B&B: October Discussion Thread

[sheilaforever]

Interesting development: B&B trying to be socially relevant - the last time was a looooong time ago.

http://homelessinla.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/a-skid-row-actress-talks-about-cbss-the-bold-and-the-beautiful/

[AllMyDaysatGH]

I really enjoyed today's show. It was very moving....I think B&B did a fantastic job with this. I love how none of the Skid Row stuff was scripted. They interviewed real homeless people and they shared their stories. This ep really made me stop and count my blessings..

I think there will be more tomorrow? From reading the article sheilaforever posted up there I think there will be...

We did not need those useless Taylor/Brook scenes. And WTF was up with Taylors hair? She looked a total mess!! She was so irritating today. I really don't like her.

[Cheap21]

Forget what I said the other day, yesterday was the most black people Ive ever seen on the show. I lost count. Overall it was a pretty good show

LMAO, look at this pic from SOW. I really want B&B to go there

[DeeeDee]

Taylor's head would explode.

[P.J.]

I know this is well-intentioned...but it's ridiculously out of place on B&B. It'll make the return to lily-white and self-involved LA even more glaring.

[MrPrezident]

Gotta say... I wasn't too impressed with the skid row ep. To me, it's just Bradley Bell's attempt to snag another Emmy. Sorry, Mr. Bell - try again. Stop looking for stunts to snag you the gold and instead learn how to write some well developed, character-driven stories and lets leave the hard hitting news to Ms. Walters. Thanks!

[sheilaforever]

I think you're being too harsh on Brad. I don't see this as an Emmy stunt. Mother Bell herself was actively present at the shooting, I could even see it as being her idea...

Plus Susan Flannery was probably excited by it - so Brad intended to please but not Emmy voters.

@ P.J.: It's uncommon for B&B nowadays to switch between camp and serious drama. But the show was best when it did both at the same time.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

I thought for the most part Friday's episode was excellent. I enjoyed all of the interviews. There were some parts where I got distracted. Like the part where Stephanie was speaking with the guy and his family....all I was focusing on was the TV in the background that the kids were watching cartoon network on LOL. That TV was pretty loud lol!! It was weird. I was glad when the guy moved somewhere else, and I finally could zone in on only what he was saying.

Loved that whole chorus group! They have such great sync and they sounded great. Loved watching Stephanie serve food to the homeless. B&B took a lot of risks with this and I commend them for that. It was kinda choppy at parts, but overall I think it was a success....

I knew you were going to say something like this!!

[bellcurve]

These two "very special" B&B episodes made my eyes roll so much that they almost stayed in the back of my damn head.

Exactly. What happens when the cameras leave SkidRow...and everyone is still homeless, poor, and living paycheck-to-paycheck? It's hard not to call this a stunt when we've seen Brad Bell drop the ball so many times on these social issues or make a complete mockery of them. Brad doesn't, nor has he ever excelled at telling social issues. The actors have sold this stuff more than the actual writing, which is often quick paced and devoid of any sort of reality.

I found it laughable that Brooke and Stephanie would be working in soup kitchens.

And even worse, I found it offensive that they had Sue Flannery go up to all these people(mainly minorities) and interview them. For what, exactly? I think the show's purpose was to bring to light what we all knew was going on, but it was weird seeing this rich, old white lady coming in and "trying to understand" like she's Michelle Pfeiffer or Hilary Swank trying to make a difference. What would have made the better (and more believable) story is Marcus being on SkidRow, witnessing what was going on with everyone down there and bringing this to the attention of the Forresters who eventually see what's going on and volunteer to help. Even rope Stephanie in that way. But Stephanie, by herself, wanting to help the poor? PLEASE. It rings false that this rich, white, Conservative bitch Stephanie would(all of a sudden) care about poor people...even when she's dying.

We all know good and well that

and that Brad will go back to another round of Taylor/Ridge/Brooke dominating and eating up airtime.

I want to know what will happen when the cameras stop rolling down there and Brad is done exploiting SkidRow for his third Emmy(Yeah, I said it). Will Brad do some sort of charity event every year a la "The Nurses Ball" and encourage viewers to participate by donating money or buying t-shirts that benefit the homeless?

No sh*t.

Yeah, but really? You didn't see this as an Emmy Grab? He hasn't mentioned anything else he's done this year as being his "Emmy Shows," nothing else is coming down the turnpike, and that last bit at the end with the black folks singing...if that wasn't some careful Emmy editing, I don't know what the eff was.

But B&B's GOOD serious drama has never been about homeless people, HIV/AIDS, or cancer.

B&B's serious drama has always been women in peril, people on the brink of death, losing the love of your life to someone else, etc. I love Brad's work, but social issues have never, nor will they ever be, his strong suit.

At the same time, I think it's okay for Brad to have a niche for his show and just accept it. He doesn't need to be Agnes Nixon or Claire Labine. B&B, at it's core, has always been about fukced up, rich white people. There's nothing wrong with admitting that and there's nothing wrong with B&B centering around rich white folks. You just have to write it well.

And not just for six months out of the year when you try or take input from your actors or other members of your writing/production team. I mean every day of the week.

[P.J.]

I don't know if it's an Emmy grab, or just a way to placate mommy (and perhaps reluctant to re-sign SF). I can even see it truly being a way to build a relationship between Steph and Brooke, to allow Steph to see a "better" side of "ValleyTrash" Brooke.

It's just being handled ridiculously. Steph drives herself to SkidRow 3 hours after getting out of hospital from major surgery. Brooke traipses after her like a puppy. No angry dispossessed homeless. And I still haven't figured out why Dayzee "stole" Steph's scarf (or hung out with other snarky teens at the amusement park) if she's such a bleepin' humanitarian. And why on earth is she sleepin' with her BABY on the streets if she knows everyone running the shelters, etc?

[DRW50]

I don't know why Brad Bell decided that impressing critics and patting himself on the back was more important than producing a better quality show. It's all so condescending, and while the soap press seems to be eating it up, viewers have probably seen it all before, judging by the ratings drop.

I don't think Brad Bell has done any of these social issue stories well -- although none can be worse than the nonsense with Beth Logan.

[Cheap21]

that would be fine if they didnt do this every other year. Ive lost count of the many times Steph has "accepted" Brooke. Its riduculous bc it means nothing and never lasts for long. It'll probably last a month before she's back to hating and trashing her. Im sure once Taylor tells Steph that she suspects Brooke is out to pounce on Thomas, she will join in her crusade to get Brooke away from him.

I thought the same thing. Is CBS helping them out by donating a signifcant sum to this homeless shelter or doing something for the community? That would be the best way to justify them doing this instead of using them for their story and then moving out and forgetting about them

[P.J.]

AGREED. In fact, that was the second thought I had---another so-called detente that will be blown to smithereens at Brooke's next stupid stunt. If this had been about anything other than that, it would have been Taylor or Pam with Steph.

[bellcurve]

Yep. Making a mockery of Alzheimer's to B&B's mostly older-skewing audience....the disease his own father died from. How lovely.

And thank you for using the word condescending. I wrote my post so early in the morning and I was searching for the word to sum up my thoughts. And that fit rather perfectly with this.

Bingo!

I get the feeling CBS wants to forget about this. Luckily for them, Brad Bell has adult ADD.

[DRW50]

Sometimes I think Brad Bell is still stuck in the 80s. That's what this story reminds me of, and a lot of the early B&B stories tend to be trotted out in one lap after another. Bill Bell eventually moved on -- Brad seems incapable.