Taoboi

Yep.

Oh? What would you have in mind?

I'll give more credit to Ranger for my train of thought on the writing for Ashley, but thank you. I guess my critic is starting to show more now that we are hitting that six month mark, but I agree. No need for shoving Ashley down throats. Telling, not SHOWING why we should care about her. I would have loved to see her journey through her job. I still feel that sabotage storyline was a missed opportunity for Ashley and Silk Press Sheila. Moreso if you remember that SilkPress knows Ashley due to her close friendship to her mother Jan. Speaking of...Eva and Ashley haven't shared scenes often, either.

Agree. So far, so good. OOooo congrats!!

RHOM Completely caught up!!! And the Battle of the Dueling Yachts was another superb episode!!! Sidenote...good to see BH stepping up their game with their finale trip to Australia. But for me, the wealth shows up at RHOM. And the fact Kiki got all of that done and together with TWO yachts. Whisper that wealth, girl!! I liked that while there was a clear divide among the group (Alexia/Marysol/Larsa/Julia vs Guerdy/Adriana/Lisa with Kiki and Stephanie as good in-betweens), it was not at all giving toxic. It was giving clear old school RHOA a la TallsvSmalls, BeastsvPretty, AuntiesvNieces, etc. It was fun and light. And of course, I'm going to sit and talk about DOCTOR NICOLE's appearance. Love it! She just fit in so perfectly. And a nice surprise that she and Stephanie get along. I also loved getting an update on her life. Good to see the baby is okay...and her snapback was great. And awww at that picture of the baby and yes, I did see her father in that little beautiful face. It was just great seeing her happy. And she called Julia out on what was going on. I hope...and I think we do...get more of her. ALEXIA. In hindsight, she was giving this episode. We got her family life though I gasped at how clear Peter was aging. Ugly outside catching up with those ugly insides. Frankie will always be Alexia's saving grace. And it was nice to have that discussion of what will happen when she's gone. I was saddened to see the downgrade of her house. A looooong way from her having elevators for her many cars. Meanwhile, this rivalry with Stephanie is growing. So overdramatic over a joke that SHE started. GIRL, BYE. And then I was annoyed at her stepping into the Guerdy/Julia conversation at the dinner. Rightfully ate up by Guerdy. Cuz what was the reason? LARSA. Nothing much to report. But I wanted to echo @Cat while I do want to shake her at times, she's not bugging me this season, either. GUERDY. I felt she held her own this episode at that dinner table. I liked she did try to talk it out with Julia. Again, mind you. But her gathering Alexia and Marysol swiftly worked for me. Moreso when Production got into the act and gave EVERYONE printed out copies of the text messages so they could see what was said and read it...on their own time of course. I would think it was a flop...if it wasn't for Adriana saying at the event that Julia could have handled it right then and there by pulling out her phone and showing the group that Guerdy was mistaken. Julia did not because she knew she was wrong. Speaking of... JULIA. ...LE SIGH. The most fascinating thing about her continued to be her breakdown in friendship between her and Adriana. I did not like at all that she was throwing her under the bus at the beginning of the episode to Martina. Nor did I like her being a Pick-Me with the Mean Girls the other girls on the yacht. But still the show came back to her honest discussion with Adriana which has been building since the start of the season. And that scene hit. And good that her and Guerdy started to talk and try to come to a better understanding. I'm sorry everyone was trying to block that. LISA. lol. Her, Kiki, and Adriana were a whole vibe with their spy names and having general fun. STEPHANIE. I was so disappointed that she had to leave. Before that, it was fun. Her rivalry with Alexia continued to give. And I loved the surprise of her and Nicole getting along when one would expect them to not like each other due to who they both had been with. A strong clear message. We even got a little bit of her family story. FOH. KIKI. I got to give her her props. She set that event up with Marysol so well. And she was giving comedy, fun, and looks all episode. MARYSOL. Bitter much? smh. She started off so well this season so far. Now I'm getting annoyed at the continued annoyance with Adriana. ADRIANA. QUEEN!!! Her breakup with Julia is sooooo giving her storyline. As well as how she continues to rise out of any and all attempted ice-out by the other girls. Come better, babes!!! Cuz Adriana was the party for me. Her feuding with Marysol. Her still being fun in spite of haters. And as I've mentioned, I loved her talk with Julia. Another great one. I can't believe we are mid-season. So that means this season is going to be with 15/16 episodes not including the reunion. It is just flying by.

Well it would be interesting. That's for sure.

Well I called it from the moment that Li was waxing poetic to Poppy over Luna!!! But it's a whole other thing to see this scene with the Luna reveal...dramatic music and all! lol. I mean it's not even the first time Li has pulled someone back from the day. She did it with Finn. Shocked, but not shocked. So far, the visuals in Italy are breathtaking. Just what this 'need to go on a vacation' boi needs. hehe.

She suuuure did. And that was a holler for sure.

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.