AMC: Friday, November 21, 2008

[Jonathan]

Jesse was in Puerto Rico chasing Ryan and Annie. Of course he doesn't want to be bothered with either of his wives.

[marceline]

That makes sense. Unfortunately it screws with the final product and as someone else said this story violates Jesse's character. Its a shame they can't see beyond Guild politics and realize that they're messing with Agnes Nixon's characters. Another case of behind the scenes politics damaging the show.

[Steve]

It can never be said enough: Kate Hall rocks!

I loved the Erica/Greenlee scenes. Of course, petulant, spoiled Greenlee knows nothing about running a company by herself and can't acknowledge how Erica saved her ass! Erica's putdown that Greenlee abandoned the company after a temper tantrum was perfect!

I also loved Tad & Krystal's scenes when she apologized. The way she reached out to him for sex to try to forget about David rang true and makes me just root for her & David to get together in the end.

Adam and JR's talk about grieving was terrific, too.

I don't have a problem with the way Jesse's storyline is being written. Yes, it does alter what B&E wrote, but imo it's much more entertaining than their story was. Jesse is cold to Rebecca and I have to wonder if it's because she's in his world now. Before, even though he made it clear to her that Angie was the love of his life, I would imagine he was at least a loving partner. But now, it must feel awkward to have both women in the same apartment and he has to try to put Angie first in order to not hurt her more. My one gripe with this episode is that he didn't tell Angie about his high blood pressure. Considering that she's a doctor and he could wind up on medication, it's something that should have come up.

I loved how Annie was so calm before she pulled the gun on Ryan. You could see the expression on her face when she realized it was the only thing she could do. I can't wait for Monday!

[Pine Charles]

Erica is being written wonderfully lately.

The scenes at Fusion with her and Greenlee were really the highlight.

Randi isn't as annoying to me anymore.

Hello, Rebecca. Maybe you shouldn't be reminiscing about old times in front of Angie. How does she expect that makes Angie feel? Or maybe Angie should have known better before inviting her into the apartment. I don't know.

Whoa! KWAK having sex dreams about David!!

ANNIE! Oh, YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!

[Adam]

I agree. It felt like old times. Shades of that Erica have popped up every now and again the past few years, but Pratt has really taken the character back in the right direction. I loved how she put Greenlee in her place and Greenlee really couldn't find anything to come back at Erica with. I also loved how Erica assumed J.R was attempting to rape Amanda and took charge of that. I hope now that Susan is done with DWTS we will see what Pratt truely wants to do with this character. I am expecting big things and I think we will get them.

I loved Ryan confronting Annie and how Annie just within one second realized she was done for so lets just pull out a gun. So unhinged, so crazy. I love it. The Hubbard scenes continue to be so well done. TheY are simple and realistic and Angie was so great. DM does subtlety so well.

[Pine Charles]

I liked the way she asked Rebecca to pass her the salt--and then she just drops it into the trash basket.

I really hope DM gets an Emmy nomination.

[Adam]

She has lots of stuff to chose from when it comes time for submitting. Melissa Claire Egan too deserves to be recognized. She in my opinion carried this show through most of the summer..

[Pine Charles]

Totally agreed.

[R Sinclair]

If anything, she's at least carried the sextet. She's made Annie the only interesting character to come out of that mess for me. The whole Mother Earth Storyteller persona was cute, but boring and predictable.

[Adam]

Yes for sure. Mother Earth Storyteller lol, yeah that pretty much sums up Annie's character prior to last spring. She has developed layers aka became one note

[R Sinclair]

I mean, really. All she did was praise Ryan for being a good man, take care of Spike and Emma and Kathy and Greg and Marcia and Jan and Peter and Cindy and Bobby and... She had no REAL distinct personality. It was just "Oh, the world is crashing down around us? Never fear! I'll praise you, send you on your way, and babysit all the town's children!"

Now, Annie is after something. She's determined. She's crafty and devious. She has a sense of humor and a sense of unpredictability. That's the good thing about this "hack" Pratt. He's given all of the characters an agenda. A motive. A reason for being on screen themselves, rather than just being there to fill a certain contract guarantee or "prop" another character (look how he used the Opal character, even though he didn't have to since Jill's not on contract, to set up the Tornado). Annie, up until this summer, has just... been there. Now, she's creating the story and the conflict and I, personally, will sing MCE's praises until the cows come home, because I was so unimpressed with the Annie character -- thought nothing major of her or MCE -- and then Annie took this turn and I see that Miss Girl can bring it!

Her simple delivery on today's episode of "It's such a shame" during the cliff hanger made me smile. Because, and this is my honest truth, I thought "Oh, Annie's going to play the victim..." and then she reaches into her purse and shows that she's in control, and I'm like, "Um... okay! Misjudged that one!"

I'm sorry. I'm a male feminist. After watching years of Pine Valley women be so needy and clingy and victimized with the powerful men coming to the rescue, it's FANTASTIC seeing characters like Erica and Annie and Amanda go AFTER something on their own. Yeah, men are nice, but these women can take them or leave them. They want what they want and even these men aren't standing in their way. Granted, it's NOT fortunate that it's being portrayed as bitchy or evil, but I will take seeing strong, determined, focused women rather than the "help! Help! I need to be saved by Ryan, Tad and Aidan every five minutes" women we've seen during the McTavish-B&E era of the last 5 years.

[Adam]

Excellent post as always and I totally agree. Pratt may not be the best thing to hit this show since Ms. Nixon herself, but the show appears to have a sense of actual direction for the first time in years and character motivations are examined in depth for the most part.

[R Sinclair]

Exactly. No matter what you think of this writer, I honestly feel you'd be lying if you said, "Hmmm... I have no idea WHY this character is acting this way..."

It's plain as day in my eyes. That's what I like. Whether I agree or disagree with their actions, I understand why these people are acting a fool -- which is what needs to happen to drive drama. Agnes Nixon even said years ago during the A&E Biography special that what drove her to tell these stories was getting the viewer to say "Oh, how can they do something so stupid?" and then realize we've done something just as stupid.

I've complained... and complained... AND COMPLAINED about the writing of this show for the last five years. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Pratt has risen above the extremely low expectations I had for him. I'm entertained. That's all I've ever wanted to be with this show. Pratt's style may not be traditional All My Children for the most part, but his style is something that makes me say "Okay, what did I miss these last two days?" and then get myself caught up.

I have no idea about this hole Zach and Greenlee were in. None. I wasn't watching. I have no idea about what drove this weird separation between Ryan and Annie. None. I know Ryan had amnesia from a bullet to the head (which I wish KILLED HIM) but I didn't see it. I just know that that's what started this whole thing. I didn't even know Greenlee and Aidan were married, because, simply, I didn't care enough to tune in.

[Kubla Khan]

Riggghhhhhhhhhttt. Sure. Pratt is a HACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding.

Excellent posts, R Sinclair. I agree. I am quite enjoying with what Pratt has done to AMC. He has made it fun, lively, entertaining, dramatic, and humorous, and he's able to use a wide mix of characters in a wide mix of stories. Pine Valley is feeling like an actual community again. Characters are moving! Interacting! And no, this is not classic Agnes Nixon, but I agree with you that Pratt gets this show a whole lot better than B&E or 14-year veteran Megan McTavish.

[Jonathan]

I find this statement amazing and yet absolutely true. I just hope Frons will continue to allow Pratt to tell the stories that Pratt wants to tell.