What do you expect? Stephanie was confronting her mother after years and years of distance. I didn't expect Stephanie to try and choke or kill her own mother. This was Stephanie at her MOST vulnerable.

I expected more heart and passion, and I never got that. It felt more like a drawn out PSA, than a compelling piece of drama. I didn't expect Stephanie to choke her mother, but the fact that Stephanie pretty much told her mother she could drop dead was bad enough lol. I just think Susan came up short with these scenes. Seriously though just because its Flannery doesn't mean I'm not going to judge her acting in those scenes. It was off.

I thought the writing was fantastic in their scenes, especially when they revealed "Stevie" was Steph's childhood nickname. I think the only problem they faced was trying to explain SO MUCH backstory in two or three episodes. This should have been at least two weeks of shows, IMO. I think the pacing and outline for the story were lousy(possibly due to Betty White's scheduling). I would have rathered all this come to a head right AT Christmas.

Funny because here we agree. I thought "Stevie" was a good touch but the writing was far from fantastic.

And, Alley Mills is great, but I don't see her as "the future" of B&B if LaFlannery retires. Mills is fantastic in the role, but Pamela often strikes me as a woman without a backbone, hence the reason why she is taking care of Ann.

Alley Mills was great but I doubt she'll be the future of B&B.

I think LaFlannery could submit these for the Emmys. I don't think she'd win, but these were Emmy Bait all the way. She'll score a nomination.

They were emmy bait but unfortunately Brad Bell didn't write them with justice to actually score an emmy.

It is a real shame that Joe Mascolo (ex-Masimo) isn't on the show any longer, because I would love to see him paired up with Pamela in a triangle with Jackie. This is a huge missed opportunity...if they do bring Alley on FT I wonder who they would pair her with, because at this point have a Eric/Stephanie/Pamela triangle will be no good.

That said...has anyone ever thought Eric is the only "older" leading man on the show...shame...maybe pair Pamela with Clarke! LOL!!!

I'm thrilled that Joe M is no longer on the show. He was ridiculously expensive, and just not worth it IMO.

She can actually show vulverability but I guess it has been so long since she has done it. Stephanie never has had that side. Now when she was on Days as Laura Horton and won her Emmy it required a lot of it. She is remarkable but she didn't bring her complete A game this time, but I still think she put herself in the top 5 again. I really had discounted her even though she was wonderful earlier in the year. But I think she has put herself back on the roster.

I saw an old emmy clip of Susan Flannery back in her Laura Horton Days and she used to be absolutely gorgeous. Not saying she isn't still beautiful, but time sure didn't work in her favour. You probably couldn't even tell the difference.

I am SO disappointed with the confrotational scenes between Susan Flannery and Betty White. Lord almighty that felt very off. I am a fan of La Flannery, but I really don't think she was as brilliant as she usually is. Betty White and Alley Mills were exceptional, but Flannery couldn't match them. If Susan Flannery submits this for the emmy, she may be nominated but I doubt a win. Also, SF was good but I do think the writing was limited. Where was that Patrick M guy? He would have brought justice to these scenes. And the music was also wrongly selected. Now say if I compared this to Erika Slezak's abuse storyline, then Slezak had Flannery blown out of the water. I think SF has a difficult time showing vulnerability, whether the writing was to blame or not, but that was not her best yet. I hate to be a downer, but I expected more. Though Betty still has a couple of episodes left so you never know....

I have to agree. I love Susan Flannery, and I don't think she's burnt out because she is consistently wonderful. But these scenes were not her best work. She still rocks though. She still *is* B&B.

I saw an old emmy clip of Susan Flannery back in her Laura Horton Days and she used to be absolutely gorgeous. Not saying she isn't still beautiful, but time sure didn't work in her favour. You probably couldn't even tell the difference.

Oh watch the 1970's move, The Towering Inferno, if you want to see how gorgeous she is. She walks around in her panties and shirt for awhile. Man she was a hot lady.

I watched all this week's shows at one time. I enjoyed them. I felt Stephanie's hesitation, anger, rage, desperation for validation, disappointment, and then acceptance. My only complaint is that this was crammed into too few shows. This should have been drawn out over weeks. Still love SF.

They were emmy bait but unfortunately Brad Bell didn't write them with justice to actually score an emmy.

Well, last year, LaFlannery did submit those downright laughable Russian Roulette scenes where she asks Brooke to kill herself. That was a stupid move that gave the bag lady(LaZimmer, referring to the way she was dressed Emmy '06) the edge to win. Where was the faked heart-attack on that reel, honey?!

