j swift

Paul Telfer is criminally underrated—by me, no less. He’s handsome, charismatic, and capable of expressing anger without resorting to the usual nostril-flaring theatrics. Yet, Mr. Shin's ongoing role as the perpetual dupe in every con is beginning to feel a bit dim. There’s no credible reason he should retain any meaningful leverage in the business dynamic—none that couldn’t be neutralized by a simple, strategic truth-telling. Since the buyout, he seems to be in a similar role as Gabi, he heads a single division of Titan. Honestly, I can't fathom why Xander would lift a finger to save Philip when he could just team up with Shin and capitalize on his insider knowledge and resources. Elsewhere in the episode, a delightful second revelation: Martha Madison is positively sparking in her current run as Belle. (Side note: I spare a moment of sympathy for all the professional millennial Belles, Britneys, and Daisys now navigating middle age saddled with names steeped in childhood whimsy.) I do enjoy the way Susan says Belle, but they really need to rein in that portrayal—it veers past quirky and lands squarely in the realm of the bizarre. Also,—what happened to Paulina’s shopping empire? Why isn’t Johnny directing commercials for her? Why isn’t she underwriting the hospital? Why is she not the target of a Titan takeover? Let’s hope the next batch of writers remember that Paulina is supposed to be a formidable mogul in Salem, even if those endlessly modesty-minded necklaces suggest otherwise.

The funny thing about Richard at the newspaper is that we were never given an indication that he was good at his job. He wasn't known to be a talented writer or editor. He fails as a journalist because he is willing to keep so many secrets from his readers. He's not very curious, as evidenced by the fact that the truth about his maternity just falls into his proverbial lap, it's not like he went out and investigated. David Selby seems smart as Richard because of his turn of phrase. But, we're really given no evidence to back up if he was any better at running the paper than Lance, or anyone else. The only thing he created was the failed racetrack, so there's nothing to support why Angela should have trusted him with anything at Falcon Crest.

I've never understood this logic. I don't mean to call out this poster, just using it as an example, but since when did popularity correlate with good content? The Minecraft Movie has been number one for two weeks in a row. Does that mean people with good taste are seeking out The Minecraft Movie? Does that mean The Minecraft Movie has unique characters from a diverse background tackling today's adult issues? Of course, not. We are all fully aware that ratings are not a measure of either popularity or quality. They measure the probability that the audience being advertised to is watching the show. That's it. Brawny Paper Towels doesn't care how many people are watching online, or talking about it on social media, or how many men above 50 are watching the show. That's how advertisers choose to spend their money, and luckily, advertising dollars are only one revenue stream that a production can use to make money. So, ratings aren't meant to measure the entire audience, just those that advertisers want to buy paper towels. If we're concerned that BTG will get cancelled due to low ratings, that seems unlikely given that it is produced, in part, by one of its main ad buyers. And, if you are concerned that BTG isn't being sampled by a certain audience, this data will not answer that query.

As a complete non-expert, we are missing two vital pieces of information. First we don't know BTG's ratings among Black households (which CBS knows, but doesn't get published). And, second, we don't know the guarantee of ratings that CBS pre-sold for BTG. We all know that commercial time is pre-sold based on a guaranteed base rate of the audience that is preferred by advertisers. So, what we don't know is if BTG is underperforming on the guarantee. Given, that CBS is very good at predicting ratings, I'm willing to bet that they are meeting the numbers that CBS promised when they sold the time.

Come to think of it.... Sarah's been the real villain all along. She was going to perjurer herself to get Brady thrown in jail, she stole half of her husband's fortune and gave to Philip, and she doesn't help Maggie around the house. Kristen has evil thrust upon her to save her mother and child. EJ just wants to be the DA to Salem safe from crime. And, Orpheus just wants to help his LGBTQIA son gain custody. Sarah is the only one who put her best interests before her loved ones.

