j swift

The Chad/Stephanie conflict feels inorganic. IRL men can be averse to commitment. However, we've seen Chad pursue Stephanie. He asked her to move in together. He made most of the first moves in the relationship. So, it is jarring that in the space of one week, and an overheard discussion between his girlfriend and her mother, that suddenly Chad has cold feet. And we don't know enough about this iteration of Stephanie to understand her reaction to Chad's apprehension, unless we're supposed to think that all women are the same and dream of white picket fences (which would be an odd assumption in 2023). Or, why she lives with a guy, but refuses to tell him her expectations for the relationship. And when did Kayla become an overbearing mother who pressures her daughter to get a ring? Finally, we have the classic issue that annoys me. When characters hug, and one is making a face to camera, but the other one is oblivious. We don't need that type of clunky visual in order to understand their thoughts, and IRL their partner would be more sensitive to their reaction. So, obvious that you'd have to have never seen a soap before to miss it! It felt very heavy handed

Given that the previews show Lucas talking to Chad this week, I wonder if he'll run into Clyde in prison. I hope it will finally lead to Lucas getting out of jail. Poor guy has seen murderers and treasonous spies freed while he still languishes behind bars.

That's an impressive flex! I could believe that as a fair account of the history. Especially after watching many of Ms. Collins's most recent interviews for the latest volume of her many memoirs (which are full of charm and humor, but not modesty). A lot of what were told to her as Mr Forsythe's "demands", like his placement in cast photos, or getting an equal number of scenes, were probably actually negotiated by his agent and may not have reflected negative personality traits. I acknowledge that it is an unpopular opinion, but certainly not less valid. And given my typically long-winded response, I doubt it needs further explanation. On the other hand, I feel like it would be both more entertaining and engaging if you would elucidate your reply rather than just spewing negative comments as if they were facts. I'm not an expert on the genre, but didn't Liz Gillies actually have a similar prior career as a young actress on Disney before playing Fallon? I recall seeing her fantastic performance in the OBC of "13" by Jason Robert Brown. But, I hope we've spent enough time readjudicating the re-boot and discuss the underrated season one of the OG series. Including Fallon's flirtation with Cecile, and Jeff admission to smoking pot with Fallon while at the breakfast table with Krystal and Blake. Or the mercy killing of the character of Lindsay who was finally put out of her misery.

It is plausible, because even though they move around a bit, they rarely interact with anyone else at the pub or the hospital while they share scenes. My quibble is why don't they ever include Kayla in their coffee klatch? Have they forgotten that she was in heaven with them? I know Marlena told Kayla all the gossip about her patients a few weeks ago, but Kayla and Kate seem to have many shared interests in the baby drama with Sloan, Nicole, and Sarah, yet they hardly hang out. I'm racking my brain to think if there is any historic reason why Kayla and Kate wouldn't be closer.

I don't know why Helmut Berger was cast, but this is an amusing footnote from his wiki about why he took the part. I am of the consensus that he was not a compelling actor, but I was amused by the way Fallon always referenced him by his full name. Why is Peter De Vilbis here? Get Peter De Vilbis on the phone. What does Peter De Vilbis have to say? Also, Culhane, Dr. Toscani, and De Vilbis all basically serve the same function of distracting Fallon, so it got repetitive regardless of the actor. I also think in the re-watch it is easy to see why a possibly insecure John Forsythe was reportedly vicious toward Joan Collins. Blake is so much more of an interesting character in Season 1. His motives are questionable, he's got some verve, and there's some depth. But, once Alexis enters, he becomes much more one note, and is certainly never the central antagonist. Arguably, she saved the show's ratings but overshadowed John's fame. And given that he was already second choice for the part, it must have messed with his ego. Controversial opinion, but I think the re-boot balanced the focus between Blake, Fallon, and Alexis much better than the OG series (probably because of all the BTS issues with casting Alexis). I know the knee-jerk reaction is to shun the re-boot, but I admire the choice to remake it and thus correct the decisions of the original series, rather than continue the story like the unsuccessful reboots of Dallas and Melrose Place.

I know that I'm kind of jumping the gun here, but from the foreshadowing (and being ignorant of any spoilers), are we to assume that after meeting Alex once, Theresa decided to use him to make Brady jealous, change Justin's relationship with his son, and affect change in the corporate structure at Titan? I mean, she did all of that without even knowing if Alex was good in bed. Also, why are people on soaps so quick to share their pot? When I watched ABC After School Specials as a kid, I thought at least 10 people a year would offer me a joint, but it's never happened. And don't we think Holly would vape? The props dept may be stuck in the 1980s.

In retrospect, it is horrific that not only did Bill later become Chief of Surgery at the same hospital, but Laura married him and their love story was portrayed as if they were "star-crossed lovers". In the current DAYS thread, we were discussing "rape erasure", and it looks like the soap press were complicit when discussing their history. It is fascinating how not only our culture changed, but also how the avoidance of moral outrage on social media has affected storytelling (for the better, in case anyone missed my point).

