Aback

I have two major problems with the show lately. First: the lack of stakes. I know the soap format very well, and in 2026 it’s simply unacceptable to have multiple consecutive episodes where characters are just talking and updating each other about life with no real conflict whatsoever (aside from the usual Leslie quips). It’s borderline unwatchable. I’ve noticed that in the past few weeks, Mondays and Tuesdays have especially felt like that—and they’ve been a chore to sit through. Second: I don’t necessarily mind the execution of the Anita storyline, aside from the occasional deification of Anita and the Dupraise. My bigger issue is how they’re framing the discourse around Anita. The whole “battle against cancer,” “beating it,” “being strong” narrative -while I’m sure it’s common in hospitals and among patients- has been criticized by many organizations and charities. It places too much emphasis, or even culpability, on the patient’s willpower, as if attitude alone determines the outcome. While I absolutely believe that maintaining a positive mindset can help, we need to reframe how we talk about these experiences. Fiction would actually be a great place to start leading by example. As for Deanna, she sounds like a breath of fresh air. I genuinely can’t wait to see her call her mom out. I agree with whoever said there’s a risk of her becoming a Kat copycat (no pun intended). We already have that archetype on the canvas (not to mention Kat too has a “wiser” brother with occasional bad temperament) but at the same time, we don’t. Writers tend to defang their “bad girls” the longer they stick around, and Kat—and Eva, for that matter—are unfortunately far more docile now than they were at the beginning.

I like your story suggestion. I'm confused by you 'not willing to write for free'. Did they ever reach out and ask you to? Also regarding you being able to write some 'fantastic' jailhouse scenes... This level of confidence is refreshing! All the good writers I've met lowkey despised their own work and would never stop refining it if given the chance. Have you tried to submit your work or a spec to the show's producers in Atlanta? I bet they'd be open to new blood. This is your chance, you should really, really take it. Especially considering that writing your suggestions on here kind of is writing for free. I disagree. His whole life he's been surrounded by women - wife, ex wife, daughters. His beloved mother's died and he had a complex relationship with his father. What's so bad about him wanting a son? Was this the episode with the Henry VIII/Anne Boleyn mention? Coming from Hayley and Bill of all people! That was an insane level of stupid. I was like 'Okay, scriptwriter, you've read a book - we get it'. Big agree. They fumbled the bag with Leslie. Thing is: it wasn't a whodunnit. Forcing the audience for an entire weekend to guess who was dropping the samples would've been lame: there's not that many male suspects wearing sneakers and a uniform. It could only be Greyson.

Random thought but I think it’s a shame they named a random character Daphne. The way they pronounce it, it sounds a lot like Stephanie IMO and it would have been a great name to give to one of Stephanie’s great-grandchildren, in a portmanteau, ‘Bridget’-kinda way.

Unfortunately you also need good sets (and settings) to make it all grand. Otherwise you'll have clumsy scenes like Nicole and Carlton arranging a picnic in front of her fireplace (!) or couples like Tomas and Kat which all they do is bounce from a cafe place to a country club and they'll occasionally rent a hotel room to make it all spicy (!). I agree! Kat is my favorite. Such a well-rounded character. She has so many facets to her and I've grown fond of the actress. Random comments: nobody in the world would publicly minimize cancer like Anastasia or Leslie did with Anita. Not even the worst criminals. They are such caricatures. Is it me or this show views octuagenerian© mobster/chef Joey as the voice of reason? I love Donnell. He's also stopped doing that weird tongue thing. Love him. Oh and I also love Laura. She's so beautiful and earnest. I'm all for them going the DID route with Nicole. The Leslie propping is overkill. The scenes with 'the good characters' chasing her away from their homes were repetitive and somehow always rub me the wrong way. They need to retool Leslie because everything they did with her was everything they should not have done. Smitty asking Vanessa to have a talk with Donnell before the cotillion. Ted asking Izaiaha to have a 1:1. For a 'feminist' show, these fathers have a lot of oppressing energy. I would feel suffocated by them. the Haley story has so many plot-holes I've decided for my mental well-being it's pure camp. Finally... I know I'll be alone in this, but I have to say it. Yes, he's hot. Yes, he's well cast in his role. But let's admit that Jibre Hordges is a very, very limited actor. The only thing that separates him from Tomas is that he (Jacob) doesn't look like Dracula and he's also believable as a cop. But his constant whispery tone and delivery drives me insane. I also wanted to say that contrary to some, I'm happy that BTG is casting a spotlight on local talent. I couldn't care less about washed up soap talents, especially if they are based in fake-ass LA. Getting to know new, local talent - like that SledgeHammer guy for example - is refreshing.

