Jump to content

OLTL: Discussion for the Week of December 8th


Recommended Posts

  • Members

I don't understand how it's supposed to be fascinating psychological drama for a psychotic rapist who never pays for any of his crimes to hold his mentally impaired former rape victim hostage and brainwash her into thinking she loves him in a pathetic, desperate attempt to remake her in his own sick fantasy. Then after he's caught, we have to see the ex-wife who he beat up and deserted defend him and rip his victim apart on the witness stand in order to convince those of us who know how sick this all is that he didn't rape her yet again when we all know that he did. I must be missing something here. There is certainly potential for psychological drama, if they focused on Marty's journey back to a normal life after what was done to her again but they're not pursuing that. No, it's all about Todd, as always. Misunderstood Todd. Todd the victim. Todd against the world. Todd's lost everything. Everyone's out to get Todd so we can't hate him for being the evil predator that he really is. Blah, blah, blah. It's just more of the same but with far more offensive undertones.

Carlivati clearly loves rehashing old stories, remaking them in his own vision. This time he's not merely making a joke of some good characters or a great former story like he did with Tina's return and 1968, he is actively undoing a lot of positive cultural movement that this show helped spawn. He's taking this show back to the freaking dark ages in terms of gender and sexual politics. Sadly, our culture has long connected rape with sex and even love instead of power, violence, and misogyny. With Todd's insistence that he "loves Marty" and Tea informing him that he's never loved anyone because "Marty was always in his head" this show is attempting to romanticize the victim/abuser relationship. The good old "she really wanted it, deep down" or "he only did it because he wanted her so much" mentalities that have destroyed the lives of so many rape victims over the years by blaming them for their being attacked and that the initial rape story did a great deal to dispel. I have to wonder how long it'll be before we see Marty going to Todd, on her hands and knees, begging for his forgiveness because of what she "put him through" and thanking him for the gang rape because she was uppity and needed to be taken down a peg. Yeah I know, RC won't go there, right? Yeah, that's what everyone said about them developing "feelings" for each other. Everyone said that he'd never let them have sex either. Everyone said that Todd would be killed off soon after she was found. Everyone's been wrong so far. At every opportunity with this story, this show has sunk even lower than almost anyone imagined and this is only the beginning of the fallout.

I've seen alot of people in the ratings threads lament and wonder how OLTL can be so wonderful and the ratings not show it. The answer is simple: it ain't that great. It's probably better than all the others right now and while it had a few good months earlier this year, they were followed by several months of utter garbage and it's only now starting to pull itself together again. OLTL's biggest probably is that it's still horribly inconsistent. Not just week-to-week or day-to-day but scene-to-scene even. There are scenes of power, emotional weight, and humor but then they're ruined by infantile camp, bad acting by teeny boppers, or something truly offensive to it's target demographic like Marty surmising from her conversation with Andrew yesterday that she was a terrible person until Todd raped her and that the only way to get her life back is to become just like Todd and hurt him back. Huh?! Stuff like that doesn't tend to fill women with that holiday spirit, no matter how many shiny trees are on the set or how many cheesy fake B&W Christmas movie clips they show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 107
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

I think the overall story with Todd and Marty is fairly indefensible, and I found the lovemaking disgusting and Todd to now be un-viable as a character. I think RC takes the hit for that. But I've found almost all the resultant drama since to be excellent. While Todd may be parroting this disgusting line about Marty's love changing him, and RC's comments may not help, the actual on-air show does not seem to be giving Todd much of a leg to stand on in the writing. Todd can give his POV til the cows come home, but no one on the show is really buying it (except Tea) and we are still allowed by PTB and the creative staff to see him as a sick criminal. So Todd's position, "she wanted it" has not really been endorsed.

It's a difficult situation right now; in the summer, I felt the show's heart was in the right place but bogged down in too much light comedy and camp. RC has done well with comedy before, and I don't think it's a dirty word, especially on a show that has a history of going as dark as OLTL, but there was just too much. Then this fall, the Tarty story went berserk, the Montez storyline lurched into gear and then sort of stopped, and the Tess thing went on forever. Now we seem to be in a transitory stage, where there's a clean slate on a lot of those stories, some compelling new ones, one dud (Vanessa/Cristian), and one ugly, ugly story which is now being written pretty well, but wasn't worth the cost. (Tarty) I think this is easily the best the show has been since May/June, which was very good, but I hesitate to jump on the "OMFG SO AWESOME" bandwagon yet. While I think the show is overall pretty good right now and I am one of RC's earliest and biggest fans, he's made some huge blunders, and you are correct that this story with Todd has already violated a lot of viewers' trust, mine included, and could do so again at any point. (For example, the events coming next week - repulsive on their face, but it depends on how the situation is played; whether

