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They made Dr. Nicholas Perricone look like a total quack in the RHoNJ episode. His skin, diet and exercise advice is, on the whole, realistic and full of common sense. And it works! [/NicholasPerriconpromotion] Speaking of quacks, Ashlee's on valium? Who the hell prescribed her that?

What a fascinating insight on what I consider one of the quality EPs of Y&R. They are so right -- his production style was indeed luscious. I love how he pays tribute to film (the Ross Hunter of Daytime -- Ross Hunter produced Doris Day/Rock Hudson's Pillow Talk which is a gorgeous-looking movie and, I think, still stands up to scrutiny today as being a truly funny romcom). However, he also has such pride to be working in Daytime and perfecting every little detail on the show. Of course, he made a lot of enemies, not least WJB himself, and his last stint at GL was completely panned. Still, I always love hearing about these ominpotent producers' trajectory and stories. There is method to their madness.

What a twit. Dana literally made me break out in hives whenever she came on screen. +3 with the Christina love. I was telling DaytimeFan how I could see why men were drawn to her even though she comes right out and owns the fact that she is a golddigger. She is charming, a good listener and glamorous enough to fit in any gathering. I also am warming to Ronnie (didn't at first) and even though Jody is in some ways monstrous, she drives an awful lot of the show and for that I really enjoy her snark. The dynamic between her and Christina (and the fact that Christina feels completely intimidated and powerless around her) is fascinating to watch. RHoNJ badly needs Danielle Staub to come back and kick things up a gear, otherwise it is going to be a loooooong season.

Teresa is the world's worst liar. She lies like she breathes and yet gets caught out about it at every turn. And the idea that Joe G wasn't shtupping half of Atlantic City's hooker population -- yeah right. I sort of wish we got more of Gia/Milania/whatever the Cabbage Patch Kid is called calling her dad out on his extramarital affairs/ Hot damn. I still have the biggest crush on Jacqueline's husband Chris. RHoV: Next week's bitch fight looks EPIC with drunken Ronnie slumped in that easy chair with a glass of chardonnay in her hand. Also Christina rocks. Oh, and why do they always refer to Ronnie's "niece" in inverted commas? Is this a euphemism for something? Her tennis instructor? House sitter? Barmaid?

I saw that video had been posted and was coming on here to alert you, Carl! Finally Kathleeen Turner in all her Veronica Lake-esque glory. It's funny how observers of the genre said that the decline for The Doctors came in the mid-1970s; this episode is 1979 and pretty good writing, I would say. Meg Mundy is magnificent as the matriarch. The conversation between Carolee and Steve is so tender. And when Nola hangs up on Carolee, lol. A classic soaps channel. That's what we need!

I am watching. And I am LOVING the show thus far. Partly its because RHoNJ, RHoATL and RHoOC have been such crashing disappointments this season. The upcoming RHoNY looks pretty dull, too. I am hopeful that my Jersey girls redeem themselves this season. Vancouver has a Beverly Hills vibe without the wife-beating and twisted emotional playacting. It looks absolutely stunning, and these women's spending habits could put even Lisa and Adrienne to shame. After the first two episodes, I am already loving Christina even though she is a big ole ho. And "30." Uh huh. I like that Christina actually stands up for Mary, unlike Mary's supposed BFF Ronnie who threw Mary under the bus the moment somebody more powerful and connected (Jody) came along. Ronnie is stunning on the outside but clearly petty on the inside and, if the boozing is any indication, in need of filling a void in her life. I also thought the way Christina graciously received Ronnie's mean birthday "gifts" was diplomatic and classy. Very classy. Mary... well, the jury is still out. I like that she's nice. I hope she develops a backbone hanging out with Christina, too. Otherwise she'll be like Taylor, getting other people to fight her battles for her. Reiko -- not sure. She could be smart and spunky. Or she could turn into a Cynthia -- a total bore. Don't hate me but even though Jody seems like a real bitch, I also think she's "my" kind of bitch, i.e. calls it like she sees it. And she's older and crusty. She doesn't need to impress anybody. Depending on how the season goes, I think I may grow to enjoy her.

Frankly, Heather belongs more on RHoBH than she does RHoOC. The OC women, god love them, are aging Barbies who lost all most of their viable financial assets in the subprime/housing crash of 2007-08.

^^ Oh, Slade (or "Slave" as the folks at Reality Tea call him) is just horrendous. He has been since the very first episode of RHoOC. The man is a misogynist control freak. i assume he tries to manipulate the women in his life to make him feel better about his own... shortcomings? Forcing his girlfriend (Jo) to give up a job she loved so that he could be the sole breadwinner? Yeah, she did well to move on without him. She was clearly going places and he wasn't -- and he knew it. It is poetic justice now seeing him subject to Gretchen's every beck and call, but that comedy routine he did really underscored the resentment he feels towards a lot of women. I'm actually kind of surprised given how cool and together his mother is and how tight he seems with her. Vicki is playing up her role as the shocked, religious, goody-two shoes this season, I think. That doesn't mean I don't love her, though. In a way, it shows that she can laugh at herself a little. And Briana's cancer is no joke. You could tell when V was talking with her at dinner how desperately worried and upset she is.

