1974mdp

I'm still watching BTG daily, and for the most part, I find it entertaining. I have found myself feeling a little bored at time the past couple of weeks. After an amazing jam packed first two weeks, much of the story momentum seems to have slowed down quite a bit. Not much has really happened now in what feels like a very long time. No real Friday cliffhangers, either. Wondering if others feel the same.

They should bring on Lily's daughter, Mattie, who should be in her mid-20s.

I do wonder, too, how much streaming and delayed viewing play in for this show in particular since it's a new launch, including how is it doing on Paramount +.

ITA. We still have not seen Ted interact with Martin even once, not to mention that Martin and Smitty's kids haven't interacted with Nicole or Ted. So, we have no idea that are the dynamics of those relationships. Eva could also be trying to worm her way into Martin's life as well.

ITA. If written properly, that episode could have taken the show in an entirely new direction. The fallout of Brooke losing her daughter for once again picking Ridge and having to finally deal with the consequences would have been great, and maybe, just maybe bring Brooke back from someone who lets a man constantly dump on her. When we keep hearing how great Hope for the Future was doing, I keep thinking this is why Hope should start her own rival fashion house.

I felt the same way. When those two characters appear, you can feel the energy of the show grind to a halt. I didn't miss not seeing them at all. The young actress playing Samantha is a keeper. She's a natural and is out acting some of the 20ish cast members. They need to sign her to a contract to keep her around.

Everything Hope said about Brooke tossing aside everyone, including her children, for Ridge over and over was so spot on. I wished Hope would have stormed out of there instead of those hugs at the end which was like, "Huh?"

I love that the most misogynistic of all the soaps is doing a show celebrating women!

OMG....how wonderful would it be to have THIS Brooke on the show. That was sooooo odd. No mention of the nightmare their lives have become.

How many times has Brooke told Ridge that he has to pick between her and Taylor???? If the show had any depth at all, it would be interesting to see Brooke start to examine why she lets this man walk all over here and take it back to when her father left as a child. But, we'll never get anything that deep.

I feel like we got a little insight in what could be an upcoming story with Anita. I get the sense that she's a bit bored with her life as it is right now. You know she has to have some interesting backstory being on the road and touring with a girl group many years ago. Something or someone from her past is bound to pop up again, such as a child she gave up for adoption or a past love.

I felt the same way. It was sooooo cringe. Why in God's name is Brooke still attracted to this man after he's tossed her aside like trash so many times? I really wish BB had the guts to have Brooke FINALLY move on from Ridge and grow as a character once again. KKL deserves sooo much better. As bad as the takeover story was, Carter "coming home" also felt very...cringe. Why does Carter care so much for these people who treat him over and over as a second banana? IF this story played out properly, Hope would leave FC and start her own fashion house as a rival.

On the upside, it's great to see how many people are already passionate about the show, the characters, and the actors!

Well, if Maurice Johnson already knew he'd been replaced by the time the show premiered, but yet he also touted the show and helped spread the word...I think that speaks to his high level of professionalism. I hope he lands on another acting gig soon!

All of this is spot on. IMO, you're correct that written correctly this story could have run a couple of years and had long term fall out. I think it flopped from jump because the way Carter took control made no sense at all. There's no way this would have stood up in court, and then, all he had to do was rip the papers in half to return the company??? Really??? If it was so easy, why didn't Steffy just go in the office and rip them up herself. A much more plausible story, such as when Brook took control because of their misuse of her creation, would have made much more sense. And, then play out all of the beats. It had the potential to be rife with conflict and leaving all the Forrester/Logan hybrids having to pick sides. I think something that's been missing for a loooong time on this show is an underdog, like Spectra, trying to climb the ranks. This story could have resulted in a group of characters starting a rival company, for instance.

I also find Ashley and Derek extremely boring, but as you mentioned, I can tell that Jen Jacob is a good actress. It's just the material she's been given. Ashley and Derek feel like an afterthought, but we also see them what feels like all the time...if that makes sense! We need to see more of Ashley in action besides being told what a great person she is...over and over. It reminds me of B&B constantly telling us that "Carter is like family!" to the Forresters but no real evidence of this in the story. We're also told over and over how great Derek is, too, but in the writing, he's just flat. Speaking of B&B, someone on another thread mentioned that Matthew Atkinson would possibly make a good Derek which I thought was an interesting thought. All new soaps have their kinks that need to be worked out, and I really feel that most of the other characters are really clicking at this point. Even Martin and Smitty are developing better. I remember liking Terry Lester as Mason, but IMO the Gordon Thompson version was closer to the Lane Davies vision of the character.

I really thought Martin would be the first recast because the role is such a major part in the Dupree family. We really needed a slightly younger Martin to be believable as Nicole's son with it being specified that Martin and Smitty just adopted these grown ass kids when they were 12 and 13 for it to make sense. I don't think Derek will be recast. I think the role will just fade. OOOOOOO...I like that idea! Derek just doesn't have any spark to him at this point.

The way RJ just went missing all of a sudden and not even mentioned was sooo weird. The actor had even begun to grow on me...or at least his muscles did! LOL

Not to mention that the whole "takeover" story missed two really big beat IMO...RJ and Donna. Both of them would have been caught in the middle and adding to the conflict. Yet, they weren't even mentioned.

The character of Ridge was always a bit unsufferable, but it's REALLT bad now. He just comes off as a total ass. Why woman, apparently, find him with his misogynistic so appealing is a mystery? I feel like Hope used to be better defined as the long-suffering good girl, but I don't know who the hell she is at this point. I've never been a big Steffy fan to be honest. Knowing all the things she's done in her past, she's far from sympathetic. RB is sooooooooooo NOT Taylor. She should have been a brand new character without the baggage of a character that she's at least 15 years too young to play. The worst for me is Brooke. She used to be the ultimate soap character, IMO. I was a huge fan. Girl from the wrong side of the tracks who made good but was her own worst enemy at times. The way she runs after Ridge BEGGING him to pay her attention is downright insulting to women in general.

Since the show had a definite end and wrap-up of stories, it would be fun to watch it all these years later.

I think it would have been fun to say that Hayley decorated it herself. Then, you could play the set design off as person who previously never had any money before this and has a tacky taste. Think the Jungle Room in Elvis' Graceland....lol

It really plays as if that would have been a better choice...to have Martin be the youngest child of Vernon and Anita. He's hardly had any interaction with Nicole and none with Ted. Then, Martin's kids would be Vernon and Anita's grandkids versus GREAT grandkids. But, that ship has sailed. They really need to have some scenes with Martin and his parents.

I feel like one thing we're missing is an in-depth scene between Haley and Naomi, since they used to be best friends...what a betrayal! I've always loved Cady, but it really seems that "character" was already there in Vanessa. I always wish she had been allowed to stay on as Jennifer on DAYS. IMO, she brought a freshness to that role. I'm pretty sure we've never seen Martin interact with his dad, Ted.

Tomas was VERY stiff, but I'm inclined to give the actor a tiny bit of a break. It was the first episode they really used him to any real capacity. Hopefully, he loosen up a bit as Martin seems to be....slowly...doing. Lord, Ashley and Derek...something has to change with that quick. It FF material for me. Still, overall, BTG, after just three weeks, is head and shoulders above all the other shows currently on. I really have grown to like Nicole. Dani can be a little grating, but I think she's truly losing her mind.