DaytimeFan

My hunch is what you've described. JFP is likely back working on transitioning the show to a new studio and embracing new technology for its production model.

All caught up on this week's episodes. Deidre Hall has done the best work of her career with this series of episodes. That is her tribute to Drake. Every acting choice has been perfect. From her reaction the moment John flatlined, to her snapping at Abe and Paulina (what a smart, realistic writing choice), to her grief playing the text message over and over. Josh Taylor did the best work of his career in the scene with Kayla telling him John had died. Everything about his facial expression, voice, pronunciation, everything was so different from what he usually does. He was overcome with the emotion of it and any of his acting tics disappeared. Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso were great. One thing I noticed with the flashbacks of John/Marlena and Bo/Hope is that Bo and Hope are constantly smiling at each other. The chemistry those two have cannot be faked. It's clear the writing team decided to clean up Bo and Hope and give fans a happy ending for them, neatly wrapped up in a bow. The juxtaposition of Bo and Hope reclaiming their happiness thanks to John, while Marlena is dealt life's harshest blow from John's sacrifice, was another great writing choice. Marlena even saying that to Eric, that she is paying for Bo's recovery with John's life, was such smart writing. Susan Seaforth Hayes was used very effectively between the two storylines. I really enjoyed the scene of Kate talking to Philip, calmly stating that she will make Xander pay. Overall, the show should be lining these episodes up for the Emmys and Deidre should be carefully choosing her scenes for her own reel. She deserves a Best Actress Emmy for this work. The first time I have felt that way about her work. Peter Reckell should submit himself for Guest for the scenes where he found out Victor is dead because he was genuinely heartbreaking. Josh Taylor should throw his name down for Supporting Actor for his scenes. The show deserves a Writing and Best Show for what they've done with the episodes around John and Bo. It was heavy stuff and I feel for the actors. I am so impressed with what they did.

Ed is a legend. He discovered and nurtured talent for decades and was a hands on producer in the day to day production of every show he worked on. Busy on the studio floor and in the booth. The genre is better for him having been in it. I wish him a happy, healthy, lengthy, retirement.

I expect Y&R will vacate TV City soon. B&B will be well served at Sunset Las Palmas Studios and I hope they are able to invest in their sets and production with more space. Television production in Los Angeles has taken a real hit, so I have no doubt that SLPS was very happy to take on a long term tenant like B&B.

She's saying The Photo was *not* of her and claims she's only seen it recently. This whole attack on Kenya was an unmitigated sham. Brit is a one and done. NEXT.

That is exactly what is going to happen. And good.

Wow, for Brit to not show up...there had to be some mighty receipts in someone's pocket. I expect the ladies to roast her in absentia. Thank the lord she'll never be asked back.

Vivian and Sami had some great scenes in the late 90s where Sami would talk to Vivian about her problems, and Vivian would dole out sage advice. I have no doubt that in the fictional universe, Sami called Vivian to tell her about John (you'll recall Vivian called him Forrest while he called her Auntie Viv).

Yeah...there's no way I'm wasting any of my life watching Juliet Angus. I'll pass on this one.

Juliet Angus? Dear lord. No thank you.

Yes, streamers have to maintain the regular subscription base...just like cable. Yes, the rush to streaming shows how unsustainable it really is.

I don't believe anything she says about her license. She just probably was not any good at it and decided to have a fake HW's business by going into the already overcrowded shapewear market. Trust and believe that product will never see the light of day. Brit is a one and done HW. I cannot fathom Bravo bringing her back.

The business case for soap operas on streaming cannot be denied. DAYS does better numbers than prestige programming, for pennies an episode by comparison.

Although she's loathe for anyone to mention a number...happy 92nd birthday Dame Joan. To your health and happiness and many more years ahead. Dame Joan is busy this week filming The Bitter End, her new movie about the last years of The Duchess of Windsor, costarring Isabella Rossellini. First look photo:

I am so pleasantly surprised at how the new writing team is approaching Kate. Towards the end of R*n's run, she faded right out, off contract, pouring coffee at the Brady Pub...and then somehow it turned around and she's back in suits, woven in and out of multiple storylines, and inching back towards the business world, while having her relationship with Roman being written maturely.

I figured because Kate received her cancer treatment at the hospital that she decided to “give back” by being on the board.

Dorinda hasn't started filming. The word on the street is potentially June.

I sincerely hope that NuRHONY is dead. What an awful show and a good lesson for Bravo to learn: you don't fire vet OG Housewives like the NY ladies and expect to find lightning in a bottle with a bunch of random women who don't know each other. Dorinda is working on a Bluestone Manor show for Bravo in the vein of Vanderpump Villa. Bethenny Frankel has just moved to the Miami area. Jill lives in Boca. Ramona and Sonja both live in West Palm...throw in Luann and Dorinda and we have ourselves a show. Call it RHONY: Snowbirds.

Delighted to hear it's returning, though as a total reboot I'll reserve judgment on whether it'll be any good. The expats in the original were mostly cringe so I hope they do better with casting this time. Julie Montague, The Countess of Sandwich (she was Viscountess Hinchingbrooke when LoL was on) has made a nice littler career for herself doing royal commentary in the UK. The Valley is a mega hit for Bravo so I can see why they'd want to expand the franchise, somehow, and Reza and MJ always played ball. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island was rumoured quite a while ago so there was someone with good intel. A new city is a good thing. I think RH Wife Swap will prove to be a hit, just as Love Hotel is proving to be. What they need to do for next season of Love Hotel is replace Joel Kim Booster with Luann as the host. ATL Britt's sister is insane. I still dislike Britt though! Angela reminds me of an OG ATL Housewife. Shamea has no storyline. Porscha has no storyline. Kelli is a financial disaster and fronting big time. Drew is appearing in 50% of the airtime. Cynthia is excelling as a Friend Of. I see why they brought in Phaedra.

Not that I want to defend Y&R's writers, but it's not as absurd as you'd think and I believe they plucked it from reality (and then bungled it). The Estee Lauder Companies purchased Tom Ford's brand several years ago and I am willing to bet that's how Jabot came to buy Marchetti.

Very happy to see Lauren Koslow’s numbers for April up.

If they bring on Mia...they'll regret it. She is beyond trash.

Yeah, I just really enjoy her. Cynthia is pretty easy breezy and amusing.

ATL Enjoyable episode for the most part, though the only cast member I genuinely like is Cynthia. LOVE HOTEL Luann, Gizelle, Shannon, and Ashley are the HW looking for love at a luxe resort. Luann is the type of wing woman that everyone deserves and she is hyping up Shannon's rock bottom self esteem.

I think DAYS has proven, time and again, that it bounces back and is nimble because the foundation of the show is the actors and they have endured so many awful head writers for decades that they can handle most anything. DAYS having Paula/Jeanne come on at the same time they have promoted Noel Maxam, is one of those times where I think the show could actually be on the upswing...the Plan to Save DAYS is legendary for never quite panning out how we'd hoped though...