OLTL: Discussion for the week June 23-27

[DavidEvanSmith]

MY. DEAR. GOD.

Just saw yesterday's episode on soapnet a little bit ago (and taped it, since I had seen some of your live responses here).

Amazing!

First, yes Jessica was over-the-top. And I say Jessica, not Bree, because I feel Bree was VERY deliberate, sharp, and subtle, even if she was screeching.

I don't know about any of you. But I have had some anguish in my life and there are those times when I have just completely spiraled out. And that's what I saw Jessica Buchanan going through today. She was spiralling out of control. You know when someone strikes just that right nerve in you and it pinches so much that you start reacting, and then your own rant sparks the next thing that contributes to your general upsetment and then it keeps snowballing until you just burn out? I hope someone knows what I'm talking about, or I'll REALLY seem like a nut. But that... every BEAT of that... I saw in Jessica.

"Don't embarrass yourself in front of your family" - Jared.

When that triggered Jessica, she leapt on that sentence like a hungry dog on a bone, and every word that Jared could get in edgewise was another trigger to another rant. All the while, Jessica raising the tissue to her eyes because the inner pain was simply too overwhelming. At other times her hands would raise to her forehead as if her brain was just spinning and spinning, almost splintering and she was physically trying to hold her head together, keep it intact. I've FELT that. Maybe two or three times in my entire life. But I could see it. And for Bree Williamson to sit and read her script and get that Jessica was just completely spiralling out, and then to internalize all that dialogue and be right there with Jessica, leaping from this rant to that rant and not missing one trigger from Natalie, from Jared, from Clint, from Viki. She was firing on every cylinder that existed. And brava, of course, to Archer, Brotherton, Slezak and verDorn for providing those triggers so well. They just fed her the cues just the right way. Every reaction in the place was spot on. Sarah's discovery Jessica was pregnant (another trigger to Bree's Jessica). Viki's repeated attempts to step in to help Jessica regain her composure, to stop Jessica from saying something to Natalie she might regret, to help protect Natalie from being villified in front of the entire town. Clint's rage that Natalie and Jared showed their faces while Viki wisely knew that they never intended to be seen and were just there to pay their respects to Nash. Roxy set the whole chain of events into motion this time, so she was the reason ultimately that Natalie and Jared got thrown under the bus, but didn't interrupt when Jessica threw "Trailer Trash" out there (to respect Jessica's grief, I suppose), but still went to try to comfort Natalie after Jessica had gone... Clint and Viki doing their best and ushering Jessica out as their first priority, while Bo stayed behind to do damage control. The execs behind OLTL have REALLY stepped up and redefined, or at least clarified what roles these people all serve in this family.

I almost felt like I was watching a real (albeit dysfunctional) family funeral. The emotion seemed that raw and the love and pain was all very clearly expressed across the board that I really saw where everyone stood with everyone in that room. The Buchanans are a large family and with very convoluted connections and in the last maybe 10 years the family as a whole hasn't been in THAT much story together, so many times reactions to whatever crises have been lost in the shuffle and we didn't know where this Buchanan really stood with that Buchanan when it came to this issue or that issue. But since Asa's death the writers have worked very hard to show all the reactions across the entire family to show us how all these Buchanans relate to each other. The funeral was just expertly written, acted, and directed.

And then the ending montage! What perfection in editing! The culmination of Jessica's "spiralling out", where the clips showed us exactly where her brain was jumping, the repeats of Nash through the skylight, the repeats of Nash saying he'll never leave her, the repeat flashes of Nash's last breath... while the heartbeat just grew louder, as if Nash... or someone else... was coming back to life. And then she passed out, fade to black. I'm on the edge of my seat. Flawless.

Other highlights: Keys in that tight black t-shirt with triceps that seem to just come right out from the base of his skull. He is pure SEX. Learning his full name is Keyshawn Riddick (HOT NAME!) in Todd's cell phone (that was a reveal for the audience, right? I haven't seen every episode this week). Marcie's fears about adoption in the diner with Gigi. Tina and David Vickers have now been separated! I want them reunited! Talia's new conflict which I am DYING to see unfold.

Hopefully these are not stupid questions:

Gigi didn't want to continue at B.E. (or C.E. now) because Dorian was Adriana's mother. What makes her think she will be hired at a diner run by Adriana's aunt Carlotta?!

Renee and Nigel were not at Nash's funeral?

[JackPeyton]

Also, i wanna point out Melissa Archer, because she did great reacting, and sometimes reacting is harder than acting. The entire cast was amazing.

Ilene Kristen also was rocking it, esp when Jess said shes prego.

"this is the ebst funeral i have ever been to - flat out!" I todd!