)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I respectfully disagree, though I not so respectfully will call Roseanne bug-eyed. I thinkVanessa is much hotter, she has a smidge of a latina MCE thing going on. I could NOT STAND Roseanne, ugh... "Chrisshun Chrisshun Chrisshun..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Great show today. Nice Friday cliffhanger with Tea bursting into court. Tea's in Llanview to kick some @$$ isn't she? LOL

I just want to say how enjoyable the show has been these past few weeks. When you have a soap like GL or GH which basically say F--- you to the many fans of the show, it's great to enjoy a well written OLTL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Rover, I get tired of defending Todd and Marty, don't you? I guess there are two sides to this - either you get it and enjoy it or you don't! No matter what side of the coin you are on, it's certainly a hot topic of discussion. I have noticed that plenty of the folks who "hate" this story or those who are offended by it have continued to watch. That tells me a lot.

Michael, I knew Tea would be fun, and I have not been disappointed! What a firecracker she is!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Tea Delgado is made of pure awesome.

I am LOVING how she's being written. This is the tough as nails attorney who first showed up in Llanview, yet they have also given her moments where you see that softer side underneath.

When she walked into the courtroom yesterday? Just so fun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • I can't watch until later (Canada issues). What is Philip's motivation for stealing the drug? Only plot I cared about today and you did not mention it 
    • Doug III’s first day of work. Hope he does a good job… or that Tate tries to sabotage him somehow