I just saw a picture of Eric in SOD. If Stephanie Forrester found out the Eric was hanging his shmattas in the living room, she'd be livid! Why are his dresses flung onto the railings?

@janea4old & @Liberty City Reports of rape erasure seem to not fit the actual scene. Maggie's analogy was that when Micky found out that he wasn't Mike's father, he still loved him as a son, just as Justin should love Alex regardless of whether he is his biological father. The circumstances of Mike's conception has nothing to do with the validity of that point. She didn't say that Mike was the product of Bill and Laura's later affair, she just mentioned Micky finding out later that he wasn't Mike's father. As I mentioned, it might have been less controversial if she mentioned Sarah or Melissa's relationship with Micky, but it is the same idea, and it would've been an imperfect analogy because Micky always knew he wasn't their biological father.

Oh, do you mean the type of relationship where she never mentions him once he's an adult, until he's recast for the third time, and they need to remind the audience of his origin story? 😉

@AbcNbc247 But, if Kristen goes for the Black family trifecta and tries to seduce Tate, I might lose my lunch...😉3️⃣🛏️

@AbcNbc247 I think that's exactly where they're going. Tate is going to get butt hurt when Theresa leaves town, and he'll rebel against Brady, which will cause Nicole to restrict Holly from dating him, but eventually he'll rescue Holly (or Nicole/Eric's baby), so Nicole will relent, and Brady will never be called out for missing most of the first 18 years of Tate's life in order to live in his father's spare room and chase girls that he loved in high school. But, once again, I ask: Are Tate and Dick Van Dyke going to be roommates in Rachel's old room? And wouldn't DVD be more comfortable back at his old place?

Oh boy, that was heavy-handed! Did we need to literally see flashbacks to Theresa and the letters! I expect she'll be musing aloud to herself in the town square later in the week about Alex being Victor's son when Nicole will happen by, and she'll cover by saying, "Alex got too much sun" (snort) This was exactly my issue. What gives Brady the dominion to say how Tate is going to be punished? Theresa sacrificed a lot to raise Tate, and today she's portrayed as if he's a burden. And what kind of fire alarm causes $5,000 in damages? Brady should call Sloan and get her to make a deal before accepting liability. I mean, they sent their son there as an 8-year-old, and he came back 18, the least they could was discount the remodeling fees. I thought the point of Maggie's dialogue was more about how Micky was devoted to Mike even after he found out that he was not his biological father. The circumstances of Mike's conception has nothing to do with that relationship, nor was it ever an issue for Micky in terms of his affection toward his son. Although, it might have been less controversial if she made the same point about Micky and ether Melissa (who at one point Linda tried to trick him into believing he was her father), or Sarah. Lastly, it is so silly that characters need excuses to go see each other. IRL, who returns flowers to their son because they learned that they're not the grandmother.

According to the National Enquirer, the part and plot were written specifically with Atkins in mind (can't link, it's from press clippings in an eBay auction). And for me, I need nothing more that those speedo and crop top scenes to stay tuned into the entire season (along with the campy hilarity of Peter and Lucy's disco jeans modeling commercial). I think if we judge the story from Sue Ellen's perspective and not Peter's, it makes more sense. She had been humiliated by JR prancing around with women half her age, and part of her healing process was to throw that right back in his face. After all, she never received any effective counseling in order to assist her recovery. There's also the interesting detail that JR's resolution was that he wanted Sue Ellen back in his bed now that she was desirable to other men. She hurt his ego by sleeping with him while thinking of Peter, which was probably her most effective form of revenge. It is remarkable given the number of episodes per season that we don't get more character development from Sue Ellen in order to understand her further romantic motivations. For example, I have no clue what attracted her to Nicholas Pearce (aka Jack Scalia, an equally untalented actor), or Don Lockwood. To me, it always felt like she was drawn more to Clayton than Dusty (how juicy would an Ellie/Clayton/Sue Ellen triangle have been?). It was one of the issues with Dallas, that even with the amount of filler episodes we got every season, they still have trouble balancing stories for characters that didn't live on Southfork. Also, wouldn't it have been interesting if they kept the anxious personality trait for John Ross brought on the trauma of the fire? Having JR deal with a son who was coping with mental illness could have been such a dramatic source of conflict. So, I guess my rather long-winded point is that Peter didn't need to be a charismatic actor because it was much more about the idea of desire, rather than personality.

I adore the classic crescent shaped patio around the pool and the bathrooms. But, I don't like the kitchen and too much mid-century furniture always looks kitschy to me rather than tasteful (e.g. if you've got a sumptuous dining room, do you really want to see danish modern chairs?). Now, would I take if they offered it to me? 100% But, I hope Bill Jr & Maria strip some of the wallpaper and chose decor pieces that are more timeless, and less specific to a particular trend in decor. I still get a chuckle out of Maria referencing the home as a jewel box, and I'm fascinated that it was originally built for Eleanor Parker (aka Baroness von Schraeder in Sound of Music). - thanks for finding the link.

