brisbydog

I am just so happy with the new writing. Everything feels so much more mature. The connections between plots and characters reminds me of the eighties, and I just plain old LIKE everybody. I very much enjoyed Philip's apology tour with his two exes, and both of them being gracious to him. This version of Philip is so interesting, very flawed, but trying to do better, and I do believe he wanted the brother bond with Xander very much and is hoping to get that back. Speaking of brothers, we got Xander's first ever mention of his other brother, Bo. And how interesting that Titan is also working on a cure for sepsis. If the one with Dr Russell falls through we have a back up plan. And the seamless writing continued with Sarah trying to get out of a conference and Kayla needing to get Dr Russell out of town, I love when things just make sense like that. Shout out to Xander with cucumbers on his eyes lol And under the new regime I am not hating Stalex. I think this couple was just hammered by Ron by constantly making them sleep with other people. It was hard to root for them when the writer didn't care about them as a pairing, just about getting Rob naked. I am happy to see what happens here too. Stefan got a get well card to EJ? I wonder if it had a coded HELP ME in the message. Glad Kayla turned him down. She should never forget how he used Steve as a pawn back in the day. Characters are actually remembering this stuff these days.

I skipped most of Daniel too. I think it's awful he has kids with Nicole, Carly and Chloe and Brady, Bo and Philip do not.

Frankie was Carly's brother. Max's dad came to town at some point. I forget who he was related to

Xander kidnapped her a few times when she was a baby I much prefer this bitchy version of Rafe to the dull one we have had for the past few years. Leo would get on my last nerve too and I would probably have snapped by now too. Loved Roman and Doug3. My favourite scenes today. Much better than his forced kindness to Ava. About time somebody pointed out Sophia is an adult any minute and can decide her own life. This is not Handmaid's Tale. I bet Mrs Choi snatches that baby though if Sophia signs it over to 'strangers'

Interesting show. I liked very much the Shawn and Johnny talk, one tortured about shooting his dad, the other not so much (if he did it, which I doubt). Marlena was strangely empathetic to EJ which was a switch, and I liked him offering his Cat date to Chad. I want to see Cat given a personality by the new writers. Ron could not be bothered with her since she was dumped on him by the strike team and was too big a name for him to fire like he did poor BobbyEverett. So we got the awful Fabby story and then 2x a month airings with her acting like a spaz. I actually like the entire Greene family (apart from the mother) and would like to see more of them. Highlight of the show was seeing Steve and Kayla act like the duo I remember from their heyday. I got a lump in my throat when she thanked him for loving her brother.

Yep I don't hate Javi and then he's macking on Leo and I'm done with him. Leo is a failure who needs to go away I am bracing myself for Alex reading the manuscript and imagining him and Stephanie as the main characters, because this couple has literally nothing else to do until Joy comes back showing

Loving the show these days, one week into the post Ron era and I am feeling the difference. First off, thrilled to see Steve and Kayla together, and with their daughter. Ron never cared about this legacy couple. Shawn asking Steve to help him steal the drug is very much, finally, in character, for Bo's son. Bo would absolutely do the same thing. I am excited about this whole story, and now Xander is clearly in the mix. Will Titan provide the resources to help Kayla synthesize the drug, save Bo, and then take credit? Leo was not too bad today but he is still obnoxious. Gabi and Philip though... now that has more spark than she has ever had with dull JJ. Here for this! Especially since it seems he gets to keep his stolen Co CEO job (and honestly, he should, Victor would want him at Titan. I think the solution is Xander gets Titan and Philip gets Dimera). I liked Xander and Alex too, it is good to see them working together after the whole mess up last year with their names. Stephanie's book was an odd thing. Guess Alex will try to get it published with or without her permission. Kind of rude to just walk off with it.

My heart broke for Chanel today. Marlena's advice was awful and instead of making Johnny recognize he is not his father and to embrace a better future she managed to make him wallow in it. And how dare he tell Tate and Sophia before he and Chanel had even made a final decision?? At this point I hope Chanel and Paulina adopt the baby together. I could just feel Sophia's despair too. She finally had a plan and could look forward to being a teenager again and now this is all uncertain again. Anybody else feel she and Tate are stuck with this kid? I am thrilled the new writers are very clear that Sarah's motivation was not that she wanted to respect Victor's wishes, or she was sympathetic to Philip's mental health struggles, but that it was all about loving Xander, fearing losing him to jail, and protecting their family. That makes sense, whatever Ron had her spouting in January did not. Hi Doug3! I've missed you! I enjoyed his random run in with Philip. I still much prefer him with Holly to dull Old Man Tate. And my favourite pairing of Xander and Philip were on. When Xander whispers "I want to throw you out a window" he is really saying "I love you".