Thought-provoking stuff. I've really been contemplating your post for the past few hours. Because my first instinct was that Lucinda was a wonderfully complex character. But, then I started to think how much that characterization was implied based on the casting, and how much of Lucinda's complexity was actually filled in by subsequent writers. IIRC, Marland wrote Lily finding out that she was adopted. But, it wasn't until much later that anyone explored what inspired Lucinda to bond so closely with Lily. - sorry for the ATWT tangent I also really appreciate this idea because of the obvious parallel between Corinth-Ann and Pine Valley's Ann Tyler Martin. I could see her as a Nixon-coded character that may not have inspired Marland as much. They were both nice, but miserable, rich, blonds, with more popular siblings, that allowed the audience to believe that money couldn't buy happiness.

One other missing angle (thus far) in the Johnny/EJ saga is JJ. JJ found out that Jack was a rapist similarly to how Johnny found out about EJ (they were both in their 20s, they both responded with violence, and they were both resentful that others kept it a secret). It would be nice for them to commiserate. The Chad scene was enjoyable, but Chad finding out about Stefano being his father wasn't quite as traumatic. So, I'd like to hear JJ's response to Johnny's situation. The challenge is to avoid making it seem common. So, we can't have JJ wistfully recalling how he mended fences with Jack. JJ and Johnny should trauma bond, but somebody has to mention how crazy it is that the same thing has happened to two different people.

I was lamenting that they didn't give Joy and Philip a chance, beyond a chem test scene (yes, I know why it would've been taboo, given her sister, her conception, and their ages - yadda yadda). But, I also like that we have a better understanding of why Philip has been unable to successfully maintain a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, it seems like Theresa's aversion therapy was all that Alex needed to cure his commitment phobia.

With all the posturing and gloating, you'd think that Xander and Philip finally took down Dimera. When, actually, Leo, the former gossip columnist of The Spectator, wrote the article, which tanked the stock price, forcing Mr. Shin to hand it over to Titan. Does @AbcNbc247 know that RonC's legacy is going to be that Leo Stark finally destroyed the Dimera's? He did what no Brady has ever been able to do...😉

But, where did they get the money to buy DI? That's why I thought they merged, but Xander and Philip became the head of both board of directors.

Now, you've brought up the key issue that has been distracting me in the Xander Saga. To be honest, I'm still not sure if they merged or if Titan took over DI. But, didn't Xander and Kristin discuss that Mr. Shin is running the DI side of things? @brisbydog , you are always helpful in this regard - Did Titan and Dimera merge, or did Titan buy them out? Because if Xander and Philip bought them out, why not just send Philip on a tour of Dimera estates around the world? I'd like to see how they could develop that island as a medi-spa...

I just saw the DAYs official Instagram account reposted that nu-Rachel is starting next week. An interesting time in the story for a recast in order to “take the character in a new direction”🤔

I get the humor/urge/logic behind attributing these episodes to another writer. However, that Johnny and Sami scene will go into the canon of DAYS as a significant event, and exceptionally well considered, scene. I would add the Kate/Sami catchup, EJ telling Belle that he won't provide her absolution, and the build up of the Philip/Xander relationship are all evidence of good writing. I think we all have the capacity to be thankful for the contributions of this headwriter, while maintaining a balanced litany of stylistic choices that we didn't like. Given that he's credited with those episodes, I think we should show some respect that we universally enjoyed it. I'm grateful for these Sami episodes, the forementioned good setup for future stories, and the satisfying resolve to the Xander/Philip saga. Including, but not limited to, who is going to tell Philip to tuck in his shirt? Because, now I see he's influenced Alex to dress more casually for the office.😉 I vote for Mr. Shin, Philip would listen to him.

I find it to be a full circle moment, because one of the things that I've praised RonC for is his use of friendship. And today made the point that this tale is different from Theresa's fraud. In the end, neither Xander nor Philip wanted money as much as they wanted to feel that they belonged to a family. I'm really glad that we've gotten an exploration of Xander. I wish there was a bit more with his mother, but I think that plot really informed this story. My hope for the near future of scripts is that characters talk to each other more about their motivations. It cost zero dollars for characters to sit together and either offer insight, or be given insight from others. Rather than simply repeating the most recent events to each other. I think there's a lot of good groundwork laid for the future. We have an active and dynamic teen scene that's tied to legacy families. We have a group of very charming and handsome leading men (even though many of them are dumb). And I would watch a show centered around Jada, Gabi, and Stephanie because they all feel like authentic, smart, driven women. And, Julie, Maggie, and Marlena are all still relevant and vibrant. My biggest issue is pacing. Stories start, stop, reverse, stand still, and repeat for weeks. There needs to be consistent story telling, told with anticipation, and more of a through line to tie events together. But most of all, we need more defined characters, so it doesn't seem like you could pluck a random name out of the Salem phone book and watch bad things happen to them. For example, Melinda owning the stolen necklace, seems out of character, but she's been off-screen for so long, maybe something changed that we didn't notice.

