ATWT: October Discussion

[jfung79]

I fell a day behind and hope to catch up.

Finished Wednesday's show and felt it was solid. Didn't feel a discontinuity from Tuedsay. I liked all the Jack/Janet/Parker/Liberty scenes and their differing reactions to the tragedy. I liked the gibbous moon (or whatever that was) story - even if it made Brad seem smarter/dorkier and thus more adorable than when the character was alive, LOL. I liked Barbara putting the money in Emily's hands. I liked Emily being affected by Brad's death and thinking about Liberty, as well as Emily's reaction to the loss of a baby again.

I liked Barbara's sadness over Brad's death too, even though their paths never crossed. I thought maybe she was considering he might be alive if she had released the money to Henry sooner, and Henry paid off Ralph Manzo. She's not racked with guilt like Jack or Henry, nor should she be, but there's still a "what if" there.

[jfung79]

Well, Craig said Jack wasn't a murderer, he still stood by the hothead statement. And Craig was kinder to Jack for the same reason that Katie was understanding to Jack while Katie also ripped into Henry - because there is a clear line of blame to Henry, while Jack was just trying to rescue Katie.

I liked Thursday's episode, including the musical montage at the end. I could dig a real Barbara/Henry romance too. I think Kreizman likes Barbara.

I thought the Lily/Damian stuff was okay. (Damian made a great point, Holden gave up on her, and Lily then also countered with a great point that Holden survived his kidnapping ordeal because of thinking of getting back for her.) It did also strike me as odd that she was still going on the getaway though. Maybe Lily never heard about Brad - Holden heard from Emma, but Lily was never at the farm. Lucinda maybe heard about it between when we saw her talking to Lily and when we saw her talking to Holden.

I agree that TC and MP were great, but Jon Lindstrom did fine to me as Craig, as did Cady McClain. (I was not as bothered by her batting eyes today, although she still did it.) Glad others also liked the family scene of Craig visiting Katie.

Holden was super stoic about everything, whether that be Brad or Lily kissing Damian, but I guess that's how he always is when he's not angry.

[P.J.]

^^^I know it's a decidedly minority opinion---I just don't buy Craig wouldn't rip into Jack, grieving or not.

[Mitch]

I watched yesterday for the first time in years, and the show was not bad, not great but not bad (this is coming off of watching GL for the last four years so I would think watching paint dry was interesting compared to that.) The last time I watched Barbara was a cartoon villian..it was nice to see her actually care about someone else besides herself. This was more Marland's Barbara..nuerotic but human. I just hope that Kreizman does not make Barbara ATWT's version of GL's Beth when he was writing...a psycho one day, a bitch the next, a victim the next, a heroine the next, whatever the plot suited.

It looks like ATWT actually still has sets...not a ton of them, but they do have them and actual lighting and no outdoor shots (for this episode.) Please cancel the show before they force it into GL's model. Anyway, it looked like Wheeler snuck over and stuck her "band," in with the song in the montage...though it wasnt wailing over dialogue and it actually fit the scene. All in all ATWT still looks like professionals run it..it just seems they need to light a fire and make it a bit more exciting.

[All My Shadows]

This Brad stuff is surprisingly working really well. It's easy to forget that while Brad/Katie might not have been an extremely popular couple, we've seen them go through somewhat of a journey together. The little part where Katie turns on "Oakdale NOW!" and Kim is on there introducing a Brad tribute show got me because it feels like an eternity since Brad and Katie were first paired up to host the show together.

[P.J.]

The week ended on a low note IMO with the Lily, Dusty/Teri mess. But I know it's hard to keep the intensity going throughout the week, so it was expected.

*dancing with the prospect of Maura's return Monday!*

[Chris B]

Kriezman definitely made a mistake dumping the Dusty/Bonnie pairing in favor of this mess with Teri. It is definitely the weakest part of the show and has ruined Teri, a once promising character, for me. Why not throw her with Casey, Alison, Maddie and Hunter? I worry Hunter will go the way of Adam as well. Poor Dusty, he finally got a good storyline and now has this.