      Please register in order to view this content

      His scenes with Holly were nice though. They’re sweet together and I understand why some people think that they have more chemistry than Tate/Holly do. And I liked that Doug III opened up to her about his past. Maybe that could lead to something good happening in the future.  I also enjoyed Roman and Kate, and how they’re both being tied into EJ’s shooting. The mystery of it all is really compelling. I don’t think Roman is the shooter though either.  I didn’t have much sympathy for Kristen though. She has no one to blame for Rachel’s problems than herself. But at the same time, I’m really surprised that Days actually remembered the Alex/Kristen fling. I thought Ron had erased that from existence. I’m not shipping them at all, but I’m definitely shipping a permanent end to Brady/Kristen but after today, I’m not so sure about that either.  And, Johnny and Chanel were still great together
    • https://parade.com/news/beyond-the-gates-actor-flexes-like-a-wrestler-in-viral-shirtless-photo
    • Some country club revelation thoughts from a casual watcher no one asked for. The Great: Daphnee Duplaix gave the best performance we've seen yet. Nicole's dialogue was also well thought out and felt character specific. TJ Maxx Ted was also pretty good. Trisha Mann-Grant steals every scene she's in. Often without even trying. Carrying multiple episodes worth of exposition heavy soap dialogue with starts and stops and recapping and drama and humor is no small feat and she nailed. Vernon telling Lesliana to STFU.  The Bad: So much of the dialogue for the rest of the cast was overly written. Martin said "You are a vile human being with a hole in your heart!". Marty, what are we doing? It's SO dramatic and sounds so silly coming from this grown man. Do Bill and Hayley do anything but talk about the Duprees? And the nerve of her to get so excited to find out Ted is a cheater when she and her husband are too. There should be a hint of shame mixed in with your glee, ma'am. The Questionable: Coffee and a rendition of Amazing Grace after finding out Nicole was betrayed by her husband. The Duprees are an odd bunch. The stinger of one segment had Anita prepared to lambast Lesliana, when we came back someone else was talking. When Anita eventually said something to Wig, it was a lukewarm at best. And then of course she thought singing a song about something that should absolutely not be extended to her son-in-law. The entire family allowing this deranged woman to speech at them in their own was...nuts. I know she said something about what would the neighbors say but my GOD. Is she just going to be allowed to trespass whenever she feels like it now? The focus on Leslie and her wig usage as an oddity is...odd. I think Chelsea said something like "and she wears wigs!" (while wearing a buss down middle part). Okay? It's just not that odd for a black woman to change up her hair. It's the different names that's the problem. I know it's meant to be humorous, in a throwback soap kind of way, but it fell flat for me.  I'm sorry I find the whole family to be WEIRD. It's like they want us to see them as ruthless yet benevolent, open yet furtive, snobbish yet tooth achingly sweet all at the same time. I cannot get a lock on the family dynamics. Everyone is just there.  I'm gonna cry if this show doesn't start giving us ages (or close to it!) for these characters. Because if Eva is 21-22 then Martin was being given crayons, a soda pop and blinders when he was 15-17 years old. Martin had to have been under 8 for me to buy this story, which would make Eva and Kat late 20s (Martin is at least 35 since he wants to run for president), which I don't think they're meant to be. It's honestly minor but it bothers me. I've mentioned this to @Vee but I think the optics on opening the show with both sisters discovering their husbands of over 30 years are cheaters should've been considered. I doubt there was any intention behind it, no one's rubbing their hands together as they scheme to say the married black men can't stay loyal but how does it look? Maybe it's just me. Honestly it's probably just me!
    • Thank you very much!!!! I really appreciate it!!! I also have read the GH coffee table book from the 90s!!!
    • For a homeless woman, June sure has nice teeth. I agree Ted didn't bring the power in the fallout scenes but to can him and leave Tomas, Martin and Derek onscreen? i'm not looking forward to Martin's secret being revealed and have him flail in the spotlight scenes. Yes, he's got a little better, but... When someone like Timon delivers with every line reading, you wonder how some other casting decisions were made. And I need sunglasses every time characters are at Uptown-is that green paint left over from GL's Cedars Hospital makeover? And for the cliffhanger, instead of the Door dash nonsense, simply have Leslie encounter Vanessa on her way out and push past her to enter. As there is no front door have Leslie barge into the living room, with Vanessa following.  Then Nicole can tell Vanessa- it's OK she can leave them alone.
    • My question was basically is Dani the only character to have a bedroom? And then the response was Jacob and Naomi ONLY have a bedroom as their set .
    • Our next installment of Love of Life 1976 Before leaving San Francisco, Cal phones her Aunt Van to set up a family gathering. Van arranges it, and upon their return, Cal and Rick announce that they are engaged. In the shocked silence that follows the announcement, Meg steps in to offer her congratulations, and also to pay for the wedding. But the family members still don’t respond happily. They fear that Rick isn’t good enough for Cal, and are surprised by Meg’s offer. Rick and Jamie visit Meg and ask whether, in light of her acceptance of his marrying her daughter, she |will drop the lawsuit. She replies that she will if he returns as her partner in Beaver Ridge. Rick reminds her that this has been settled; he can’t do that. So Meg, pretending largesse, says she’ll drop the suit, but in fact she asks her attorney to put the suit in abeyance, so it can be reopened at any time. Rick gives Cal a lovely diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring, and Betsy, who has promised to be Cal’s honor attendant, gives ‘her the dress she wore when she married Ben, saying that a bride who really is a bride should have it. Cal speaks privately to each member of the family, hoping to convince them that she and Rick are right for each other and will be happy. Jamie, after accepting Rick’s request that he be best man, checks to see if Meg has dropped the action, as promised. Finding out that it’s only