Soaplovers

I liked the Dreaming Death story moreso now after the pandemic. It involved the Cedars crew, killed off a contract character (Lesley Ann in a gothic way) and helped solidify the Jim/Hilary coupling after she almost succumbs to it. Infinity was interesting because it was an umbrella story that involved most of the cast.. and it led to death of Lujack. I was hoping to see the fall out being Alexandra renewing a Lewis vs Spaulding feud.. but that story appeared to be dropped when Pam Long left as headwriter. Also, I have to say the Susan Piper story had a lot of promise.. and the way she died in the quicksand pit was very memorable. And I think Floyd as a killer might have worked if there was a bit more motivation written. Given that he was kind of a born loser in the 1979/1980 so it would have made more sense if he accidently killed Andy Ferris, freaked out, and tried to cover it up instead of confessing. That would have fit more with his character then him becoming obsessed with Beth and kidnapping India.

From what I remember, there was build up in 1994 for Dinah coming for a visit. There is a scene where Ross and Blake are waiting at the airport for Dinah...Ross excited and Blake nervous. And then she wasn't on the plane and Ross was wondering what happened. Only to find that Vanessa had asked Dinah not to come to Springfield because she was afraid it would hurt her case if Dinah was in town. This is most likely why you saw Ross tear into Vanessa on the witness stand...and why when Dinah came back in early '95..she had an axe to grind against Vanessa. Dinah was justified in her anger toward Vanessa in '95. She had soft moments with Henry...and had a typical older sister interaction with Bill. And I liked that she gave a bit of hell to Blake...karma based on how Blake was to others. I do recall Vanessa/Matt were supposed to be a fling...and it would have been better if it stayed a fling. It limited both characters. I don't recall what the plan was for Vanessa post fling..but I do recall the writers had wanted Lucy and Matt to be paired..no chemistry..imho. I think had the actress that played Julie opted to stay...I think she and Matt would have been interesting. Especially since Bridget vs Julie had been brewing for 3 years.

Based on these statements.. Mary Stuart should have been Trudy... a tell like it is individual

RHONY: I don't know... the debut season of the new NY cast members wasn't horrible.. but the powers that be needed to do a little bit of cast adjusting for their 2nd season. I would have 86'd Ubah because that individual is a walking red flag and seems almost boastful about abusing her significant others... and told Jenna she needed to share all aspects of her life or she needed to exit stage left. We shall see RHONJ: I haven't watched it yet.. but maybe this new format might be the way to go for the other franchises. I always roll my eyes at reunion time because all of the women look like ridiculous in their outfits and it's mostly a lot of yelling and cross talk.. and Andy Cohen just sucks as a moderator. I still don't understand why he won't just go away LOL RHOC: @Taoboi You noticed my lukewarm feelings toward Lesa on Dubai... but I tend to have those type of feelings for a housewife on every franchise that I watch. For instance, on RHOC.. those feelings go toward Gina. Unlike Lesa, Gina has no real value to this franchise at all... and I think she has something on Bravo/Andy because other more qualified housewives have been let go while she remains. She did herself no favors with putting Jenn's business out there and including it on the show. Not only did it make Jenn look bad, it also made Gina look like an idiot. And I wouldn't ever want to use Gina as a realty especially since the girl can't keep her mouth shut.

I could see a few bigger name soap performers being cast along with new blood. Debbi Morgan would be a given, and I could see Ms. Fox in a shorter term role on the soap.

I liked the Scott and Heather coupling... but the show didn't know how to write for them as a couple nor as individual characters (though Heather fared better then Scott). Any character that wasn't Cruz/Eden, CC/Sophia, Mason/Julie, Kelly, or Gina didn't fare well with the writers even if the story arc was interesting.

Agree to disagree. Derek seems non-descript to me as a character, but I can't judge it by just this one scene. However, Robert Newman was kinda hot.. and this Josh was loads better then the Josh we got once Reva invaded Springfield. And I kind of like the hair on Vanessa in this scene.. it seemed a bit funky and showed that Vanessa was still free and untamed as a character.

