ranger1rg

But why shouldn't we simply assume that Claire, Ben, Ciara, and JJ have all affected him?

I hear you on that. It's possible the previews of Nicole and Carlton are misleading, and that this "date" with Carlton will cement that there's nothing romantic between them.

I thought the Carlton thread was tied off when Nicole told him she wasn't interested in anything romantic and just wanted to be friends. If they wanted to return to the coupling, they should have written those scenes differently.

-- I like the Theo recast. I think he's a strong actor who didn't have the learning curve most new soap actors have. He seems comfortable and self-assured to me. -- Eric Martsolf will always be good-looking, but his shirtless days should be over, at least at his present weight and fitness level.

-- Phyllis ruins every scene she walks in on. -- I know this is shallow, but I really wish Tamara Braun would get a glow-up. She's a very good actor, but this is the 3rd soap stint in a row where she looks like she runs the local laundromat. That hair is tragic. The length is all wrong and pulling it all off her face like she's some dewy-faced ingenue does not work.

-- If Vanessa has a plan to take down Golden Corral Casino Mobster Joey, she needs to do better, because she's stupid as hell. -- Vanessa sure isn't worried about her kids being in danger. What a selfish ho. -- Just what does Naomi want from Jacob? He should leave her instead of putting up with all this. -- Disappointed to see previews showing Nicole making out with Carlton. After this start with Kial? It makes no sense. -- I don't see Ted and Shanice or Ted and June as May/December romances, and I don't think the show needs to address the age difference at all.

Paycheck. -- I cannot believe the promos called this "The wedding of the century." -- 8 adults and 3 kids attended. Music was used to imply we were getting something emotional and special. -- I guess $Bill never heard that proposing at someone else's wedding is trashy and crass as hell. -- Why did we get the whole "Ridge wants Eric to retire" arc if it was this meaningless? -- I'm glad Thomas is back. Maybe he can wreck the lives of all these people except for Deke.

-- AA is so terrible as Tomas that I have no words. He doesn't even need to speak to show how terrible he is. His body language when he walked into Kat's place was so unnatural, so pathetically bad. If I saw some improvement, I'd mention it, but I don't. He's not getting any better. -- The Kat and Tomas story does. not. work. That's because of Alegria. It's impossible to believe anything about that story. -- I also cringe at the "Leslie has unlimited funds" line that we keep hearing. Isn't there a reasonable way to get her involved in this free clinic rather than having her fund the entire thing? It's just so goddamn ridiculous. -- A free clinic is something they should have Martin spearheading, not Eva and Leslie, who know NOTHING about medicine or the legalities or anything else. Maybe Madison can work there for free and kiss Chelsea there on her breaks.

-- Billy Flynn and Christel Khalil have great chemistry. They're really good together. -- Elizabeth Hendrickson did a nice job directing today's episode. -- It's a shame the writing on this show is so bad, because the show looks really good, and no one decorates for Christmas like Y&R. -- That being said, today's show was pretty good.

About to have office sex with Michael, Jacinda says "I can't ruin this gown." Then she steps out of it and LEAVES IT ON THE FLOOR.

Can't argue with that. Why would Ashley and Naomi leave Uptown to go to that godforsaken coffee spot that looks like it's in the corner of an almost-abandoned mall? -- Listening to Tomas and Eva talk about the book series they're reading was painful. -- Madison and Chelsea kissing at the hospital is really inappropriate. Do these writers think that's cute? It's not. -- Also, I wish we got to see the conversations that moved Madison and Chelsea to make up. Instead, it was skip the show and move on to the tell. -- Kind of weird that Bill and Tomas sat at that country club table for the entire episode.

I'm glad that writers had Deacon call Beth "precocious." I guess that's better than my calling her annoying and hoping we never see her again.

-- So Ashley's way of moving on from Derek is to bring up Cheryl who is interested in him? God, she is insufferable. -- Kat clocked Eva again and I am down with it. If Eva changes -- and stops burying the bodies from her mother's messes -- maybe I'll revisit. Until then, I'm #TeamKat. -- When Kat walked in Orphey Gene's, I thought, "What is that hat?" Within 5 seconds, I knew she was perfectly dressed as Essential Kat. -- I don't have an answer for it, but that coffee corner set does not work. A conversation between Eva and Laura was interesting, but that set takes me out of the story every time. -- Nothing about Tomas says "I'm smart enough to be partner in a prestigious law firm."

