Vee

They're losing the shutdown and they're losing next year, assuming for a moment we have fair elections. But it's going to take some serious systemic changes in the party to capitalize on those wins if they happen, and not soft-walk or neglect to deliver consequences to the right in many areas, which was a fatal mistake. We have to come down hard in ways Dems are too often squeamish about. We also have to invest in real liberal media outlets, not just continue going to the major networks hat in hand and begging for fair play and running TV ads. That was outmoded years ago. And they hate us. I want to be clear: I think it's so shameful how Joe Biden's been treated. He was the only man who could've beaten Trump in 2020, and if he'd run in '16 I think none of this ever happens. He gave his life and his blood serving this country, and he did a lot of great work in office. But as of now it will take a decade or more for any of it to be properly remembered and respected. He is now seen as Carter 2.0 or worse, a failed presidency. It will take many years to recover his public honor. I hate that, and I hate that that's what he's facing in the twilight of his life. That's not right. To hear talk about Biden now, or Democrats period, you'd think he and we always had the approval rating of the Ebola virus. Media is openly aggressive to anyone who ever voted for him, let alone anyone who worked with him; there is such a naked, open contempt in mainstream media (despite supposed 'impartiality' rules at these outlets that are clearly non-binding for liberals) not just for Biden Democrats but Democrats, liberals or progressives in general, that frankly makes some of the 2000s look like a day at the fair. I blame Twitter cooking the brains of a lot of mainstream/access media who were already venal and largely grown in conservative thinktanks or leftist outlets, exposing them largely to Nazis and the far right and trending them even further in that direction. And that is what we're dealing with media-wise, to say nothing of a massive fascist right-wing takeover at every level of government. I don't believe every neophyte or firebrand is good for every state and I don't love every candidate (and fúck Graham Platner), but I fear the worst if we take back everything and the right people have learned nothing. Key mistakes were made there over the last few years, not just by Biden's WH but by the entire party. The base is fed up and they're right to be. We can't afford to handle the right with kid gloves anymore, or not act aggressively upon re-taking office for fear of politicizing the problem or wanting to 'turn the page'. We have to break them and put them away. It's going to take more than one cycle to do that and probably more than one or two White Houses. I like to consider myself a patient and grounded man, but these are not patient or grounded times. And hey, I know @DRW50 is pleased Youngkin's whole bench got annihilated.

The last time Donnell bothered to act. He can miss me too. Portia and Trina are the only ones I'd keep, despite the fact that the show clearly hates either Portia, BK or both. She's the only strong actor in the older trio. Isaiah I might let hang doing anything else and see how it goes. He needs to grow his beard out again.

It's obvious Frank explicitly did not want anyone onscreen to turn on Erika Slezak/Viki from OLTL, so Tracy gets the rock again. So disgusting. This is why I am so, so tired of this creative team.

I wish I could be unpleasantly surprised.

You don't need to re-post that just because everyone is talking about it.

I still don't know what exactly happened with Tracy and the Soleitos, per what they said in 2011. It is a decent idea though. IIRC they almost cast Amy Van Horne (Lark from PC) as one of the Soleitos at that time? I dunno if that's true.

They've already set up Lucas to be made a fool of for challenging Sonny and Jason re: Marco earlier this year, because Marco is now an active accomplice to his father's crimes (he knows Sidwell killed the judge, etc) while Lucas is waxing rhapsodic about their great relationship. Whether that means doom for Marco down the road is hard to say. They always undermine legit threats to Sonny like this, in a way Ron Carlivati used to do with a number of characters. Say what we will about the Mulcahey story, but it was still Sonny's own actions and past despite the meds! I do hope Lucas and Marco survive, because AA is great. If they actually put Brad and Lucas together, oof.

It's a matter of time if not days or weeks. This team has a specific thing for the 'fan favorite' duo of Britt and Brad, who I've never liked.

Agreed.

I haven't seen anyone worse anywhere in a long time, his only competition is Dead Oscar on GH. AA is a rare bird. He should've been fired before Day 1.

Deidre Hall is appearing on one of the Trek shows.

Deidre Hall is appearing on one of the new Star Trek shows on Paramount+. No, we don't know which one (Strange New Worlds, Starfleet Academy, etc). She'll be playing a psychiatrist - in space!

Not really, no.

