AMC: Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

[R Sinclair]

No.

[Cat]

[rsmith2k2]

A bit late but have really enjoyed the last three days of the show.

Basically a whole lot of what Cat said in general. And word about greenlee to Cat and jackpeyton. Love Rebecca's Greenlee minus you know who.

I am a long kicked around Bianca fan and I am not minding her story and am enjoying the show. Sure I am sick of pregnancy and stunts and all the rest we know, but it's certainly soapy and she's still a lesbian and now is getting a woman onscreen. Not the worst she's been treated on this show, imo. YMMV. I do find the inconsistency about Zach and Bianca's backstory a bit irritating since we are so short on details for a rather complicated and apple cart-upsetting story. I actually hope they keep the story that Reese and Bianca were seeking an anonymous donor originally but don't really care that much.

Debi Morgan...my gawd what an actor. Did more with no dialogue than most can do with a soliloquy. Awesome in her absolutely numbed knocked off kilter but still in doctor mode performance.

That'll do Babe.....That'll do. *snoopy dance*

[Adam]

I am not sure I'd evoke the same enthusiasm, but yeah I pretty much agree. I am a bit lost at how anyone can think Babe, especially played by Amanda Baker does any service to this show?

She has a better use in death than shew does alive, at least now it will give some great emotional stuff for some very capable actors to work with.

I am glad it was so final and not one of those open ended ones. Like I was afraid she'd get sucked up into the damn thing and no body would ever be found.

[EricMontreal22]

"Also, when JR carried Babe through the hospital corridor, the music they had playing me reminded me of classic 80s soap music. It was almost Santa Barbaraesque"

Yeah! there's been a few cues in ther past week which sound like good old fashioned soap music!

[Kubla Khan]

As for the current state of AMC, I just got done watching Mon-Thurs.'s episode, and boy, was I impressed! Too many storylines going on? Too many characters involved? What a freakin' relief! Pratt is FINALLY doing what McTavish and B&E didn't get -- 'umbrella' storylines work when something big happens that unites the whole town (in this case, the tornado) but it impacts their own individual situations. We've got Kendall in a coma, and the Zach/Bianca drama on top of that. But...Babe is also dying...which impacts Tad, Krystal, JR. Adam and Erica bonded while they were trapped and now will have to deal with their own family dramas. Jesse just laid a bombshell on Angie and Frankie. Emma has been kidnapped, which changes the whole Annie/Ryan dynamic. David's back! Yes -- there's A LOT of stuff going on, but this is what I want to see in a soap opera -- everything going crazy at once, and pretty much the whole cast getting something to do.

I was sick to death of McTavish's never-ending "Kane drama." Her idea of an umbrella story was...let's tell one story, let it take over the show, and give no one else their own stories. I thought the rape fallout was riveting, but it revolved around the same freakin' characters, and everyone else just reacted to what had happened with Bianca. The baby switch took the show hostage for about a year, and aside from a few core characters, every character was subjected to reacting to what was going on. All roads ultimately led back to Bianca and Babe.

Let's not even get started on B&E's "Slavery" era (branded by R Sinclair), where one stupid car crash dominated the show for months and months. It was embarrassing to see how the same characters dominated the show every day.

So, kudos to Pratt for bringing all the characters to life, and giving each group something uniquely interesting to play. McTavish, for example, would have the narrow-vision to make the tornado all about Bianca's birth. Or Kendall's coma. Or Babe's death. Or Emma being kidnapped. Pratt, instead, is giving each group of characters their own dramas during the tornado, and I'm loving it. And I can't believe it's Chuck Pratt of all people who gave Jill Larson something semi-substantive to play out in how many years...

P.S. I am NOT sad see to see Babe die (quite pleased actually, as I feel she needs to be OUT for the show to completely cleanse itself of the McTavish era) but I thought the scenes have been executed beautifully. I've felt a little emotional when watching them (just through the performances and writing, not because Babe is going to pig heaven).

[Jonathan]

Love your post Kubla. You are absolutely right on all counts.

[Toups]

Great post, KK!

Anyone know the name of the song that played when JR was carrying Babe to the chapel?

[cct]

I don't know if anyone else got this line, but I am ROARING with laughter.

I actually have my Cake or Death mug right here on the desk.

[cct]

Script by Kate Hall, so what else would you expect. Always quality from Hall or Cohen (relatively speaking)

I can't help but think I would be even more moved if it had been Havins playing Babe. AB was doing her best to sell it, and it was good, but the winner, hands down here, was Eakes. Although I thought AB's Sunshine moment was the clincher for me.

Which is why I could've slapped Mr. Slater down when he got all up in Joe's business? Any other takers?

[Sylph]

What a magnificent line this one is... Every TV writer in every genre should have it taped to their wall. 

And everything should go crazy all the time, BTW.