j swift

I get what you're saying about character development, but some of them are unrecognizable.  At Thanksgiving, Chad was dreaming about humiliating Everett, now they're buddies.  Chad took every opportunity to insult Alex, now they are playing in the park.  EJ was hiring hit people to kill Xander, now he's rationally talking about Eric hugging Nicole.   Next thing you know, EJ's going to get a crush on Gabi.

Also, lots of leaps in logic over Holly smoking the Devil's weed today.  Suddenly, Nicole is guilty that it is a cry for help, and EJ is re-thinking his legal strategy, simply because the gossip is that Holly smoked a little ganja?  There's got to be some balance between these 'just say no' sentiments and justifiable concerns about tainted prescription drugs being sold to kids.  It is just so odd that when Nicole thought Holly had a hangover, she was taking her out for a greasy breakfast, but learning that she smoked pot somehow means that she was a drug addict.

And, how long have Theresa and Brady been waiting around at the police station?  Tate went to prison, and got a black eye. Brady went to see Nicole, and bought some candy.  Meanwhile, Theresa's been sitting in the same room all week.

Unspoken subtext, Alex is empathic to Tate as a boarding school kid who feels abandoned by his father, which is why he is projecting his anger onto Justin.

They're really setting Alex up to take a huge fall.  I think it is fun.   Maggie, Justin, and Brady are all going to be unforgiving when he hits rock bottom.

Was there any mention of Terry Brock?

The speculation is fun, but is there a reason to believe that he'll be part of the teen crowd versus the Johnny/Chanel/Wendy/Tripp 20-something group?  Certainly, Tripp and Wendy could use some conflict other than their respective mothers.

4.3/10

As much as I like the build up of the family rivalry, the “I swear on my...” dialogue was a little too on the nose.

Also, there is a lack of consistency.  When Tate was arraigned, EJ made the argument that it was neglectful not to call 911, regardless of if he was supplying the drugs.  But today, EJ was focused on Tate as the one who gave the drugs to Holly, as if he didn't make that whole speech the other day at the station.

However, I am a sucker for the soap convention of Jada just missing Everett on every occasion.  I am eager to see how/why he has two names. 

But, the newspaper is going to have a murder/mystery event?  First, it is a bit tacky for a PR person to suggest such an event while Salem is plagued with unsolved murders.  Second, what newspaper puts on social events like that?  Third, IRL, does anyone go to murder/mystery parties?  They're like the modern equivalent of a masked ball, something that is only commonplace on TV.

3.7

This really felt as if it was written by someone else who wasn't writing in the fall because of Kristen's sudden left turn.  On Thanksgiving, she was yelling at Marlena and refused to let her see Rachel, yet there was no mention of the event today.  She was part of the impetus for Dimitri's crime wave, but there was no reference to that today.  And, I get that they said she had been out of town, but wasn't she at Gabi's wedding, which was a key event in the current story?

Controversial opinion, I like the Konstantin mystery, it is the only plot that leaves me wondering what will happen next, especially since everyone seems to have forgotten that Li was murdered.

Filed under why parasocial relationships are not real:

TOWNSEND, Mass. — A 64-year-old Townsend woman has been charged with attempted murder, accused of trying to poison her husband after a scammer impersonating soap opera star Thorsten Kaye of “The Bold and the Beautiful” texted her to “get rid of your husband honey,” police said.

Roxanne Doucette, 64, of Townsend is charged with attempted murder, intimidation of a witness, juror, police or court official; resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer, court documents show.

The daughter “was going through all the messages in Roxanne’s phone with the scammer, to send screenshots to” police, Marchand wrote.“When she did, she came upon messages that she felt indicated that Roxanne might have poisoned her husband,” police said in their report. The daughter showed police screenshots from text messages that were sent on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, court documents show.

“One of the messages from “Thorsten” stated ‘You have to get rid of your husband honey. I need you so much,’” police wrote in their report. “Roxanne stated that she needed to do some thinking.”

“At 2:34pm she responds that she is ‘”Making an amazing soup. Special potion. He will be hungry when he gets back. Just enough for him,’” police wrote in their report. “At 4:26pm, Roxanne goes on to say ‘Hubby got back not feeling well. Maybe I can collect life insurance.” Thorsten responds “Honey when will that be?” Roxanne says “Don’t know.”