I was wondering about this: did they take their own cameras to the CBS Morning set? Cause the video quality was the same as the rest of the show. The characters have so many aliases it's maddening. And then you have Dana, Dani, Deanna. It's ridiculous, it goes against basic rules in screenwriting and it makes things difficult for new viewers. Sorry I'm not looking forward to soap pregnancies and forced marriages on this show! As for long-term romance, it must be hard to develop a romance when you just have a bunch of sets and you can't do remotes (for whatever reason). There's only so much you can do with that. You're forgetting Kial conveniently has two children somewhere. No info on their age range so far. Everyone on the show has two children, except Leslie and Jan. Huh? I don't see any signs. On the contrary, Joey seems weirdly put off by a black woman. I dread the thought of another medical setting, turning this show into GH#2. I'm hoping Leslie will be outed before she can launch the clinic or whatever. Also, what's teenage Samantha's role in all of this? The other day her dads told her she shouldn't juggle too many things at once and they mentioned the clinic. What's her role supposed to be exactly? Besides coming up with a basic idea that in most of the world is considered a fundamental human right lol

I’m no expert in script breakdown, but I was thrilled to see Natalie Minardi Slater’s name on the episodes. I remember her from my favorite Y&R era (1999–2001), and every time she reminds me what a good breakdown looks like. I’ll try to explain what I mean: Every scene needs to end on a high note—call it a mini-cliffhanger. And it should flow organically into the next scene whenever possible. If you have two separate groups of characters involved in the same storyline (for example, Hayley and Randy at that hideous mall café, and Bill and Tomas at Bill’s office), their scenes should be paired and structured as part of a compound sequence. Soaps operate like a chessboard—scenes are theoretically happening simultaneously. But sometimes too much happens in Scene A for Scene B to convincingly feel like it’s occurring at the same time and it’s a continuation of their earlier scene. Or maybe there’s a commercial break in between scene A and scene B. In that case, Scene B can’t just pick up exactly where it left off—you need to signal that time has passed. A strong breakdown writer would insert a phone call or another device to subtly indicate that a bit of time has elapsed since we last saw those characters. Further random thoughts: I thought Dani mentioning that Shanice was gifted a dress worth more than her monthly salary was incredibly crass. Shanice’s contribution to society is far greater than that of socialite and former model Dani, yet here we are—living in a world where a nurse working in a wealthy gated community is probably struggling to make ends meet. The Valentine’s episode was a chore. It took me three days to finish it. And Vanessa in that wig? Obscenely vulgar. The hottest couple on this show is the town’s white ho and a white octogenarian mobster. Gag me. Derek’s date looked exactly like Ashley. The man clearly has a type. Based on next week’s preview, there are still zero stakes in sight. I’m curious where Ted will have lunch next. Happy to see Donnell again. And as over-the-top as Anastasia and Chessy can be (I hate that nickname), I actually enjoy their presence. Mona is insufferable, and her religious preaching is deeply problematic.