OMG. I just started watching this show -- zipped through the first 5 episodes thus far -- and I love it. Can't wait to watch more. Queen Victoria is the bomb.

Wow. I had forgotten how stilted the acting could be in those early episodes. Even old pro Susan Flannery looked stiff and uncomfortable (though it was nice of B&B to through her in head-to-toe Chanel -- a Chanel pantsuit would do wonders for her today). KKL, Jim Storm, Lauren Koslow and Joanna Johnson stood out with their naturalness and ease in front of the camera.

Ah yes, I remember that. I also remember Chubby CJ and Rick having a rivalry in middle school and TBH that was the best part of the entire "young Rick" story. Rick shooting Grant led to Ridge "bravely" deciding to take the fall for Rick and he nobly went to jail for a few weeks, where I'm sure his chiseled good looks made him the man-crush of the inmates. BTW, I thought Grant was just swoonsome and would have loved to see him pursue a relationship with Taylor, much to the consternation of Stephanie and Ridge. I also think that Grant was Macy's best pairing.

OK, so sue me but I loved Crazy Brooke in Barbados! It was part of a huge umbrella SL which started with Ridge finding a letter saying that the DNA test proving that Bridget was his daughter was actually false. Thank you for posting the first two episodes ever. I loveloveLOVED early B&B. I actually remember watching the preparations for the fashion show when it first aired. KKL was stunning back then. And woah @ Ridge's suit.

On B&B? Never! Everything is one giant, parodic campfest.

So do I. That was the epitome of a great umbrella story. I think Brad Bell was invigorated by the feeling that this was a new chapter on B&B: Brooke moving on with Thorne, the Next Forrester Generation getting established, Amber as the wannabe-Brooke interloper. Really? I thought that was the best bit! Especially when Hunter Tylo started "dancing." Thought I would post some clips from the Taylor/Princess Leila days. Back when Hunter Tylo was truly stunning. I loved that SL. I loved Prince Omar and sort of wished Taylor would get with him as he seemed a lot more honourable than the trifling Ridge who was already shtupping Brooke about three hours after Taylor's funeral. I liked Omar's loyal sidekick, Mustafa. Best of all is the promo featuring Ian Buchanan as James Warwick (see bottom). Raaaaaaaowl. You, sir, are the hotness (big plus: Clarence doing the voiceover). <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.c...bed/_p1QAsb0evM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Yeah, I give up with this embedding [!@#$%^&*].

Is Season 5 of RHoNJ meant to start after Atlanta is over, or am I imagining things? They seem to have been filming for it forever. Remember when Martha Byrne tweeted about that incident at some car show in NJ?

Sigh. Venice! Brooke & Thorne! One of my favourite couples on B&B. Brooke with her choppy short cut.

IA and, speaking for myself, I'm still not nuts about Melissa. So much of her stuff was fakery, from Joe G "discovering" her singing Amazing Grace in her walk-in closet ("I'm gonna build you a recording studio!") to that On Display song she foisted on us. Oy. However, production switched sides long after the audience did. It was clear that Teresa has been driven certifiably mad by the fame of RH and the $$$ she hoped it could bring her. I suspect Caroline and Jacqueline refusing to participate beyond the bare minimum towards the end of the season also helped to make up Andy Cohen's mind.

Cheap, those jpegs you post here and on the Mob Wives thread (Big Ang!) make my day. Vicki's traveling eyes, OMG. New Jersey was dragged out horribly and it ruined that particular franchise for me -- it used to be one of my faves. Teresa is no Danielle Staub. The problem with it is that it had only one lead storyline -- Teresa vs. Melissa and Joe Gorga. That should have been a five episode arc and it went on for about 15. Christmas went on for about 4 episodes! The story I really liked was Jacqueline and her ungrateful lazyass brat of a daughter but it was shortened, probably because it was real and J wanted to sort it out behind closed doors. I love Caroline Manzo but had zero interest in her sons and daughter moving in with Gorgeous Greg. GG came across as such a brown-noser. They need to buck up for Season 5. The material has to be there or the season is cut down.

Random memories of Whitney Houston growing up: like how shocked I was when I first went to see "The Bodyguard" and heard her say the word "[!@#$%^&*]." Like truly shocked. Or when we were little kids in the playground, we used to mess around at singing The Greatest Love of All. It was totally OTT and cheesy ("I believe that children are our future...") the way we did it but Whitney never sang it that way. She sang every one of her songs with 100% belief in them and commitment to them. Just watched the Oprah interview from two years ago. I so hoped that she had turned a corner back then.

I guess. I'm thinking of the Dolla Bill sing written by Alicia Keyes, but I guess Autotune may have played a part there.

