Faulkner

I totally agree that TA is much more seasoned whereas SM could feel like she was reading a bit (although when they asked her to step up, I felt like she really did). That said—and agree that writing is having an impact, as the show’s investment in Sprina feels unusually noncommittal vs. literally EVERY other pairing on GH for reasons we’ve discussed—there was something that really stopped me in my tracks about NC/SM where NC/TA feels… really sweet and they’ve found a nice rhythm. But nothing that wows me. More of a comment on their couple energy than a diss on TA, and I know I’m in the minority on the topic. NC has grown a lot in the role, and I wonder if SM would have kept up with him under different circumstances.

Shemar Moore had great sexual chemistry with all three Phyllises as well. In their little interaction at Neil’s funeral, I saw a spark with Malcolm and GT’s Phyllis.

Those are really good ones too. ED helped Eileen show a softer side that she wasn’t quite able to do with many others while it came more naturally to Brenda. And PB had equally volcanic chemistry with Stafford and Tognoni (the latter of which was ruined with all of the Billy stupidity—JT and Stafford feel so weird together in scenes).

It’s true: they maintained some chemistry, albeit a very different kind than before. NC and Sydney had chemistry off the charts to me, partially because Sydney projected such strength and fire while TA is softer and more traditional “heroine” to me.

How would you describe her with JdP? From my experience with him (post-Blair), DePaiva wears his hunger and vulnerability on his sleeve, like he’s all consumed with love. (Not that he wasn’t also deadpan a lot of time, but Max was placed in a lot of vulnerable places in the ‘90s with his gambling addiction and love story with Luna.) The little I’ve seen of NW, seems like he wore his cards a bit closer to his vest as a baseline.

That’s an interesting, possibly controversial pick. I’d like to know more of your thoughts on that one. For ‘80s/early ‘90s OLTL fans, this scene has always struck me as uncomfortably rapey viewed through a more modern lens, but it seems that Fiona and Nicholas Walker had undeniable chemistry as Gabrielle/Max in a similar way to Fiona/JdP. Is that the case, or is this just out of context?

That’s a really good one. Definitely wasn’t instantaneous and they didn’t have the same spark (I suppose that makes since they started as an affair under Sherry and evolved into a loving married couple with Liz). The writing definitely didn’t do them any favors. I’m not the hugest Jason fan, but I think Burton maintained an ease with all of the main Carlys.

The talk of Mason/Julia in the SaBa thread made me think of this: what are some couples whose chemistry survived a recast (or at least evolved into a different kind of chemistry instead of petering out altogether)? I can think of many whose chemistry didn’t survive, of course, partially because the recast was a flop in general. Obviously, Tom/Margo on ATWT is up there (with the caveat that they’ve become most memorable as distinct pairs—Colin/Deas, HBS/Marx, Dolan/Holmes), but what others can you think of?

Some “alleged” tea from the Queens of Bravo Twitter:

One thing about Nick and Sharon is that the show has really worked to destroy them over the years. Or rather make them seem blah. They’ve been in so many different all-consuming love stories, yet they’ve had very tepid, unenthusiastic reunions (like their short-lived “romance” leading up to the aborted wedding a few years back) and have stayed in each other’s orbits, so we’ve never really had a chance to “miss” them as a couple (in the way that fans might rally around Bo/Hope since Peter Reckell has been off DAYS’s canvas for so long). And I don’t feel like JM and SC are playing any subtext of the other being the “love of their lives” in their scenes IMO. If their characters have evolved at all, it’s been away from each other. Over the past 30 years, neither SC nor JM have left to pursue bigger opportunities in their careers. We’ve never had a real break from them, and they feel really stale to me.

Jay 🇺🇸

Oh. Lord.

People are leaving left and right.

Sofia Kenin, your turn.

DGA nominees: Screen Actors Guild nominees for film: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) Hong Chau (“The Whale”) Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Paul Dano (“The Fabelmans”) Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) Eddie Redmayne (“The Good Nurse”) Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett (Tár”) Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Austin Butler (“Elvis”) Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) Bill Nighy (“Living”) Adam Sandler (“Hustle”) Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture “Babylon” “The Banshees of Inisherin” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” “The Fabelmans” “Women Talking” Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture “Avatar: The Way of Water” “The Batman” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” “Top Gun: Maverick” “The Woman King” Also: LOL maybe Michelle Williams should have kept her ass in supporting, but she might still have been snubbed in this competitive year for women.

More of Kris 🔥 🇹🇭 @Taoboi @AbcNbc247

And he had chemistry with Emme (unlike with MO). Shame. Again with Y&R pulling the trigger on something long after the moment has passed, in this case more than a decade LOL.

I couldn’t think of one (when soaps were truly emotional, I wasn’t much of a crier—needed some life experience to get there), but that Jill/Katherine scene definitely made me misty. And Lila stepping out of the wheelchair to guide Edward up the stairs in the Quartermaine mansion to heaven when he died on GH.

Golden Globes on a Tuesday night is so bizarre. I will not be watching.

A bittersweet yet ultimately hopeful song in this sad fallen world: