Taoboi

I agree with it. And I felt like they have toyed with it a few times since PM left. If anything, I'm surprised they haven't yet because Sonny and Nina had such invested interest in the Michael and Willow drama over the past year. At one point, Nina was the only person that could get through to Sonny when he was being...well...Sonny. True.

At least you are shocked. I don't feel like I'm ever going to be anything other than livid. Do you know how hard it is to get a new character that works? On a soap? On this soap? And a HOT black man, too, with agency AND giving something different, too?

When you say it like that, I get it. It makes me think of the insta video JJ did where she was trying to explain her thought processes over the writing that she knew the audience was not digging at it. She is an actress trying to figure out how to work what the writers write, but she was having a hard time. So I would go with both. lol. I can get her point of view given my theater background, but she needs to make stronger choices. The writers might write to that, they might not. On the other hand, if the writers aren't sure of how Ashley should be, that's a BIG problem. It is also why people are over Ashley being propped like she has to date. But that goes back to what I said when the show started, they were better off giving Ashley an establishing story about her, NOT her relationship. Her struggles at her dream job. SilkPress sabotaging her since she was Laura's chief nurse. One of those foine doctors accusing her of doing wrong. Her doubting herself with NO propping. It might have gone a long way to making her relatable and/or likable. Especially some of the rumors floating around. Well, Dani is a WOMAN, not a little girl like Ash. My issues aside, at least she went for it versus Ms. HemHawing Nurse Girl.

I only buy it because Andre had a crush on Ashley from the start but she was with Derek for the last two years. The Ashley who was excited for getting to start her dream job at the start...I could see that. But after how Carrie Bradshaw-Lite she has been for months on end...NO. I don't get it either. Meanwhile, you have Dani over here doing impromptu photoshoots and honest ADULT talk and not hesitating on sexy time with a sexy man vs Ms. Hm-Ha-Oh-Gose. I don't even see why Derek would try to go back after being around Shanice.

I don't care how well the story pieces were set up for it...NO ONE wants that. Hopefully, when we get to the episodes that were filmed/written after the show started to take in the audience/critics feedback, that's the first story to go.

I am curious to see how JJ would play that. If she is going to be Mary Sue/Carrie Bradshaw-Lite, yeah, I don't think I will be here for it at all. But there has been time she has played the role with more petty sass or sarcasm. If she goes that way, that MIGHT work. Or how she was in the scenes with Ashley/Hayley at Orpheny Gene's. That MIGHT work. I agree. When they were doing the aftermath of the anniversary party, I felt the writers were being very logically slow on exploring most (not all) of the fallout. And Jacob and Kat teaming up to get the goods on SilkPress was slow, but did not feel it. But some time in the last month, it really just...stopped. That I don't like. The writers were already stalling the Martin's Secret storyline, so they really have to be careful about doing it so often. Just let it flow naturally. Like for example, what is going on Hayley's baby lie. That worked because the writers were building up Dani and Bill separately while Hayley had very little to do but obsess over making a family with Bill. So it was not unusual or odd to see her talking about a baby constantly. Then their various stories converged at the hospital with Bill's hand issues. And the whole time Hayley had been a good little wife, making it more surprising when the baby lie reveal happen. And we STILL haven't played too much with Ashley's suspicions yet, but I don't feel like it has stalled at all. And I know I'm the one who said how much I don't like the Dani/Bill/Hayley A storyline and going back to it too soon after the show's first two/three weeks. That said...the baby twist just flowed naturally and has me looking at Hayley going about her day in a Love-to-Hate kinda of way. And that...making me go from feeling indifferent to her for the most part to love-to-hate...I have to give props to.

True. Though they appear to be circling back to Sonny/Nina again. I could see that happening as well.

*shivering at their cliff scenes in Florida with sweeping generic big love story music* RME. lol. VS Good adversaries. I think in that case, we definitely trade UP.

Apparently this week she has gone through all of her money. I frowned at that news and side-eyed the writers when she said that in dialogue. Cuz that was a LOT of money. How? And I hate to say it, but I feel the people trying to get evidence to arrest her part of her storyline has definitely stalled. A shame when Shanice is literally RIGHT THERE.

OOooo not necessarily. You saying that brings to mind that Ashley/Hayley talk where she was calling Hayley out about their past before she got with Bill. And she has had her own petty moments with Hayley as of late. Ashley might be willing to do the team-up.

IKR. And presumed dead? So Dante and Anna gave up looking for Cyrus? When? lol. It is at bad as everyone forgetting Sonny killed Wagger. Watch. They will remember to give Carly/Brennan moments of romance/coupledom at the last minute before something happens to Joss/truth comes out and then a breakup. Lol is what I think every time I think about the Carly/Drew breakup. Because Drew said nothing, but the truth. Jason's back in town? He might as well head for the hills. lol.

Exactly! All the stuff going on with Carly right now and he was...a no-show? The custody hearing alone. smh. He was nowhere for her to lean on him or talk or vent Carly-style. And no more sexy time either? And I almost fell out when Carly and Anna were talking about Cyrus and how Joss had shifted. I went...wait? that story thread about Joss killing Cyrus is STILL out there in the ether and nobody knows??? The one thing that would surely break up Carly and Brennan? Yep...a total stall. If they are not going to use him as BF material and not pull the trigger by letting that fact get out...then what is the endgame? ETA: Yeah...at this point...I will be shocked if Carly has any reaction to Joss Superspy. Unless Joss is close to death...something that would end Carly/Brennan too.

Since we are coming on the much-discussed six month mark...I figured that I'll be this over now from the other thread... Well now that I'm coming off the Comic-Con madness and I might feel differently come August 24th or when the post-feedback episodes finally arrive, but...I do believe we are officially into Month 5 of BTG. So given how often I've discussed the first set of A stories since the premiere, I started to think about how I would 'Report Card' them now that we are approaching six months. Part of it is to see how I'm feeling cuz I know I've been a little more snarky with the show than I've been lately but it is arriving at Month 6 so lol. Part of it is that...I guess I am thinking old school when I think that there should be new A stories to get main focus going into the fall. So I expect endings and/or turns in the current A stories. So with that in mind, I always said the A stories were THREE stories. So in order... 1) DANI/BILL/HAYLEY. You know what? I would probably give it a solid B. It did get the show off and running. And that was great for the first two/three weeks. And I've always said that I loved that the writers stopped more or less after that point to give separate stories to the characters, so we got to know them better. Bill got his hand issue and that sexual harassment story to flesh him out and his family dynamic...not to mention villain moments with Martin. Dani got to deal with some of her fallout, a fling with Andre that grew, and her own family dynamic. Hayley...got...okay nothing. lol. I still feel a way about the show getting back to them too soon, but I did like that with the Bill hand thing coming to a head, it made organic sense to bring the three back together into plot. And after so much wishy-washy-ness with Hayley, her baby lie storyline has set her up in a love-to-hate villainess way with me because I felt NOTHING out of the three for her. Now I'm at least part intrigued, part hissing at her since the audience is in on it which makes her fake and phony in all her scenes, giving her layers without giving her layers if that makes sense. And it seems like the story will definitely have a turn going into the fall so...while not my favorite of the A stories...the potential for soapy mess is there and surprising me by holding my interest. 2) SILK PRESS SHEILA. Honestly? I would give it an A BUT the fallout from the anniversary party has been a mess. Before that...it was the best paced of all three stories. Twists. Turns. Near-misses. And great acting. Leading to a great set of episodes and fierce fashion. And it was a story that gave subplots (the rivalry between Eva/Kat, whether there was a baby switch is STILL out there, Laura's accident). But since then...what appeared to look like it was playing beats (to me)--outside of the flaw of Nicole not having a POV in her own storyline- has dissolved in what feels like slanted writing on one hand...cuz you have a great villainess and not much wiggle room out of a corner...and...prop writing on the other...cuz of more POV for Eva&SilkPress with Kat/Nicole coming off as villain and not heroines. It was much better when the writing had it as a level playing field. Don't get me started on the recast who (when he gets writing) appears to be more in a traditional soap triangle versus what the original was giving...which was not confusion over who to root for. As is...I would give it all a B-, saved by the acting...shoutout to Nicole NOT playing stupid heroine in her scene with SilkPress last week when she knew those marks on her neck were fake. 3)MARTIN'S SECRET. For me, it started well. Martin just reacting to something in his dreams. Then we got sounds. THEN we got flashes. Then we got images. Then...the story got pushed back. Like the situation with Dani/Bill/Hayley, I in hindsight liked it because the story being pushed back allowed for the audience to get to know Martin, his husband, and his family. And I felt gave it stakes. And then we got flashes that build up. Then we found out it was a whole conspiracy. And I loved that in the last month, it did build nicely. I liked the reveal after watching again. And so far, the fallout has been good. And given today's episode...it is already set up to have a turn in its plot come next month. Unless I'm wrong. That said...thinking about it, yeah, I could see some plotholes in it. And I still have some questions. And I think we all kinda guess what the secret is two months back. I still feel like there might be some twist coming off of that secret. It seem like the writers were setting up for down the road the Duprees vs Joey, too. I also love how the secret is not just something that is black or white either...pun unintended. While I get it in hindsight, the stalling push the story to a C. Though I'm definitely invested in seeing where the story goes. Especially after today. And ALSO... And going off of that A story tangent...5 months in...so...what B plots are you all liking? What B plots are you NOT liking? And any C plots that have intrigued you?

If I'm not mistaken...how JG exited the show last time. And when JFP came in as the EP.