At approximately 5:11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, Roxanne called 911 for her husband, police said. The report was for a 73-year-old unresponsive man who was still breathing, with a cardiac history. Doucette advised emergency responders that her husband “was very dizzy earlier and is currently sitting in a chair, mumbling, not making sense.” An ambulance took her husband to a local hospital.

When her father later regained consciousness, the daughter told police that she had asked him about what happened on Friday. Her father “stated that Roxanne made him soup, but that it wasn’t very good. He stated that it tasted bitter,” police wrote in their report.

When police spoke with Doucette, she “stated that she had told (her husband) that she was going on a retreat. She then came clean about the fact that she was not going on a retreat and told (her husband) about the person she was messaging,” Marchand wrote in his report. “She stated that she thought she was talking to a star, and that she had always wanted to meet a star.”

1 hour ago, Khan said:

You know you're a POS when you've got Deidre Hall being critical, lol!

Yeah, but you know Marlena might've liked him because Ben would call and tell her that Jo Koy is his favorite comedian besides Matt Rife. 

4.2/10 - bonus points for following up on the cliffhanger, and having multiple stories in a single episode

Ava's very confusing.  I'm never sure of her motives.  For example, when she impulsively kissed Stefan after Chad left the room, what was she trying to do?  Is she conniving, or does she have attachment issues?  It feels forced that they're setting up a Stefan/Ava/Gabi triangle so soon and without any organic chemistry between Ava and Stefan.  I like the idea of the pairing, but I wish it was built over time.  Otherwise, it is just another opportunity for Ava to become obsessed over an unrequited romance.

The two minutes scenes were really annoying me today in the Tripp and Wendy conversation.  That should've been a single five-minute interaction.  Instead, it was, “do you love me?”, [break], “yes, I love you”, [break], “are you sure”, [break], “yes, I'm sure.”  It was enraging that they couldn't get out more than two lines per scene.  I guess it makes it easier to learn their scripts?  But, I'm happy Wendy is back.

Once again, my favorite DAYS game - What time of day is it?  Everett is working late, but it is still visiting hours at the hospital, but it's dark outside, but people are still randomly showing up at each other's homes. 

And the flimsy excuses for Stephanie to meet with all of her boyfriends for “PR” meetings makes no sense.  Who's paying her?

My daily visit to Page Six never ceases to disappoint.  I agree with the sentiment, but why is a newspaper quoting a Facebook post?

https://pagesix.com/2024/01/08/entertainment/days-of-our-lives-star-slams-jo-koy-as-golden-globes-2024-host-complete-embarrassment/

It’s safe to say Deidre Hall won’t be attending any of Jo Koy’s upcoming comedy gigs.

The “Days of Our Lives” stalwart, who played Dr. Marlena Evans for over 45 years on the long-running soap, slammed the standup comic as he was hosting the 2024 Golden Globes in Los Angeles Sunday night.

“The Globes Globes host, Jo Koy, is a complete embarrassment to himself and the Academy,” Hall, 76, wrote in a heated Facebook post. “Skip it.”

My opinion of twitter/X campaigns and fan wars is the same as Disney-adults, they are both childish.  A healthy distance is a much more satisfying approach to fandom.  Shows don't need to bend to my sensibility, nor do I need to feel that I shaped the creative effort.  A mature ego respects boundaries and knows that para-social relationships are not a substitute for sharing opinions amongst peers.

And taking opposite opinions personally does not promote an entertaining debate amongst informed adults.

55 minutes ago, Vee said:

I highly doubt Tyler Perry fired Jamey. I've heard the dialogue on Tyler Perry shows (I still remember people on this board insisting The Haves and Have Nots was good). If anything he did his show and got out, or the pay over there just isn't that great.

Agreed.  It is ironic that Jamey is a great story (a fan from the internet who found success), but not a great writer.

I think there are a lot of third (or fourth) generation writers to blame.  The first generation created the soap, it was their baby, and they took it very seriously.  Whether that meant writing morality plays or social issues stories, they created a genre that was unique to the audience and the time of day.  The second generation rebelled against Gen I and wanted to turn daytime into something else.  They may have been playwrights or failed novelists, and they wanted to overlay the format with their own agenda.  Now we are at Gen III who grew up with soaps, they revered the format, and they comment upon the conventions either by trying to recapture the magic of the past, or through humor.  What we need is a writer who wants to push forward and adapt the romance and drama to be relevant within today's culture.

