OLTL: Week of August 11, 2008

[AddictedToSoaps]

Half man, half woman! LOL.

[rhinohide]

Haven't watched, and I may just skip it. That's happening more and more lately. What does everybody think of an entire day devoted to the love story of Rex and Gigi?

[AddictedToSoaps]

Yawn.

[Vee]

I dug today. Thought it was all very well-done. But then, I think the 1968 story is probably the best attempt at such a story that soaps have ever done - sans Dark Shadows, that is. And I like Gigi and Rex.

[Cheap21]

The 1968 is a complete rewrite of what happened. Olympia should NOT be at the Buchanan ranch back in 1968. She cheated on Asa around the time Bo was conceived and while he and Clint were young, Asa found out about her affairs and he divorced her and banished her away from the family and the country. She did not reunite with the Buchanans until the early 80s when she randomly encountered Bo in Europe. Bo and Clint were in their 30s/40s by then. Asa locked her away and kept her hidden AFTER she came to Llanview and tried to cause trouble for him and reunite with her sons. None of that happened in Texas in the 60s

Thanks! I loved Cord and Tina in every incarnation but Im just glad we got the best back. They still rock after all this time

[brimike]

Nothing would make me happier than to get on this Rex/Gigi bandwagon. The history is there, the characters work well together -- but I keep getting held back. For awhile I thought it was FF's "acting". But I don't think that's it. I think I finally realized what it was during today's episode, when Gigi was re-living the whole Shane story (AGAIN!) with Delphina.

There's been SO MUCH WORK on the writers' part to explain Gigi's actions, and to defend her lies. I mean, they've worked overtime, giving Gigi speech after speech after speech - to Marcie, to Adriana, to Delfina - explaining why she did what she did. They never WORKED so hard to explain why Rex has done some of the shady things he's done. Hell, they didn't work this hard with Adriana! Rex was always a gray character, and JPL makes it work. And Melissa Gallo made Adriana's shades of gray unapologetic, and honest. And real. But it's like with Gigi, they're just trying WAY TOO DAMN HARD. I get it. She was a confused young mother who told one simple lie for the good of her son. The way she keeps pleading her case is really working on my last nerve. Rex Balsom needs a love interest who doesn't act like a martyr all the time, with this whole "woe is me" act.

It's why Rex and Adriana did NOT work in the beginning, but by the end? They gained more fans. (At least here, on SON) Because both characters seemed real and there wasn't so much work put in to defending them anymore.

I'm so worried Rex is just going to end up the hapless soap hero (Holden Snyder with bleached tips, pre-Horly), and Gigi is going to be crucified on the cross, and the only person I'm going to end up liking by the time this whole thing is over is Adriana.

[Vee]

I agree the Olympia gaffe is glaring, but I've seen far worse on this show. So I let it go because I enjoy what they've done with CH in the story.

As for Gigi, I think her story gets retold because we've seen more and more of her being bitchy to Brody as the story goes on, and I can understand their wanting to have Gigi tell and re-tell her side of the story after we've seen long stretches of Gigi just being a bitch to the guy. I think she's unfair to him, but I also think her reaction is realistic and not saintly, so I appreciate that. I don't think she's altered her story or motives, though, but nor do I think what Gigi's done should go without explanation. I don't think the audience would ever get behind that.

About Adriana, fans latched onto her at the end - not her with Rex. That couple lost all fan interest ages ago. And while I enjoyed Adriana in her final months, and will enjoy seeing her again, I felt she was just another classic example of the "exiting actor suddenly becomes the fans' favorite person" syndrome, which had merit here but has also grown so very tiresome. Adriana had that jagged edge during her exit months, but as a character, and as an actress, MF and Adriana would've been unable to sustain it long-term. We know this because look at how much fans hated her before her departure was announced, and how much of a bitch Adriana grew into long before Gigi showed up. The compelling aspect of Adriana as she is now and was when she left is because she can do anything, feel anything, and not have to worry about long-term story...meaning she can have a scorched earth policy when dealing with Dorian or Rex.

But in terms of pairing Rex with another schemer...he's done that. Did it for years. In lame, boring pairings with Jen, Lindsay, Shannon, etc. Adriana was never really a schemer when she was with him. The compelling thing about Rex and Gigi to me is that she (like Charlie Banks) is just an normal, unpretentious, somewhat un"soapy" person. Rex doesn't have to put her on a pedestal and become Johnny Upright for her the way he did during Rexiana. While their big huge love is certainly being a bit oversold now, I don't think that core appeal is gone.

[brimike]

True enough, Vee. I spoke too generally about the Rex/Adriana thing. You're probably right.

Kinda makes me wish everyone had a scorched earth policy. Makes it all that much more interesting. :-)

[Toups]

Stupid Jared/Clint for stopping Bo. I was literally yelling, "LEAVE!!!" at Bo. Yeah, I'm so ready for 1968 to end. I'm just not feeling anymore. I hoped it would be more about Rex/Gigi's romance, but it's not.

[Tishy]

Yeah I too am done with the 1968 storyline. And I want Brody gone. He takes up too much space and just needs to be gone. I seem to be in the minority here but I like the Rex and Gigi story right now. I think its because I am a romantic. I choose to think that their love knows no bounds and can overcome everything, even time. I chose to suspend belief for Mendorra and I am choosing to suspend it now as well.

For a very long time I have hated the Todd and Marty storyline. I have cringed at the thought that she is completely and totally dependent on him. Here he is, her rapist and she has to depend on him to go to the bathroom, take a shower (because her gorgeous hair sure doesn't look greasy) and to change clothes. Todd is gaining her trust by opening his soul up to her and spilling his guts out to her. Marty, being an amnesiac, has no preconceived notion as to the type of man Todd is. She is falling for every one of his lines. Ramsey told her nothing about her life and her is Todd telling bits and pieces of her past, albeit a past designed to make him look better than he really is.

While I was first disgusted by this storyline and afraid where it could be going, I am now becoming oddly fascinated by it. Susan Haskell and Trevor St. John are pulling me in. I want to see this storyline pan out. Not on a romantic level, but as a non adversarial level. I can't turn away from it. I am enjoying seeing the two of them together. It goes against everything that I am but it is a damn good story. I can't wait to see how this will play out.

[margie619]

I was so hoping the 1968 storyline would end today. I really hope this is the last week even though I like Rex and Emma more than Rex and Gigi. Susan and Trevor are doing an outstanding job with their storyline. It is probably the most interesting and disturbing on the show right now.

[Gordon24]

I am still digging OLTL and 1968 but understand why those who are not into Rex and Gigi would dislike it. While Wed. eppy was mostly Rex/Gigi I still think the 1968 s/l will affect many in 2008, especially after Bo's comment to Renee about being a better father in his next life.

[reallyhateskateonlost]

Not to nit-pick, but Sgt. Pepper by The Beatles was released in 1967, not 1968.

I had to lol at Spencer/Shane being afraid of Olympia/Lindsay.

[NYC123]

I found yesterday's episode enjoyable.

I liked the 1968 scenes! I hope we are almost done.

[Laurie]

I like the '68 storyline but yeah yesterday was overload. Other stories should have been going on as well