'uncle jared! thank you for caring about my feelings' - great line jessica!! Also loved jess bringing up how Jared came to town, and his past with Tess.

gawd. i love this [!@#$%^&*]. this is the 3rd time ive watched it. jessica freaking out. Her holding her head trying to grasp reality. the way she would lash out and then pull back. i *loved* jessica pulling Natalie to the casket. the way she really could not stand at the end and natalie & Clint had to hold her up and walk her out.

another thing Bree played to perfection - when the door moved via the wind. the way she looked. thinking Nash was going to walk through that door.

and another thing to point that... the fact that theya re now during he burial later - great way to drag this out.. without dragging it out. lol.

the ending was delicious. poor jess.

are Nora & Sarah close? and how did the friendship between rex & marcie start.. over jen?

Bo & Lindsey

in other storyline.. loved gigi telling marcie why she cant rex the truth. all right. as for tina's sl.. ugh. is this crap almost over? tho at least now its simi intersting w/ talia and sarah.

tess

[Ripley Todd]

I loved yesterday. I can't believe after years of watching the way OL has been doing their storytelling that I'm finally seeing real, honest to goodness soapy family and totally character driven drama. This stuff is just so darn good I eat it all up with a spoon. I don't really care if Bree or Jess was over the top. I frigging loved it. She entertained the lights out of me. I really feel for Natalie and I really really need to see more from Viki towards Natalie. She's so focused on Jessica right now, but her other daughter is drowning in guilt. She needs Viki in the worst possible way, and today would be a good day for Viki to go to her and make sure she is okay. I don't think I'm going to get it but I really need to see it. I don't like the way Clint is handling Natalie and for me he's a candidate for the worst father of the year, and yet on the other hand I totally loved the way he had Jessica in his arms at the vineyard. So all this family drama is a big gigantic mess and I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

[chrishntr]

Me Too!!!! And I want all of Clint's hateful, and hurtful words he spoke to HIS daughter to come back and bite him in the ass.

[JackPeyton]

Ehh, Natalie deserved it.

She lied. She cheated her family. She chose cock over her family, to be honest.

ZAnd then she blackmailed them. she deserves to be disowned.

And, as much a si ahte on nat right now, i do love her - always have. shes what got me hooked on OLTL.

[Ripley Todd]

Oh, I think she deserved it but she is still his daughter and he can be angry, pissed, disappointed in her but I don't like the way he manhandles her and I hope there is a reason that all of this is happening with Natalie/Clint.

[JackPeyton]

I see what you are saying.

I hope it just gets backl to the roots - Natalie the outside. I think its great. Shje came in as the outsider and wanted in. She got in, they accepeted her and loved her. She turned her back on them and now they have shut her out as they should. I hope this adds conflict for Clint/Natalie for years and years.

Im sure after Jess is simi-ok Viki will be more open and nice with nat. But right now she should be 100% focused on bree and Jess.

[Harmony233]

Was I the only one that was suprised that Vicky and Clint left Jessica alone.You would think they would be worried that Tess was coming back. You could tell Jess was going over the edge.I just find it out of character that Vicky at least wouldn't be worried about Tess coming out too.

[JackPeyton]

I thought they played it well. Theyw anted to stay. I dont think tess even came into their minds because i mean.. jessica is prego and just lost the love of her life (so far). so of course shes kinda over the edge. Viki prob thought the alone time would be good for her. I mean, she has to deal with this...

[Ridge]

Once again OLTL has been awesome all week! Love Talia's involvement in everything.

And Nash's funeral has hit every beat! Poor Natalie, Jess calling her trailor trash and all! And yesterday's episode was brilliant! The "transition" was awesome, the show didn't fail to deliver. I knew they couldn't just do the one day Jess next day Tess thing for this one and they didn't. *great*

[2shane8]

Yes, DES, this was wonderful. One of my favorite parts of the show, aside from Bree's EMMY-WORTHY performance. Few actresses can do so much with so little, but Erika showed exactly how Viki was feeling, and you can tell it sickens her to be torn between her daughters.

[DeeeDee]

White dude named Keyshawn Riddick?

:lol:

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

He aint white. He's Light Skinned.

[Cat]

You're not a nut -- unless I am! I've been there once or twice. And Bree Williamson reacted exactly as I would (only with lovelier hair).

I thought she was spot-on in her hysteria, especially when she dragged Natalie to the coffin. I thought she was going to force her head against the side of that coffin. The violence in her rage and grief was incredible -- and completely authentic, IMO. I actually had to FF through everybody else, just to watch the church scenes and then Jessica at the winery afterwards, then go back and re-watch the Mendorra/gigi stuff.

Melissa Archer did amazingly in probably THE most difficult role of the episode. But this was Bree Williamson's Emmy reel, IMO. If she doesn't win next year (don't talk to me about pre-noms -- she deserves to be on the Leading Actress nominees list as of today), it will be a huge travesty. I don't care who Frons has to feel up to make this happen! If he can wing it for Mo "Where's the autocue?" Benard, he can do it for a deserving Williamson.

[DeeeDee]