Oh.. Derek Colby... I've heard that name before.. but never saw him on an episode. Only time I saw the actor was in the Moonlighting screen test video.. and he was attractive.. but I don't know if he had that 'look' to be a memorable actor.

I think one of the strengths of the OC is that there is always some sort of cast rotation from season to season so the show always feels fresh. Even during shaky times like season 15, people knew that a cast change or two would happen after the season was over so people could hang on. Jersey, Potomac, etc have always had trouble with cast changes.. they always come too late and when the happen.. they aren't done well. BH would have a new lease on life if the show cut Kyle loose.. she drags the show down.

RHOC Jenn is equal parts Lauri and Lynn Curtain in terms of cluelessness and ditzy act. However, Lauri had better wallet radar skills and Lynn seemed to have had a skill/job she could fall back on if needed. Gina is doing too much because shr knows deep down that she hasn't really done anything to warrant keeping an orange. Alexis went from Jesus Jugs to Single White female. Shannon, at her core, seems like a nice person...but obviously lacks coping skills and good taste in partners. Emily's sense of humor, family life, and her ability to push back when provoked have earned her the orange. I sometimes get Jeana vibes from her Dubai: Stanbury channeled her Ladies of London persona for this season and it works perfectly for her. She struggled last season because she didn't know to chart the Housewife waters. Lesson here is to just be yourself. Lesa's only redeeming qualities are that she seems to be a good mom and she has great taste in men.

Her first scenes ever on the show. Soap characters don't get these types of introductions anymore.

@Vee When Gillian first came on, she was free spirited and had an open attitude about sex and love. She would flirt with Kevin (she figured out he was gay and was accepting), Mateo (Hayley promptly put a stop to that), Edmund, and Tad. Her first few months pre-Ryan were very eventful and I have a feeling that might have been why some viewers weren't keen on, plus she didn't have that American 90s view on love and relationships. There was a funny scene where Tad decided to show her what being with him would truly be like and invited her for a date. She gets there.. and he's there with his son Jamie and he says that a night with him would involve watching movies with Jamie, playing games, and not many nights going out to parties. Gillian promptly makes an excuse to call off the date. It was a cute scene.

I will saw that back in the 1960s, the concept of Dark Shadows took over a year between his pitch and the first episode coming together. So I imagine that she's working behind the scene on determining what from the bible to present.. and also probably determining sets, interviewing production people, and weeding through sample scripts that are being given to her (since a lot of times you have either a try out with a few scripts, or have to submit a script you've written based on an outline given). I saw if if it's November 2024 and we've heard nothing such as a tentative cast list, or even an exact date the show is set to debut.. then maybe be concerned a bit.

So we won't even get to see their work until 2025? You know what.. I say dump the last few months of episodes and start over again. The money that has been wasted keeping that talentless hack on the soap for 7 years would be way more then just dumping some of the episodes that were filmed.

I think when the ladies did the Loving Reunion, Christine Tudor mentioned that after she was written off Loving.. that she had told her husband that she wanted to take a brief break from acting.. and she joked that it was a very long break.. longer then she thought she would take.

From what I remember, when Miriam Carpenter is kidnapped and held hostage where she discover God is when I think the show turned a corner. Even after she's rescued, she does struggle with her new found faith and not going back to her old ways. I did a watch of it years ago when a local station reran the soap, and I recall once the show hits the first year anniversary, it starts to get some mementum. From what I recall there is a also a murder trail that is well done in the 2nd year of the soap. I always marvel that the actor that played Lori's husband 'Dr Ben Martin' was the creator of Roseanne and Home Improvement

RHODUBAI: Women like Brooks are why I think men should just stay single because she's damaged goods and not worthy of a good man or good woman. At the same time, Sergio is why I think women should stay single because he's damaged goods in a different way.. and not worthy of a smart intelligent woman or gay man

Imagine if you had someone like Peggy O'shea writing this Duann/Julia/Renee story... it still would have been campy.. but there would have been some heart/meat to the scenes. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Alex is almost an actual person and not some loopy over the top individual that came later on. She seems almost competent in her day to day life.

