Gray Bunny

Now that I've had time to process that epic finale, I think the biggest "person" at fault is Bravo. You cannot tell me that didn't already know about her online persona when they casted her. Furthermore, I have to question the fact that Jen Shah's team already knew about Monica's online persona a couple years back, and this information didn't get back to anyone (Heather, etc.) prior to filming season 4? And Heather's own hairstylist is the main culprit of the Instagram account? Everything and everyone is suspect in this whole ordeal.

Still, it made for some damn good television. 

On 1/3/2024 at 10:03 PM, j swift said:

I always say that the only thing that Steve Burton's acting inspires for me is the memory that we should be wearing more sunscreen as we age, because that skin is rough. 

Word. Same. 

1 hour ago, JAS0N47 said:

ANOTHER WORLD PRIME TIME SPECIAL, JUNE 1992 DEMOS:

Recently started work on the rest of 1992. Won't be ready to post for a bit, but I noticed this AW primetime special, so here are the demos. Audience dropped some in the second half hour. First half hour got a 6.3.  Last half hour got a 5.9.

Thanks for posting! I'd seen the numbers for DAYS' One Stormy Night, Night Sins, & Winter Heat years ago, but never knew how AW's primetime show did. 

Sorry to the GH fans for his inevitable comeback (stay far away from Genoa City), but he was an absolute pointless character that should have never lasted beyond Beyond.  And by all means, take Carly #2 with you. 

1 hour ago, JAS0N47 said:

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 8/8/77-8/12/77 & 8/15/77-8/19/77:

 

FAST WEEKLY WEEK OF 8/22/77-8/26/77 NOT AVAILABLE

Wow, the way these numbers yo-yo is quite remarkable, along with their ever-changing rankings. Also, everyone's back in the 8's and 7's when just a couple months back, their May sweeps numbers were down in the 6's/5's. 

39 minutes ago, OpportunisticSlut said:

It will probably be an unpopular opinion, but I feel Kyle's drama with Mauricio is fake. I think she has plotted to act this whole storyline to keep the interest up, since she has been getting dusty for a while and her housewives presence has become stale. Even in the first episode she is acting like... acting. It's like she is doing everything on purpose to give this vibe that something is wrong. I am sure that if there WAS something wrong WE would never see it... Kyle is so fake and she will never act this way on camera if this is real. My whole being screams FAKE every episode. I can't wait for the happy ending and her crying telling us that you should never stop working on your marriage. 

I definitely see your point, especially her "acting."  I think it's a weird complex blend of a real separation but also being played out by both parties for reality TV, for the sake of both of their "brands."  

10 minutes ago, BrendaB said:

Why does this show keep propping up a z-list ESPN talking head as a "star"?  Do sports fans even think of him as a star?  No sports fans are watching General Hospital and soap fans are not watching sports, anyways.  The show is overflowing with 60 years of superstars in film, television, stage and music that they could be highlighting on this special.  So it's ridiculous they keep trotting out and propping up Brick or whatever-his-name-is like that.

Perhaps because they still think it's the 80's where big name sports stars "watch their stories" in between practices. 

Just now, j swift said:

Or the town tore it down during the flash forward because it was a safety hazard after Jen was tossed down them by Hope.

Nah, Princess Gina tossed her out the window of the bistro. The stairs were already long gone. The only things I remember they used the staircase for was at the very beginning when Jack returned and literally fell over the ledge, and I think Nicole had some sort of baby breakdown re: Daniel & Jennifer at one point.  The whole thing looked too cardboardy as it is. I think the whole thing shook when a closeted Will pressed a dude up against it when he had his first male-on-male make-out moment. 

5 minutes ago, carolineg said:

The show (John) made a joke about the square being indoor when it started snowing in The Beyond Salem Christmas movie.  Whether it's a true fact still I don't know.  Looking on the internet some people say the roof can open up?  It seems to be a source of confusion in general.  

When the Square was introduced back in September 2011, it was mentioned as being under a dome (I think Freddie Smith's Sonny had the throwaway line), which would explain why no one is bundled up in the dead of winter.  No explanation as to how the brick staircase on the righthand side mysteriously disappeared a couple years afterwards. Maybe it's hiding under that one extra's wig. 

I know I went overboard on the "Worst Trends," but man, after seeing the most recent photos of some of the New Jersey women, I have to add: Ozempic. Which also reminds me of how stupid Jenn Fessler was to only eat garbage food while taking it and then be surprised to have a bowel obstruction. I see a future Netflix series about the rise, fall, and dangers of this drug a few years from now. 

Great picks @DaytimeFan I agree about Jenn Fessler from NJ. 
 