in abeyance, Jamie asks if she is planning to sue her son-in-law in the future. Meg insists that she has acted on her attorney’s advice. Meg convinces Cal to give her two weeks to plans a lovely wedding, but after several days Cal discovers that Meg has done nothing in preparation. She therefore informs her mother that she and Rick will be married this weekend at the chapel. Betsy goes into labor and has her daughter by the natural-childbirth method. Cal tries to reach Ben, to tell him he’s a father, but has to be content with leaving a message. An ecstatic Ben sends flowers and a card to his wife and daughter Suzanne. Meg, in desperation at being unable to stop the wedding, has been drinking heavily. When she tells Carrie she can’t sleep and that’s why she can’t get herself together, Carrie sympathetically gives her some tranquilizers which Tom had given her. At the wedding rehearsal Meg tries once again to “reason” with Rick, but he makes it clear that he and Cal are getting married as planned. Meg then faints, upsetting Cal, who declares that her mother’s health is more important than the wedding. This gives Meg an idea. On the afternoon of the wedding, as the bride’s party waits at the chapel for Meg, she takes some of the pills, then calls Rick and tells him what she has done. When he doesn’t believe her, Meg becomes even more upset and takes more pills. When Rick informs | the wedding party of Meg’s call, they don’t believe she’d do anything that foolish, but Cal and Rick realize they can’t take the chance and go to her home. Finding her unconscious, they rush her to the hospital.Meg is treated for overdose complicated by alcohol and eventually regains consciousness.Van and Bruce offer to take Meg to their, home to recuperate, but Cal, worried because Joe raises the concern that Meg could try it again, allows her mother ‘to convince her to take her home with her. Meg is pleased with herself for having managed to come between Cal and Rick, and begs Cal not to let Rick come to the apartment, as she can’t bear to have him see her like this. Meg then works on Cal’s conscience by pitifully admitting that she loves Rick and can’t live without him. Van tries,- without success, to make Meg see that Cal and Rick are in love and can make each other happy, but Meg won’t give up and suddenly begins to have “headaches.” Even Betsy overcomes her bitterness at Meg and brings baby Suzanne to see her,trying to get Meg interested in living again. But Meg insists she can’t do anything because of her delicate | condition and has no interest in Beaver Ridge at all. .Rick has to go to New York on business and asks Cal to go with him. She replies that she can’t; she’s afraid to leave Meg. Cal, with Hank, sees Rick off at the airport, and just before he boards, he gives her a letter to read later. She reads it at home that evening; -it’s a plea from Rick to join him in New York and get married immediately. He tells her that their love and their being together are the only things that matter.Cal puts the letter in her handbag and goes to shower.Meg has seen the letter and reads it. Upset that Cal might do what Rick asks, she goes to Joe at the clinic, claiming she’s sleeping badly, and asks for sleeping pills. Joe, of course, refuses to give them to her, and, as she has hoped, he calls Cal to warn her. Cal now redoubles her efforts to keep an eye on her - mother. Meg, complaining of another headache, asks for water to take aspirin and takes four tablets from abottle, which she holds so Cal can see the label has been removed. When Cal snatches it and demandsto know what she’s taking and where she got them,Meg “confesses” that she went to a new doctor for sleeping pills because Joe wouldn’t give her any. Seeing she’s got Cal where she wants her, Meg presses Cal to promise she’ll be there as long as she needs her. Rick’s New York trip comes to nothing when he discovers the prospective backers want almost complete control of the project. Jamie suggests that Rick talk to Meg again about dropping the suit, as every cent Rick has is being tied up by this litigation. Rick insists that Meg won’t do any favors for him, and he isconvinced that her suicide attempt and subsequent emotional instability are just a scheme to tie Cal to her. But he realizes Cal won’t be able to see it this way. Rick sees only one more possibility to his financial problem: Ray Slater promised to help him if hearranged a meeting between Ray and Jamie, which Rick did. As a result of that meeting, Ray informed Ian Russell that he might be able to get Beaver Ridge for him but will require a piece of the action if it works out. Rick arrives home to find a distraught Cal, who informs him that she was warned by Joe to watch out for Meg and, sure enough, she discovered her trying to pass sleeping pills off as aspirin. But Rick insists on knowing the name of the doctor Meg got the pills from, and when he attempts to call him, Meg backs down and admits there was no doctor and no sleeping pills—the bottle contained her allergy medication. Cal is horrified that she allowed herself to be taken in again by Meg in spite of knowing firsthand what her mother is like and warnings from the entire family. Rick insists that she get away from Meg now and go visit Betsy until he gets things settled. As soon as Cal has gone, Rick insists that Meg come out of the bedroom where she has barricaded herself, and tells her he knows her too well to believe she would ever take her own life. He tells her he admires her and would like them to come out of this as friends. Meg makes it clear that friendship isn’t what she wants from him. But when Rick picks up Cal, who now wants to get married right away, and | returns to her apartment, they find a note from her “loving mother” saying she and Rick are now friends and they should call her after they are married.  
    • Please register in order to view this content

    • As always, really interesting to get your impressions! I was only watching sporadically during this period (whereas I was transfixed during the Marian storyline), but if I remember correctly 1996 was a pretty rough transitional year. It came at a period where P&G was playing musical chairs with its executive producers--ATWT was hit especially hard by this. The current executive producer, Michael Laibson, is out in November 1996, replaced by Paul Rauch, who stays for nearly 6 years. While Rauch has a few really bad ideas that cause long-term damage to the show, those don't really kick in until 1999, and his first couple of years are very strong. So once you get to 1997, you should see the show rebound significantly. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy