Soaplovers

I had known from almost the start that season 1 had 200 episodes only because the actress that played Vanessa had gone on a podcast where she mentioned they were filming episode 60 out of 200 episodes. What bothered me was the lack of communication from the network over why there was going to be a week of repeats, and I also was bothered by MVJ's dismissive 'That's above my paygrade' response when she was asked about this sudden decision to air a week of repeats during the 4th of July week. To me, you're the creator of the show so you need to work above your pay grade because fans will be asking you on social media what the deal is... and since these fans are your bread and butter.. you better have an answer for them instead of doing the dismissive 'That's above my paygrade' BS line. Karla showed that she cared about the fans by answering the question and explaining her theory behind why they only had 200 episodes in season 1 and 230+ episodes for season 2. She shows that she cares about the fans by giving an actual answer (she answered my question about how many episodes were being picked up for season 2). So I blame the network, producers, and MVJ for not providing reassurances and/or answers about what was going on with these out of the blue holiday week repeats.

RHOC I was rewatching RHOC season 4 (the Naked Wasted season)... and I noticed that the season did have some drama and forced group outings, but there was a lot of personal narratives and focus. I almost think that with all the mini trips, forced group dinners and constant bickering.. the end of season cast trip isn't as exciting/interesting anymore. Perhaps for season 20 of RHOC, they could go back to the basics again and reserve the big drama for the end of season cast trip and cut down on the group interactions. I would prefer that for all the franchises because the constant trips, lunches, etc just isn't realistic and these are reality shows. Potomac: Oh goody.. the entitled one (Karen) is out of prison and I'm sure she'll be back on the show again even though her Grande Dame thing is so played out and so last decade. MiamI: I think a little cast rotation would be in order for next season. Marysol is played out, and the new girl is just not a fit. I'd like to see Alexia go it alone on the show without her sidekick Marysol on the show

The original plan when the show was wooing Robert Newman back was the promise of doing a Mallet/Harley/Josh triangle... but as we all know, both actors playing Mallet/Harley were leaving the show. No only was there scenes where Harley read Josh the riot act for dumping her the way he did... there was tensions between Josh and Mallet due to the Dylan/Julie/Hart situation. Newman and Derwin had great rival chemistry and it was a shame that it didn't get explored. Simms floundered as Mindy for several months of her stint because she came in during the end of the Will Jefferies story, she didn't have chemistry with Rusty, and there wasn't a plan for how her Mindy would fit into the soap so she was tested with Rick, Daniel St John, and Neil Everest before she hit pay dirt with Roger. I think her having the baby would have kept the character of Mindy on the show.. and would have tied Roger/Billy to one another while giving Alexandra a living reminder of the betrayal of not only Roger.. but Mindy (who she liked ) I know during the Locher Room interview with Sims and Curlee where they rewatched Billy finding out about Roger/Mindy... Sims said she really tried not to play Mindy as being vicious nor trying to age shame Alexandra. Curlee seemed like such a mean individual in her interviews and how she seemed to be the driving force behind the degradation of Alexandra's character... admitting that now that she was the older woman, she realized her error of her writing the story in that vein.

I think the show eventually created Barbara Montgomery as Travis ex-wife that was a thorn in the side of new wife Erica.. even if at first, she and Travis had a friendly divorce and things were platonic at first.

I had figured the 200 episode pick-up for season 1 was a start up to get the cast and crew adjusted to the rigors of daytime filming/producing.. and that we would be getting more pre-emptions. I think we've had at least 15 days at minimum (the two holiday weeks, Memorial day, and also March madness and the soccer playoffs). So I suspect Turkey week and Christmas week will probably result in pre-emptions for part of each of those weeks.

A talented writer could totally mine the whole Nick refusing to grow up aura... and having that be in conflict with Noah, who was forced to grow up due to his wayward parents being immature. Sadly, a talented writer is not on the helm of Y & R so Noah will be featured for a few weeks/months before fading into the background then written off.

From fall 1988 to late 1990, it seemed as though Curlee and Long shared co-head writing duties. We know that Curlee was the one to push for Mindy/Roger being more then just a one time hook up (Curlee had said in a Locher Room interview that Long kept saying that it would be out of character for Mindy to carry on with married man beyond a mistaken one night stand, but that Curlee's idea was taken... and all know Curlee hated the Roger with the mask posing as Adam Malick.. and that seemed like a Pam Long story.. which sort of made sense considering how Roger did wear disguises while in hiding back in the day). I suspect once Pam Long left the team in late 1990, that some of the elements she was focusing on were dropped/modified. Case in point, Harley was going to be paired with a designer that was part of a Jewish family.... and Mallet/Mindy were dropped pretty quickly once 1991 rolled around. I have a feeling that once Long was gone.. .Curlee and co shifted gears on some of those characters. I also suspect Dylan/Sam were a Long creation.. and that once Long was gone, Sam became more supporting before she was phased out in early 1992.

