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Sure, of course. I just didn't know it was ever backed off of in that period. I actually think much of S2's first and last halves are much stronger than some of mid-S3 where it flags for a little while, but that's me. I've talked about it before, but Abby is the perfect encapsulation of why the show's transformation worked so well IMO. Like all the other women and families, you knew exactly where Abby came from because you saw it onscreen the day she drove into the neighborhood. You knew what she'd been through and what she wanted, and she didn't get it all immediately in S2 or S3. So you could root for her and make the adjustment (as with the other characters) when they dive headfirst into the '80s and much of the ensemble become career power players. Because they built the changes in themselves from the ground up, Abby most of all. That didn't happen with any of the other examples you cited, and doesn't happen with most daytime or primetime soaps today.

There wasn't one. There never is with these Frank memberberries returns. It's trying to get Twitter points from people easily pleased by random past callbacks. PM tried to make the best of it as a catalyst for change. No, that's not why those decisions were made. They were made, in order, because he was very popular and because they have no investment in a young Black female lead without him.

Murphy always gets his hunks for a few shows. What I am hoping is that he still moves on before too long.

Two big stories:

Not for the first time in the post-RC, post-Trump years.

Same. He was this random blond stranger. I never found Harrington too impressive either. It was the writing that elevated him.

I'll say this too: I think there is a universe where they recast Spencer immediately in February, Mulcahey comes in, you have story with Spencer and Trina and the spring and summer for GH look considerably different as a result. Spencer and that couple were that integral for the last year or two. Just saying.

That's what I still don't understand (and I say that as someone who wants her for the role). Unless she just likes to work? The streaming crash is a jungle right now.

It's her defining characteristic. It's ridiculous to me to get rid of it.

I can see an argument being made for PM needing someone with him that would still juice the show up a bit on adrenaline too. But the fact is we don't know what he would've done in that area without serious constraints, which there were clearly from the beginning (starting with cutting the cast). There was just never a window in which he was given a free enough hand IMO, at least from what I saw. What I did see of what seemed to be his vision I very much enjoyed. But that's the past. I think Frank, Chris, etc. are here to stay again.

A particularly hilarious dreamspinning fantasy of Martin's in the full article linked above: The idea that Biden can pardon both Trump and Hunter on the way out the door as a show of bipartisanship. He so badly wants a path out of the woods for the GOP.

Someone flash the @DRW50 signal. I cannot believe they might be getting rid of Lois' accent. God.

It's more exciting. I just don't think it's half as smart or full of potential as what was there a few months ago. That was always the problem with this team. And I don't think the existing creative apparatus was ever behind Mulcahey, so he was handicapped from the jump. It should've been a clean creative sweep in March.

Yeah. The day to day energy is up, cliffhangers, etc. are back (and I blame a lot of the lack of that in the spring frankly on constant BTS infighting and turnover). But the show has reset to cliche old norms and tired old setups. It's flashy and makes money though, so unless Frank really fúcks the chicken again I think he and his pals are safe.

I mean I'll definitely look at his body. Will I watch the show? Nope. Judging by the trailer I think it may well make Chavez a star, and he would be wise to get out from under Murphy's thumb sooner than later and keep going bigger vs. ending up another of the repertory players who never leaves like Evan Peters, etc. I also think it sends a message to GH to recast now, because though it was obvious before he is clearly not coming back. He's the commanding presence in that show.

Nicholas Chavez (Spencer, GH) in the new trailer for Ryan Murphy's latest queerbaiting exploitation romp.

Exactly. I'm bored.

Maurice did say in print or online that he liked the bipolar storyline and the town turning on Sonny a few months ago. He said it was a good acting challenge. That was before he apparently had some sort of mental health episode over it, of course. When Mo doesn't like a story turn (like the blowback from A.J. in 2014) he isn't exactly quiet. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I think it's easy for people to jump to blaming Benard (or LW) for everything. I think his health may have been in the mix, but I think his being actively blamed for the Mulcahey debacle is just a convenient go-to at this point based on past history.

B&B drops people (including Kanan) regularly like they're churning out Happy Meals. There will inevitably be a window to get him back, if FV didn't hate him.

The unctuous Jonathan Martin, increasingly seeing the writing on the wall, begins spinning out his GOP comeback fanfic for AO3. (The clear desire for their renewal is best viewed in the full tweets)

We will take PA and GA again IMO. I've seen this movie before, more than once. But Trump is going to try very hard to shake it loose, he is running out of options.

Agreed on all of the above. And in the end they will absolutely pit Wagger's murder on someone else. That's their only option unless they really want to redo the cold-blooded murder of A.J. which, who knows. I've seen this story so many times on the show - there's always some bullshît escape hatch which exonerates the mob either figuratively or literally, proves Sonny right, etc. This goes back to the Guza II years, where even Dante's childhood idol from his backstory, a beat cop in his neighborhood in Brooklyn, turned out to be corrupt or something to make Sonny look good lol. Somehow there will be some nonsense to get Sonny off.