j swift

IDK, there are a limited number of storylines for the rich vixen who is not the leading character

1. go after someone else's guy (Ray, Peter)
2. try to be domesticated and then resent it (Mitch)
3. be scammed for money (Casey, and the guy who played Spiderman)

After those options are played out, there are not a lot of plots left for Lucy, regardless of talent.  She wasn't going to be in a business story, nobody needed a surrogate daughter once Sue Ellen and Pam had kids, and Miss Ellie had other talk-to's. 

I also think Knots limited her potential.  Having a divorced daughter, makes Val and Gary seem too old for many of their storylines (including twins that were 20 years younger than their sister).  The horrors of being torn from her mother makes Lucy too sympathetic to be a vixen.  And there would need to be constant explanations as to why her parents weren't involved in her life in Dallas, once they established themselves in LA.

That being said, there is some fun sassy dialogue for Lucy when she returned and interacted with Callie.

8 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

The brainwashing/programming angle didn’t need to happen again.

Yeah, it feels like Megan has been wasting time by not figuring out her next steps while EJ and Kristen were tied up.  She seems too smart to kidnap someone, and not have a plan for how to keep them in check.  Her sudden connection to Li feels out of left field.  And I would have enjoyed a couple scenes of her sparing with Kate, Marlena, and Kayla before she got written into a corner.

Megan could've figured out that Eric fathered Nicole's baby and threatened to tell her if EJ didn't allow her to take over DI and stay silent about being coerced, there were other options available.  I was hoping that she would somehow be connected to Colin and Sloan, like she was their mother who they thought was dead.  Give her the Stefano curse of a thousand kids all over Salem!

I'm intrigued at how they'll rehabilitate Harris?  He has plausible deniability, but how often can a guy blame being brainwashed, especially when he underwent brain surgery to get rid of the prior suggestions?

As much I don't care for the actor, (or any of the controversies that surround him), I liked him as a friend for Patch and a potential romantic spoiler for Kate (who has a sadistic number of commitment issues to work through).  He needs a job, a romantic partner, and a place to sleep before he goes around shooting more people. 

Harris, Whitley, Megan, and Dimitri feel disposable, and I may not recall that they lived in Salem by the time Julie puts up the tree in the Horton living room. 

I dislike guns on soaps, but that was a suspenseful cliffhanger.  To me, it lacks creativity to have an evil scientist like Rolf and not be able to think of alternative ways to get rid of an enemy rather than shooting them.  And the time specific memory erasing drugs are also ridiculous.  There must have been some other out where Megan could have blackmailed EJ and Kristen to keep it a secret that they were kidnapped, which would have created more conflict for EJ and Nicole, and played this whole thing out a little longer.

The Mar-a-lago line (much like the submarine earlier in the week), was so coincidental to recent events it almost makes you forget that the FBI raid was in August 2022.  It is interesting (not a compliment) that they slip contemporary references into the scripts, given that they have no idea how they will play out six months from now.

I also just noticed that Megan and Abe's storyline will come to a resolution in July.  DAYS doesn't need to be concerned about August sweeps while on streaming, so we don't get that GH cycle of events being drawn out until February, May, and August. 

@AbcNbc247 I agree about the pacing, but it is all over the place.  Harris's brainwashing is rushed, but EJ and Kristen haven't been able to go to the bathroom for an entire month.  We were told that Abe's been kidnapped for three weeks, but Nicole is already in her second trimester, and she got in April.  And don't get me started on the ages,  - Colin is nine years younger than Sloan, but Dimitri is turning 40, so how old is Gwen?  BTW excellent point about Tripp going to work drunk.

I've forgotten why Gabi and Gwen wouldn't like each other, also Gwen's dress is ugly.  It would have been nice for Patch and Harris to have one more scene before he went to work for Kate.  And speaking of Kate, why is she more invested in Rafe and Jada's relationship than Chad and Stephanie's romance.  We were told she cherished Chad while she was his step-mother, but recently they never seem to catch-up.

Well, I guess that's it for June, see you in the July thread...

He's playing Lyle, the bald brother whose father humiliated him due to his hairpiece, so I wonder if they'll make him shave his head, or just wear a bald cap, because that would be hard to shoot around for GH.

Is this series showing up in anyone else's FYP?

Because I would imagine this is what Ron C (or any up-and-coming soap writer) was like as a teen.

To be fair, it is standard practice to plead not guilty on a first offense in order to achieve a plea agreement.

She would be foolish to plead guilty and get the maximum sentence, when most first offenders get fewer consequences.

I don't have the legal background of Kim Kardashian, but why would Sloan think that Abe's death would be good for Colin?  Paulina could still testify to Colin's crime, and if the assault contributed to Abe's death, Colin could be additionally charged.

The map of Salem continues to confuse me as well. Johnny didn't want Chanel to drive to Paulina's home, but it always seems as if everyone but those in the mansion district lives within walking distance of the square.

