Taoboi

Ooooo thank you for the tea on that. I managed to get ahold of the latest season of MISS SCARLETT AND THE DUKE and I'm fast binging for my friend/co-worker and I can already tell that I'll be wanting something fascinatingly British to watch.

4-10 And to think after last week's coda of Nikki falling off the wagon, I had been finding this week lifeless. Okay, I was wrong. Well, perhaps I should say that I found more that kept my interest so far. Like there were little things I loved like the return of seeing Chance's butt and that bod...lol. But I also liked Cole and Victoria kissing. It felt like an elephant in the room. And I also like that the Summer vs Claire story is on a nice simmer for now. Outside of that, I found all things Newman this week so far boring. I do like the start of Daniel vs Lily. I liked he came to her and asked about the game, but it's clear she's really and truly hurt and angry and CK came off well in those scenes. But of course, Daniel had to be his mother's son and mention Heather. So...go on, exes. FIGHT!!! The Ashley storyline FINALLY saw some more movement. And it has been great to watch. And so far...NO break in the action. GOOD. It has been the most fascinating for better or for worse story on right now and Eileen Davidson stays drawing me in. But of course, it can't stay this way forever. There had to be movement...hard to do when the writers are focused on stories that don't hold my interest half as much. So Monday with Audra catching Baby Ash was cute. And the ending coda with the white room and 3 Ashleys was well done. So of course I had to watch Tuesday to see what's going on and see if some answers came out. And some did....though a 'let's murder Tucker' plot...uh...okay. And then Tuesday ended on Ashley walking into an intervention...and Tucker walking in on that. So of course, I had to watch Wednesday knowing what they revealed...so...flow again. Nicely done. Because I went ahead and watched Wednesday...which ALSO ended on a HIGH dramatic note. Someone is writing well this week. And Wednesday. There was so many great scenes. Tucker revealing what he knew to the Abbotts in front of Ashley...and his proposing to Audra. There's a moment when Tucker tells them about Baby Ash/Audra talking and the camera gets Jack, Billy, and Traci's reaction...and it was so done that I rewinded...especially Billy and Traci's. But the best scenes were between Traci and Ashley and digging into that history...I can't believe Ash basically tried to play on Traci's old insecurities about her looks. I only wished that Diane had tried to mess with her more to be honest because so much of that intervention was good. And now...Ashley is under house arrest...? Hmmm.

Well if the cast cuts rumor turns out to be true...that can't be too surprising given it IS a big cast and SB does have to get paid. lol. Also another reason now while EK and PM are taking their time with those cuts...seeing who they feel fits or who might have potential. And of course, getting to the dead weight.

RHOM Not as nuts as the first two parts, but Part 3 was solid. And that cliffhanger...at the end??? No one is doing it like the RHOM girls. So all these stories about how Bravo might be trying to give the next season the Season 3 edit...I honestly hope are rumors. I felt this part more than the others really emphasized why this is THE Housewife show. We got fun shade. We got catfights. The ladies DO hope each other accountable. We even have messy husbands boyfriends. We get resolution. We got ladies standing by each other AND have fun. And it has its OWN identity as such an unpredictable part of the franchise cuz that impromptu opera performance. LOL!!! These ladies are FUN. Together AND separately. And if you miss a little, you miss a LOT with them. This show is also not above giving us FIRSTS, something the HW shows used to give us more often. Because has a HW show EVER given us such a clear cliffhanger at the END of the reunion?? That fight between Alexia and Marysol...and how it's been building through this show (and ALL STARS, mind you) for YEARS. I felt there would be consequences for Alexia because she came into this season determined to fix her image after the fame went to her head last season...but THIS??? A reason to tune in. Unless of course...they Season 3 the show. Again. Fingers crossed. ALEXIA. Honestly? The best she came across all reunion. She chewed Larsa up and spit her right back up. She really had Guerdy's back. And then, I have to admit 'ayo! por favor!' is taking on a life of its own as a catchphrase. Then...her life is such a telenovela itself...she starts to fall out with Marysol...who she just threw under the bus for drinking too much without saying she drinks too much. Lord... LARSA. Well, you can't say she didn't put up a good fight. That said...she was horrible. Though like Gizelle on RHOP, the best thing about her is her being a good mother. Cuz her teaching her daughter about the value of making money is an old one and I like my villainess to have levels. And good for her daughter having jobs and making her own money. That said...no to weaponizing cancer. Bad look. You weaponizing your tears is more accurate. And the less said about Marcusella, the better. GUERDY. I liked that she calm down this part because she really was on one most of the reunion to the point that she came across desperate for attention even when she was in the right. And she destroyed Larsa and Mascot Lisa. JULIA. Guuuurllllllllll, the opera!!! When she pulled out that microphone, I fell out. lol. She really came into her own this season and I hope that she will be giving more of the same. LISA. Smh. Bad look. The girls taking her to task for her microaggressions...RHOP AND RHOBH could NEVER. I knew she could be self-absorbed, but her trying to be a Karen about it was such a bad look. I DID like she had a receipt for the gonala. Because while one of the best HW scenes EVER, it did not paint her in a good life during Guerdy's collapse. So good she was being helpful really and NOT self-absorbed which is exactly how it looked. NICOLE. She didn't do much this Part, but mediate better than Andy among the girls. KIKI. Loved she got to explain herself. And her and Marysol were a Kiki during Guerdy vs Larsa/Lisa. MARYSOL. Like I said, a kiki with Kiki. Didn't like she regressed back to disliking Adriana. Still...everyone ganging up on her about drinking and Alexia NOT defending her...a shock. As was their cliffhanger fight at the end...I look forward to more next season. ADRIANA. She was just...THERE this part. But...I would STILL keep her. Cuz...ADRIANA. A good end to a good season.

