Soaplovers

Nicollette has a stare, but it's more of a disdainful stare that a snob would give as opposed to the sociopathic stare that Joan gave.

Wasn't it true Heather was considered by the producers to be a part of the season 4 cast? She would have been better than Cindy if true.

Here is the thing... in order to have Gretchen and/or Alexis and Jim back... you had to get rid of Tamra since it would have been a hamster wheel because there was still unresolved issues between Gretchen/Alexis.. and Gretchen/Tamra (although I hope Tamra saying she wouldn't talk to her if she saw in person would hold out). I'm anxious to see what season 13 will hold since there is a rumor one of the housewives has been downgraded thus the delay in releasing the trailer. While season 3 was the gold standard for RHONY... I think season 4 was the gold standard for RHOC (a great mix of the original format, fun events, and some drama thrown in)... and Tamra learned her lesson from season 4 and since than will bring in all discussions done off camera onto the show. I recall Tamra was acting all mean in her talking heads to Gretchen and people were confused since it appeared during the filmed scenes they got along (for the most part other than naked wasted)... and as it turns out, some of what Tamra said about Gretchen was true (I always got a All about Eve vibe from Gretchen where she wanted to be like Tamra, etc).

@vetsoapfan What did you think of the Melinda's? I've seen youtube clips of Sharon Gabet.. and she was a great actress.. but I hear she was nothing at all like how the two previous actresses played Melinda.

I think the lesson to learn here is once a housewife officially jumps off the reality show bandwagon, their life improves (moreso than not). Jo on RHOC is happy in a job and great relationship Alex from RHONY is happy in Australia with Simon and the kids These two have officially broken away from the reality tv trap... perhaps others should follow suit (god knows Gretchen from RHOC needs to break away from reality tv and Slade.. her life would improve 100 percent I bet).

And that above gif of Luann makes me very glad that karma punishes those that are ill bred like Luann. Karma is a *itch

I happened to see snippets of episodes with Malis playing Dorian.. and what struck me was how her Dorian and Vicki got along at least on a social level. She seemed to serve as a bridge between Pinkerton's colder Dorian and Strasser's more emotionally charged Dorian. It also seems like she also got to play up the early parts of Dorian inheriting money and Llanfair... the nourve riche aspect in a way. I recall Princi most in the role in the early 90s. She was more upper crust, could lash out emotionally like Strasser's Dorian, could be cunning and assess her prey like Pinkerton's Dorian (from what you describe), and had a certain flair for letting her hair down (the teased hair and motorcycle leather I recall) that I could have seen Malis playing. @vetsoapfan Any thoughts on Vicki's sister Meredith? When my mom was alive and in high school... she watched OLTL in the early years and she told me she loved Meredith and couldn't stand Vicki... and kind of always rooted for Dorian lol

Just reinforces that Katherine was pure evil and the later switch to her being a saint was laughable and insulting. She was pure evil (she killed a man after all).

Isn't Eva friends with Nene? Maybe Nene has some pull backstage ala Bethenny? So I was on Twitter yesterday and there is a rumor that the RHOC trailer that was supposed to come out this past week is being re-edited and a housewife is being demoted (shades of Danielle in season 9, if true). I wonder if this proves true if the narrative will be jumbled like it seemed to be somewhat during season 9 (even though we got a wonderful addition named Shannon that season).

I wouldn't say I find the current episodes boring, but I think the current head-writer did a complete 180 and focused more on character building scenes and establishing a community (he came from P & G where that was the norm) then he was at creating plots (the Pollock's specialty). The one character I will say has benefited from Cenedella has been Penny.. who actually has been presented more as a well rounded character than the version we saw under the Pollocks. And the latest episodes seem to indicate that Penny's 'love' for Rico is based more on fantasy than an actual connection while he introduced the Jerry Dancy character.. and you could see the two had chemistry, but the character hasn't appeared only being mentioned a few times since his introduction.

I'm going to dread the recast of Carolee... even when the show wrote Carolee as a more paranoid ball and chain, C. Campbell always had a sarcastic and kind of whimsical way she delivered her lines. I'm sure the recast will be good, but I'm dreading a serious Carolee.

Maybe she doesn't survive her knee surgery?