It's not the writing. Alegria is the worst actor on daytime.

I don't agree with everything ranger says on the daily about BTG (in fact I often disagree) and we have clashed before on other topics. But I don't have a problem with genuine critique vs. someone who's just here laughing at the peons for enjoying the show, or someone angry their fanfic isn't onscreen. Therefore I don't have a problem with anything ranger has said. I feel like we have to have outgrown having this same meta discussion by now though. It's been almost a year. Every few weeks there's a claim that this thread is a hugbox of positivity brooking no criticism. But there is criticism, both positive and negative, every !@#$%^&*]in' day lol. Seven days a week! Let's retire this miniature debate at least. People are gonna talk about the show however they like in here. All I care about is if they engage with what they're actually watching vs. their own baggage.

I think they definitely are. There's not a bad one in the bunch for me, including Ted. I think we would've seen his beliefs soften or moderate per his exposure to Cathy, but he'd likely still have those failings. I do think any of those jobs could've worked, especially a TV guy like Ben or maybe the LAPD. The Ruth arc was great, except as I noted many pages back it ends on a fizzle as soon as Ava Gardner's appearances run out. She vanishes between episodes after (despite all her grand talk) simply setting up a very hasty, corny and weak 'spouse walks in on another other woman' bit entirely offscreen. The next week she's gone with no farewell or climax/conclusion to the story. (Unless the scenes were cut for DVD/syndication, which I doubt)

Dante Green is not driving any current story. He is backstory from the past for the Articulettes. Alan is a dead man who has never driven any onscreen story. Yolanda is Izaiah's ex who he has parted ways with upon arriving in town. That's a common plot device on soaps. Despite offscreen Yolanda sending a text message, these offscreen characters are not driving any major onscreen story in the present day. If Yolanda is terrorizing Izaiah via SMS in a month, then we can talk. As for the Richardson kids, I don't think there is anything sex-negative or regressive about Martin and Smitty being protective and concerned about when their daughter loses her virginity. It also isn't a story about characters like Jason and teenaged Robin on GH deciding when and where and how to have sex in a safe way, Sam's behavior is distinctly different and so is the boy.

Which I think is quite deliberate on the story's part, and an old soap staple.

I should add my resuming Knots has been hampered by Dallas going on demand. I was watching Season 7 concurrently with the Dallas dream season, to map and compare their swap of creative teams. Dunne's team was doing interesting stuff over there, at least early on. I can still access it, but not having the HD masters sucks.

It reminds me a lot of the the '70s political thrillers, yes, most specifically what the legendary Alan J. Pakula called his "paranoia trilogy" - Klute, All the President's Men, The Parallax View. All great films. And I do think the EV/Galveston saga (as well as Wolfbridge) worked similarly in Season 6, even the whole tidal basin killer subplot which kind of fizzled out once the old man died. Empire Valley itself, with its surveillance empire, is very relevant to today even if it got cartoonish in Season 7. But I can't say I hate it thus far as I find it very modern to the moment. Whether KL should've been exploring it is debatable, but I do think it worked for them when they tried similar things in Seasons 5 and 6. I think @Khan is right about Joshua - if someone hadn't had it in for Baldwin, he and Lisa Hartman could've become a younger tentpole couple. They had real heat before Joshua went totally nuts.

I likely will when I resume watching, though it's gotten difficult with the show hopscotching across platforms. I still have access, but IRL events and work obligations, and other shows have taken up time. I left off a third into Season 7, just after Joshua's death. I just assume Easton was fanatical about his loyalties to Galveston, who had already demonstrated a clear interest in making Gary his successor; ergo, Easton wanted to secure wife Abby's cooperation and/or approval. I did not think the twins were a one-off for Ackerman. I got the impression he'd done this before, and that Easton might've been involved.

It is impressive you dug this post up lol. Not unappreciated. I remember this scene, and I remember Galveston making the discovery. But I thought Easton was working for Galveston for a long time. It seemed bizarre for him to want to fanatically insinuate himself into Abby Ewing's good graces so much as to involve himself in Ackerman's baby trafficking, unless Galveston already had his eye on Gary.

Tyrell has had a thing for Jessica since late spring.

What are the active roles they are playing in the storyline?

Yep. Nothing about seeding these people is unusual, Marland did it with plenty of Snyders he kept in reserve.