B&B: April Discussion Thread

[bellcurve]

Exactly my point.

Riker played it like she was a nutjob because that was the way they wrote it.

[Cheap21]

I just saw that and I was thinking she is not that good an actress.

Are these heffers honestly trying to blame Stephanie for murdering their crazy mother? Threatening to get an attorny and press charges. WTF?

[Cat]

Thank you. I always thought Riker was seriously mis-cast -- and not just because I was secretly hoping that Judith McConnell (Sophia, SB) would land the part. Riker played Beth like she was in shock -- in shock at having to slum it on B&B.

Gareis is fun as comedic fodder but the moment they have her try to emote, it is all downhill. God. Remember when Owen thought Donna was the love of his life for one hot second? That was painful acting from the both of them.

[DaytimeFan]

Without question Riker was seriously miscast. Too young, a redhead, too shrill, just all around not great and you're right, she played it like she was slumming it which just isn't appropriate, if Joan Collins can do GL without the 'I'm slumming it' attitude, everyone else can too.

Judith McConnell would have been marvelous as Beth Logan.

Patrick Duffy does a far better job as Stephen because he seems to be enjoying himself and does the best he can with crappy material.

[Juliajms]

I think you did miss a scene maybe. This show is pretty forgettable right now, but I do recall B&S having a longer confrontation than that. I don't think anything original was said either way though.

[JellicleCat]

Hasn't Beth always been a redhead though? If my memory isn't completely off base both Nancy Burnett and Marla Adams were redheaded as Beth.

[DaytimeFan]

Marla Adams, for sure, was a dirty blond Beth Logan:

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Nancy Burnett, from what I recall, was a brunette?

[JellicleCat]

Wow, that was not how I remembered Marla at all. I guess my memory is worse than I feared.

In my defense though, I don't think she was on for very long, and it is a long time ago.

[DaytimeFan]

A lifetime!

[SOAPSFOREVER]

I don't B&B was doing an Alzeheimers storyline per se with Beth. The character just happened to be stricken with the disease off camera, then came on camera at various points to show how the disease was robbing the Logan family of their mother. Then this final arc ended with the tragedy at the pool, and the Forrester-Logan feud was re-amped all over again. That's been the mainstay of this show for 23 years. Periodically, things happen to re-energize the feud. I'm thinking this is just another way of doing that. I think Robin R. was miscast as well. Maybe that's why they decided to let the character die. But the fact is that Beth's been a marginal character for many years. I don't think she's going to be greatly missed. the fallout of her death could be much more interesting. From what I know of the disease, the elements they played with Beth were accurate. Personally, as a viewer, I'm glad I didn't have to witness Beth's slow and long demise on camera. I like the way this was handled.

[DaytimeFan]

As a physician and as someone who was a caregiver for someone with dementia (not Alzheimers, but related), Robin Riker did a terrible job and what the show focused on was not accurate, particulary Beth's moments of 'clarity' versus her moments of total memory loss and the associated emotional swings.

And no, this wasn't an Alzheimers storyline, I never said it was. Rather, I said that Alzheimers was not written properly or respectfully.

For a man whose own father died of the disease, Brad Bell really butchered it.

[Rakesh]

As expected, Heather Tom kicked ass in today's episode.

[MarkH]

Beautifully put. B&B missed the opportunity to tell the real story of dementia: The slow attrition of the self. But, honestly, we never expected that from this show, did we?

The saving grace is that it should give new basis for the Brooke-Stephanie hatred, and that has always been the coursing blood of this beast. The question is how a rumored

might play into these dynamics....

[SOAPSFOREVER]

As a person who's known people with Alzheimers, and been close to several, Beth's portrayal of an ASPECT of the disease was very close to what I've seen. Perhaps it's the same with Brad. Maybe his father's symptoms presented themselves the way Beth's did, and that's what Brad was basing the story on. Just something to think about before condemning the guy, or making it seem as if he intentionally wrote a story that wasn't "properly or respectfully" written.

[SOAPSFOREVER]

Again, the point is: B&B obviously didn't want to tell a "real story of dementia." If they'd chosen to, fine (though I'm sure the moment they started down that path, viewers [and some posters on this board] would have started grousing about it being such a dark and depressing subject), but that's not the story thrust. I like that Brad didn't go that route. Life is depressing enough. I have friends who've died of the disease. I don't need to see it played out day after day on a soap. Just my opinion.