of why "umbrella" stories can often be damaging to characters. I guess you could say that she had already had a happily ever after marriage to Steve that had ended horribly, so she didn't want to wait this time around, but I do agree that it didn't really suit her character.

I think aside from Perry Stephens and Wesley and Augusta, most of those actors wanted to leave, but I'm not sure. I agree the show is so different in tone with every clip. It's odd. I guess you can see why viewers were never around long. It makes for an interesting watch though. I enjoyed all the fun they let the characters have in that April 1991 episode. The Abril and Trisha story does nothing for me while watching these so I liked the break. Christopher Cass is miscast as Jack, to say the least. The best I can say is he has fantastic legs.

I think we're going to see more Republicans being openly violent with reporters and other easy targets. Even if Gianforte was going to win regardless, they are now more emboldened.

Did someone [!@#$%^&*] on Seacrest's head?

So they've pretty much said it's over then? I read a day or so ago that they thought the Democrat might do alright in absentees but not on same-day voting. But it does seem likely the Republican will win, Of course it shouldn't even be close, but election after election of "it should't be close" is going to demoralize people.

A Twitter of one of the reporters covering the MT special election. Among other tidbits - higher turnout than expected (not a surprise), Gianforte's thuggery hasn't changed any votes at a polling place (not a surprise - actually I thought it might get him more votes...I still think it might), and his thuggery has gotten him a spike in donations (not a surprise). https://twitter.com/annehelen

Really? Why?