I'm more interested in Bo tangling with his two Kiriakis brothers. That could be fun.

Paul Telfer was on every list last year for soap publications as actor of the year as Xander, both for the show and in some cases all shows. I think you are maybe not looking at the really heavy episodes. You can't really judge 6 years of story by watching clips. They've been through the ringer, both on screen and because Ron kept firing her to promote his favourite Linsey had cancer and chemo and has a hard time growing her hair. Early Sarah was all extensions.

That is the correct order yes. Rafe was too busy wallowing in his disaster love life to care about his sister. This is precisely what Paul and Eric said in January, that Ron's stories go on forever but the writing is immediately more mature. I am actually looking forward to the inevitable Xander and Sarah break up because I want to see real, nuanced writers bring them back together and then show us the relationship in a more mature light. Everything I have heard supports that this will be the direction going forward, but it will be a slow one. I love their messy, complicated relationship. I'd rather watch two really screwed up people who love each other to bits try to make it work over years and years than Alex bedhopping or the insta relationships that Ron used to throw at us.

Paul was thrilled that with the obvious separation coming with this plot that Linsey kept her job. He always says it makes far more sense for Sarah to be in town than Xander. I'm excited to see a Xarah story not written by Ron. Paul said to expect more mature writing with the new regime.

Well Xander and Sarah have a 6 year history where they have built up a loyal fan base. I won't comment on you dragging the actresses looks, that should never be a factor. They have always been a deeply flawed couple where each of them makes mistakes but the through line has always been that they truly love each other Cat and Chad have been slow building for months.

I don't know why everyone is jumping to Xander needs to cheat as payback for Sarah's lies. She didn't cheat on him and they love each other, it's not a reciprocal response. Let's hope a new writing team has Xander realize why Sarah felt she had to lie and (eventually) forgive her. And Philip cause I love them as brothers.

Plot driven. They needed a more experienced actress according to Eric M No. And both have expressed revulsion at the idea. Xander faked her kid's death and Kristen kidnapped Sarah from his wedding. They will never hook up.

Their best story was the hit and run last year. No secrets kept and they were a unified team throughout. I also liked Xander's emotional growth during the strike (which Ron abandoned immediately).

Xander and Sarah have the it factor the problem has always been Ron writing them variations of the same story since 2020 (one of them keeps a secret from the other). I am hopeful that they get the super couples treatment under the new regime.

Every conversation I've had with the actors points to October as being when they were finally free of Ron outlines. But Paul was clear that even if the stories were awful they were better written, and he and Eric both said their characters stop acting like overgrown teenagers

I don't think Sarah and Philip would betray Xander in that way. The lies are plenty without adding sex to it.

Ron was tweaking the April scripts last year that were written by the strike writers, I am certain Paula and Jeanne were doing the same

John inherited the Toscano fortune and now Brady likely will get it. That is a nice benign (if stupid) billionaire. I would prefer him to Paulina please.

Paul is amazing. The growth journey he has taken Xander on, from that smart alec thug who cared about nobody, to this new, mature yet still flawed version, is amazing, particularly since he has had to do it without the benefit of any sort of nuanced writing. And I adore Belle too! Her name is Isabella though; Roman named her after John's late wife when he thought she was his, so it is not a cutsey name, she just has the cutsey version of it. I don't care about Pricetown. If Paulina never appeared again I would not notice frankly.

The show sure has been good as we wind up Ron's tenure, almost like someone was rewriting these last scripts. Apart from Rex, whose visit accomplished nothing, and Roman having the same flashback for the 80th time, I loved everything today. Belle and Philip were really great. Two people with so much history and both so flawed they don't bother judging each other. I think Justin is Xander's lawyer though. He may have to hire Melinda. I really am not hating Alex these days. He and Stephanie are finally working for me. I like knowing pregnant Joy is out there though. I so appreciated Xander bringing up how it hurts to have the gardener thing thrown in his face and Alex apologizing. I sure wish that they'd come over a bit later so Sarah had managed to confess. Enough already. Can I say I'm delighted that Philip and Xander will have to fake a united front to please Mr Shin. Keep on with these two please! Susan was not too annoying today, and I loved that she instantly saw that Belle loves her son. And EJ is "finally" awake but it's been only two Salem days lol

Tomorrow is Ron's last episode (Tuesday)