I've been away from a computer since I heard this, but words cannot express how shocking and devastating this is. The news services here are all saying "this was not unexpected" but I honestly thought that Whitney's mother, daughter, Clive Davis and her own faith would pull her through her drugs hell. I *wanted* to see Whitney make it. I wanted to see her sing even after the damage that crack did to her vocal cords. Even with that damage, this woman's singing ability is still worlds away from the Xtinas, Timberlakes, Katy Perrys, the smug and entitled brats who really do think they are the second coming of Whitney and Michael Jackson. Like, I can't even stomach seeing JT on the screen anymore, I just want him to sit his ass DOWN and STFU. Whitney was the real deal. I thought she would "make it" because Whitney projected a lot of strength and dynamism in her songs. It's Not Right But it's OK is the most obvious example, but even the full-on love ballads like IWALY seemed to transform and strengthen Whitney-the-performer by their very message of love and transcendence. She was infinitely more fragile, isolated and vulnerable than her singing persona projected. Very early on in her pop career there was criticism that she couldn't dance, that she was too square. We forget how accessible, inclusive, simple and iconic those songs and her voice really were. How fun they were. NEVER "Look at me, I'm so edgy and now I'm going to flash my vajayjay at you." Whitney didn't need all that stuff to distract from her talent. Today her songs really show up a lot of current "artists" with the exception of, say, Adele. Fragile too because there was speculation that she was closeted, that her BFF Robin who went everywhere with her may have been more than that, that her family and her faith prevented her from "coming out," that Bobby Brown's bad boy attitude attracted her, that she married him to also appease doubts within herself... I don't know if it's true or not, I don't care, but what people close to her say is that the day she met Brown was the day the downward spiral began. The cause of her death will take time, I think, because it could be an Amy Winehouse situation where no drugs were found in her system but her body was just so worn out by the years of drink and drug abuse that it just gave out. I'd like to think that her death won't overshadow her incredible body of work or her talent. We won't hear the likes of that voice again.

I know! And professional con TayShana tried to make out like the tire story signified that Brandi was Crazy EVUL when, to me, it really underscored how self-deprecating Brandi is. She wasn't going to have him ride the thing once the tires got slashed -- she did it because she knew it would piss him off to have to change the tires on his precious motorcycle (which he prob treats better than most women). Also loved when she said the tires "were mine, too." Oh, and Kyle's "Angry Spice" comment to Brandi was the lamest thing I have heard since Jennifer Aniston called Angelina Jolie "uncool."

I don't care that she was hiding in powder rooms -- I loved Miss Camille this season (and she was a guilty pleasure in S1, too). I want her to stay. Adrienne, OTOH? Well, there is any one reason to keep Adrienne on, and his name is Paul. Brandi is 1000% awesome, especially the way she called Taylor out. "I rest my case" *super smug* "Uh, what is your case? When does your book come out BTW?" Get it, girl! RHoOC: I wish Jeana was still on the show. Sigh. The new brunette looks like a mega-bitch but that's ok. Alexis is so threatened by other women, it's not even funny. I wish she weren't having a nose job this season as her real nose gives her a unique beauty and distinction she really doesn't desserve. Don't know what to make of Tamra & Gretchen's new "friendship" (do I enjoy watching BitchTamra? Yes. Do I trust her? No way in hell), but anything that pisses Slade "Controlling" Smiley off is OK by me.

There are a LOT of great old episodes posted on this thread, making me recall exactly what drew me to this show in the first place. Like the episode featuring Brooke and her sisters cooking for Ridge while Stephanie goes to see the original Bill Spencer about Caroline's confession that she still loves Ridge -- so much classic soap shenanignas in two episodes. The Brooke-Ridge scene, I feared, would fall into cliché as she attempted to play good little housemaid. But I forgot that William J Bell wrote this. Instead, the dinner was a heartfelt gesture, meant to contrast with the easy glitz in Ridge's life. And Brooke telling Ridge that she knew he was "out of her league" but that she couldn't help wanting him to stay in her life.... KKL played it so well, not begging, just stating the obvious and with a touch of sadness as she knows that Ridge doesn't quite return the intensity of her feelings. It was the "old" Brooke, the Brooke that I loved, who could be smart and vixenish but also sincere and loving, not the blonde ditz of today. And Ronn Moss, while being too perfectly chiseled for my taste, was on the right side of charming. And I say this as somebody who loved Caroline & Ridge and never really got into Brooke & Ridge. I just wish the show still dealt with this level of complexity and in-depth character work when it comes to vets like Stephanie, Eric, Ridge and Brooke. It's not like they aren't featured -- they are -- it's just that Brad Bell has a particularly one-dimensional setting for each of them now and that's his comfort zone. Also Colleen Dion as Felicia -- so fierce! And that skeevy bartender Sly! I remember when he was all over Eric's diabetic niece, Jessica and tried to break her and Stripper Dylan up.

Selfridges = my stomping ground. Wish I could run into Stephanie Beacham there. Still working my way through Season 2 of Dynasty (back in the day, I didn't start watching until Season 4) and still loving James Farentino as Nick Toscanni. Yes, he has a face like genitals in a bag, but that bod! And his character is just the right side of villain, the wrong side of decency. You know who impresses me now and never did back when I watched as kid? Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon. She is exquisite and so perfect as the character. Heather Locklear and Al Corley are also well cast. But this is Joan Collins' show boat. I would say that John Forsythe is slightly too old as Blake, I just cannot understand why Krystal and Alexis would be all over that blue-hair rinse.