And I cannot believe I forgot to include one that was on my mind all day: 

BEST NEW CATCHPHRASE: “Name ‘em!” as repeated by Sutton Stracke, RHOBH. An instant new Housewives classic. 

Alrighty folks, let's get this Best & Worst of the Housewives 2023 party started!

As usual, some of the specifics of the first half of the year are blurry, so the more current shows are fresh in my mind. I'm sure I'll add and subtract as we go along   Also to note for my own list:  I do not watch Miami or Dubai.  My advance apologies if I went overboard on the categories this year. I was inspired by browsing through an old Best & Worst Digest of '96... (i.e. Best Shows: Y&R/DAYS/GH;  Most Disappointing Show: ATWT;  Worst Story: Roger's Gaslighting on GL;  Best Story: GH's Cassadine saga, etc... Good times). 

BEST RETURN: Tamra Judge, RHOC. From the moment she reclaimed her orange on Watch What Happens Live, we knew we were in for something good. And boy, did she deliver. Right out of the gate, she caused drama with old friends, made new enemies, and even managed to alienate the newbie that she brought on to the show! Yes, I will admit she went a tad overboard and could’ve held some of her cards for the next season, but she wanted everyone to remember why she makes for good reality TV. Welcome back Tamra [and welcome back Eddie, one of the finest Househusbands].

WORST RETURN: Kelly Bensimon, RHUGT: RHONY Legacy. If Kelly was hoping to repair her image and show the world she’s not “CRAZY KELLY,” she fell flat on that conquest. A mere three episodes in, and she has already shown us she has not changed one bit from her days of Scary Island, Chef. Vs. Cook, I’m Up Here / You’re Down Here, You Called Me Madonna, and other aloof, unintelligible, and contradictory remarks that make her so frustrating to watch.

BEST FRIEND-OF RETURN: Mary Cosby, RHOSLC.  She’s mean, she’s judgmental, she doesn’t want to participate in anything. Yet, she’s here and we’re here for it. Oh sure, not everyone is going to agree with me on this one, but her outspokenness is like listening to a 90-year-old woman with no filter, not giving a damn who she insults. It made for outrageous reality TV, which is what this franchise needed for the first half of the season.

BEST EXIT: Lisa Rinna, RHOBH. She’s gone and that’s what matters. On pause, on rest, temporarily fired, who cares what the spin may be. She’s out, which is what RHOBH needed to continue.

BEST NEWCOMER, Part I: Monica Garcia, RHOSLC. Without seeing the finale or reunion, she has thus far been a welcome addition to the Beehive State. Perhaps she is graded on a curve because RHOSLC was in desperate need of new blood and new alliances. Whatever the case may be, she has opened up more so than the majority of her cast members have given us in four years.

BEST NEWCOMER, Part II: Jennifer Pedranti, RHOC. OC has had trouble finding solid newcomers in recent years, so when Jennifer Pedranti was brought in as a friend of Tamra’s my initial thought was:  Another busty blonde named Jen; another one season wonder.  How delightful to see I was wrong. Jennifer has been a welcome addition to the cast and will hopefully forge new friendships with other cast members next season since her “friend” Tamra treated her like trailer trash (how ironic).

WORST NEWCOMER: Sai De Silva, RHONY.  When the OG of the original cast says you’re a dud, you’re a dud. I can see Bravo going either way: give her another year to try to endear herself to the audience, or Katie Rost her ass and bring in someone fabulous to replace her.

BEST TREND, Part I: Old Housewife, New City. (Taylor Armstrong, from BH to OC). We’ve seen cast crossovers in the past, but never in this capacity. From the moment we were re-introduced to our favorite girl from Oklahoma, she looked like she belonged in Orange County all along. She fit the show and the show fit her, so it is a shame to hear she will not be back next season. Our loss. However, let’s hope the door is not closed on potentially bringing back old faces in new territories. [How about a more permanent stay for Cynthia Bailey on RHOBH…?]  

BEST TREND, Part II: Guest Appearances.  We’ve seen many former housewives return at party functions all the time. But a guest appearance from a former Wife is extra delicious when it actually drives story. Charrisse’s return to the Potomac fold reignited an old feud between her and Karen Huger. Denise Richards popping back in on RHOBH has caused the old, ugly nasty demeanor of Erika Jayne to resurface. And the OG of them all, Vicki Gunvalson, returned to RHOC to reunite the Tres Amigas, for better or worse, and added layers of laughter and drama during the cast trip. [Plus, who doesn’t love the side comments of Camille Grammer and the morally corrupt Faye Resnick at dinner?]

