ATWT July 2010 Discussion Thread

[Soapsuds]

<OBJECT width=480 height=385><PARAM NAME="movie" VALUE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbr6d0Y-mqA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><PARAM'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbr6d0Y-mqA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><PARAM NAME="allowFullScreen" VALUE="true"><PARAM NAME="allowscriptaccess" VALUE="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbr6d0Y-mqA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></OBJECT>

[Ann_SS]

2.5 months too many, I say. It isn't July, but I'm posting here anyway.

If all Luke had to do quit to eliminate the conflict of interest of Reid running the neurological wing, why didn't Luke do this sooner?

I love Reid. He is difficult and snarky, but ESS makes the character so charming and entertaining.

Was the bad music during the Reid and Luke scenes supposed to be romantic? A kiss at the end, instead of Luke fixing Reid's collar would have more than done the job. Also, I see that Reid and Luke are appearing once a week. Nice show, nice.

Barbara and Vienna fighting over Henry. Really, show, really? RME.

Barbara: I'm his beard

Vienna: No, I'm his beard.

Henry: Don't worry, you can both take turns as my beard.

Daniel Cosgrove looks bloated. What is his issue?

[P.J.]

Sigh...the best Babs can do is call V a hypocrite? The Babs of old would have followed her initial "you bitch" with a scathing list of all of V's dirty laundry.

Oh, and btw, cbs.com has the extended ATWT tribute that was prepared for the emmys up. It's not perfect, but better.

[Soapsuds]

I've only seen the first half but I think the reason Babs wasnt the Babs of old was becasue of the script writer., David Smilow. He doesn't know the history of the show. I think if Susan Dansby or Penelope K. had written today's show the Babs scenes with V would have been more powerful.

[P.J.]

Yes, I find the Smilow and Koechil shows to be kind of lacking. I understand they had to grab some writers quick who wouldn't mind the gig was very short term, but geez, considering they've let scores of scriptwriters go, you'd have thought they could have found someone with some history with the show. As appreciative as I was that Kim and Babs (and Chris) had a family scene...there's NO FLAKKIN' WAY Babs' Aunt Kim would have encouraged her with "there's no man Barbara Ryan can't get"...or whatever Kim said exactly. Especially if it was Henry.

[Soapsuds]

Penelope is from the 80's Marland era so she should know the history of this show. Smilow is a GL reject. I wish they woule have brought in SW that knew the history of the show. The Hughes luncheon with Barbara was a nice touch. But I also had to laugh at some of the lines they gave Kim to say.

[Mitch]

I don't know...I think Kim has changed her attitude and mellowed towards Babs, seeing as she hasn't kidnapped, framed, or schreeched at anyone lately. I think she in the terms of the storyline at least, sees that Henry is good for Babs, (the only think I can see them doing is drinking martinis, trading bitchy banter and cruising for men together..but the show tells me Hank is straight so...) and wants to encourage that. Especially since CZP and Babs is soooo smoking hot right now. The scene was just missing Lisa dropping in and saying "Now isnt Henry gay???I am sure he is..have you had sex yet...did he try the back door dear. I remember that awful Michael Shea wanting to try that and I refused..I have a perfectly good area up front...." Nancy from heaven, "Lisa dear, you are NOT helping!"

[ChiTownBoi03]

Yeah I was rather bothered by that scene. Barbara nearly wiped the floor with Emily the other day, it should have been fairly simple to put Vienna in her place.

[P.J.]

Okay...a current history with the show. The Marland era is an eon ago.

I don't object to Kim supporting Babs' relationship with Henry (although even that seems like a stretch since just last summer he was dressing in drag and conning Kim by being "Geneva Swift") but I would have liked to see some Henry/Babs/Kim interaction to justify that reaction. But I still don't think Kim would have whole-heartedly okayed Babs running after ANY man. Kim's never been that way. Look at the way she counseled Chris to "back off" the reluctant Katie.

I know, I know...silly of me to expect something stupid like that.

And I know every story needs to be wrapped up (or paid attention to) but this is one HELLUVA long week with day after day of Katie and Vienna having the same flucking conversation. Add Allison, and it becomes unbearable.

Boy, how I wish all of Carjack's problems could be solved with some BLING like Paul and Em's.

[Franky]

Remember when Emily and Henry used to be pals? Wouldn't it be nice if the writers actually made that part of the story?

[P.J.]

Emily did seem to remember their friendship today. Odd, since she and Paul have said all of two words to Henry since the half-brother reveal, and I don't remember much of it being friendly.

Barbara has been about the only reason to watch this week.

Thank GOD Carjack return next week.

[Soapsuds]

She has always been love since the 70's:wub:

[P.J.]

It is one of the few graces that as the show winds down, Barbara is getting more airtime. It's hard to realize that she's (arguably) the vet that embodies the "modern era" of the show best.

[DRW50]

That's so well put. Barbara has changed with the times (although I think ATWT of all the soaps is the one where the vets have most adapted to different eras -- and not sh!t like oh look, Katherine Chancellor can fly a helicopter), but she is still recognizable. Aside from the years when she was treated as a loon I've always understood her and what she's going through and CZP is so great at playing all the different facets of Barbara, the bitchiness, the concern, the vulnerability, the need for love and support. I think she's really helped the show this year and I will go as far as to say if they'd given her better stories before now then they might have kept some of the viewers who left in 2008.