I would like to steer the discussion back to the current episodes in the hope that those who wish to re-adjudicate the past will do in the behind the scenes thread.  

I enjoy the odd juxtaposition of tone.  Today, I found myself equally moved by Paulina being informed of Abe's supposed death as I was amused by Li sticking Harris's phone in his unconscious face in order to unlock it. 

To those who argue that DAYS is underfunded, I would counter that they are doing a lot with the pennies they've been given.  In that past few months we got at least three new sets (Sloan's apartment, Whitley's abode, and Rolf's lab).  Unlike the episodes on NBC where it felt claustrophobic when entire episodes occurred in one room, today's episode utilized five different settings (the pier, the park, the pub, the police station, and Paulina's apartment - give it up for the unintended alliteration). 

So, if you want to discuss BTS gossip about PR, the motivations of people you've never met, and the economics of streaming, feel free to do so in the appropriate threads.  If you don't wish to support the writer or the production because it didn't live up to your expectations a decade ago, then I hope you find something else to entertain you. 

But, please don't distract from the enjoyment that I get out of discussing the current show among those who are actually watching it.  Because it feels bad to try to have some fun joking about the characters and the story while being told that I am wasting my time on a show that it isn't as good as it was 40 years ago. Especially, given the creative responses of those who contribute to this thread regularly. 

Come on now, let's give it up for Rolf arriving by submarine.  Hysterical and oddly prescient given that DAYS filmed that scene in December.

I found it fascinating that the same man who was on the writing team for Luke and Laura's rape, went on to write Eden's rape storyline on SB, and got praise for trying to correct the mistakes of his past plot.

http://santabarbara-online.com/articleSB-GH2.htm

Especially because, as most SB fans know, the resolution of Eden's rape, in terms of revealing that her gynecologist was her rapist, and his kidnapping her daughter, was insensitive given their initial intent to show the realistic consequences of sexual assault. 

1 hour ago, Keri said:

I'm wondering about the Cassandra character. It was kind of odd when she just showed up but now she fits in a little better. I assume she was an unpopular character? 

I think the actress, Karen Moncrieff, is very well-suited for soap operas.  She is beautiful, she looks great in gowns, and she has very expressive eyes.  She can embody an intriguing and charismatic character. 

However, the stories for Cassandra were preposterous.  From her convoluted backstory to her odd choice of romantic partners, she was a mess.  And, in order to make this mess into a leading character, they had to retcon both Minx and Warren's history.  I mean, between Brick, Channing, and Cassandra, Minx was a monster when it came to allowing babies to raised by their mothers.

The Lockridges were my favorite soap family, and the idea that Cassandra upended everything that we knew about them within six years of the soap's debut was a fatal mistake.

That being said, the four orphan storyline is one of the best examples of a great pitch/poor execution plot.  The mystery surrounding the connection of these four disparate characters.  Their vitriol toward Mason.  And, how they finagled their way into various parts of the Capwell family was so fun to watch.  But, the casting for the men was not great, and they couldn't stick the landing, in terms of telling a satisfying resolution.  

I'm not BTS fluent. To me, it is like hearing other people's office gossip. Who cares?

But, I was curious about Albert Alarr, so I read his wiki.  I think it may have been either edited by an AI bot. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alarr

Is ChatGBT the next headwriter at DAYS?  Did I solve @Errol's riddle?

12 minutes ago, Xanthe said:

Haunted by the Past always amused me because the characters depicted had a faint resemblance to Ed Fry and Sally Spencer who were then playing Adam and MJ even though the novel was about storylines from 10 years earlier. 

I like the pink martini

20 minutes ago, Xanthe said:

Iris pursued Robert than anything like love. But that is assuming that the Delaney family and his career as an architect made Robert that kind of catch. 

Yeah, it's interesting that nobody brings up Cory's inheritance rights as a Delaney heir.

It's becoming a little silly that the Pit Stop is almost as long as the show itself.

I also genuinely gasped at this week's outcome.  It didn't seem strategic, because Kandy has a better chance at winning than LaLa.  I thought LaLa did better at the challenge, and it was redemptive to see her put together a gown in a sewing challenge after her infamous bag dress.

I agree with Alaska that the queens voting each other off of All Stars is bad for the franchise.  It alienates the already rabid fanbase.  It damages the careers of more strategic players, and I would imagine, it reduces the number of queens willing to return, spend a ton of money, and destroy their reputation.   I preferred the star rating system of the last all-stars season, as it was more cordial and focused on their strengths. 

It's ironic that the Salem PD has such strict rules about dating, but they'll let any former cop (Eli, Shawn, Hope) interrogate a suspect.  

Good to know the hair-model-to-local-anchor career route is alive and well

JK, best of luck to him and I hope the local affiliate can afford to use those filters on TV

24 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

That is a good point that should be addressed in the writing. It could be the main source of conflict for the two of them once they get together. 