I've always felt like Noelle Beck is a perfect example of why it is so cool that recasting is such an excepted part of this genre. MB's character took on many of the traits of the actress, which were appealing. But, think about the rare opportunity for a creative production to go back and a recast a role based on refocusing the core ideals of the character, rather than recreating the magic of the original actress? In my mind, Noelle Beck is what Lily would look and act like if I would be reading about her in a novel. She was written from the Walsh side of the character scales, whereas MB played the Snyder side. I'll admit that I was interested in watching a woman raised by Lucinda, rather than a Lily who developed in spite of Lucinda's influence. I mean, we'd never accept another Carrie Bradshaw, but we learned to live with another Lily. And that's part of what makes the soap fandom somehow more savvy. Because, we don't need to be totally immersed in fiction, we can still respond to other iconic parts of storytelling.

I agree that pay off was fun to watch, but it doesn't take you out of the scene when it feels unearned? The entire setup of Vivian getting out of prison is so distracting for me, that it is difficult to concentrate on what and why she's doing stuff. I try not to get distracted by external stuff, but this screamed of RonC wanting to finish this plot before he leaves. So, Vivian got out of jail free because the time was right with Ron's contract. But, that whole part about revising the letter to find the tone that was most likely to appeal to Xander (by impersonating Victor) was great. The subtext of whether Vivian or Maggie knew Victor best was really fun. Because that explains Maggie's vitriol. Yes, there's history, but also there's an insecurity about how well Vivian knew Victor, versus the rose-colored glasses version of Victor that Maggie recalls.

I enjoyed the Kayla and Stephanie scenes—the actors have strong chemistry. Ironically, I was just thinking it would be helpful, in orienting this actress to the Johnson family history, if Kayla used an analogy from her own past. But I can’t recall a time when Kayla had enough agency in her relationship with Steve to keep a secret from him. Let me know if you can think of an example. Steve in a lab coat was like Clark Kent with glasses—no one’s fooled. That leather eye patch is hardly inconspicuous. It wasn’t exactly stealth mode. And I feel no urgency around this nuclear bomb plot. There’s zero intensity or immediacy—no one seems remotely aware of the supposed threat. I don’t believe for a second it’s actually going to detonate. The note from Orpheus was a fun gag, even if it was telegraphed from a mile away. What’s more interesting is the recurring reminder that Sarah’s motive stems from not trusting her husband’s instincts. That’s a compelling dynamic, especially because Sarah is self-aware enough to admit it. She’s not manipulating Stephanie and Maggie—they’re helping her because they relate to the fear of loving a man who might be violent. If the show follows through on that thread, I’ll be impressed. But it feels like a one-off script device. Finally, while I was pleased by the reference, I'm not exactly shocked that Christian and Jan didn't wind up happily ever after. Her craziness and his sexuality were just two of the most immediately obvious barriers to their satisfaction as a couple.

My basic point is that we should feel free to say whatever we please about any part of the production of soap, within our bubble, but let's refrain from inviting others to say it to their face. Copying and pasting a personal photo, as opposed to a professional portrait, may be in questionable taste, but it is common fodder for the board. Adding the detail of the link to the social media account takes us out of the bubble, and into their territory, without their consent. That is where I draw the line, others are obviously free to do what that they please, but it lowers my opinion of them. Which was the intent of my post. I'm not asking for a ruling regarding the post linking to social media. And, I now appreciate the issue regarding paying for hosting space. I'm simply expressing personal disdain, without the need for reprisal or defense. Simply put: I think it's tacky, but do whatever pleases you.

