Taoboi

I was so happy to see it. With Nicole to boot. Hehe. That was a great placement.

Yeeeeah that promo gives me flashes of the promo when Genie Francis joined Y&R. I felt not a thing for him, but I definitely felt Tamara was her character. I haven't seen an episode with her yet but I know she will bring it.

Side-note...FEBREEZE!!!!

smh

For now, I'll say she's Deanna. Or to get reeeeeal sorry, it's Deanna and since she's a RICH bad girl, she was pretending to be someone else named Yolanda with Izaiah. Double the drama.

Cool!!!

This episode is a trip!!! I don't know what I like more...the fact that...as you all suspected...SPS has Hayley's number or the fact that not only do I have delicious Dani/Nicole scenes...we got to see Dani's reaction to finding out that Ted slept with SPS and she proceeded to do what we all figured she would do. I LOVE that 8 months in that we know the characters well enough to know how they would react. Dani is something else and I'm rolling.

Did you see last week? Cuz I'll be venting about it later.

You betta speak on that cuz Very much proved it. Y&R's loss due to that hack is GH's gain. THIS. She's overdue an extended catfight. Or renewed rivalry.

Ewwwww God no. I'm already twitching at Val mentioning Anna again. The last thing I would want is him in the place ironically where Brennan should be if they were to go there with him and Carly.

I hate to say it, but I agree that I do feel like Andre/Ashley is simmering for now. It's not unlike the first few months with Dani/Bill/Hayley where they set Dani and Bill off in separate storylines where we learned about them separate and got invested so that when Bill had his stroke and their stories converged again, the audience felt invested. This feels no different with Ashley off with Derek...except it's a more interesting story than two people living together and Andre in an already proven dynamic with Dani and a new layer being applied with the marriage and upcoming secret. So at some point, the stories will converge again. I guess I wonder if I will feel invested in Ashley again when it does. I think it's possible. We should be in the set of episodes by now where the writers saw the feedback and started to course correct accordingly. I do wonder though with that in mind, if the show does suffer from what DAYS does when it tapes so far ahead that we have to sit through some clunkers before we get out of a story. It's becoming clear that there are some stories and characters the writers might like too much versus the audience and that could be problematic going forward. The last thing anyone wants is for the writers to be playing favorites like the other soaps tend to do. Or even worse, dumbing down smart folk for said faves.

Yep. Pretty much.

Well if that keeps her away from Andre, I'm all for it.

Same.

RHOP 3 for 3. And the word of the day was chin-check. The episode was wild. What started so small...ChinCheckGate snowballed into a free-for-all. And this was all leading up to the Darby, too...an event I don't think they have shown since the early RHOP seasons. I just know there is going to be some mess. Who knew that a Gizelle/Wendy team-up was what I really needed. What really started at the reunion last season has continued to grow and it's kinda giving low-key RHOA S6 when the producers were bringing around new girls and the RHOA ladies would be hazing and shading them as a team every episode. One thing that has never worked out really well on HW shows has been when two real friends come onto a show. And that appears to be the case with Keiarna and Angel. And Gizelle and Wendy (with some help from Ashley and Tia) are seeing cracks in that friendship and lord are they using it. I feel Keiarna and Angel are giving as good as they get, but ChinCheckGate really is telling a lot about their friendship. Meanwhile, Stacey continues to rise. lol. I really feel she's continuing to use that Kenya Moore playbook. Just look at the gay sidekick a la Brandon in Kenya's early season. She has a minion in Jassi (hey, Jassi, hey!) And then she got the tea on what Gizelle has going on. Oooo at her already planning for a Gizelle takedown. Ambitious unlike the other newbies. And this was going on while everyone is still coming for her though mostly this time it was Keiarna and she got her good in the end. I also liked that while all of this was going on, there were still some good individual moments and side stories going on. Getting to know Angel a little bit more. The same for Tia with her family. And that Wendy/Keiarna one on one with the fourth wall breaking. It was a good feast. GIZELLE. Because I can't say it enough...that Gizelle/Wendy tag-team...just wow! Now THIS...was running the girls. And they co-lead well. That said...I am feeling like she is slowly slipping back into this mix of old and new Gizelle. Still fun, but it worries me that she will get nasty real quick. But that could just be me. I giggled at Tia shading her fashion like a real friend. She's riding high...which makes the incoming bomb Stacey has for her that much more intriguing. WENDY. Wendy, Wendy, Wendy. I'm having mixed feelings for her, too. Yes, I love her combo with Gizelle. But then we have moments like her and Keiarna that was giving very much show friends vs real friends which was telling. Cuz you ladies are hosting an event for the same thing. You can't combine that AND mend the friendship? Then you get Wendy throwing Angel under the bus in front of Keiarna, kinda proving that point. But then Wendy gathered Angel easily when Angel tried (and continued to try) to get her lick back. Then we still have the incoming fraud mess. Well...I'm entertained. ASHLEY. She had her little moment at Keiarna's brunch. But otherwise, she ain't the one to pick on anyone for picking on Keiarna's scar when she did it herself last season. KEIARNA. Guuuuuurllll!!! lol. She is doing too much. That said...she WAS giving moments. I liked that she and Wendy had a one on one. And that she explained herself a little better. It sounded like a lot of stuff going on off-screen. But it is a trope we have seen often on HW shows...are you my real friend...or a REEL friend? Sorry that Keiarna got her feelings hurt, but she will just have to adjust if she's staying on. She had a nice pivot by having the Darby brunch and getting Greg to film showing off her family. And her brunch was crazy with Gizelle/Wendy poking holes in her friendship with Angel. Then all of that mess only for her to actually chin-check Angel in front of everyone. And then that led to Angel vs Wendy. Just...mess. I loved it. lol. And of course she was still getting into it with Stacey in the van. And Stacey bested her good. She was all over the place, but I can't say that I wasn't entertained. ANGEL. smh. Well, I still like her. But she's too green for these confrontations. She will learn in time. At least learn to NOT trust Gizelle. lol. We saw her family where I liked what she said about the other side as I am a spiritual person as well and do feel they are all around us. That said...le sigh at the Darby brunch and her being hazed and embarrassed by everyone. I knew she was hurt when she tried to get her lick back on Wendy. And that still carried on in the van with Wendy who was handling her with ease. Poor showing this episode, but still like her. TIA. Her family was...A LOT. And I giggled at her chin-checking Gizelle over fashion when she doesn't even know what a chin-check is. lol. She had a little moment at the Darby brunch, too. I feel she's adjusting nicely and better than Angel I'm afraid. STACEY. And still...she rises. hehe. Gay sidekick? CHECK. Delightful minion to dish the tea with? CHECK. A cast member to feud with (or two? three?) that has legs? CHECK. Juicy storyline? CHECK. Have the cast against her, but still shining? CHECK. Still doing too much? CHECK, CHECK! Sophomore slump...WHHHHERE? And the fact she's about to come for Gizelle? Biiiig ambitions!!! She did not do too much, but she found her moments and they were good. Another great episode. Onward to tonight...