lol. No worries. Yeah for sure. They do have tension and Claire definitely does seem to have taken a liking to Kyle. So I can totally see a triangle (or square) coming.

But what about Chance? 😜 It's why I love AL as well as Summer. I can wax forever about her acting skills and her ability to take a scene and give her character a beginning, middle, and end where you can see her moving Summer from A to B impressively no matter the story when she started off. I wish the writers would give her more to do because I feel she can do it.

Well when you say it like that, I'm more intrigued for them to explore the Summer/Claire dynamic.

I miss Ally. Just a waste. Like you said...there was potential there.

4-5 Mmmmm...Beast. lol. That said about Brennan, didn't Val tell him to not continue to try to mix it up with Anna. And yet he just can't help himself. As much as I enjoyed his sparring with Anna (and the actor), I felt those scenes was setting up for him having a target on his back. And YES I loved seeing more Joss vs Kristina. Moreso because for me, it was the first time they let Mansi get some good shots in since the Kristina recast. Good. Keep building that. Though Kristina was in the wrong, Joss is just waaaay too smug. First Laura with Alexis and now Jordan with Drew and the idea of images and helping people. I am wondering if this is just one-offs to get people in scenes together, or if it is building to something else long-term. Hehe at Lois not liking Natalia on sight. But I liked the writers fleshing out Natalia's pov on Blaze so it does not completely come across as the typical 'homophobic parent' one would get in these type of stories. And her reasoning made sense. I also liked that given the discussion last week (?) over who is Blaze's manager...putting her in scenes with BLQ cleared that up. Perhaps someone is watching these threads. I really enjoyed the Sam/Dante family scenes. Not even plot based. Just...character. It made sense that Same feared the worst. Only...to see Danny just wanted to go and get something for Dante. Awwww. And just seeing that whole family unit today. I really can't remember the last time they were all in the same room period so it just got me in the feels. They definitely have come a long way. I can't help but wonder though is it the calm before the storm because Jason might wind up in their orbit...or because ANOTHER parent might be waiting in the wings to return...

4-1 You all warned me of that new Jordan disguise. But I HOLLERED when I laid eyes on it. Not even a good holler. This storyline IS starting to give Maria Arena Bell levels of silliness and at least IMHO MAB gave some moments. I DO see potential in Summer/Claire which is actually sad cuz it was nice to see them happy with Harrison. A GOOD HOLLER? The moment Tucker and Audra walked into the hotel room and Ashley was waiting for them. Again. It's becoming a running joke. lol. It was giving me 90s DAYS. Another brief Ashley vs Audra catfight. And Ashley again mopped the floor with her...unbothered/dismissive look and all. I also loved the Ashley/Traci scene. I wish they would do more with Diane. Now that her return storyline has ended and now that the next leg of her journey (back to Jack) is complete...what else is there for her? She's feeling a little too much 'just there' for my liking.

lol at @dragonflies's shade. But I was wondering about Paris as well.

