Faulkner

Pierson Fodé (ex-Thomas, B&B) is reportedly among the candidates to be the next Superman. The DCU is really loving the Bell soap alumni:

Sandoval is male ego fragility personified.

This guy is just gorgeous. @Gray Bunny @Taoboi

It's great to see that the trend of anthology series and limited series has given creators the freedom to explore unique concepts without the pressure to keep adding complex mythologies to their stories season after season. A show like Revenge might have worked better as a one-off or anthology series, rather than being dragged out with convoluted storylines. These days, there’s this added demand to constantly keep viewers on their toes with shocking twists. A lot of that is social media and a need to keep people engaged and immersed in the world of the series but also the influence of the big sci-fi/fantasy tentpoles that has pervaded our culture.

Certainly, an inventive writer could claim that Diane orchestrated this all as a ruse to worm her way back into Jack’s life (even though we saw Allie angry with Diane over her deceit as well as Allie alone seemingly sincerely mourning her father). Stranger things have happened in the world of soaps. I suppose we’re “lucky” they even deigned to resolve the loose end, but these shows love to piss on an old story and call it honoring history. Re: Noah. Y&R is so risk averse with its canvas. We certainly wouldn’t want them killing off a bunch of veterans like LML and MAB did, but they don’t appear to be investing much or making room for the newer generations to actually take the lead. Part of that is poor leadership and planning, coasting on familiar faces who refuse to step aside on their own, and too many shifting, short-term visions over the years for the newer characters. I know people hate Liam over on B&B, but Brad actually invested in SC and JMW as leads. (He sort of backslid a bit by making Steffy/Thomas overly invested in their parent’s’ relationships, but I digress…) It makes a lot of sense to tie Kyle/Summer into their parents’ ongoing feuds to an extent, and I’m sure the bare-bones budget comes into play with that. But they are playing them as well below their actual ages. Summer is a whiny child and Kyle is an overgrown boy attached at his long-lost Mommy’s hip. They don’t feel very authoritative as adults in the way Ashley, Jack, and other similar characters felt at their ages, and Kyle and Summer are actually parents themselves (neither Jack nor Ashley were raising kids until the 2000s more than 20 years after they’d been introduced and lived really full lives). Again, some of that is budget, as we actually got to see Ashley and Jack at work doing things. (There was also more flexibility to tell stories other than just babies and young kids back then.)

Oh boy. I hope this won’t be another Nathaniel Marston situation. Very sad. Addiction is just so devastating.

They killed Keemo for nothing. I guess it was a naive hope they’d actually ever do something with him, but to kill him off, bring on his daughter, and not do anything with her is a slap in the face. They could have brought Diane back without it.

Ugh. The worst. I love a good needle drop, but a lot of shows and especially Grey’s abused it. And every song is some lilting, faux-Bon Iver indie ballad or an anesthetized, slowed-down cover version. I think Shonda managed it a bit better on Scandal (they licensed more originals at least, like old soul classics like Patti Labelle’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” or the episode where they used all Janet Jackson songs), but even there it was overdone. They really leaned into it when the show was way past its prime.

Madonna announces a new song with Sam Smith: “Vulgar”

More of Nathan from France 🇫🇷

She’s ruining the show for me. Needs to be gone like yesterday. She was way better in smaller does as a friend.

I watched. With all the cursing they were doing, I can’t imagine anything being audible with all the bleeping they’d have to do for the Bravo broadcast. I know Lala and LVP are apparently on somewhat good times, but Lala needs to watch her mouth. Very disrespectful.

These people are such unrepentant @ssholes. Fake memory lapses don’t exonerate anyone. Racism isn’t even the worst of their crimes. They plain dehumanized people.

In the DAYS discussion thread, @j swift wrote, “I feel as if Kristen lost a lot of the charm gained through her friendship with Lani.” That sparked a thread idea on friendships that helped to redeem or at the very least softened or complicated a tricky or villainous character. I’m thinking Roger’s friendship with Maureen on GL or even Todd’s friendship with little Sarah and C.J. (perhaps creepy in hindsight) on OLTL. Sometimes these friendships work well if the writing is there and the bad character isn’t completely exonerated. The more moral character sees the good in them but still holds them accountable. At other times, these friendships end up as shameless propping that ends up destroying the “good” character. (Phyllis/Hilary on Y&R was a friendship between two “bad” characters that helped both of them.) What are some examples?

Out goes Medvedev to Seyboth Wild. The bottom half of the men’s draw is looking weaker and weaker.

Preach.

“Huge Ajax” 🇺🇸

I thought Sara Endsley was really good too. She has a great ear for dialogue that is both natural and entertaining.