Soaplovers

I would be more interested if the Duprees had some members feuding with one another instead of the boring 'Dupree Strong' mantra. This is a soap opera, not a Hallmark Channel movie. Anita story is pretty well written, but I don't want someone going through cancer so it's fast forward for me due to personal reasons. Other than movement in that story.. every other story seems to be either told (not shown), dropped and resumed later on. MVJ, I know it's her baby... but she needs to hand over reigns to someone that can actually plot out a story. Her strengths are script writing and story ideas, but the woman can't plot a story to save her life. Guza could plot a story out, and i think that's why the first six to seven months were moving at a nice pace with the three intro stories being staggered so we got payoffs (Dani going nuclear at Bill/Hayley's wedding in week 1, SPS introducing Ted to his secret daughter Eva around episode 60, Martin story peaking after that, Doug/Vanessa/Joey story hit a peak in the 120s to 130s range, Chelsea's kidnapping had seeds in the first week that came to be between episodes 100 to 130, and Hayley's reveal as a con artist/black widow wannabe at episode 150.. a perfect conclusion to Guza's stint as co-headwriter). Thomson seems like she understands how to write certain characters (Derek, Ashley).. but she doesn't seem to be any better at pacing a story then MVJ. And the EP situation... too many of them working on this show.. trim the fat and the money you save can be applied to building a set for the clinic and perhaps Vanessa's office (which actually could be a redress of Nicole's office).

I'd trade out Tyrrell, Samantha, and June.. and instead feature Donnell and Deanna fully. Get some non Duprees some focus.

She was perky and high energy on ATWT. I remember back when she was playing temp Harley that a lot of comments on mediadomain said she smiled and was too perky to play Harley Cooper.

Siggy has to be the most baffling 180's I'd ever seen from a sophomore housewife that I can recall. Leah was vile in her freshman season, Alexis was always going to be the punchingbag and she played it well, Alexia had a lot going on in her life yet always gives, Brownie was a disaster, Teddi (who is that?)

I don't like them.. they're too corporate.

Would it work better if they dropped one of the interviewers? That way there is more time for the guests to talk.

My parents loved watching it, and I faintly watching as a child. It was mostly self-contained with some serialized elements to it. I had forgotten that Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans Dark Shadows) had played the mother of the four kids in the pilot, but the show did have a very strong willed female protagonist that was a good foil for Lee Horsley. It wouldn't be a David Jacobs show without a strong female character.

Watching the soap reminds me of when I was in college and writing short stories & episodic screenplays where the professor would tell me 'You have strong scenes, but little action'. I truly feel once Guza jumped ship, the pacing and action declined. I can safely say that is a big difference since he's been gone for 100 episodes. Here is the evidence: Joey/Vanessa/Doug - For the first 150 episodes, you had Joey basically using both Vanessa and Doug's addictions to get them under his thumb. You liked Joey/Vanessa in scenes together, you also liked Doug/Vanessa in scenes together, and the stakes were high. Once Doug was killed off, we met Donnell .. a Donnell that was determined to find out what happened to his father and not being keen on Joey. Since then, Donnell has come and gone with him accepting Joey with his sister Deanna coming in for two episodes and now gone? Eva/Tomas/Kat - Classic triangle with two half-sisters that don't like one another, A working class guy working to climb the ladder going for the socially acceptable sister while having a good rapport/connection with the other sister. You play out the beats and right after the guy and the working class sister hook up... the triangle is killed off. Tomas/Kat are a couple while Eva was spun off into another relationship with no stakes. Nicole/Ted/SPS - The first 60 episodes built up to the bombshell of Ted having an affair with SPS in the past and having a daughter together. The sudden recasting of Ted sort of derailed the story, but the show insisted on playing out this story for a bit before finally breaking them up.. and both Ted/Nicole are in new situations with little to no stakes with SPS just being a thorn. Hayley - For a 150 episode, there was a thread that we finally got to see where it led on episodes 150/151 where things that didn't make sense suddenly made sense, the random comments from Derek, Ashley, Jacob, Dani, Naomi.. where it sounded as if she was a new arrival vs someone that knew the family for years (i.e. Ashley). And the pregnancy/miscarriage drama was interesting.. it was almost like playing detective and/or putting puzzle pieces together. However, after we got the full picture... the story seems to have stalled though the arrival of Lynette is promising. One big improvement: Derek/Ashley - Breaking them up has done wonders for both characters.. moreso for Derek than Ashley. Ashley is mixing it up with the hospital crew and having good chemistry with a new guy, whose kind of shady. Derek has mixed it up with SPS (he pushes her buttons so much), Eva, Vanessa, and Naomi more than before. However, as others have said, there is a lot of talking and little action.

There's a stage in aging for some women (Boomer women) that they would go blonde in their 50s because it was closer in tone to grey hair vs coloring the hair jet black/light black that she always had.

I think Eve was probably meant to be a longer term character had the show been renewed for an 8th season.. but when the show decided to end things after 7 seasons.. they had to do a fast finish to her arc and she became unhinged too quickly. Same thing about Alexandra Paul's character... that had the character do a sudden change of face right after she hit on Kyle's brother and tried to kidnap his daughter, almost getting them killed.

The producers of KL in charge had indicated up to the end of season 6 that they never intended to reunite Gary/Val.. that they broke them up to show that sometimes you can try again as adults and it still doesn't work no matter how much two people love one another. Val/Ben working was probably unexpected to the show, but up to the end of season 6.. Ben was written as end game for Val while Abby seemed to be portrayed as longer term mate for Gary. Had the producers that came in season 7 had respected those set ups, I think Ben/Val and Abby/Gary would have continued well beyond season 8 as couplings. The twins would have been a good conflict foundation for both couplings along with other shorter term conflicts. Season 8 did have a few interesting threads/hints for Ben/Val that could have worked without the Jean H story. There was an episode where Ben was drinking one too many drinks with Val having a look of alarm/worry because she feared he would become an alcoholic and repeat the cycle that she had finally shaken free of from Gary. The last few episodes where his mental state started to falter was also interesting because it was a reversal of season 6. This time Val was the one trying to help Ben, whose mental state was slipping. Those elements mixed in with her actually shown working as a writer (lots of notes, trying to organize her house and writing, trying to hire an assistant, having to bring the twins to a work meeting because she couldn't find anyone to watch the twins, etc) could have made season 8 a strong Val season. Ironically, the Latham's only season where they wrote Val well.

In regards to BTG, the 3+ month filmed ahead schedule and the 5+ months of scripts pre-written make it difficult for the show to do course corrections if something isn't working (i.e. Ashley/Andre were designed as star-crossed for the first 150 to 180 episodes.. the show even did the standard jealous partner keeping secret their ability to walk in order to keep the star crossed lovers apart. Around 180 episodes into the show, the jealous partner was exposed, Ashley went to Andre to confess her feelings, being turned down by him, and now Andre/Ashley haven't interacted in a few months nor hardly mention their past connection). Had the show been written and filmed closer to air-date, the show would have 86'd Ashley/Andre, broken up Ashley/Derek, and focused on Dani/Andre as an actual couple with her ex Bill jealous she's moved on even though he left her for a younger woman. If you look at episodes of Guiding Light from 1989, you'll see various character interactions and characters/couples tested (i.e. Nadine/Ross, Holly/Johnny, Frank/Sam, Sonni/Roger, Fletcher/Alex, Ross/Vanessa/Billy/Nadine teased,). If a dynamic wasn't working, the show would course correct and/or if an actor decided to leave.. the adjustments could be made without it feeling like whiplash (i.e. Michelle Forbes quitting thus ending the Roger/Sonni dynamic.. and moving Roger into Alex's orbit).

She was on prednisone for awhile.. which can cause weight gain, puffy face, etc.

Ugly Betty was also adapted to American audiences. I saw the original version and man.. Betty was so cringe and annoying in that version. Betty was pretty annoying in the American version, but at least, she acted like a mature adult with a misguided/unique fashion sense (and there were a few times where she actually got it right LOL)

More and more a reality. So excited to see this debut soon :) https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/561558/crystal-lake-first-look-at-peacocks-friday-the-13th-series/

Oh God.. the host that doesn't know what a boundary is and is a five year trapped in grown ass woman's body. No thank you.