I'm going to choose chaos, because I believe that I am good at managing creatives.  Henry Slesar (for interwoven plotting), Harding Lemay (two-handers and mid-week slower episodes),  Patrik-Ian Polk (let's get some new LGBT voices in daytime) and Bridget Dobson and her mother Doris Hursley just to watch that interaction, and inspire the rest of the writer's room.

To me, Liza was always much more like her father, Larry Colby.  Buttoned up, business first, a bit repressed, and snotty.  Jamie Luner's character was as if Marion had a long-lost daughter who was naughtier and more sexually aggressive.

In all seriousness, I don't think Jamey was fired.  We all know those Tyler Perry shows film an entire season in like three days.  And, he doesn't sign anyone to a contract beyond a single season.  So, once that production was over, he simply went back to DAYS when they asked him.  It is not unusual or remarkable.

I liked the idea of the queens ranking each other.  Especially given that it replaced the stale conversations that usually occur between judging and the lip sync.  But, obviously, it didn't really matter this episode, and I am confused if that will be the twist for the rest of the season.  Because why wouldn't they eventually try to get rid of the good contestants, even though that would ruin the entertainment value for the audience?  For example, why wouldn't get Xunami vote off Q, she's funny and has excellent sewing skills?  But, I want to see what she'll do for the ball challenge.

1 hour ago, All My Shadows said:

Speaking of...have we checked in on Brandon Buddy lately? Is he okay?

He seems to be OK as of last October (is X/twitter the new version of a wellness check?)

It is always odd to me when a character like Alexis is suddenly demure about kissing her boyfriend.

It's like, babe, you've done it in an office and on a hospital gurney with men of very poor moral value.  And, you have three adult daughters from different men.  Now you're going to be careful in a relationship?

27 minutes ago, Khan said:

Wait, when did he write that, lol?

The 2006 Vendatta plot

"Passions Vendetta started with Whitney Russell planning on becoming a nun she was in the Convent where she is hurting her self Her half brother Chad is trying to get her to stop because he is still in love with her but Whitney will not live in a life of sin so she gets Chad to leave and she goes into the Chapel and prays when she sees a bright light and it talks to her. The voice says it’s god and it has a mission for her. The story progressed and it turned out that it was a Monk who talked to god and is sent to keep her on her mission. Her Mission is to go to Rome and in the Vatican to get a Chalice. So she and the Monk head of to Rome."

Sorry, the grammar in my post might have confused that it was a story about the Pope and Whitney in a relationship.  In fact, it was a story about the Pope which involved Whitney

It is ironic that if one cannot respectfully engage with others, they wind up like a Passions character, alone yelling their thoughts aloud with nobody to hear them.

Forgive my repetition because I just had the same thought about Steve Burton on another thread about his return to GH.  However, I am struck by the contrast of his age versus the stories that are written for him.  When John Clarke (aka Mickey) and Bill Hayes were his age, they were being written off as too old.   IRL if he was a Navy SEAL, he would retire in five years. But, we saw Harris have his first kiss with his girlfriend and buy her a pathetic gold chain for Christmas as if he was a teenager experiencing first love. 

At the risk of sounding ageist, it feels ridiculous. 

I think at least 58% of Kelly Monaco's expression can be attributed to injectibles. 

It is ironic that Steve Burton is older than Elizabeth Taylor was when she played Helena Cassadine in 1981 and Ann Flood when Edge of Night was cancelled.  Yet, they are still trying to play romantic leads rather than matriarchs and patriarchs.  I just want someone like Esme to comment on how pathetic it is that these characters haven't settled down yet.

On 12/13/2023 at 8:18 AM, Mitch64 said:

It just got mean spirited and I think mirrored JER's state of mind. 

The conflict between id and superego was so strong in JER that it seems like he couldn't help but project it into every script.  For example, once you write a story about the Pope and a novice nun escaping an incestual relationship, maybe someone should have just suggested psychoanalysis, rather than giving him a writing contract.

To me, Passions was such a tease because they constantly contrasted images of sexy shirtless men and then punished women for looking at them.  It was the most juvenile depiction of sensuality for a network that just years earlier was producing much more deep explorations of women's desires on AW and HtSaM.