Vee

This medical misdiagnosis subplot with Wanda (straight out of The Golden Girls, and just revisited on Patrick Mulcahey's GH) seems like Brenda McGillis' last storyline. She still slots in fairly well. I wonder how long it goes on. It's surreal seeing her actively involved at this late date. The way Wanda talked about her and Larry sounded like they were back together, but I have no idea if they were at this point. They were clearly already experimenting a lot with camera angles, movements and transitions. The extended Cord/Tina cuddle on the couch in the previous episode as well as the long tracking shot through the Banner loading dock to Kevin sleeping rough were very lengthy pans across the sets that felt very cinematic and took up a lot of time - probably too much, but it was obviously Gottlieb feeling her way through how to present soap in a new way. Robyn Griggs is actually pretty good in the fallout of her hook-up with Jason (and confessing to Megan - awkward!) but I still wouldn't have kept her long. I do love the guitar music cue they use in a lot of this stuff that sounds like it's out of Twin Peaks. Did I miss a scene where Bo and Cassie actually discussed marriage prior to her talk with Dorian and Herb when she acted like it was an active topic? All I remember them talking about in bed (when Dorian crashed) was moving in together, which is also too soon considering I think they've only been officially dating since what, June? July? Insane that Cassie would even think of marrying Bo so soon but I guess it serves their story arc with bringing Sarah back.

It's entirely possible there will be no cast opening. Just the shot of the house and gates we've seen in the promos.

I'm not going to prescribe the order of the opening, lol.

I can't even watch most of these because they're just where people go to kowtow to Maurice.

They'd just have her turn out to be Pikeman or Sidwell's new wife.

I am happy if Chrishell is doing well. I will simply say 2 months of Mischa Barton felt like 2 years.

From what I saw of his introduction it definitely was. It felt very strange as I didn't think Cole looked his best.

It's true!

The prophecy is fulfilled.

I don't know, probably heretofore unknown siblings of Harlan. Or Brenda and Julia's cousins, or whatever. You name it! Anyone out for a piece of the pie trying to snake it out from under Brenda.

I doubt those shots are from the opening. But it still reminds me much more of classic Y&R openings than that ATWT shít.

I did not realize Bo worked at the Banner this much, lol. I don't remember when exactly he got appointed to the LPD.

Those promo shots are giving the CBS Daytime '90s promos to me lol. Everyone was always walking out from some curtains while someone else stared at the camera like a psycho while Lawrence said some nonsense. It's a compliment! Nice throwback. I am sure most of the location work is meant for the early weeks to set up the show, but if it continued I wouldn't complain (AMC 2.0 threaded it throughout their brief run in Stamford CT, but they were also wildly overbudget and didn't pay almost anyone).

I mean, I assume part of the Barrett wealth has gotten her to where she is now or has been used in her global ventures, humanitarian or otherwise. Or some relatives or siblings or cousins, illegitimates or whatever of Harlan's could try for the piece of the pie. It's easy to work through.

Oh, both Natalia and probably Nina would be dogmeat if the show got reset lol (and I say that having liked Nina a lot this year). I can see bringing in Julia to visit (or even recast if they wanted a contract player and a bigger name than the lovely Crystal Carson) or bringing on other children of hers in at some point, but I was thinking more distant relatives you could make from scratch who could somehow challenge Brenda's claim to any of the Barrett empire. Sure, they didn't exist in the '90s but who cares?

You could still do it today with more distant relatives if Brenda and her kid ever came back. There was a lot of dysfunctional history there for a character (Harlan) who so briefly appeared.

IIRC the article also says the show has been 'rocked by the recent departures' of Real Andrews and Michael Easton. 🤔

I don't accept Charlotte as part of Lulu's life, so she can feel free to dump her.

I didn't think Hofer was terrible. He did seem on the verge of tears in virtually any serious scene, but at least he wasn't wooden. The character was just the same old same old.

Honestly, it would bore me to tears with the idea of Jason and Sasha sharing solo scenes together and also make him look geriatric. But that's me.

He's like 30 years older than her and looks like it. She has even less personality than he does.

I'll never be that lucky with all three. I agree, I feel for Eden a bit given her IRL circumstances. But I'll admit my first thought at the news was 'Frank finds the nearest starving actor twink off WeHo Grindr to come in and be Oscar's headless ghost ushering Dex into the upper room.' He did it with Faceless Edward and Lila!

I don't think you need to go lighter with Ava nor do I think it would work, though some of her stories with fellow schemers can and have been fun sometimes. I do think she can insulate herself from consequences with power and money the same way Alex did (or Roger Thorpe, or whoever else). The Liason fans are the vocal minority desperate to drive JJ off through lots of tweets but I don't think it's going to happen for them, especially with the general audience still responding to him and Becky. In their minds they came so close with Kelly gone only for a new impassable obstacle to appear. But I don't think it was ever actually an actionable possibility this year. I don't think it's been a serious consideration for any regime since before Steve left in 2012, I think they're dreaming (the same way the Jasam fans were this year). And I can't see GH or the network pitting Steve against Jonathan onscreen. So I think the weird Anna thing is his only current option. Steve claims he wants to retire in a couple years. I say let him do it. Please.

Thirsting over the corpse.

Like I think titan has said, my suspicion on Ava was 50/50 tbh. There are rumors about it this year and it could've ended in a whodunit, or I think Ava could've easily wriggled out again by having the goods on Valentin and pinning it all on him. I am somewhat agnostic on Ava - I would keep her as long as I can and I think she has longer still, but I also think you can't defang her anymore to do it. There are ways to preserve that a bit more even with a villain character so long-running (like OLTL's Alex), because Maura is versatile and a powerhouse and Ava can be brilliant in her machinations when she's written to be. But if she were to go sometime I'd buy it, just given the longevity and how much she's already done. I agree they don't have a clue what to do with Ava now. Putting her with Ric is a bulwark until they figure something out and I don't think any of that was a PM thing. But Ric and Ava can work in its own right IMO, even if just as a B-story. I don't think Hearst is breaking the bank (if he's even on contract?) and I'm not convinced Alexa is either, and she is a permanent addition. I think the money issues come from the network just tightening its grip period, and probably the added fees for Steve and Jonathan Jackson. Jonathan is worth it, but Jason has nothing to do. Of course you could say that about at least half the cast. I do think Sasha and any number of others could've gone in the spring. But here we are. I'll be shocked if Valentin doesn't come back for good, and he was clearly on the way out under Mulcahey. Dayplayers don't cost.