OLTL: Discussion for the week May 11

[tina m]

I would have tolerated having

if it meant we could see more Ray and Dorian. I love those two together.

[Cheap21]

really? They were added to the opening very fast after they were introduced. That made it seem as if there was long term plans to give this family some roots to this show

[DRW50]

They were also integrated into the canvas very quickly, as Sarah was dumped to make way for Vanessa, and they seemed to be setting up a potentially complicated relationship between Cris and Vanessa (as complicated as anything with him can get). Something seemed to change after a short time, as often happens with the stories on the show now.

[evermore]

I watched most of the week's episodes together and was impressed at how great Dorian's scenes were: with Langston, with Ray, and (to a lesser extent) Ray and Lola. Jack was great! I hope they write him a storyline and get him into some trouble, sort of like when Starr found Troy/Colin tied to that carnival wheel and no one believed her. Kyle menacing Natalie and Roxy was fun to see (how I love Roxy!) and Powell is interesting. But so much of the rest of the show really just felt like filler to me. I've said it before, but there is little sense of momentum or urgency about these storylines; it's sweeps month and we should be sitting on the edge of our chairs seeing Marty, Todd, and Powell back in that room-- and where is Zack? he may not be one of Todd's loves, but it would raise the stakes for Marty even further if Powell had dragged Zack to KAD too-- I can't say that these scenes are flat, but they're slow and it seems to me there is very little sense of danger in the air.

Worst scene(s) of the week: everything with John McBain. Close second: everything with Gigi. I'm not a fan of Stacy, but she's a lot more interesting than Gigi is.

[Antoyne]

"It's definitely going to be holy." Honestly I've loved Lola since she turned into a bitch. I'd keep her over Stacy.

[leevo64]

The problem with the Montez family was the casting of Vanessa. She just didn't work in the role and didn't make you care about her. She could have been a real vixen - something the show's been missing for a while. Instead she was just bland and played whatever the surface of the scene was. Lola, on the other hand, was cast very well and didn't really get a chance to show her stuff until this week.

I always find it interesting when writers introduce new families. I think the Morasco family started out really compelling until Stacy came around. RC needs to work on not overexposing them.

[Antoyne]

I definitely agree that Zack being here would've been more powerful. I know they brought him as a red herring, but if they were going to get Powell and have some version of Rebecca; Zack definitely should've been involved. I don't think we're gunna see Zack again unless OL is still on the air and want to revisit the rape again..as they tend to do.

Aww Markko and Langston are just ten times better than Starr and Cole..when will the show realize this?\

Kyle and NotRebecca have more sexual chemistry than Bro/Sis love. Ugh I wish they could find a way to keep Powell. He's a great villain but obviously once Batman aka McBain shows up he'll probs. be killed and this whole storyline as contrived as it is, will be over and he'll be gone for good.

ETA: If it's not obvious, I'm just getting caught up with Friday.

[Antoyne]

Well that was a pretty awesome cliffhanger and Friday in general. No Starr/Cole. No Gigi/Rex/Shane. No McBain...I mean I know a lot aren't a fan of the Todd crew, but I could watch them everyday.

When I first read about the Lola reveal I was a little skeptical but it was actually handled well. Just a solid eppy in general..I mean I like Brody/Jess but they were totally filler and as such I ff'd most of their stuff. Bree talking is cute though.

[Toups]

I could watch them everyday too.

[JackPeyton]

[EricMontreal22]

Oh I agree--I love Gordon RUssell OLTL from all I've seen and became a fan in the first Malone/Griffith era. But under Peggy O'Shea OLTL at least was quality over the top camp--when she left/was fired or whatever and Schnessel her replacement took over it just became... BAD imho.

[Vee]

I was a little too harsh. The visual aesthetics and some of the dialogue are relics, but I think aspects of the Rauch era are obviously beloved for a reason, and should be used well and not shunned; Cord and Tina, Gabrielle, Max, the Niki stories, Dorian and Herb, the Buchanan dynasty, you name it. I don't begrudge RC for trying to meld the present with the best of the '80s and '90s - he hasn't always gotten it right, but I think it's a good idea. Turning up our nose at the '80s for being, well, '80s is as foolish as doing the same for the '60s, '70s or '90s - OLTL gained a powerful longtime viewer base from a lot of '80s stories.

[DeeeDee]

Jason Tam :wub:

[EricMontreal22]

Ha, yeah I actually completely agree. To be fair Rauch (until under Schnessel etc it started to run out of steam) certainly found a niche for OLTL in the "rich people with camp" soap style he seemed to find for the show. Carlivati is smart to balance that out as long as we don't go back to last Summer in terms of 80s hommage.