Oh, I see. I be forgetting he is even still on the show. And don't get me started on remembering that he is dating Carly aka the Leading Lady. How? Where? lol.

lol

Same.

Yeah, I can also agree that Jason/Britt 1.0 was lightning in a bottle for the same reason that Damian Kane on Y&R worked...it was new and fresh and full of potential. Potential that got squandered for something that never worked in the first place. Or as I called it earlier...an albatross to the show. On this show...the Carly/Jason relationship. So I don't think Jason/Britt 2.0 will have the same reaction. Moreso if they are already doing propping duties in the writing to make it work. 1.0 worked originally because it was organic and needed no propping. At least from what I remember.

Totally. That was another thing that surprised me coming back to regularly viewing. I was not for the recast (no offense to Chris who I always loved on OLTL), but they used him a lot more...for better or worse...than they do now. Now he feels like an afterthought and islanded off in that Alias story. Just a complete waste of what little potential the character had. NOW I too feel like he is just a time waster for Carly. Which this past week, I started to think who could Carly be paired with. Cuz I don't feel...unless I'm wrong...that the writers are doing Nina/Sonny/Carly again given the recent Nina/Sonny scenes I saw.

I admit that I'm starting my rewatch and it is (no offense to TMG or AM) irking me that two months out from the anniversary party, SilkPress and Eva are ki-ki-ing like nothing happened. Where are the consequences? Aren't we overdue for someone to talk to our resident Nosy Nurse about Lulu? Wow...TWO YEARS? lol. jk. Seriously though, I agree. Some of what made Stefano so terrorizing on DAYS in the 90s for me as a teenager was the fact that he came in and out of plot as needed. Usually unexpected. Sometimes as the Friday cliffhanger. With an entrance, theme music and all!!! And you knew stakes were IMMEDIATELY raised. Before he was walking free all about town as if nothing happened. It's to JM's strength that you still feared Stefano walking around free, but it was such a weak vibe versus not knowing. I agree. That was what I liked about the show separating Dani and Bill into separate stories for a little while. Once Bill made it to the hospital, Dani/Andre had been going on for a while so now there was some organic tension between them. I would take Bill over Ashley as the interloper any day. But alas. Same.

I speak only the truth. lol. I see the potential, but I just feel like if it go there...and I feel like they will...it's propped writing to keep the focus on where the writers want us to focus...the A story of Dani/Bill/Hayley...which is my least favorite of the 3 main A stories. Though it's good with the new baby lie, it's just slanted writing for me. I would almost be over the idea of it if it was not for the fact that it's been established since the first episode that Andre does like Ashley so the idea of him dropping Dani for her is not far-fetched. Several characters have called Andre out on his feelings for Ashley. Also, the potential of that triangle mixing up with Dani/Bill/Hayley is intriguing enough due to Ashley suspecting that Hayley is lying and we are still waiting for the other shoe to drop when Ashley realizes that the other woman in Andre's life IS Dani. Now that the show has shown us that Ashley can be neurotic AND petty, it's not far fetched to imagine her finding out for sure about Hayley, about to tell the truth, only to find out about Dani and Andre and keep to herself out of spite for Dani being the 'other woman.' Look at her she treats Shanice.

All good points which makes me even more livid. I don't think I will ever forgive taking a surprisingly dynamic new character with a great actor and stripping down all of his story that made him refreshing to the audience and giving it to a recast of a character that was an albatross to this show.

THAT is the question. I'm sure we will know by Monday. A good sign. I hope it's in person. Totally agree about Tricia. Very. I am letting it delete off my system today without even watching I'm so heated. Outside of the spoiler, I have no desire to watch. None.

And Alexia has already started to backtrack ahead of the too-soon-to-film reunion.

Yaaaaay!!! I've been waiting. And this? Worth the wait!! Cuz the last few episodes have been awesome with the scenery, the fashion, and the drama. It is giving that easy, breezy 'is it over already?' vibe I love in my HW seasons versus being a chore to watch. Not that RHOM ever really is. Now...some fun tea...hehe. I get the Teri Hatcher reference. Hehe. Nicole, Stephanie, and Guerdy hanged out later on and posted pictures online, too. The breakup of Adriana and Julia has been its own little slow burn. And while I'm sad to see it, it has been well done because it's been building over seasons...like Marysol's growing dislike of Todd which I hope does explode this season as well. Even this season, it started from episode one. I know it's clear that I've turned on Julia, but when her drama is more organic and realistic like this, I'm a lot more invested. And we know I live for friendship fallouts because they usually resonate with me. So their discussion on the dueling yachts (I know you LOVE those dueling yachts hehe) felt real and I love it more for it. As for Adriana being edited out, at first I was worried that she might be. But I never count the Queen out of bring the diva fun and some drama so again she proved she's worth the wait. Not us on different sides even after that rewind from Production! lol. You're on point about Stephanie per some tweets online about foreclosure on that house if I'm not mistaken.