WORST TREND, Part I: Producer Interference. Housewives have become improvisational soap operas. Set up the time, place, characters, and bullet point topics to discuss and GO!  From endless desperate attempts to recreate dinner parties from hell, to awkward conversations that real friends would never discuss in front of other people, the “realness” of Real Housewives has been sorely lacking for nearly a decade, with no signs of reverting back to the more simple days of Kim and Nene getting dressed for a party in a parking lot, or having on-the-fly talking head shots on a city sidewalk.

WORST TREND, PART II: Previews of Clips that Don’t Make It On Air.  You’re flat out lying to the audience with these bait and switch promo tactics. Show it or stop it.

WORST TREND, PART III: Not airing the opening themes. It is the most iconic aspect of the Housewives brand. Why keep it out of so many episodes?

MOST CRINGEWORTHY MOMENT: Drew Sidora singing to Ralph at the RHOA Reunion.  Drew and Ralph’s crumbling marriage was the frontburner story in the second half of the season, filled with rumors of cheating on both sides. Despite their impending divorce and whispers of Drew being with another woman, Ralph appeared at the reunion and Drew sang… directly to him… on camera… with everyone else watching.  Iconic. 

BEST NEW CATCHPHRASE: "Name 'em!" by Sutton Stracke, RHOBH.  An instant new Housewives classic meme. 

BEST FEUD: Heather vs. Everyone, RHOC.  The gang up on Heather Dubrow was unnecessary, yet the fabulous ice queen of the OC paid them dust every single time. Heather’s life, her solid marriage, her real estate porn, etc. automatically makes her a winner against the jealous “peasant” castmates. On the finale episode, Tamra was looking to create a moment, yet Heather shot her down flawlessly. It’s a pleasant surprise to hear Heather is returning next season, because she’d be a shoo-in as the next Wife to jump to another series (RHOBH). I can’t wait to see how she handles the heifers next year.

WORST FEUD: Teresa Guidice vs. Melissa Gorga, RHONJ. This has been exhausted to point that nobody’s a winner, including us viewers. Clearly, these family members hate one another. Hate. It’s no longer trainwreck TV. It’s just a cringy mess with no good outcome. I am legit surprised the entire cast is returning for 2024.  Runners up: Margaret vs. Jennifer, RHONJ. Same reason. Enough is enough.

BEST ALLIANCE: Garcelle and Sutton’s friendship, RHOBH. Rarely do we see a friendship where they truly have each other’s backs, even when one person is wrong, but these two are thick as thieves and will always support one another.  

WORST ALLIANCES: The cliques of Real Housewives of Potomac. This show is slipping into toxic territory. There is a clear line in the sand of who likes who and who wants the other one gone. Much like old-school RHONY where everyone is strategizing to ice out the outsider, this is another game where we the audience end up the losers.

BEST QUEEN OF THEIR CITY: Karen Huger, RHOP. The Grande Dame knows her role of the show, which is currently to be the bridge and peacemaker amongst the fighting, petty arguments, and all out hatred. Still, in the midst of being that proverbial fence, her humor and essence brings lightness and fun to a show that has lost some of its luster.  

BEST QUEEN OF THE FORMER OG’s: Luann de Lesseps, RHONY.  Sure, the original RHONY is likely to never return as we knew it, but we just can’t count out the Countess. Whether she’s reappearing on an Ultimate Girls Trip or being spun off to Crappie Lake, there’s always a home for Luann on Bravo in some capacity. Here’s to hoping she and Sonja get a second season of their Simple Life-like series.

BEST SHOW: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  Good or bad, they know who they are, and they own it… unless they’re at risk of getting booted off the show (Hi Dorit; Hi Erika). Just when we think they’re down, they come back swinging. Real drama in their lives (Hi Kyle & Mauricio!) always makes for excellent reality television, versus manufactured petty drama about something stupid like cheese. Bravo wisely cut their losses with their most toxic cast member (Rinna), got rid of some dead weight (Diana… who?), and truly lucked out when the messy Mo & Kyle separation made the headlines.

MOST IMPROVED SHOW: Real Housewives of Orange County. After some truly lackluster seasons, it felt like old home week with the return of Tamra Judge in the fold, immediately causing mayhem after mayhem, revitalizing the original Housewives show that started it all. Everyone stepped their game up this season, from Heather to Shannon, to perennial underdogs Gina and Emily. We even got another new Jen (Pedranti), who has legs to last another season.

MOST TOXIC SHOW: Real Housewives of New Jersey.  Guidice vs. Gorga; Margaret vs. Jennifer; newbies getting ugly right off the bat… With an endless family feud that has sunken to the point of no return, it’s hard to imagine they have filmed yet another season with the current cast intact. Surely, 2024 will be its final year showcasing them all. Right? Please say yes, Bravo.

MOST DISAPPOINTING SHOW: Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Once upon a time, RHOA was the bread and butter of Bravo, breaking Nielsen records left and right. Nowadays, it is a shell of its former self.  While we enjoy seeing familiar faces like Kandi, Kenya, and Sheree, nearly everything fell flat this year. The ensemble cast does not gel together as a cohesive group of friends, and newer faces like Drew and Sanya just aren’t enticing viewers to tune in. A major overhaul is expected and much needed. Could a much-missed blast from the past being returning to snatch her peach back…? Bloop!

RHUGT: RHONY Legacy

It's like having your favorite inebriated friend come home for Christmas for another round of drunk, topless singing by the grand piano. It's so good to see them together for likely the last time. Yes, it could've been enhanced by bringing on Jill and/or Alex (I won't mention Carol or Bethenny, cuz that just wasn't gonna happen), maybe even Heather. But nonetheless, we're having a great time watching the OG's do their thing. 

And with that, I see Kelly Killoren Bensimon has not changed ONE BIT since we last saw her in 2011. She still puts silly labels on people ("the host" for Kristen, etc.) and then backtracks when people call her out, saying the usual, "Well, I didn't know! You didn't tell me all of that!"  An exact replica of her "cook" vs. "chef" to Bethenny on Scary Island. 

Speaking of Bethenny, it's funny how Bravo's flashbacks are now painting Bethenny as the aggressor towards Kelly. Nuh-uh. We watched it. We saw it all go down. Also funny that Kelly brought gift bags on this trip when she literally had a meltdown after finding Bethenny's Skinnygirl-centric gift bag outside her door on Scary Island. Oh, but Kelly's bag is just travel-sized fun items that she enjoys and wants to share with the group. Okay gurl... Still a walking contradiction. 

Meanwhile, Luann and Sonja are hilariously ridiculous, acting like they're in heat, on the prowl for anything that passes by them with a penis. I know it's just for the show, cuz can you imagine if they were really like that, like ALL THE TIME? LOL 

Dorinda is still Dorinda, and still pressed anytime someone evaluates her being put "on pause." 

Kristen is a surprise welcome addition and I'm glad she's standing her ground. I actually think she handled the Dolly Ashley Madison interrogation just fine. 

Looking forward to episodes 4 through 7  And Ramona, keep staying on your best behavior... 

By the way, @Cat thank you for taking the reigns last year... it's that time of year again we come up with our Soap Opera Digest-like Best & Worst picks of 2023  

17 hours ago, janea4old said:

 

That background actor is Robert Scott Crane who is best known as the mustachioed background cop. He appears regularly and plays waiters, pub patrons, random people in the square, doctors, etc.  All sorts of hair, facial hair, wardrobe, etc.
 

They're just clowning us at this point with that mop on his head. 

4 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

Yes, on DAYS, Black people pay for their crimes far more than whites. Just like real life, I guess.

My first thought, too.... 

16 minutes ago, JAS0N47 said:

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 4/27/92-5/1/92 & 5/4/92-5/8/92:

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 5/11/92-5/15/92 & 5/18/92-5/22/92:

The ratings posts are now on a holiday pause and will return in January with the rest of 1992 and 1993. Happy holidays to all!!

Thank you for all you do! So funny to see the endless battles between No. 3 through No. 8. 

I kinda hope Phaedra is a one and done. Her whole schtick just seems like a rehash.  M2M deserves better. 

14 minutes ago, Beachstorm said:

It ended as stupidly as it started.

Cameron ended up in the sewers with Faith after he tied a bomb onto her chest, which she didn't even realize was there. Sharon and Nick showed up, and it stupidly ended with Sharon shooting him (Man, I don't even know if I'm remembering correctly). I think I recall Sharon showing absolutely NO remorse for killing the man. And it was over. The end. So dumb.

They should have AT LEAST shown the bomb blowing up the sewers after all were safely out, but no. Not once ounce of creativity in this writing, nor any payoff at the end of a storyline.

 

Good grief, that sounds awful and totally pointless. 

Thanks for letting me know though

I'm totally out of the loop on Y&R these days, but I gotta ask: Whatever happened to the whole return of Cameron Kirsten? What all happened with him, Sharon, Nick...? 

11 hours ago, j swift said:

I was trying to do the math from Alice's perspective, not withstanding SORASed grandkids, great grandkids and great great grankids.

