AMC: Friday, May 23rd

[All My Shadows]

I <3 you, Cheap. I agree with pretty much everything you've brought up throughout this thread.

The idea that Kendall is the only one who gets called out for what she is is ridiculous and actually very funny. For at least three years, you couldn't see the names Babe or Krystal without some cheap insult following close by. Greenlee is also constantly bashed as was Dixie when she and Zach pretended to be having an affair. You know, I'll never ever forget the time someone actually said to me, "Can you just let us hate Babe and Krystal in peace, please?!" People have been hating Babe and Krystal "in peace" non-stop for over four years now!

But anytime a word is spoken against Kendall or Zach or them together, there's a problem. It's a double standard or it's not true, or it's Kendall is the only one whoever gets called out. It's BS, that's what it is. Greenlee may be propped on the show, but when it comes to message boards, NOBODY beats Kendall in the propping department.

[R Sinclair]

LMAO @ this Sluttacious Kendall debate. That's all I'll say.

Anyway, this episode, in my opinion, was great. A few problems with the script (like there was way too much awkward dialog during the Jesse/Angie/Rob scenes... and I swear I heard someone shout the melodramatic kiss of death to any script "He has a gun!" when Rob brought Angie into the ballroom, and Jesse's "We have to save Angie!" Really, Hope? No [!@#$%^&*]? I thought they were just gonna let her go off with Rob without a care in the world. Thanks for telling us that), for the most part HHS did a great job.

I enjoyed Adam telling off Tad, reminding him about how Tad came to him to protect his family, now he's doing the same and if Tad gets in his way, he will snap Tad like a twig.

I enjoyed Adam jabbing back at Kwak after she said something about will Babe ever learn about JR, and Adam saying he was wondering the same thing about JR with her daughter.

I enjoyed Zach realizing he can't save Kendall from herself and just let her go.

I enjoyed Greenlee and Aidan's argument.

No, not just Greenlee... you mean "Baby Maiming Babystealing" Greenlee. That has to come before her name every single time. It's the law. It shows that you're the perfect, sensible, unbiased person to have a debate with on Kendall or Zendall.

[marceline]

Isn't funny how writers who did really well the first time they wrote for ABC (McTavish, Malone) penned such garbage under Frons. Sometime I think we underestimate just how toxic he is.

But back to the show...

I loved it. Darnell and Debbie keep finding whole new ways to kick me in the heart. My favorite was when Rob held the gun to Angie and told Jesse to drop his gun and kick over by the count of three and Jesse put the gun on the floor and kicked it over before he'd even finished saying "One..." I credit DW with that acting choice. He could've waited a second or two but "Jesse" wouldn't have done that. And David Canary is made of awesome.

I loved the editing and pacing and the way it shot. The scene where Rob shoots at JR and everyone hits the dirt was intense.

I loved the writing, especially for Angie. I loved the fact that as Rob was dragging Angie up the stairs she yelled down "We're going to the roof!" Not "help" or "please". She actually had enough sense to participate in her own rescue by giving actual INFORMATION. Or when the elevator door opened and she saw Aidan, she screamed because once Jesse was no longer in danger she didn't have to play by Rob's rules anymore.

I actually gave a damn about Dixie again! That's as much a miracle as her return from the dead.

I think nuColby is doing very well. But Colby isn't one of my "must see" characters so they could've replaced her with Eartha Kitt and I wouldn't care.

As for Kendall and Greenlee, I don't even see them on my screen. It's kind of like all the adults in a Peanuts cartoon. Just a whole lot of "waa-waa-waa..." interspersed with the clicking of stilettos.

[All My Shadows]

Right. But make sure you don't put "Cheating, Lying, Self-Destructive" in front of Kendall without also putting the War & Peace-sized explanation of why it's okay for her to be cheating, lying, and self-destructive.

[detroitpiston]

OMG, Fridays episode was amazing. I hate to say it, but I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed OLTL's episode. Who directed it? Hope Harmel Smith deserves a promotion!

[Angela]

I pre-note this by saying what annoys me about Kendall is she's self-destructive (and her relationship with Greenlee right now is emphasizing it and it makes me want to punch the character even more senseless). Slut or not slut - that rarely crosses my mind. The slut thing is only a factor for me if it's like the basis of your character (sex for sex) and you're kind of a dirty one - you're cheating around for reasons like Babe (JR was a day behind her in returning home, etc.) or if you're doing everything with 3 legs like Claudia on GH or if you're going back and forth through a family for 15 years knowingly like Brooke on B&B.

I see the 2003 Aidan/Kendall ending no different than the 2002/2003 one. Kendall wanted to have a relationship with him after the ONS, they were psuedo-dating for a bit and then he got re-obsessed with Maria big-time (Kendall then moved on to Michael) and that was the end of that. Same thing here, except they hadn't done more than made-out this time around and passed around some ILY's (I could argue both were caught up in the moment - her because he was being such a good friend and him because she was being this incredible matryr) - and right after she did that it didn't take him 2 seconds to hit it with Mia.

WEEK BEFORE ROOF:

He demands she see what's still there with Ryan because there's obviously something there, sleep with him if it's necessary.

MONDAY OF ROOF (THE PLANE):

Aidan: Well, you can't do this alone. I mean, the training that I've had, we can survive on the run and not get caught.

Kendall: No. No, Aidan. No, I won't let you do that.

Aidan: It's too late.

Kendall: No, Aidan, I'm sorry, you can't make this kind of decision, not until you know all the facts. You don't know what I did with Ryan.

Aidan: I do know, Kendall. I know everything.

Kendall: Yeah, I kissed him. And I sort of lost all reason for a second. So why do you still want to run off with me?

Aidan: I sent you to Ryan to do what you had to do, and you ended up threatening to kill him. Now, I know that you and Ryan have unfinished business, but if you ask me, it doesn't look like it's worth finishing. And I've seen what this whole mess has done to you, Kendall. I mean, aren't you just sick of it?

Kendall: Well, yeah. Who wouldn't be? But I can't just run away and leave things like this.

Aidan: You have pushed yourself to the edge trying to be and do everything. How much more can you take before you crack? You've got to let it go, Kendall. Don't you want to do something that's going to make you happy?

Kendall: Yeah. God, yeah. Aidan, I'm so tired. I'm just so, so damn tired. Every day I -- I go to sleep and I lie awake all night trying to remember what lie I told and how I'm going to keep them all straight. And now you -- this shocker that you told me, I don't know how I'm going to -- I don't know how I'm going to keep the secret about that. I don't know how I'm going to do this. Aidan, I don't know how I'm going to do this!

Aidan: Well, I have the answer, Kendall. I know it's a bit drastic, running away, but look -- you turn your back on everything. I know you find it hard to feel loved, Kendall, so I promise you I will make you feel loved every day. You love me. You said so. Take the risk, Kendall. You're not afraid of much, so don't be afraid of this. Let somebody love you back.

Kendall: I was just thinking how someone else told me that she loved me today -- Bianca.

Aidan: I'm sure she does. And that's great, but that's no reason to stay.

Kendall: No, Aidan, no. The fact that Bianca really does love me -- that makes a huge difference.

Aidan: No, I love you, Kendall. I love you. You've got to believe that right now.

Kendall: You do love me. I believe you. I do. How are things in the cockpit? Good. Well, then -- then let's get this baby off the ground -- now.

EPISODE BEFORE ROOF:

Kendall: So where exactly does that leave us?

Aidan: With me by your side until this investigation's over with.

Kendall: And then what?

Aidan: Best not look too far ahead, eh?

Kendall: Flat-leaver.

Aidan: What?

Kendall: You're going to leave me. You're going to leave me because of Ryan, because you think I'm not finished with Ryan. It would serve you right if I did go back to him.

Aidan: Why don't you do whatever you want to do?

So Aidan pretty much turned his back on her (in the romantic department) for some reason again because of the Ryan card, before sex.

[Jonathan]

WOW! It was INTENSE. I love this episode. I cosign the Hope Harmel Smith promotion! Every episode of hers is top notch! Keep her on staff!

I applaud ABC also for pumping some money into this episode and utilizing CGI. Yeah, it was a little over the (roof)top but it was so entertaining. What made the episode great was a combination of good writing and good directing.

[NYC123]

HHS has been let go. So she cannot get a promotion............

Well I loved the cliffhanger!

[Jonathan]

Oh how sad. They should hire her as a producer then.

[ian]

Honestly, with so many headwriters etc... soap characters do things that people would consider out of character, or wacky or zany or whatever... Up until about a year and a half ago you wouldnt expect Emily Stewart on ATWT to shoot someone, especially Paul. On soaps the motivations are paper thin and ridiculous. If Zendall Fan has her Kendall love, then that's cool - but I don't think cheap has a double standard either, cause, like she says, we're talking about Kendall in this instance. Most of the characters have all slept amongst themselves and the argument about being a slut could be made for almost anyone who's been on most shows after a couple of years, male or female for that matter. (Now, dont twist my words, I'm not going to go to the mat to say Alice Horton's been a slut, but you know what I mean)

I don't think we need to get to the point where we're defending the honour of fake characters who go through so many incarnations with different actors, different writers --- like who you like and be happy everyone

[R Sinclair]

That's the thing. People want "character driven" storylines... but in actuality, most of these people screaming for "character driven" storylines are basically saying they want "our favorite characters doing everything we want them to" storylines.

There's always going to be a plot. That's the nature of storytelling. You're not going to get rid of "plot devices" no matter how hard you try, because "plot devices" (which has become a ridiculously bad phrase on message boards everywhere) are what dictate the evil, nasty, dare I say it again... PLOT! It's how the characters react to the plot that determines whether it is character driven or plot driven.

Here's the plot:

Person A finds out Person B slept with Person C after Persons B and C thought Person A was dead.

Now if you insert different characters, it changes the plot drastically.

Tad finds out Aidan slept with Amanda after Aidan and Amanda thought Tad was dead. How would Tad react? He probably wouldn't care because Amanda and Aidan sleeping together has no effect on him.

But...

Tad finds out Krystal slept with Adam after Krystal and Adam thought Tad was dead... that would be an entirely different story. Same plot, but the characters and history involved would make for a completely different set of reactions and conflict.

So far, in my opinion, during this whole Kendall/Greenlee/Aidan/Zach story, everyone's acting in character.

[ian]

yeah, but we were talking Kendall over a large scale of time, and maybe there were times when some would argue they didnt, Soap characters are rarely stayed true to

[Toups]

Damn, what's with the Zendall/Aiden/Greenlee talk all the time! They were barely even on and they the majority of the disccusion?

Anyway, what an intense episode! Loved all the action, even some of it didn't make any sense (what people already mention: Rob going down to the reception then going back up to the rooftop and Rob having so many bullets). Julia!!!! I've always liked Sydney Penny. She and RPG look great together. What a wasted opportunity there. Tad got shot even though Dixie! And of course that pretty awesome cliffhanger!

So we gotta wait until Tuesday? AMC and OLTL are so good right now and they both left us with cliffhangers! Grrrrrr!!!

[Adam]

Have you ever been a viewer of AMC Toups? Never seen you so excited by the show

And I agree with R Sinclair, everyone's reaction to the ONS reveal has been very in character.... it would be so out of character for Greenlee to just sweep it under the rug because she stole Kendall's kid. The reveal IMO has been very well done.

I said it at the time, and I stand by it today, what Kendall did concerning the ONS, was in character. She thought the love of her life was dead, Kendall has always been very, very emotionally unstable and self destructive. Same with if Zach were to leave her, Kendall would go back to the bed hopping mess she was before Zach came into her life. Its not that big of a jump, at least for me.

[Toups]

Not on a daily basis. I usually switch over to AMC during DAYS commercials. I don't remember watching AMC this consistently (8 episodes in a row). There's action, there's comedy, there's drama, and there's romance. Plus, I'm a new Jesse/Angie fan. They are the #1 reason to watch AMC right now.

For this week (and maybe longer), I'm going to watch AMC live (so I can live post ) and tape DAYS (which sucks so bad). It's all about the ABC east coast soaps right now!