In this period, Blake was still being written in a less antagonistic way. In fact, she does end up kind of helping with figuring out if Beth is alive or not (there is an episode later in the same month that sort of reveals the clues presented around this time are a hoax.. but viewers are shown in that very same episode that Beth actually is alive). In regards to SS as Blake vs LK as Blake. BlackDahlia1972 has a bunch of Blake/Ross scenes starting from 1992 (in the last few months of SS playing Blake) going all the way up to the 2000s. These are leading up to SS's final episode where she and Ross seem to be drawn to one another even though they know they're wrong for one another. It had more of a forbidden element to it... and a good Frank/Blake friendship scene with Holly even stating that Frank would be perfect for Blake (I always smiled when the show ended with Frank/Blake becoming a couple because I always thought that they would make a nice couple especially when LK was playing Blake) These are the first scenes, or close to them, for LK as Blake. The writers were still writing Blake as if SS were playing the role... but LK obviously couldn't deliver these lines in the same manner. SS had a more dry and cynical way of delivering these lines that made her seem in control while LK's attempts came off as play acting. There was potential in keeping Blake as a corporate shark with LK in the role, but it required modifying the lines just a bit to match with how LK spoke and carried herself. Sadly instead of adjusting the lines slightly to fit LK's initial take and still maintain the essence of Blake... the show drastically changes the character within a few months turning her into comic relief.

The talks that Eva had with Mona about how she's made up for her part in what happened to Nicole/Ted also makes me think that eventually the Laura secret will come out... and her role in covering up the part her mom played in it. It would be the exact thing that would actually cause conflict for Eva with her new guy and make Eva have to start all over again in getting acceptance and becoming a 'have not'.

The only critique I have is that both of the interviewers tend to interrupt instead of just letting the guest lead the conversation. I loved Jackee basically calling Connie Ford (Ada AW) a bitch LOL

I hate to say it, but I kind of miss Bob Guza being a co-head writer on this show because during the first 150 episodes he was there.. there was definite movement/events happening mixed in with conversations.

Even if Curlee had stayed.. I don't think the Blake/AM rapport and connection would have lead to a coupling since Lk/RH didn't have the chemistry that SS/RH had. LK was too soccer mom

Agree to disagree. There needs to be some form of escapism on tv without being preached at.

I don't think the concept was what confused viewers, it was the fact that the pacing went by too fast that if you missed a few episodes.. you'd be lost. It's a shame that the show and Moltke couldn't work out a way to return because I think a PT Victoria Winters would have been an interesting avenue to explore. She stated she wanted a more interesting character to play and she could have been a Victoria with a bit more bite to her. I also think the main performers being off filming House of Dark Shadows kind of hurt the show although the Cyrus story was interesting and a unique way to carry the show forward. It offered something new and also gave the actress paying Sabrina something more interesting to play in this realm vs the more subdued Sabrina in regular time. Oddly I liked Lara's Alexis character and I like the mystery over whether she was Anglique or if she was really Angelique the first few weeks.. but once Angelique comes back, the story kind of flatlines. Roxanne seemed to be yet another attempt at the show trying to fill the void of Victoria Winters. It wasn't until Kate Jackson that there was someone strong enough to fill that void.

I recall the Linda Dano cross over situation.. she stuck out like a sore thumb on AMC. I didn't see her appearances on the other two soaps (PC nor GH). Oddly, I found Robin Christopher a better fit on OLTL then she was on either AMC and GH. She and Kassie had good rival chemistry. In regards to the Gregory family, it sounded as though they were intended to be another family for the Matthews clan to play opposite of. It wasn't until Harding Lemay that the Matthews family was focused on less in favor of the wealthy Cory's and the working class Frame family. It was obvious that Lemay had innate bias against middle class families and found them to be too 'Soap Opera' and restrictive. And his prejudice against Courtney was obvious. I will say from reading the write-ups of his first few weeks as head-writer, he did seem to have a way with writing characters. There was an example of a conversation between Susan and Alice about Jamie where Susan pointed out that she had a step daughter that she accepted and that Alice needed to accept that Jamie would be part of the picture or else she might as well as just end things with Steve. Shame Alice didn't listen to her cousin Susan or else she would have saved herself a lot of heart ache over the next few years.

LB has the ability to be vulnerable, but it works better when she approaches it in more restrained and subtle ways. Not every performer needs to pull a Karla Mosley when doing heavy emotional scenes. Sometimes soap performers go too OTT in emotional scenes when restrained acting would be more doable.