Yesterday, Michael and Lauren reserved the GCAC restaurant for their anniversary celebration. Today, Billy and Sally reserved the GCAC lounge for their Abbott launch party. I feel sorry for the other guests at that hotel.

Shouldn't Portia be showing by now?

-- Dani and Ted and everyone else supporting Eva to Kat can get bent. #TeamKat -- Martin was thankful to Ted...for screwing up and starting over again? Seems like a weird thing to thank him for. Martin said "You showed me the way" and Ted puffed out his chest. We need more scenes with father and son, but they need to make sense. -- 😂🤣😂 when Randy asked Shanice if she knew anything about a friend of his who collapsed. When she told him to check the ER, he said "Every time he's been sick before, it's been in this area." Is Randy THAT STUPID or are these writers on crack? Then she asked for the friend's name and he walked away. NONE of it made sense. -- Randy and Hayley are dumb and dumber.

-- Brooke is CRYING over Hope getting married, which is hilarious since this is the FOURTH time she's marrying Liam. She was also married to Thomas and Wyatt, which makes this her SIXTH marriage, and these Logan sisters are so effing clueless it's unreal. -- $Bill looks overdressed compared to the other men at the wedding. -- Brooke looks nice, but her dress screams "I think I'll upstage the bride" to me. -- I still can't stand Beth.

That was perfect. The highest level of camp! Just hilarious! -- I wanted Nicole to make a bigger fuss over the flowers Kial brought her, but I get it: She can be a distant and mysterious ice princess while also being magnetic and impossible to resist -- and she knows it. -- Daphnee Duplaix and Greg Vaughan had INSTANT chemistry. Good for GATES for going for it right away. Those muscle relaxation scenes -- with Kial's hands on Nicole's neck -- were hot! -- Dani has some good advice for Kat, but pushing her to move in with Tomas after such a short time is not.

I was on complete fast-forward for the entire episode.

I agree with all of that. The show is beating Y&R in the 18-49 demo, so I'm sure Brad Bell thinks he's doing a great job. The dearth of scenes with Deke and Remy is pathetic, although history should have told us to expect this. We're not going to get a gay love story, and I wouldn't be surprised if they decide Deke is bisexual. Oh, and also, I cannot stand Beth.

I appreciate that. I do think my criticism is constructive. I didn't point to specific posts or posters, because honestly, I can't tell if these people are referring to me or to someone else. Maybe I'm a little paranoid, but some of the comments here are pointed, calling the criticism condescending. MontyB, I really don't want to point to specific posts or specific posters. All I can tell you is that comments have been made about people who make negative posts. I honestly can't tell if those comments are or aren't directed at me. Sorry for getting away from a discussion of the show.

My criticism has been harsh the past few episodes, but I've tried to be clear about any point I've made. I'm more than happy to see polar opposite opinions here. It's good to discuss different elements of the show. The views of those of us who have had problems with the show aren't worth more than the views of those who are happy with the show, but they're not worth any less, either. Our opinions are just as valid. I don't enjoy writing posts like this, but while I and others are judging the show, some posters here are judging us for being negative. You have a right to do that, of course. I'm just pointing out that there's a difference in the criticism. My opinion is only an opinion. If you loved WinterFest, good for you. I'm happy you were satisfied. I wasn't. I'm open to criticism about anything and everything I say, but you don't diminish my opinion with "You're always negative so you're constant bitching is worthless." I do hope we get 3 great GATES episodes the rest of the week. Nothing would make me happier.

"'-- I've grown to really dislike these standalone flashback episodes. -- As others pointed out, they're just reminders of what this show used to be -- the sets that were used, the characters who had storylines and weren't trotted out only for "a very special episode" like this one. -- And once again ANOTHER restaurant in town has been rented out for the occasion? So all the people staying at the GCAC are told "Eat and hang somewhere else"? -- Not only are no extra dining guests needed, but no staff is around either. Great for that Y&R budget. -- But let's AGAIN let Phyllis interrupt and interfere and crash the party. JFC.

Let me also point out that one reason I have a huge problem with Joey and Vanessa is that they are white people running roughshod over Blacks and POC -- blackmailing, controlling the police department, working over a sitting Congressman, operating the escort service that so many POC in the area apparently need. I know that everything isn't about race, but I expected this show to be more sensitive to the optics. I'm white, but I hate the optics to so much of this. You cannot throw in historical references and talk about Black legacy and then follow through with white people in control.