OLTL: Discussion for the week February 8

[bbmm]

I lol'ed when Rex said "Avalanche!" JPL's acting methods would works better on a sitcom, not a Soap Opera.

Today's episode was exciting and what I was hoping oltl's sweeps would be. I'm happy that finally someone fought back to Mitch and that weird psycho nurse. Brody should have just killed Mitch. I hate super villains on soaps.

Seriously! Starr and Cole have been on everyday and haven't done a thing. Why not show Christan and Layla?

[chrishntr]

The line that made me LOL today was when Mitch was yelling, "Ride him, Ride him, Ride him nurse."

[Soapsuds]

His acting skills makes me want him in the unemployment line. He is a shitty actor. He should NOT be an actor in any form. He sucks!

[SFK]

LOL, I also LOL'd when she was choking Brody saying, "Die already!", but honestly, I think I laughed to keep from feeling too disturbed by that.

[EricMontreal22]

I admit that often I like ghosts or fantasy bits in daytime--within reason. It can be quite touching when a dead lover comes back in a dream--I can be a sucker for that stuff. What I hate is when the ghost actually affects "real life" the way they have to an extent recently on OLTL (my famous example of that of course was Ghost Jessie on Passanante's AMC Awful). But lately what really bugs me is it's just a VERY VERY lazy plot device--RC uses it as one--because it's easier than thinking of a more creative or deep way of writing and showing that character's dilemna, or whatever, than having them get shouted at or told about something by a ghost. Also, on a more superficial level, I find SM pretty boring in these scenes--dressed in an overcoat and hat, telling Dorian off, without much of his usual humour. Meh. That's not the part of Mel I enjoyed.

[DRW50]

I don't think that was the part Dorian enjoyed either...

[EricMontreal22]

That Ride Em line was just bizarre even with Mitch's obsession about him being some simian beast of burden (I'm actually surprised they didn't have Mitch invent some special serum that turned Brody into some sort of ape/animal... Sigh)

I admit today's episode was at least more exciting than the last few--the OLTL people always do well with their sets considering what little space they have, and a few genuine surprises like Fish shooting the Nurse (just when I was getting ready to critique in my head the fact a super weak, lieing down Jessica managed to fire a gun and shoot her). But ugh, still such a mess of a show. Would Gigi really spend so much time SCREAMING at her sister (and yes I agree her sister was beyond evil to her) when the woman was minutes ago nearly dead? I don't think so, and if she would it's another reason I can't see why we're meant to root for the girl. Schuyler and rex was pretty much as bad. I still find it dumb they're all wandering around this huge mountain/park in the Snow and manage to find ANYTHING like a hidden observatory, etc, but I accept that's a soap convention.

I know Roscoe Borns has since spoken out that he shouldn't have broken his AMC contract ten years back, etc, but wasn't one reason he left that show because he objected to his character's child pornographer story direction? Does he think Mitch suddenly being so hot for incest is better?

I did love Roxy's malapropisms even more than usual--she had at least three good ones, and her friendship with Kyle (even if it still is pretty ridiculous given their history, at this point I'll take what I can get).

[SFK]

YES to all that, ITA.

I agree that it's a lazy plot device, and to me it further highlights the fact that Dorian has no friends which is a shame. As I said, I'm happy for SM to be working, but what about R.J.? I wasn't watching back then, but wasn't Edwina Lewis like Dorian's one and only bud for years, until R.J. and Lindsay came along? Not sure if Angela counts.

And you mention Jesse, that's another sticky issue with ghosts. I can accept that fine line/gray area between character's imagination and honest to goodness ghostly encounter, but sometimes within the story it really is nice to believe that the visitation is real. Of course Jesse's return messed with Gillian's crossing over story.

[EricMontreal22]

Yet it seems to be the only part of Mel she is constantly now hauntedby... Blah. (It would make more sense for Callison to play the role IMHO, but I still find it a cheap and overused technique)

[EricMontreal22]

I admit, while I like a good gothic storyline, I prefer if they caefully keep things like ghosts open to interpretation (OLTL hasn't really been good with that since at least their nutty 80s period to be fair--AMC always was very good at that, and careful, until the Jesse mess which to be fair may not even be Passanante's fault--where the ghost actually physically interacted with reality--saving Tad from being hung or whatever, I don't even remember why he was in danger of being hung lol--was after Passanante fled from AMC to ATWT in disgrace around rumours of firing). Unless, of course, this is actually a soap with supernatural elements from the get go, but IMHO it's not. (I know it's silly to think this way about a soap but, I do for instance find it harder to take things in Salem on Days seriously knowing that they already survived a demonic possession--I mean how bad can some human's machinations be of a thread after that?)

Dorian does need more friends--it does almost seem like Mel is the only one RC can even kinda remember to be even kinda sympathetic (and I know talk of the afterlife always gets sticky but don't you think Mel's already happy in the sweet hereafter with his first beloved wife and is in no hurry to have Dorian there too, or am I misremembering things?)

[EricMontreal22]

So apparently you can wtach yesterday's episode with FF and JPL doing DVD style commentary are abc.com:

"On Monday, February 15th, the blizzard on One Life to Live heats up -- which, scientifically, may sound impossible ... but once you see what happens to Rex, Gigi, and Stacy, you'll believe it. To celebrate this special show

, ABC.com will be showcasing an extra special version of the episode!

Starting the morning of February 16th, you can watch this episode in the ABC.com Full Episode Player -- like always -- but you will also have the option of viewing the episode featuring commentary by John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex) and Farah Fath (Gigi). Throughout the episode, John-Paul and Farah will pipe in with any thoughts they have about the episode, its taping, the writing, the effects involved (you'll see!), or anything else that crosses their minds. Think of it like the commentary you get on DVDs."

But it doesn't work in Canada where we can't see the full episodes--anyone watch? I have no idea why I'd wanna hear what these actors say, but I am kinda curious.

Which bring sme to another question--we CAN see the "More Life to Live" bonus scenes here in Canada (some were posted last week http://abc.go.com/watch/clip/one-life-to-live/SH000032240000/166653/250215 ) which I assume are scenes that were cut due to time? Or are they witten for the web? I wonder why AMC and GH doesn't do this, if they're just scenes that we cut for time.

[Vee]

Again, this storyline is at best a hoot, but it's not nearly as gothic as Mitch's last turn in 2003 when he hunted underground for a magical diamond, had his own castle (Lion's Heart) in an enchanted forest, and also tried to have sex with Jessica. This approach to Mitch started with Malone, and I do find this story relatively restrained by comparison, but that doesn't make it very good. I think the best and most grounded parts of the arc are, oddly, the parts with Stacy, Sky, Kyle and Fish, Kim, Clint, and yes, Rex and Gigi. The bit with Brody was hilarious, though.

Simple complaints about how they could write Mitch trying to bag Jessica ring hollow to me, though, because it happened seven years ago too. He's wanted her since he first came back from the dead. What I think makes it even more distasteful now, however, at least for me, is that they already did Tarty and a number of other bad sex/violence stories and are adding this to the pyre.

[DeliaIrisFan]

Will they be doing Mystery Science Theatre-esque commentary about their own scenes?

[EricMontreal22]

That's all I think they could do

[EricMontreal22]

You're right, I somehow forgot about Mitch wanting Jessica as his new bride, dancing with her drugged up body, etc. I guess cuz we never saw them in bed, but, yeah... you're right.

Still, as you say, the fact we've had so many of these stories it feels lately (and in the Higley era), it's just more and more. (I think in some ways I actually prefered the Bhadra Diamond story to this...)