In this case, it worked.

Kat is a prime candidate for a Taming of the Shrew story... and having Jacob's brother come onto the scene could potentially make that a reality.

Stafford should be fired... lousy actress, unlikable person in real life, and just playing a character that has outlived her usefulness.

I like the Thin Man banter between Kat and Jacob and don't want to be ruined with a hook up. Between Jacob and Naomi, I could see Naomi being the one to cheat on Jacob because she feels 'unfulfilled' or that she wants a man that challenges her.

I always viewed 1998 to 2001 as Kay Alden trying to replicate Bill Bell's style with his umbrella stories, but with a somewhat quicker pace. I have a feeling that she was now getting much more interference from the network during this time as well so she wasn't allowed to really develop her style of head writing. The main element I noticed that Alden did that still plays out to this day was making Victor the main attraction where all roads ended with him. One of the reasons was that she was the one to write his character, his dialogue, etc.. so she understood Victor the most and really centered the show around his character. With that said, the 1998 to 2001 had some interesting successes for Alden with the glow up of Nina's character after her rock bottom in early 1998 with her moving on from Ryan, dating, writing a book, and enjoying her own company before she left for LA to adapt her book into a screen play. And lastly.. the Tricia Denniston arc from mid 1998 to November/December 2001 was quite a masterful arc with every beat shown and played. Alden took a character that Bill Bell created without a true purpose... and really made her a memorable late 90s character. That whole arc showed that Alden was listening to Bill Bell when she was learning the ropes on the show on how to write a character/story arc.

Part of the reason Andrea Evans wasn't accepted was the timing of her debut in the role of Patty, which was shortly before the huge confrontation scene with Jack where he ended up getting shot. Viewers spent over a year watching the character of Patty, as played by Lilabet, gradually change from a sweet and spirited young woman into a desperate woman trapped in a marriage that she had no idea would turn out the way that it did. The way she play Patty during that period was a look of desperation and franticness that wasn't over the top nor unrealistic. While Andrea did well in the scenes between her and Jack, had it been Lilibet... the scenes would have been even more top tier and memorable. I also think that the momentum of the story was hindered because of a new Patty and we didn't care as much about the story. Once the Jack story was over in the spring of 1984, her Patty was moved into the Danny/Traci/Lauren orbit... and she was more interesting... but the damage had already been done.

To me, the one story focus actually limits the scope of the show. If it were a 30 minute soap, I could understand doing one story focus episodes.. but an hour soap needs more then one story being focused on per episode. And to me, having Chelsea be the focus falls flat because the show has done a horrible job in writing her character and also of showing the beats of the story that led to this hostage situation. So I don't really care what happens to Chelsea because we haven't had any real focus on her character nor any development of her character outsides of being used by her domineering mother as a model/inflencer. The only thing I hope this story will accomplish is making Chelsea finally start to figure out who she is beyond being Dani's attempt at a mini Dani. Does she actually want to be an influencer, or is she doing it because of her family... and will Chelsea pull away from her family and Madison in order to process what happened to her.. and will Chelsea want to be out in the world... or take on a background role. I'm hoping the fall out will be better then the build-up.

I had forgotten Luna was more New Age and eccentric in her first months on the show before the show sort of softened her a bit where she was still quirky/unique.. but made more like an actual human being vs a walking stereotype. I remember many a person grieving when Luna left the show, and I would say from rewatching episodes that she was a definite energy that fit so well with early to mid 90s OLTL. I don't know if she would have fit in during the 2nd half of the 90s though.. but it's interesting to imagine how Luna would have fit into Angel Square and other focal points of that era.

Phyllis on Y & R did a hit and run on Paul and Cricket (the Bug).. and that secret wasn't revealed for many years. Occasionally she would be haunted by what she did, but the case remained unsolved and she was able to move about town on and off for years. If Y & R could do that with Phyllis.. then I have faith that BTG can do that with Silk Press Sheila. In fact, it would be interesting if the show plays it that people suspect she's the one, but can't prove it so they have to deal/live with her being in their lives.

I watched the interview and sadly Alan spoke more in this interview about Texas vs the first interview with Texas performers. He kept asking about Guiding Light/ATWT that I wanted to say to him 'hey, this interview is about Texas.. not GL/ATWT'. I thought Tina was a sweetheart, and I loved that she kept up her friendship with the actress that played Ruby.. plus the other actresses that she worked with. And Terri Garber being on Gail's hit list makes sense, but I had no idea that Gail Kobe had Kim Shriner, Catherine Hickland, etc on her 'Do not like' list. Hearing them talk about Pam Long... I wish Locher would get her to come on the show 1 on 1 so she could talk about Texas/GL/SFT... and even hear her thoughts on her odd stints on both Santa Barbara and OLTL

Does anyone know for the season 2 pick up if the episode count will be 200 or 250? If the pick up of season 2 was only for 200 episodes, then we will be getting these week long repeats. 50 less episodes means 50 less episodes of filler, 50 less episodes to spend money on writing/directing/acting, so that means more money to devote to extras/events/possible new sets. Win/win. I do hope that Friday leaves us with a cliff-hanger so that we can eagerly await the resolution come September 9th.

