DramatistDreamer

Interesting that the U.S. helped/obliged Japan to formulate their gun laws.

If someone came out with a “tell-all” exposé of the soap industry (who’s doing what to whom) and named names.😈 That would be pretty shocking. Seriously though, the last two items on that list would indeed shock me the most. The way things ended so badly with the TOLN soaps, I wouldn’t expect many people to sign on, although I know from the reunion livestreams that a few people would still give it another go. Since PGP/P&G has made absolutely no effort in even showing interest in making episodes available to the public since 2012, that would be pretty darn shocking if they were to make episodes available on some streaming platform, even though their soaps were technically the first to do it via the AOL portal and then the SoapClassics website.

You bring up an important point. The budget cuts that lead to a diminished idea of home and hearth, such a big part of seeing characters function as family. Having meals in the dining room, coffee and dessert in the living room, barbecues on the patio in the backyard. Without those things, you lose opportunities to seamlessly present that familial side of these characters as well as their place within the family. I always enjoyed those freewheeling gatherings when family and friends would gather, sometimes spontaneously. You get to see a character like Tom Hughes as a husband, a son and brother, Margo as a wife and sister, Kim as a wife, mother and stepmother and Bob as a dad, husband and stepdad. Put Lisa into the mix for good measure and it really gets interesting, all in one setting.

With conscientious and considerate writing Katherine could have evolved into a sort of matriarchal figure but the writing was just never there to make that happen. For one, Brock only made sporadic appearances and many viewers like myself don’t remember seeing Brock as a regular character onscreen and by then, memories of Katherine “Mothering” Brock were long gone. The memories that are ingrained via flashbacks are Katherine, drunk and bitter and out of control. It’s not hating on the character, it’s recognizing what the writing for that character lacked in order to make most of us see Katherine as a genuine matriarchal figure in the style that soaps are usually known for. Nikki was always much too insecure and self-absorbed to fill out that show’s matriarchal figure. I do think Y&R has an ageist issue in their lack of vision when it comes to writing characters of “a certain age” as both matriarchal and vital at the same time. One of the reasons why I referenced Kim Hughes on ATWT is because for a number of years the writing seemed to be able to strike that balance.

The lack of serve was a huge liability back then. You had the group that could serve hard and fast (most of the American players) and you had the players who served with a bit of pace but veered more toward accuracy (a la Hingis, Henin, etc.) Unfortunately for her, Dementieva’s serve was neither of these. Back then it was inconceivable that one’s serve could be so dysfunctional and be able to win a major title, without massive assistance from the draw.

Enuka Okuma is definitely still active as an actor.

I know that I was asking about shows and characters that are currently on the air but in terms of female leads that evolved into matriarchal figures I would have to say that ATWT’s Kimberly Sullivan’s evolution into Kim Hughes is definitely an example of this.

Was he looking as bored as the other celebrities and sports figures that they showed in the stadium?

Oh, both were lackluster but I couldn’t even get through the men’s final. I saw a few minutes of the first set, a few minutes of the second and exactly none of the 3rd set. Sounds like I missed nothing. Also, I am now reading that apparently Nadal beat Ruud with no feeling in one foot? His foot was as numb as the match, I guess.

Of the remaining U.S. network soaps on air today, how many of them have figures that would qualify as a matriarch, do you think?

RG title Number 14 for Nadal. A beat down in the final but a prosperous week for Ruud.

Genius.

And I didn’t even include Hingis and Mary Pierce who were pretty big factors during that time period as well. The Top 20 was stacked back then. Neither Williams sister played as much as the other players so they didn’t even play as many events. At the same age, 21, Venus had already won 2 majors, and would win 2 more in the summer had won 2 Olympic gold medals. With that field chock full of future hall of famers. Almost everyone in that Top 10 became a #1. I know people want to compare stats but people also need to compare how strong the competition was at the time.

I forgot to include “Chuckie” in that list. Oh well.

She ties Venus’ win streak when Venus had to beat Davenport, Capriati, Serena, Henin, Clijsters, Mauresmo and Seles. Back then the weakest link out of that Top 10 was Dementieva and she was a fierce competitor.

That Top 10 is…

The streak continues for Swiatek, while Coco gets a learning experience and memories of a pretty decent run. And I can get on with my Saturday.

What an altogether odd day at Roland Garros.🥴

Nadal and Novak’s style of tennis just be breaking bodies. Opponents need to find another way to compete against them because that style only works for them, everyone else will likely end up in traction trying to play this way. Zverev’s sense of balance has never been very good.

RG survived Ostapenko winning, it’ll be fine. RG hasn’t been scintillating viewing in ages anyway. Coco getting to the women’s final will buy her some time and space, get people off her back. At least for awhile. Very few players had complete games after getting to their first final. I doubt Coco will stop wanting to improve just because she got to a final. If anything, it should motivate her even more. The men are such drama kings, yet people are constantly carping about the WTA.

Yay, Coco! Her first major final!

I only saw a teensy winsy bit of that Ruud/Rune match. I love how the commentators tried to pass off that cold fish handshake as something uniquely Scandinavian. Yeah…right.

Oof again.

Oof.

The forever match part 59 was contested in under six hours, huh? I guess Felix can take heart in the fact that he managed to drag Rafa to a five set match.