I thought the Betty White scenes were a step above those.(ETA: Referring to Russian Roulette, NOT Faked Heart-Attack)

I have to disagree with everyone.

When you add an episode of Stephanie and Jack flash-backing about whether Steph TOSSED

his mother over the bannister along with one of these episodes, you've got both a nomination and

a win.

Those throwing over the balcony episodes were really "different" and intense.

B&B is only 30 minutes long, so she gets to submit more than one episode, not to mention they

can cull different scenes into a tape.

I thought I read somewhere once that SF doesn't always pick her scenes to submit, that she lets Bell and and some others have a say in it.

Anyway, I'm not sure that I completely agree about her scenes in this story, but I can see where some may feel that she wasn't up to her usually self, whether it be because of writing or because she just usually doesn't play vulnerable. But I still thorougly enjoyed her screentime.

About Alley Mills, while I agree that she may not be the future of B&B, I'm still very happy to see her stick around. Maybe we can find out more about Pamela and how this whole thing has affected her.

I'm thrilled that Joe M is no longer on the show. He was ridiculously expensive, and just not worth it IMO.

At least we agree on this one.

The character was pure utter sh*t and Joe Mascolo gave NOTHING to the show. He was a total waster for most of his run and I'm so glad Brad cut his losses.

As for the original topic. B&B was downright perfect on Wednesday and Thursday - don't expect this story to be over with already. I've no doubt that there are things to come between Ann & Stephanie...

I was kinda disappointed - or expected more [!@#$%^&*]iness - from Betty White. Alley Mills and Susan Flannery however were fabulous. On Friday however, Tracey Ann Kelly was the writer, the one scene that probably got some guys riled up with Taylor & Stephanie "in the den" was indeed cringeworthy.

I could imagine this is actually part of a succesful therapy session to confront your past but it looked extremely odd: Steph blabbing to her dead dad... I don't think Susan Flannery played this strange but the whole set-up was - and Stephanie never would say sth. like that and actually mean it, me thinks she said this to appease/please Taylor to a certain extent.

About gorgeous Susan Flannery: Watch "Dallas" - Lesli Stewart a maneating PR consultant not only bedding Jr Ewing. Priceless and she looked SO fierce!

I do think we were set up to expect more Evil Mommy from Mama Douglas (It's Ann right, I keep mixing up Pam and Ann). I think the actors all performed well with what was written. It's just that when comparing these episodes with other recent scenes like the week Steph kicked Eric in the groin and the week that Steph told Brooke to shoot her and the week that Steph faked her heart attack and etc. (LOL!) it kinda pales in comparison. But I think that's because it's a different set of circumstances. The other stuff I mentioned were high-drama and very campy. I think the writers were going for more real and vulnerability with the Steph/Ann stuff last week.

By the way, I love this new FastReply set up.

Friday was one big PSA, IMO, so I don't count that.

But I have been glued to Susan Flannery and Betty White, Mon-Thurs, and I loved every second of what I saw, to be honest. I'm biased, though -- IMO La Flannery can do no wrong. And IA with crc, this was a less campy confrontation for SF to get her teeth into. In fact, the confrontation was more about what WASN'T said in the dialogue, for me at least. It was this non-articulated feeling of something really sinister that made those scenes.

Betty White appears again on Thursday December 14, so I don't think the SL is entirely done and dusted yet.

For some reason, I'm looking forward to Shane this week. I don't know why, "Tim Trueman" never ever wowed me on SuBe, but dude is the HOTNESS on B&B, plus his acting has improved considerably. It's been a long time since B&B had such a mean, smouldering, sessy bad boy. Notice I don't count GeriatRidge and Neanderthal Nick in that group.

I must be missing Deacon.

Friday was one big PSA, IMO, so I don't count that.

It was a PSA and I was taken off-guard by it at the beginning.

But then, I liked it. I think it felt real - except for taht one Stephanie/Taylor scene in the library - and handeled with care. This is definitely a serious storyline B&B handles totally different without any campy, yet not boring.

But Brad Bell needs to tell me how Brooke 1) got that sainthood hairstyle three weeks before Xmas and 2) why/how Brooke & Taylor got together for that little tea party...

BTW: Cat, I never thought I'd say it. I love Shane, too. He's my personal constant amusement. I hope his "self-dialogues" are back too. LOL! Still don't think Dax Griffin is anything to write home about but he plays creepy very well and is a VAST improvement compared with those last dirtbags of male characters: Dante and Christian.

LOL, I know, it's so sick and wrong on my part. DG is such a cornball. But Shane is, like, not boring! And hot! Did I mention that he's hot?

That's f***ing amazing on a show where the female characters always dominate annd are far more exciting than the spineless males.