I don't buy the riding into the sunset trope.. it's kind of a cop out to me. From watching the Steve/Betsy courtship.. I just didn't see the appeal. I was actually rooting for Diana to break them up (or for Diana/Craig to become a couple). Did Marland ever write a fun loving couple during his time as head-writer on the show? The only couple I could think of was John/Lucinda.. but anyone else?

I like an authentic season with little to no scripting. NY seems to be giving a lot of authentic and organic drama this season... rare for them since season 3. When was the last time that Atlanta gave a truly organic, fun, and drama filled season? I can't recall. Beverly Hills.. it's been since season 1.. maybe season 2 maybe? Orange County.. I would say maybe season 10 (where they had a cast trip where everyone had fun and there was little to not fighting).. although season 11 had the ATV accident.

And she would have had job security for another three years or so since Jenny/David had execellent story.. and lots of interplay with Dorian/Herb/Cassie. She would have been used much better here then her brief return on AW. A shame.

I heard a rumor that the Dorian/David/Jenny triangle wasn't the plan originally .. that Pat was supposed to be the third person in the triangle, but that Jacqueline Courtney's contract was terminated, etc... and that Jenny filled that slot. I'm not sure if that is true or not.

I just Betsy as jaded with life and love (after all... her storybook romance with Steve went up in smoke with his crimes leading to prison.).. She probably thought she could change him and when he still reverted to his old ways, she became much more jaded and guarded. I do think she did quite well as a character without a love interest even in the era of the super couple. And I think she and Emily had an interesting dynamic as half-sisters (the yin and yang effect).

I actually think continuing the show without Roseanne would be interesting.. since Darlene and, to a lesser extent, Becky really carried a lot of the load in this last season. Perhaps Jackie could then be presented like a functional adult instead of the village idiot the show and Metcalf kept insisting on playing/writing.

I loved her as Betsy, she made the character less stupid. I didn't know that she was going to be cast in A League of Their Own.. but had to back out of it.. and was replaced by Madonna. So I guess baseball was always in her blood in one way or another.

My mom and all of her girlfriends in the 70s loved Katie and also loved her friendship with Hilary. They were relatable as twenty something nurses channeling the dating and working world. With that said, you're the first person I've ever talked to that loathed her character LOL Do tell what about her did you dislike?

Now that I've been watching the Doctors and seeing more of the original MJ's work... I have to wonder if the Dobson's looked at MJ as an inspiration for when they created Katie Parker? MJ is an attractive twenty something, sweet, good natured, and willing to step aside to let someone get the guy (and from what I read on the last years of the Doctors).. didn't have much luck with the guys (a loser in love)... and was a nurse Katie started as an attractive twenty something, sweet, good natured, and also willing to step aside to let someone get the guy, also had lousy luck with love, and was a nurse. Plus, both were likable and funny.

I know Matt Williams had control for the first 13 episodes... and I liked those episodes even if they felt a little run by the numbers... and she had more input in the final episodes of the 1st season (I wonder if Matt Williams had stayed in control if Roseanne would have left the factory or not). I think Tom Arnold (as much of a train wreck as Roseanne) had good ideas and vision.. and when he was running the show.. the show evolved and gelled. I think the shift happened once season 7 started and he was no longer in the picture... then it became a show I didn't recognize. I usually only watch the first five seasons... and only the Halloween episodes in season 6 through 9 (sad there won't be any Halloween episode this fall Sara Gilbert had the acting chops.. effortlessly doing drama and comedy without batting an eye. And we know she's acting because she's so not Darlene in real life

I have to wonder if Whitney Cummings saw the writing on the wall and she opted not to return for reasons other then being too busy with her other venues?

I liked that Irna Phillips would kill off popular characters because she knew that in real life, people die without warning. I do think she killed off Kathy in the late 50s because she'd grown tired of writing for her (and the girl had been married two or three times already).. Ironically, she felt the same way about her daughter Robin in the late 60s as well. The difference was that there was always a replacement/back up in place before she killed off a popular character. So while I applaud the show for having the guts to kill Mo off in early 1993, the show didn't have a back up for her to replace the void she left (the closest character to come to mind was Abby... man, I still recall when she flipped out when her attacker got off scott free and he mouthed a threat to her and she shot him in cold blood in the court room... the show had a slight ratings bump that week I recall)

Which character was the most wasted (i.e. had the most potential that was never realized). On a show that never really wrote a character to their fullest potential, that's a tough one to answer.