Ooooo cute!!

And her daddy is who? I was shocked.

It really does.

I think that was the last time I was invested in Ashley in a semi-main character capacity as well. The potential was there...like the fact that Shanice couldn't tell on Derek due to her confidentiality...that Jacob tricked her out of. I would have liked something like that with Ashley. I hoped for something like that with Ashley. You are not alone in that feeling. There have been a few times when someone calls Derek out on it, he comes across darker and not in his dumb meathead himbo persona he's been throughout most of the show so far. I know it was discussed here the potential of him getting obsessed over Ashley at some point when the show started. And the moments I'm talking about show that it's completely possible. Also the show has done a good job of keeping the throughline of him being justifiably insecure about Andre. But yeah...once Derek realizes he's being played for a fool, I do think the change will be complete. And yep...Jacob might be in danger. All I can say to that last part is . Also just like I don't think it's a coincidence that Martin and Smitty are talking about Joey, I don't feel it's a coincidence that the writers had Hayley bringing up Joey or Martin's secret. I'm not clear yet on if she knows about Kenny's murder for sure though. If she does, it's a great ace to play. If not, I do feel she's about to find out and either use it as leverage or dare I say...use it in her potential team up with SPS. Cuz you know if she tells SPS, SPS will run with it. One thing that I have loved has been how Joey has been expanded across the canvas. He really does have his fingers in everything. And I felt Guza really was setting him up to a great more realistic antagonist against the Duprees. Such a long way for a bit part.

Exactly! Yeah, I feel like the mentions are suggesting where the potential drama will be coming from next.

I was enjoying their looks of longing and them having to navigate their complex feelings over everything. I even found the 'moment of weakness' with Smitty sleeping with Martin realistic and resonating which appeared to be in the minority of the main opinions I've seen everywhere else. Same for Martin standing up for himself with his beautiful 'all or nothing' monologue...some of Brandon's best work...I FELT that. BUT...it really does feel like the speed of light...with no visible cracks...than what I was expecting. It's part of the reason that I feel something is coming and they are about to be tested so they needed to be reunited first. They not only still have tension from Martin's Secret/Kenny's Murder (internal conflict), but the shadow of Joey (for Martin) and the presence of June (for Smitty)-the last two external conflict. I am happy that in 8 months, I do feel invested enough and they are one of the premiere soap couples on the show. I agree. Ashley always works when she plays supporting versus the main story. Even the storyline of Dark Derek...I'm more invested in Derek than Ashley...and I should be anticipating her (and even caring) finding out.

Awww it couldn't have happened to a better person. AKA me on Sidwell's side to outmaneuver Drew. About time someone did.

Oh, that has always been true for me. I believe it. Same for GH which I'm actually doing a little bit today.

Lol. I'm having the reverse problem. I hope to eventually get back to DAYS.

Oh?