To be fair, Jada's only other co-workers on-screen are Shawn (the drunk), Trask (the drunk who sleeps around with former witnesses), and Abe (the kidnap victim with a head injury), so maybe she not that concerned?

25 minutes ago, Michael said:

This always kills me. "Chugging from the bottle" is code for Drinking Problem, whereas "pouring a glass of liquor from your living room bar at 10 a.m." is absolutely normal in soap world.

The exception to the rule is female characters drinking beer from a bottle.  Stephanie offering a beer to Chad was meant to indicate her relatability (and make us forget that in-story she's around a decade older than him).

29 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

I know here in NYC, even if I start dating a co-worker who has the same rank as me, not only do we have to inform HR, one of us would have to transfer to another division. And with supervisors, I think there’s even more guidelines. 

Interesting, but my point is that the story is only being told from Rafe's perspective, Jada's consent is never addressed, as if she has no say in this relationship in the workplace, and no concerns about how she will be perceived among her co-workers.

3 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

I think the conflict for Rafe and Jada is stupid

I was thinking the other day that DAYS plots are like a reminder of pop culture from last year.  This plot seems to be influenced by either the Amy Robach/TJ Holmes affair at GMA or Jeff Zucker quitting CNN and then revealing that he had a prohibited relationship with someone in the company.  However, there is no company, and certainly no municipality, which would make it a violation to date a supervisee.  The policy is usually that you have to inform HR.  It is in place to protect the company against future liability, and if Jada consents, then there is no concern. DAYS is treating this like an ethical issue, which is just dumb.  Especially in a female-oriented genre, to tell a story where a woman has no agency to pursue a relationship seems like a bad idea.

Also, someone mentioned the scoring the other day, and now I can't get it out of my head.  Part of the reason that the Abe story lacks any sense of mystery or suspense is the silly music that underscores all of their scenes.  It makes it seem like a wacky caper rather than a life-threatening situation.

It also continues to bother me that we're not supposed to think that Sarah is a bad person for lying about her pregnancy.  Sloan lied to Eric about the DNA test, and as an audience we're clearly supposed to think that was bad.  But, Sarah's lie is meant to be more acceptable for completely illogical reasons. 

2 hours ago, Vee said:

I absolutely do not believe the network mandated Bo and Hope not reunite. I can see them wanting to keep the story open but that's not the same thing

Agreed. Most of that speculation was fans making a mountain out of a literal twitter-based molehill that was never verified elsewhere.

It felt like bad planning was the largest factor.  We know that both actors were only available for a limited time, and the plot may have been too ambitious for the timeline. My bias is to never believe in conspiracies that production has any other motivation than to maintain viewership in order to sell advertising. 

That being said, I wondered if Shawn was drinking the smallest bottle of booze for budgetary reasons.  If this keeps going, he'll be drinking airline minis by the end of summer.

Also, I'm also amused that soaps portray alcohol abuse by showing people drinking directly from the bottle, as if nobody ever takes the time to use a mixer.  Shawn-D feels like the type who would spike his smoothie rather than guzzle from the bottle. 

Does Sonny know that Nina knew who he was in Nixon Falls and chose to keep him hidden from his family? 

That feels more unforgivable than calling the SEC on Carly, who is actually guilty of obstructing justice in order to avoid an investigation of insider trading,

I spent most of today's episode wondering what time it is supposed to be in Salem.

It is always so dark that it is hard to tell.

Maggie was still rushing around town while Brady and Alex were at work.  Meanwhile, Chad and Stephanie are eating dinner, while Kayla and Patch must have finished their pizza by now.  Is it 5pm? 8:00? Close to midnight? Who knows?  But, I'd advise Chad not to take a job as #2 to a boss who doesn't know the boundaries of not interrupting during a date. 

I'm also puzzled by Sarah's dilemma.  She's not concerned about the fact that it is cruel to deny Xander from knowing the truth.  They've both moved on romantically (sort of).  And she lives in another city, so she wouldn't be compelled to share custody.  This isn't 1962, she doesn't need to worry about social stigma.  So, her motive for lying bares no logic, and there's no consequence for telling the truth.

Kyle Lowder is handsome, but the sun damage is distracting.  I saw him shilling skin care on social media, which is like buying diet supplements from Jack Black.

And, in my book, all musical montages of people wistfully looking at pictures of their long-lost loves serves as fast-forward material.

I also think it has more impact because of the spoilers.  If I hadn't read that Cindy was returning, I think that I would have been confused by the cliffhanger because I would've assumed the actress was playing a different part.

I have some tips for the citizens of Salem

Note to Stephanie Johnson, if your middle-aged parents throw a pizza party at the mere suggestion that you might be going out for dinner, they don't want you to live with them, pack it up, and get your own place.

Note to Tripp, if your entire family doesn't acknowledge that you've been back in town for two weeks, they also don't want you around.

Note to Justin, if your wife is rocking pigtails and pj's in her 50s, get out now, it's not getting any better.