Yeah, it could've been as simple as having Sam tell Sonny what the appropriate punishment should be, that would have given her more agency in the episode. That's easier than questioning why female characters on GH aren't created to be able to instill fear unless they are romantically undesirable, like Heather or Selina.

@Skylover Yeah, as we learned from the WGA strike, streaming services often don't release audience numbers either publically, or to productions, in order to maximize their bargaining leverage. And, of course, because it is funded both by subscriptions and advertising, the old network ratings rubrics are not as important for making scheduling decisions. (great screen name BTW) @DaytimeFan I would argue that peak Gwen was when she took over The Spectator and was in scenes with Xander. That was a fun time for the character, but it was dropped quickly. Are Tate and Dick Van Dyke going to double up in Rachel's room at Marlena's townhouse? And where's Theresa going to live while visiting Salem?

Interesting because 10/19/87 was the date of a historic stock market crash, which would have been reported during the day. Also, 10/17 - 10/25/87 was the last year that MLB played daytime games for the World Series, and it was broadcast on ABC, but the games started at 3pm EST.

The Springfield Country Club was a hopping joint! Especially when Alexandra wasn't performing a monologue, or one of Holly's rivals wound up dead in the pool. I love the interpretative spin that extra in the black strapless dress gave the dance. (Gen Z doesn't know what they're missing by not having party outfits anymore). At first, I thought this was when Dylan was blind, then he flipped up the sunglasses, so it was either foreshadowing or a weird costume choice. But, it made me remember when soaps had real pop songs as background music. And, in one minor scene they have coverage from three different angles (close-up, long shot, and mid-range), which meant it had to be shot in multiple takes, you wouldn't see that on a soap filmed by robo-cams in 2023!

I believe the post about the recast of Bo from Robert Kelker-Kelly to Peter Reckell is incorrect. According to @JAS0N47 synopsis on 7/24/95 Bo and Billie get home only to get a call from Abe who sends Bo to go and get a man in Jackson who jumped bail. They are both disappointed, and Bo feels it would be the worst thing in the world to leave Billie on her own right now. She reassures him she’s fine, though, and he departs. - This is the last episode in which Robert Kelker-Kelly appears in the role of Bo Brady Then on 8/1/95 Billie gets home and finds that Bo has returned. She tells him about the shambles at the wedding, and then tells him about her trip to New Orleans, Bobby Lee and the bracelet which gives Gina’s true identity as Hope Brady. Bo thinks Bobby Lee is a liar. She tells him about the puzzlebox which will prove that Gina is Hope, and he reassures her that even if she opens the box, it does not mean Gina is Hope and that he will continue to love her. - this episode marks the return of Peter Reckell So, it wasn't as dramatic a shift. Although in the same week Gina opened the box and realized she was Hope. With regard to Theresa, it was EOB's acting choice to tug at her spanx (as well as the leopard print dress, and those dark roots) that made her seem "trashy" to me.

I thought the wig looked better on camera than in still photography. But, I can't see Theresa showing up at her son's boarding school wearing a silver leopard print minidress.

OK, one more thought after a chaotic week. I was just watching the preview for next week and there's something amusing about the amount of discourse about Emily O'Brien's accent, especially given her side hustle as a voice actor for videogames. Meanwhile, Robert Scott Wilson is running around Salem with such a thick South Boston accent that he sounds more like a longshoreman than a boarding school educated CEO. "After I ate a durty wuder dawg, I got a real classy nameplate for my desk from dems over der"

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the absurdity of Harris and Ava's discussion about Bayview today. Does Ava think she can just walk back into her mandatory treatment, and they'll welcome her with open arms? And did the UK air heal Harris of the emotional issues that got him into the psych hospital in the first place? The whole love story of these two people with serious mental illness verges on offensive. Because we all know if they were written as having a serious physical illness like cancer, and they were avoiding treatment, it would be handled with more sensitivity. As it stands, it looks like a strong set of abs can save you from hallucinations and delusions. Steve Burton may believe that, but we shouldn't.

My objection, as a feminist, is that Sonny got to make the final judgement on what happened to Gladys, and he even had the balls to make Sam leave the room. Sam solved the case, she got Cody into the hospital, and arguably Sasha wouldn't have been saved without her. She's also wealthy and powerful enough to threaten Gladys and make it stick. I mean, if ever there was a case for character favoritism, it is this. Sonny gets the totally unearned triumphant monologue about Gladys using Mike and shaming Brando. Whereas, the one time that Sasha gets the upper hand, she immediately is portrayed as a victim once again.

I agree that kooky character switches are part of DAYS DNA, but it is jarring every time.