Exactly. Thank you fo taking the time to explain that. I would've just said Nicole looks tacky as hell and she's acting pathetic. Random comments: This show does have a sets problem. However there's a bigger issue here that an extra living room for Vanessa wouldn't solve. It's a conceptual problem. The characters need a place that gives them purpose. The hospital fulfills that function for the characters who work at the hospital (although all they do is gossip and hang out). But this is not a hospital show and I don't want it to be. So the writers need to find a place that gives most characters a purpose (ChelseaKat's headquarters? Dani's agency? Berkley University?). Otherwise the characters will keep wander aimlessly from one bar to the other. Really enjoying the Hospital's COS. Finally someone to monitor those heated rabbits. Next in line on her checklist should be neurology legend Dr. Madison. I'm not bothered by the racial optics of this COS being white. I agree with others that Joey is a far more problematic character. Loving Lynette. She has the looks and the charm. That scene in the hotel room with Hayley and Bill, looking all Old Hollywood, was giving me Hitchcock vibes. The set-up reminded me of his movies. However the writing is camp and the writers could never pull off anything Hitchcock-like, if not by mistake of course. This latest antic, with the fake mugging, is so OTT and so easy to solve even for FC's Police. Yeah in order for the Impaler story to be even remotely interesting, the writers should have read some articles or books on plasma rings. I'm afraid that's not the case and it will all be very sugar-coated. It's unnerving they can't respect that girl's aversion to the cotillion. It's not like she's refusing to get vaxxed against COVID lmao. However insisting, I still enjoyed how welcoming Anita was to her. When I was young I was always impressed with families who came across as compact unis. It was easy for me to feel left out and ignored by them, that's why in life I try to be as welcoming as possible with those who are in a marginalized position. I can't with Joey's office deco. First we have a random chair, reminiscent of those hideous, useless 'staircase chairs' from the Duprees' mansion. Who in the world would sit on that chair, facing the wall?? lmao And next week we'll have a traditional MOKA POT appear. Even if there's no stove in sight. That small room is going to smell like espresso like there's no tomorrow.

The Colonade Room. It was so classy and iconic. I miss it.

Also, I reeeeally can't remember this 'salad bar'. Does anyone have any pictures of it?

She's always been insufferable (and a class traitor). Never quite understood what you guys were seeing in her. It still drives me insane how they wasted money on that set only to fuel Ashley's 'Paris dream' plot point. Insane. The whole thing with the club patrons staring at Anita was OTT. Overall the whole set-up and execution felt forced. He has a penthouse! He seems like the most important character on the show next to the big four. The new set annoys me because: A) who's going to visit Joey apart from Vanessa? Certainly not Randy. B) it further cements Joey's place on the canvas. I now believe less and less that he has an expiration date. C) This show needs offices. Enough with the cafes and enough with the living rooms. I thought it was vile. Any hint at violence and physical menace is vile. Random comments: - there's still zero stakes in this show. - I can't see Shanice as leading lady material, sorry. I liked her better as the hospital's gossip. - I'm glad you're liking Ashley more and more, yet I don't see what's changed really. Maybe she's whining less than before, I'll give you that. - Ted is a non-entity. - Eva, Izaiah, Tomas and a bunch of other characters feel direction-less.

I'm only now catching up with the thread. It's crazy two new soaps came and went. I'm sorry they had a short life but still: the sheer quality of French soaps, visually, is mind-blowing! How do they pull it off!!

God, Nicole looks tacky. She almost always has (IMHO) but now I see why she's Vanessa's best friend. Oh and we have ANOTHER set for Nicole (her bedroom). Will there ever be enough sets for her? Is it me or are they toying with the idea of Jacob and Smitty again? With their initial conversation at the club it seemed the writers knew what they were doing. The show is wholesome, it gels better than before but it lacks STAKES. I've caught myself yawning or looking at my phone multiple times. There's no reason for me to tune in besides being fond of the characters/actors/genre.

In what world is that supposed to be a good thing?

Well, that's a first.

I don’t get the outrage. Tate and Holly are so bland and vanilla. Carson sleepwalks through scenes. Now Chanel on the other hand is a character I’ll miss. I agree with other that Stephanie and Alex should go. Same could be said for Emily O’Brian’s character. Not only is the cast bloated, the characters themselves seem like they’re very scattered. I don’t see strong family units. Also, SORASing like crazy has compromised the future of the show.