They continue to do a good job with Katie, but I need Lyla back. Watching today I was remembering how odd it was that Katie was pregnant. I couldn't understand it at the time. "Really? Little Katie is pregnant?" That's all I could think. I'm so used to her comedic capers that I can't see her raising a child. Now to have to raise this child under such awful circumstances? That's going to be even more of a challenge. I'm glad the writers are showing this.

It worries me that November pretty much will decide if the show gets canceled or not. It's tricky with the new HW, but I do think they set it up this week for good retention next week. Hopefully Carly's return and the others do the show some good.

[Actor87]

I guess I'm in the dark, because I didn't know the decision to renew was coming so soon. Seems like every year, we sweat it, but ATWT makes it. Guess I'm just not used to hearing so much about it.

Friday's show wasn't stellar, by any means. The Teri/Dusty/Henry/Ralph mess all seemed a bit cartoonish....especially the showdown between Margo and Ralph in the Lakeview lobby and Margo calling into her CB that she needed back up and was in pursuit. Shouldn't she have some officers with her if she's following up on a lead about "such a dangerous man" like Ralph? And what was with the one-sentence call-out??...she didn't give a location or anything.

Lilden drama......basically fast-forward material. I did enjoy the Lucinda/Maeve confrontation. (THAT is how you do comedy within drama.....)

Loved seeing Margo and Kim comforting Katie. I wish we could have seen the Brad montage WOAK put together, instead of five seconds of soundless video clips shown in the background while Katie talked to Kim.

I'm with Chris---Lya, come to Oakdale!!!!! (We didn't even get a mention of Lyla....not even a mention of Casey when Margo and Katie were talking about the baby not having a father--Casey died when Katie was a tot, so I'm sure she never got to know her father, either).

P.J., prepare to wet yourself. Carly comes back Monday!!!!!

[Mitch]

Eh, Lyla is dull as dishwater....they dont have the money for vets, forget her, Kim and Margo work great as support and "mother," for Katie. And please if Lyla comes back,please no singing of her god awful Marland era songs.

Now this is a very shallow question, but what is up with Holden's hair. I am one of the few people who think he is hotter now then he was during his

angry stud," days, but what is with that mop on his head? Speaking of, Damien, who used to be so hot he didnt look real, looks drawn and pallid, was he sick?

[P.J.]

I think Holden's hair is an attempt to make him "hip". Instead he looks like a child who just awoke from a nap and didn't bother to look in a mirror.

I don't think PS has been sick. I think he's just naturally lanky, and he's not weight training.

[Chris B]

They have money to bring Lyla back. They're bringing five people back for JACK'S side in this story. You mean they couldn't sacrifice one or two of them so Katie's mother could return for a couple days? Just imagine how it would enhance these scenes. You could revisit the loss of Katie's father when she hadn't even turned 1! Plus Katie has never had something so big happen to her. It would really add a lot to these scenes.

And I never thought Lyla was dull for the record. I quite liked her.

[jfung79]

I don't think there's any information out there that a renewal decision will be made right after November sweeps. It's just going to be a key factor since sweeps ratings usually are, and we know ATWT was only renewed for a year to 2010. I hope if November ratings are just so-so, CBS will at least hold off making a decision to February or May sweeps.

I haven't seen Friday's (by most accounts, not as good as the rest of the week) episode yet, so I'll comment on that later.

[Soapsuds]

Sounds like a good episode. I havent seen Friday's show yet. ATWT could be better but it's improved compared to what it was. But is it too late??

Yes, they could have brought back Lyla/Anne Sward for at least a week of episodes. It's a shame she wasnt asked to come back.

[Actor87]

I'm still surprised Emma's not back yet. Last we saw, she was leaving on a church trip. But after Holden returned (from the "dead"), someone mentioned she was on her way back. Yet.....still no Emma?

ITA, Ron. ATWT has gotten better, but I guess Marland was the only one who truly respected the veterans. Still, after all these years, ATWT has a problem with not featuring veteran characters like they should.

[P.J.]

I know we saw Emma welcome Holden home. She's been MIA since, and hasn't been seen during the Brad tragedy.