DRW50

Ben or Buster

I would actually enjoy a later-in-life sexuality story with Buster, although knowing EE, he'd sleep with Ben, especially with Ben's daddy issues...

The whole story is pointless. At least the Neville/Belinda portion of it, and Buster having tried to vandalize their home. The Buster part is the only part that works for me. I liked the exploration of how stupid he felt and how he then made an even dumber, rash choice to try to turn things around. It was nice to see more of him with the Carters and with Lee (who is a lot like him).

I think it's because Mick is supposed to be the typical "geeza" so we'll chortle at his discomfort. The whole thing felt pointless, and seamy...and biphobic. So much for "kindness." The scenes with Peggy learning about her cancer spreading to her brain and when she and Sal comforted each other were incredibly powerful and emotional. It really brought home the tragedy and the finality. The last shot in particular, with just her face in closeup as she learned.

Monday's: I'm one of the fans who actually likes the new Johnny a lot more than I thought I would, but I had to skip past those "court" scenes today. I'm all for everyday moments and, yes, love and warmth, but that type of thing always makes me feel embarrassed, especially with some of the gurning from Ma and Pa Carter. I did skip a bit and ended up coming to the part where Lee's stomach was showing when he lifted his arms, and Whitney smacked his stomach. That's one of those little couple moments I enjoy.I enjoyed this episode more than I maybe should have, given the clumsy writing, as it gave a lot of focus to Buster and Buster's role in the Carter family. It was nice to see so much fleshed out - how stupid and useless he feels, how he doesn't know how to change that, how even the people who care about him like Shirley or Johnny or Mick just don't quite get it, and how Lee is similar to him. The natural drama someone like this brings to a family (even with idiotic schemes about breaking into an estate and stealing that I don't really believe he would have done) stands in stark contrast to the many other plot devices that have dragged this family down over and over again, and to ever-bitter Babe. I hope that SOC won't see Karl Howman as an easy axe, because I think he adds something different to the show.The writing for Dot stunk. This is the self-parody Dot I have no time for, one who basically just speaks in funny lines. Dot doesn't have to hold her head and cry or spout Bible verses all the time, but she can be a human being. Today she was not. She also wouldn't have had such an odd reaction to Abi's pet.The guy who plays Andy is turning out to be a much better actor than I'd expected. Ronnie almost seemed human today.

The woman's part in this is pure nirvana.

Finn wanted to start a taxi business. As, thanks to Ross' scheme with Charity unintentionally leading to Finn's arrest, Ross has to be the one running the business because he is the only one without a criminal record. When Finn wanted to get Pete involved, Ross refused, and said Finn had to choose. Finn continued to try to get Pete involved (Pete wanted to move to Scotland instead), so Ross said Finn had lost them both. I love this shot (drunk hotness and all) Mike Parr and Jennifer Metcalfe are going to be on The Chase next week.

I don't think Matthew looks that bad (even if the suit is poorly fitted). He did his hair and face like that for the show.

Thank you for the article. Sad to read about the struggle of her last months - and hearing this about her mother suffering from dementia even moreso. It sounds like her daughter loved her a lot.

Some nice photos from the Once Upon a Smile ball...and some hilarious misidentifying of various Emmerdale ladies. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3578974/Gemma-Atkinson-shows-hint-toned-tum-bejeweled-crop-joins-Emmerdale-cast-Smile-fundraiser.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

June 1973 Daytime TV - ratings for week ending February 16, 1973. 11.9 - ATWT 35% 11.0 DAYS - 33% 10.5 AW 33% 10.4 GH - 31% 10.3 SFT - 33% 10.1 Doctors - 32% 9.3 OLTL - 27% 8.6 EON - 28% 8.6 AMC - 26% 8.0 LOL 29%

Nuh-uh. Maybe it felt better because a) all of the sudden GL got more publicity about it's cancellation than it had in the previous 20 years combined, or b ) it had fallen so far that the gruel EW served up looked better than the [!@#$%^&*] on a shingle she'd delivered in Peapack, It felt better for me because of the returns and because even for all the phony earnestness and cheese and bizarre need for everyone to have a baby, I thought it represented the GL I'd loved. Little scenes like Bill and Fletcher saying they missed Ben (who hadn't been mentioned in years). ATWT, in comparison, had a cheap-looking spinning globe.

Jelinda's Theme was beautiful as a closing theme. As an opening theme, it made me feel depressed, which I already felt anyway watching ATWT from 1993 on.

Thanks for sharing that.

I think it's probably because Andy sees the damage she's doing to Lawrence and to herself. Every time I see her she's haranguing the man. It's obvious where this is going. What a waste of John Bowe. I laughed when Charity told Belle to take the morning after pill and "cross your...fingers." I'm just hoping Belle won't always be written so immaturely. Emma is shameless and I imagine it's going to get even worse. I just realized she'd been on the show nearly a year and a half. Crazy. Ross gets so hurt when people don't pick him. I wish Finn would stand up to it a bit more. I do enjoy their relationship, but it's not really what it used to be a few years ago.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/meet-gatesheads-alex-duguid-face-11272096

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/meet-gatesheads-alex-duguid-face-11272096

And yet GL still managed a much better final week than ATWT did.