I wish the conversation wasn’t skewed in favor of the heroine, Nicole. Tyrell did have a point. Fraternities and sororities are crime scenes more often than not. And donating money to charity… well, don’t get me started on that. Charities are there to maintain the status quo and clean the conscience of the rich and powerful. Not to mention that gated communities are a problem in their own right 😂 Studies have shown living in a gated community makes you paranoid about outsiders, more individualistic and so on. But anyway going back to the Richardsons household, it’s not like there's ever been room for discussion there. Much like a politician, Martin is quite eager to shut down any debate with his kids. While Smitty plays father hen… The lighting was so warm, it made the whole show look gorgeous. And the angles they’re experimenting are incredibly stunning. I kept taking screenshots, maybe I’ll post some of them later. Major props to the crew!! I was appalled when Joey stopped Leslie saying ‘Don’t touch me’. I don’t think he’s ever touched a black character, let alone a black woman. Joey is a major racist and I’m wondering if this was planned or not. Also I find it ridiculous that we’ve never seen him cook. He’s constantly in that back room, ruminating over whiskey. But he loves to cook. Such a weird character trait to give if you don’t want to show it ever. I’m genuinely in AWE of your ability to read through media. 👏 You’ve made me realize that she recently mentioned putting her career on hold to devote herself to something more noble I think, or useful to the community. Am I remembering correctly? In that case, it’s a bit of a contradiction given that she recently refused to have a child also because she cared about her career.

Ugly, unbecoming blazer.

Greyson's sick mother sounds like another one of those characters we'll hear talking about but never actually see lol

The cotillion as opposed to the bar mitzvah for Black folks. Do you think the writers might have listened to your suggestion? Same. Besides, Madison is a young doctor. It's part of her story that she graduated early because she's a genius, if I am not mistaken. Young professionals tend to be wary of how they're perceived. They don't want to come across immature as their age would suggest. A 'Madison' would never act like that with her girlfriend in her workplace! That was painful to watch. The only change I've not appreciated since TT's joining the show as co-HW and EP is that Vanessa has become submissive and borderline offensive. Remember that speech about crawling to her man? I get it - there's multiple ways to love and lust, but why does everything in this story have to be so miserable? (answer: because Joey is dangerous lmao) Remember they had to change Ted's shot from Maurice to Keith. Maybe that derailed their budget for any further opening credits update. Replying from your phone will cost you 15 minutes of hell. This board wants us to be like those stereotypical Millennials... @Errol Cool trivia! BTW thank you so much for reporting the writers and director for every single episode when it starts!! Exactly. Izaiah: 'I was afraid of loving again, but then you made me see the light again'. And I'm like... when did that happen? Was it between a gin tonic at Uptown and a smoothie at Orpehy Gene's? Or was it before breakfast at the Club? lol These writers can't write young romance.

Oh right. I've lost track of Victoria's kids. They're interchangeable to me. I remember he was cute and artsy. But Victoria shouldn't have had any children of her own as a character, let alone 3 or 5 or how many they are at the moment.

Thanks for letting us know! I watched he next episode. It's funny because in 1998 I would've been like: 'Victor is so cool and powerful! He bought the TV station and canceled Leanna Love's trashy tv show!!'. In 2026 I'm like: 'Oligarchs are a danger for democracy and freedom of speech'. PS. can you perhaps move paisoaps' files into the yearly folders? Everything is so tidy - it's a pity those files are on their own.

I thought Johnny was a teen in 2017 already?

This week’s preview promised to fulfill your expectations. Leslie’s naming drives me insane. Why in the world did they feel the need to put it in inverted commas? Leslie is Dana’s second name, not a nickname. Besides there’s literally no reason why anyone should call her Dana these days. Ted is the only person still doing that and I find it extremely annoying and surely confusing for new viewers. Not to mention we already have a Dani on the canvas (and a heavily mentioned Deanna). Count me among those who are NOT happy with Joey joining the opening credits. I am bored by his uninspired character and - sorry to say this - by his cartoonish portrayal. Plus the mob has no place on soaps, as it’s depicted in such a childish manner. As for the updates: I understand TPTB not wanting to update every single picture. It would be silly to. They had to change Naomi because her previous picture reeeally did not do her justice. I can find no explanation for Ashley though. She did not need an update and this feels like another case of favoritism towards her. BTW have you noticed that both Ashley and Naomi are wearing the same dress from the previous pics only in a different color (and in Naomi’s case, mirrored).

BTW people’s aversion to Tony always felt contrived to me. What was the big deal? He was such a sweet guy. Maybe it’s because he was a biker? Because he was Italian? To this day I still struggle to understand. And if there was an age difference, I did not perceive it. Megan, as beautiful as she was, didn’t read as young as Mac to me.

Silly comment on the 1998 episode, but I had forgotten how Nick Scotti’s lips would make me melt 🥹 I still wonder why they replaced him.