I definitely like your pov when I pop in in the Classic Threads so it's good to see you back on. I agree that there is definitely a lot to cleaning up on this show. It's part of the reason that I honestly feel that EK and PM are going by the 'Rules.' Because I feel they could easily change a lot of things right now if they wanted to. But so far, they are strengthening the characters, revealing their povs again in a way that is definitely different than from before. I may not know where they are going with it, but it does have the strong sense that everything is leading to somewhere. Building blocks. It also feels like they are seeing what they have on canvas...what works, what doesn't. There's also a sense of layers to everything that was not there before...or it could be my writer mind at work. Ex. I've mentioned before the recast, that it looked like the writers were slowly building a rivalry between Joss and Kristina...who are both so connected to so many characters on the canvas and both have their own history. It appeared to be gone with Mansi coming in. But the new writers have started to have them mix it up again. And I found the recent Kristina/Nina scene to be a new and interesting wrinkle that can up the stakes in their growing rivalry given how Joss feels about Nina who dropped the story bombshell that broke up Dex and Joss. Add on Kristina's baby storyline with Nina's own history with her daughters and kids...layers going on. I would think if there are any exits...it's happening during May Sweeps. IKR. There are quite a few characters that I have not cared for or who don't do enough for me that I have been enjoying more with the writing change. Also...it seems we are getting people being able to fully call characters out more again which is cool. It warmed my heart seeing all of Sam/Dante's family on screen yesterday. For once, I liked their blended family. It felt...real. LOL!!! I wouldn't mind re: Tracy/Cody cuz she could use some fun. But I feel they are going to be fun partners-in-crime. Same. I so don't want a pairing, either. Just a hookup that makes Joss's head explodes. Kristina isn't above being petty after all. At least under LA. You know me. I lived for her throwing that shade at Joss at the Q mansion that one episode. lol. I just found out yesterday that EH and LA worked together on a movie so perhaps it's for the best she is gone so the old writers wouldn't try to put them together cuz they had some chemistry. I agree with the bold. But love it all. I just watched that scene and it occurred to me that I completely understand Natalia's pov on that. It showed her as more than a momanger (as Lois was calling her) and more of a mother's fear and worry...fleshing her out just a little bit. I was also fascinated.

Now the Blaze storyline has been going on for a while. If anything, they are just now getting potential conflicts. Love this. Especially that last part with Dex. Joss's head would explode.

Exactly! If a new writing team can make you actually come around or at least feel something for a couple (or some characters) that you feel nothing/indifferent about, I always find that to be progress toward a new writing team or good writing IMHO.

Thank you for the information. It's been in the back of my mind to check, but it's been a busy week.

Thank you for this. I said it before a few (?) pages back or in last month's thread...that the TempJoss did just the same as RegJoss...but how the actress played her did not at all bothering me like EM has done. So it has to be something in the delivery. And I feel you hit the right word. Smugness. Same on villains. Sometimes you get a good villain or actor and they get overused. The best villains are the ones who can come and go in story, but have a GOOD story for them when they do that. On DAYS in the 90s, they used to use Stefano for that and it had great antipication from me at least. Because when he would pop up again and unspoiled, it gave the whole story a push, spark, upped stakes back then. On GH, right now, I would say Brennan is being that character. Loved the actor on THE MAGICIANS and the remake V as well as too many other genre shows so I know he can pull off menace and charm (and comedy). So I knew from his first arc on the show before the new writers came in...he has potential within the Pikeman storyline. And a niiice build. But I thought that story was over. So him appearing again under the new writers has been intriguing to me. His comraderie with Val...his obvious interest both adversarial...and romantic (?) with Anna. I want to see more of him, but I don't want him to stay because he'll get overused. Or worse...killed. I will at least give the writing regime credit and have on this before...Kristina/Blaze did at least get some build. Slow burn though it was. From their meeting at Charlie's that one day. There had been scenes here and there. Meet cute if you will. And then she popped up at Sonny/Nina wedding. And I would then say...and I could be wrong...that's when they stopped appearing enough to even be a B story. I totally agree with you about those other couples though. Heck, if Amy's Brother...the actor...had not left, would Terry even be with Yuri...who I do like, but...that was so left field versus Terry and Amy's brother meet-cute which had a little arc (that could have continued) where Terry and Amy did not like each other and now Terry was dating her brother? But alas. That said...it does at least appear there was some thought to Kristina and Blaze at least. It does however make me think about if LA was still in the role though. And if the fact that the recast with Mansi might have affected any story for Kristina...like the delicious Joss vs Kristina that the writers appeared to be setting up before LA left. Again, I gotta give the writers credit that they did the smart thing and backed away from the surrogacy when Mansi on and thankfully allowed her and all the Molly actresses time in their own stories (and that's after some time in the background) so the audience could get used to them as the characters BEFORE the surrogacy story which was going to be a big story pre-writing change. I think the big mistake now that we are used to the recasts is that they circled back around to the surrogacy. Though I am now wondering with the new writer team how that story will go. I do feel that...and Blaze becoming the Face of Deception...might very well be what breaks them up in the end. And if the writers are banking on Mansi as it seems like they are...it would be the perfect way to lead Mansi to a better acting partner. If that is what they wish. Perhaps the actress playing Blaze will step it up in time and they won't. But...time will tell. If they break up and stay broken up...well...since the writers do seem like they will continue Kristina vs Joss, they can always have that feud go on. LA's Kristina did have chemistry with Dex I felt... I think I am one of the few that here that did not mind Sam/Dante though KM did look bored at times. So I'm all for PM and EK deepening that relationship. And I'm happy it is translating to everyone else.