Francis Reid was born in 1914, and was 96 when she died.  However, Alice Grayson Horton was born in 1911, according to her grave site. So, let's say Alice had Tommy and Addie when she was 20 (the median age of marriage for women in 1930 was 21.3).  If Tommy went to Korea at the end of the conflict in 1953, when most of the soldiers were captured, he would have been 36 when he reappeared in Salem in 1967, making Alice 54 when the series premiered, and 99 when she passed. 

She could've been 20 when she “popped out” Tommy and Addie.  Then, she had Micky the next year at 21. Bill was born she was 29.  And, she was 32 when she had Marie in 1943.

Interestingly, Addie would've been 17 when she had Stephen and 18 when she had Julie (since Julie was said to be 16 in the premiere episode), and 43 when she had Hope in 1974.

Which makes Marie 6 years older than Julie, and 30 years older than Hope.  So, Marie was 24 when she fell for Mark/Tommy and then left Salem

But, of course, the SORASing of David in 1975 screws up the whole timeline.  Because he was born in 1968 on screen, he went from 7 to 18 overnight.  Which means Alice was 64, and Julie was 26 with an 18-year-old son (although Susan Seaforth Hayes was 32 at the time).  So, I guess we can blame Pat Falken Smith for that one.

Thanks for the math  Let's go with that and we'll say to hell with any SORASing that comes into play. After all, Julie seemed to go from 16 in 1965 to late 30's by the mid 70's, and then her grandson was in his late teens by the late 80's. So weird how they aged up Susan Seaforth Hayes' perceived age so rapidly. 

1 hour ago, OpportunisticSlut said:

Something in the style of Bradley Bell.

Eric goes into experimental treatment. It is successful, but has terrible side effects. Eric wakes up and is disoriented. He looks around the room, but is shocked to find Stephanie is long gone and all his children have grown up. The last thing Eric remembers is falling asleep in the year 1993 with his wife Sheila Forrester.

He calls out her name, but Sheila is not there in the hospital. What doctor Bridget shockingly tells everyone - Eric will live, but he has lost 30 years of his memory. He believes he is in love with Sheila and wants to see her. It would be risky for them to tell him the truth about her, because it could kill him, so everyone has to play a game till Eric is better. 

Sheila is shocked at first, but happy and laughing next. She moves in the mansion and acts like she has never left Eric's side. The doctors tell her she needs to keep this act for his sake. What Sheila realizes is that now she can re-do 30 years of damage and start over. Her original plan to take-over Forrester is re-ignited.

One lost forgotten enemy lurks in the corner, Lauren Fenmore is back in town after seeing a tik tok live with Sheila and Eric celebrating New Year. She is informed about what is happening by the others, but Lauren will NOT play that game. A war is ressurected.

Sheila manages to manipulate and control Eric, she slips him a little document and he agreeingly gives his signature. Sheila laughs in the background.

  2024 ends with Sheila Carter taking over Forrester Creations. Donna Logan is downgraded to Forrester cleaning staff and Brooke cries with her left eye in the corner of the room. Sheila looks upon an old picture of Stephanie, takes the frame and smashes it on the floor. Her laugh is heard all around the country.

 

It is bad... but I tried to think in Bradley Bell style. Excuse me. 

Well done. It's a mix of Bradley and James Reilly... he pulled this stunt with Sami on DAYS in '97, losing four years of her memory yet somehow managed to remember she was married to Austin (sham wedding in Paris to get custody of Will back). And so into Austin's apartment she moved... 

10 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I don't dislike Stephanie or anything, but I just don't find her compelling enough to have three men chasing her.  She nice and pretty, but I don't find her to have any distinct personality traits.  Someone like Jada is much more interesting and gets half the screen time.

Agreed. She's no Carrie Brady. 

If I may interject, I think they're asking "is Kimberlin worth it?" not because of any unspoken political affiliation, but more so her ability as an actress... I mean, surely you've seen the squinty eye thing she does when trying to conjure up tears, yes? 

And at this point, with the Y&R/B&B history rewrites that don't make sense and her endless ability to reappear, she's the equivalent to Jason from Friday the 13th. 

23 hours ago, JAS0N47 said:

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 1/6/92-1/10/92 & 1/13/92-1/17/92:

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 1/20/92-1/24/92 & 1/27/92-1/31/92:

Wow, the week of Jan 13th - 17th saw better numbers nearly across the board than the usual holiday highs of the last week of December. Wonder if there was a big snowstorm on the east coast that week? 

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

Why on earth is Chanel selling baked goods outside in December?  The little plastic table set up has always been silly, but that makes no sense.

Unless she whipped one out today, which I haven't seen, I have yet to see Chanel, Allie, or anyone selling those baked goods ever pull out a phone with an attached credit card reader so that customers can actually, you know, PAY for anything.