[juniorz1]

And so my ATWT pimping continues. My God, why the hell does a show this good have to be cancelled? And, more importantly, why weren't Goutman & Pissy doing this from mid-2006 to mid-2009? My thoughts:

-I know Carolyn Hinsey HATES it when a show only plays one story a day, but ATWT took it a step further & basically only played one story all week. And folks, it worked. Yes, the whole faking the pregnancy & will they or won't they get married? angles have been played to death on soaps for years. But as Dena Higley said in a recent interview, a story has the potential to be different when it's played with different characters facing different complications. And the Vienna/Henry/Barbara storyline just works for a myriad of reasons, listed below.

1. Colleen Zenk- She's #1 & bolded for a reason guys. Her performance as Barbara is simply flawless. Over the years, I thought her acting had gotten a little OTT, but man, has she ever reined it in for this storyline. I don't know if her personal problems have freed her as an actress or what exactly has happened, but man, every line, every bit of subtext within each line, every quiet moment is all played to absolute perfection. Barbara is a bitch, she's vulnerable, she's tough, she's overbearing, she's middle aged & in love, she's just everything that is divine in a soap character & this storyline is a showcase for all of the qualities that make Barbara....well, Barbara. If Zenk doesn't get an Emmy nomination in 2011, something is very, very wrong. Honestly, even though everyone speaks as though these last acting awards would be the final ones for ATWT, I think it would be much more fitting if Colleen got the final win for the show, and her first. God knows she deserves it.

2. There's comedy blended with the drama- I can't remember the exact line, but even Vienna had me laughing this week, and I pretty much detest her. From Henry's drunken stupors, to Katie's one-liners, to the Babs/Vienna exchanges, this week could fill up SOD's Classic Lines section no problem. Hell, even Dr. Bob got in the act, with his dry sense of humor. His line about hoping the food is good (considering the rest of the wedding) had me rolling.

3. Henry has chemistry with a woman!!!! - Dawson played it pretty gay in the beginning of his run & it's worked against him ever since the writers decided to try to say he'd always been in love with Katie & forced that God-awful "Hatie" pairing down our throats. But you know what? Dawson & Zenk are FIRE! Who'd have thunk it?

4. Everybody got in on the act- It always helps a story when you rope in a lot of people on the canvas, but it REALLY helps when you bring in some of the most entertaining characters. Yes, the story has mainly been about Vienna/Henry/Barbara, and to a lesser degree, Katie, Chris, and Casey, but this week we had Paul, Emily, Bob & Kim in on the fun, which added so much to it.

5. It's truly suspenseful- For a storyline that at it's core is a love story, I was on the edge of my seat throughout each episode this week. Will Barbara spill the truth to Henry about Casey? What was Vienna doing in Chinatown? Will Barbara get to tell Henry about the fake pregnancy before he marries Vienna? Who knocked Barbara out & locked her up? Will Barbara escape in time to stop the wedding? Will Katie or Chris accidentally tell Henry the truth, thinking he's already heard it from Vienna? Will Henry stop his own wedding? I had the luxury of watching this week marathon-style and let me tell ya, I couldn't start playing each next episode fast enough!

My only quibbles are that Katie is ridiculous for helping Vienna lie & trap her best friend into marriage. Yes, this is something Katie would herself do, but why the hell is she helping Vienna do it? And Katie & Chris deducing that Vienna told Henry the truth based on NOTHING was beyond far-fetched! But other than that, bravo!

-The resolution to the Meg storyline was great. Though it was a bit out of character for Emma to go along with Paul & set up her own daughter, I still thought everything was damn good in that story. Marie Wilson has come alive once again as Meg, like she hasn't been since she first started in 2005 and was until they paired her with Paul in 2006. She was magnificent this week & has been ever since "Nut-Meg" began with the Damien story. Meg used to be one of my favorites when Wilson first came on & I really liked her until ATWT "Pauled" her, but became a fave once again as this story started. She's been wonderful & I'm really going to miss her. It's sad that she won't be around for the end of the show and didn't get to participate in the finale (unless there's something we don't know)

-Eric Sheffer Stevens rocks! Yeah, they only played him one day again, but man, is that guy GREAT. Screw soaps- I have no doubt we'll be seeing him in primetime very soon. It's too bad 'Boston Legal' is cancelled because he would have been perfect for that show.

-Terri Columbino broke my heart in her graveside speeches to Brad. I always loved her as tart Katie & thought she had a great flair for comedy, but for me, drama was always her weak point. But man, has that girl grown as a dramatic actress. Kudos!

-And finally, we had a Ciccone-free week! Can you believe it guys? No Janet or Libby or even Craig this week! Yeah, that meant I didn't get to see Carly or Lucinda either, but you have to give a little to get a little I guess.

Either way, this week made for some great soap. Honestly, I'll be positively shocked if ATWT doesn't get a Best Drama Series nomination next year. They already have plenty of episodes to choose from, and this week had a couple that I think would be great Best Show choices.