4-4 First Portia gets a couple. Now Portia gets to drag people with common sense. I'll say this much...I've been enjoying the spotlight on Portia no matter how brief it might be. BK has always brought it. And she hasn't had shine this major in terms of HER point of view since her February Sweeps wedding. Where's @Juliajms at? I did find it odd that Heather was uncuffed from her bed, too, so I was right there with Portia when she had that look. And it never even entered my mind that Portia=Trina's mom, Heather=Esme's mom until it came from Portia's lips. And it says a lot to how strong Portia is as a woman that she STILL took care of Heather in the hospital. I just seem layers there and I don't mine it at all. It reminds me of me at my jobs where I can dislike someone and STILL do my job...until they make it personal that is. I admit that Cody that has been looking like a snack this week so I really don't mind that shirt coming off. lol. That said...I've over Sasha/Cody cuz it feels like it's just the same scene to me. Since they mentioned Mac though, I am wondering how JJY is doing. Because I assume the Cody is Mac's son bombshell will be dropped when he returns. Can I say that now that Dante's waken up that I love how they are playing every beat with him? Usually, a soap character wakes up and get released in the same episode or a few episodes later, but it feels like he's been in the hopsital a week or two outside of the coma of course. And he's getting to interact with so much family. I love it. And I love how DZ is acting. Cuz again...soap actors rarely play their injuries and he appears to be playing it from the movements to how messed up his voices sounds, etc. Awww at Olivia wanting to do something for Tracy's birthday. And I didn't like the coldness between Kristina and Blaze. I felt like I missed a scene somewhere. But I'm glad they sat down and talked about it in dialogue to explain the confusion I had. same, Kristina.

Thank you for the information.

Well, it definitely feels like they are picking up the rivalry that was starting to grow before the recast so I'm happy to see it and hear about it.

Yeah just thinking of He Who Shall Not Be Named gets shivers. Thankfully, he finally shot himself in the foot and is no longer on that show.

Rhetoric. And not to be answered by anyone but the writers by way of me viewing it on screen or in some cases if you see me use the sentence (or similar) to 'could someone tell me why...?' Though that is a pretty good (and plausible) list for why Wagger would have info about Carly hanging over Jason's head.

From what I read...he has the right to worry because RC definitely was heading in that direction.

OOoooo I was just watching the scene where Kristina goes to visit Nina. And I thought...how interesting it is that she is sympathizing with Nina...on top of her starting to show preggers-wise. Could it be Nina might be a mother figure to Kristina during the pregnancy or there if she gives up the baby? And of course, I immediately thought...uh oh...if Kristina is there for Nina like Joss is there for Carly...ANOTHER layer to their background feud. So good to hear I have some Kristina vs Joss scenes coming up.

And how a recent picture where she looked flawlessly beautiful and in her early 30s when she is well beyond that. Congrats to her. God, she looks great.

He's been looking a whole a$$ snack every time they get his shirtless lately. Just MMMM. Yeah, I am surprised that on one is playing on the history of Kyle and Summer always being drawn back together. IDK either re: Summer vs Audra. They definitely had potential and chemistry. And AL is at her best for me when she gets to play the fire she brings to the role. ZS would have had Audra put up a good fight, but I felt AL's Summer was going to eat her alive in the brief catfight they had. And I really wanted to see it. Alas... Now...why you not writing this show?