Good episode, not great. I really like the Sami/Kate scenes. How refreshing to see them be respectful of one another. Also, refreshing to see Sami in a new outfit, a lime bouclé jacket, which may have reflected that she's not fully acculturated to Italian fashion. Maybe she dressed for the palm trees? Or, was it that classic thing where Google Maps got confused between Salem and Melaswen? Because those trees are from the island version of that building. However, I found the Kristin and Sami interaction unsatisfying. And, if Sami's going on a tour of the square before she goes, I'd like to hear her reaction to Nicole's baby switch (although, there seems to be nobody left to discuss that with...). I wonder if the Brady twins visit each other in Europe, now that he's in Paris, and she's in Rome? I'll note that Marlena hasn't visited either one of them, but we all know the only direct flight out of Salem is to Estonia. Finally, is this same Rafe who was unquestionably supportive of Jada through the whole Bobby/Everett saga? Why is this situation so different to Rafe? She told him the truth, which is what every soap guy says they wanted to know.

As thoughtful commentators, we’re all comfortable discussing the nuances of age as a relevant topic when reacting to casting news. That said, I would gently suggest that reposting a young actress’s social media to initiate commentary on her appearance or perceived age feels misaligned with the standards of discourse we've cultivated. We all understand the paradox: of course it’s acceptable—even expected—to discuss how actors look; this is visual storytelling, after all. But there’s a meaningful difference between critiquing a performance in the abstract and directing commentary toward a specific person’s account, especially one belonging to a 21-year-old navigating public life. You already know how easily young women online become targets of inappropriate attention. We can absolutely continue to engage in substantive, even critical, discussion—just perhaps not by holding the mirror quite so close to the subject. Personally, I think there's a line between copy and pasting a pic from Insta, and reposting the actual link to the account, because it makes it too easy for malcontents and misanthropes.

Regardless of the plans of any particular writer at any particular moment in time, pairing Alan's son(s) with Roger's daughter is the proverbial Chekhov's gun of GL. He proposed that if you introduce a weapon in the first act, it creates an expectation in the audience that it will be used. We've seen enough Romeo & Juliet stories on soaps to know that there's no way these characters were not meant to be intertwined. As two enemies in any soap town are bound to have second gen characters of the opposite gender.

Right. I don't know if we're meant to question the timeline of her trip? Or, if that's just overthinking it?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Kristen arrested on her way to the office? Because, I'll give her a pass that she didn't know she was going to jail. However, why is she wearing a see-through dress? (I spoiler-ified the photo to be polite to those who might not wish to engage in this topic). Also @brisbydog , since we can always count on you for accuracy, has Sami told Johnny why she didn't answer his calls? Did he just assume it was because she was in flight? Johnny had the scene with Chad saying that Sami was unavailable, then they run into each other, and I don't recall him asking why she's been ghosting him. (He also didn't seem surprised to see her, but I'll chalk that up to the writers wanting to jump to the meatiness of the scene.)

Today was a confusing day between what they've told us and what we've seen. For example, they show us that Salemites live in a vibrant metropolis with a large police station, but they tell us that detectives directly hand back guns to suspects, bypassing any chain of command. Then, they tell us that Sami's gone to therapy and now is in the right space to talk to Johnny about her past. Yet, they showed us a Sami today that would still debase herself by arguing with Javi and Gabi. Don't get me wrong, it was some cute banter, but totally out of place with the story that they're telling. Shoehorning in Rafe just feels like too much in one day for Sami and her cherry-print dress. Because if she is actually going back to Italy today, why is wasting time eating waffles with the Hernandez, rather than seeing her family? Now, it feels more like Sami's Greatest Hits, rather than Sami's Next Era Tour. I concede that if they had just focused on Sami, Johnny, EJ then most people would have had the opposite opinion and decry the notion that she didn't get scenes with different actors. But, today felt like an unexplained regression in the Sami from last week.

BTW, you know it's a fantasy when a middle-aged woman can fly in from Europe, and be ready for a spontaneous snog with an ex, later the same day. The way people can Salem can switch gears from seeing their ex in a coma, to comforting their children, to reconnecting with their father, and still have the libidinal urges for some tonsil hockey is remarkable. But, it feels like a bit of a writerly cheat, that three different people commented that Rafe had illogically overreacted to Jada's confession. But, he held firm for no good reason, until Sami just happened to reappear. The opportunity feels false, even if I like seeing Rafe with Sami.