I remember Blake walking into a room just as Lillian says out loud that she had an affair with Ed to Eve.. and I don't think she had a positive reaction to the news. And I remember when Alex came back in the fall of 1993, she and Lillian had dinner and Alex had said there was talk of something going on between Lillian and Ed.. and she confirmed it to Alex. Otherwise, I don't recall if anyone else ever found out other then those two instances.

I knew when Shannen announced within the last few weeks that things weren't looking good and was starting chemo again that the end was sadly coming sooner rather then later. She left a great mark with two iconic roles, a memorable supporting role in an iconic cult classic (Heathers), and always spoke up for herself even if it was at great risk to her job and career. Shelley Duvall was such a part of my childhood from watching Fairy Tale Theatre, Mother Goose Rock n Rhyme, and her attempt at adapting classic gothic novels into hour long anthology episodes (Nightmare Classic). It wasn't until my teen and young adult years that I got see the other part of Shelley Duvall.. her 70s output was amazing (Her acting in 3 Women was flawless). Richard Simmons.. Sweating to the oldies made exercise look fun and was an advocate for those struggling to lose weight. An icon also gone too soon. Dr Ruth... her advice show on Lifetime back in the day was one my late mom used to watch. RIP

Double post

The reason why some fans actually liked Gary and Abby together was because of the slow burn before the two ended up hooking up. Even in season 2 before the 'are you ready for me now Gary' line, you saw that the two had an instant chemistry with their interactions at Knots Landing motors. There was an ease in their interactions that it made perfect sense that Abby would find him more appealing. Season 6 was probably the one season where Gary/Abby were in sync as a team with their working relationship at Lotus Point and their passionate off work time together. They each understood one another and both probably just decided to enjoy this partnership for as long as they could. Season 7 was where you started to see the cracks reform again where they loved each other.. but their goals were going in different directions. At the same time, you saw Val and Ben's relationship going through highs and lows. He offered a more fun element in her life, they both loved running, both had a passion for writing, and he had the beach house on the Ocean. Season 8 was an interesting season to me because it was the only season where Gary and Val were in different orbits with some occasional interaction. Gary was off running for office with Abby by his side, he and Abby finally break up, and his relationship with Jill is in full bloom. Val is starting over in her marriage to Ben, briefly focused on adapting a book into a screenplay, and also deals with the Jean Hackney situation with causes issues in her friendship with Laura while she is powerless in being able to help Ben in his slow decline of his mental health (a reversal in roles). Oddly Latham's debut season is the season where Val gets the best writing from them. To me, once Jill's gone at the end of season 10 is when the show should have started the process of reuniting Val and Gary. Their hesitation in trying for a 3rd time should have been enough of an obstacle without throwing in Danny and the 'brain virus'.

Season 2 really leaned into the fidelity vs infidelity question in a wierd mix of standalone and continuing stories. There was no build up nor any long term fall out. Once Abby set her signs on Gary in mid season 2.. then the concept of infidelity in a marriage became an interesting question. It also helped that Val/Abby were friendly with one another and the build up to Gary and Abby cheating took over a season before it happened near the end of season 3. Having Val discover it and leave Gary was an awesome way to end season 3.. with season 4 continuing their divorce with her becoming a writer and Gary trying to make a go with Abby.

Alexis has always sided with the man over the woman. Remember season 6 where she basically blamed Peggy for not telling her that she had once dated Jim and didn't even think to also blame Jim. This is a pattern with her. Gina... what does she have on the production company, Bravo, and Andy? She hasn't ever earned her orange. Shannon needs help.. no doubt about it. Although I do find it funny that Tamra bad mouths her during filming, during talking heads, and during interviews promoting the show yet is upset that Shannon stops talking to her when filming is done and/or when she no longer is on the show. Tamra is obviously stupid and doesn't understand the concept of a 'co-worker'. Shannon views her as a co-worker.. someone she has to put up with while filming is in session.. but ignores once filming is over. That's what normal people do... they don't become friends with their co workers... they do their jobs then go home when the workday is over.

Right now, I'm sure writers are being hired, story is being mapped out, and perhaps sets are being determined. As we all know, going from a show Bible to reality takes time.