Maurice might have been more surface level acting wise.. but he had charisma and a presence... while Nu Ted might have more nuance in his acting choices.. he doesn't have the presence nor charisma that Maurice had.

Marland's Nola had an underlying foundation of melancholy and discontent, which is displayed by her love of old movies and her active fantasy life. Both of those tools were her way to escape from her humdrum boring life living at the Boarding House. It also explained her love of gossip, which she utilized in her first few months in regards to Holly, who she blamed partly for Roger hiding out at the boarding house disguised as the professor. She viewed Kelly as the embodiment of her fantasies of the perfect man, that was cultivated by her constant love and admiration of classic movies. She didn't so much as love Kelly, but fetishized him... and exposure by Kelly in that landmark episode wasn't so much being exposed as a schemer... but it broke through her delusional fantasy that Kelly was her perfect man. While the original plan was for Kelly/Nola to be endgame.. I'm glad that Marland switched gears when he saw how good Nola and Quint were as a couple. He was mysterious, lived in a gothic residence, and was a movie bought to life.... all which Nola had been seeking. Long's Nola from mid 1983 to spring 1985 was an adjustment to her character... but I often thought that she understood Nola 2nd best after Marland. Her Nola was curious and investigated the fishing trip mystery... but the real life pregnancy of Lisa Brown shifted the character since the pregnancy was written into the show. Nola was sidelined from seeing the fishing mystery since she was pregnant... and she was not able to completely by pro-active for the first half of 1984 due to pregnancy (hence her fantasies kind of coming back because she was stuck in limbo). Mid 1984 to late 1984 was partly due to being sidelined by the new baby, adjusting to being a wife, trying to fit into the wealthy world, and having a Christmas adventure in late 1984. The Nolaobics arc seemed to have been cut short due to Lisa Brown opting to leave the show... so who knows if she would have figured into whatever plans the writers had for the 2nd of 1985 (the Infinity story). Nola 1995-1997 was a Nola that had traveled with her husband, been cheated on by him, and had to return to Springfield with her tail between her legs so she was more sad and morose. Even if her stalking was due to desperation at trying to escape her new existence... Buzz Cooper was not the type of guy that she gone for in her younger years nor would provide her with the excitement and mystery she still craved.

Salt Lake City had a strong season 4 with Monica vs Lisa, and a strong season 5 with Brauwyn making a splash... so no need for that psychopath Jen Shah to come back. Both she and Teresa should never have been allowed back on the Housewives show (and I still think Tamra shouldn't have come back after season 4 and Naked Wasted).

All of this talk about Holly being the key to Roger's redemption is messed up. No way should a victim of rape and kidnapping ever be expected to be the key to her tormentor/rapist.

Um... BTG being compared to EON... yeah, not even close. MVJ is no Henry Slesar... she's more like a Lee Sheldon (adequate, but not a mystery writer).

In regards to the Caroline/Hayley friendship scenes, I liked their vibe and it makes me wonder why it took 120+ episodes for the two to have a good friendship scene. This makes me wonder if this episode is the first batch of episodes written/constructed after the debut of the show and perhaps more tweaks will continue to show up. @TaoboiI do remember Chelsea talking to Martin about the trouple set up between her/Allison/Craig.. and mentioning that the encounters between her and Allison were so much more satisfying that they were leaving Craig out of it. Looking back, another little nugget of foreshadowing especially when it is now revealed that Craig wasn't involved/married to Allison... and I do remember when Joey revealed his owning the escort service after Vanessa tried to ulitize the service and he called her out on it. With that said, I wonder if Chelsea will bring up that she did go to Allison wanting to explore their connection.. and Alison turned her down explaining that she was married and that their times together were meant to be no strings attached because she was married to Craig. I'm still thinking there is another shoe waiting to drop... and that too good to be true Madison is somehow involved with this. Especially since she admitted that she had also followed Chelsea on social media and was being bashful about it. Or after Chelsea is rescued, she's going to push Madison away and become less about her social media platform and becoming reclusive.

She's playing it as someone truly believing Chelsea is into her, but not in a scary way. She seems to be approaching these scenes as someone trying to keep hold of hope that Chelsea really does still like her (though I'm still curious why Allison turned down the opportunity to explore something deeper with Chelsea when Chelsea confessed her feelings. Has that been answered yet?)