3 hours ago, soapfave06 said:

Max and Blair have stolen the show for me since their NYE dance, I feel like I am watching a classic romance with Blair wanting more and telling Max she can’t be with a dreamer. The scenes of Blair with Addie, caring for her, do so much for her character. I am hoping Blair goes back to The Banner, but I also respect her stance and it doesn’t make Viki look foolish. I guess she is headed to work for Dorian, whose door she just knocked on.

The magic is just starting. This is when I knew I was really hooked. Ah! Just wait till Blair really starts parasiting her way into Dorian's life.

1 hour ago, Vee said:

But if anyone is dying for yet another take on late 1991 I'm sure mine will come sometime soon.

Me! Always ready to die for a fresh new take. ❤️

2 hours ago, Vee said:

I'm way behind on all this because I've been preoccupied by IRL and the current soaps (as well as some classic GH). But if anyone is dying for yet another take on late 1991 I'm sure mine will come sometime soon.

Count me in as well! I would be very excited to hear your take on it!

I absolutely can't stand this Alex Olanov Hesser circus clown. There, I said it.

If there's anyone who could make me stop watching this show, it's definitely this pathetic clown. The overacting, the ridiculous comedy music, the entire shtick is just unbearable. It's anti everything I like about soaps. It makes me feel like I'm watching a badly written animation or sitcom.

Now she hit Asa on the head to frame Tina because she wants Cain? I mean, seriously? The only logic I can find in this character is that she's mentally ill, which is the only way I can explain her bizarre actions all the time. But that is such a cop-out. She sucks the life out of the room, and sorry, but I have to repeat it - yes, some of Tonja's acting choices are just plain cringe. Can she have one scene where she is not animated and maniacal? Where she doesn't scream or stare with crazy eyes and constant Joker smile? Just one? Someone may say - well maybe it's the director's fault... but bitch this is just beginning to be a pattern and it's only with her. I don't know what's going on with Tonja... she has shown she can deliver amazing performances, but lately, it's just not happening. I loved her back when she was crazy about Bo and she didn't seem that clownish back then even at her most unhinged. She was like a dangerous sociopath, but not like a cartoon.

They really need to tone her down because the whole show is already filled to the brim with clowns. Let's not talk about Tina, Luna... or Mortimer. Let's just not. I don't want to sound like a hater. BUT. It's absurd how much better the other storylines and characters are, while we have this confused mess on the other side. There is no symbiosis between the two worlds. Thank goodness the clowns don't get that much airtime, but WHEN THEY DO, I find myself as irritated as I am right now. One minute Alex's main goal is to destroy Renee - OK, she's doing these ridiculous things, like robbing hotel guests, Natasha Romanova and some guy and then she suddenly decides she doesn't want Mortimer anymore, but it's Cain she loves, so now she has to do something naaaasty "cue the WITCH LAUGHTER and the the circus music"... TO TINA. It's all so PLOT driven and doesn't mix well with the rest of this exquisite and wonderful show.

However, I refuse to fast-forward and will keep subjecting myself to Alex talking with Bulge while looney tunes music plays for an eternity, just so Malone can deliver the other great storylines and memorable scenes. I'm biting the bullet, so to speak. But it's incredibly annoying.

And of course ALL of this is subjective. It's just my opinion. But tonight I had to stop after just 1 episode, I could not watch Alex Olanov anymore. I had to say ENOUGH for tonight, which is the first time I don't want to continue or don't even look forward to it. I hope she is not in the next episodes. I pray to God. This bitch needs to be retooled and reimagined in a new way.

Edited yesterday at 10:28 PM1 day by Maxim

1 hour ago, Maxim said:

I absolutely can't stand this Alex Olanov Hesser circus clown. There, I said it.

If there's anyone who could make me stop watching this show, it's definitely this pathetic clown. The overacting, the ridiculous comedy music, the entire shtick is just unbearable. It's anti everything I like about soaps. It makes me feel like I'm watching a badly written animation or sitcom.

Now she hit Asa on the head to frame Tina because she wants Cain? I mean, seriously? The only logic I can find in this character is that she's mentally ill, which is the only way I can explain her bizarre actions all the time. But that is such a cop-out. She sucks the life out of the room, and sorry, but I have to repeat it - yes, some of Tonja's acting choices are just plain cringe. Can she have one scene where she is not animated and maniacal? Where she doesn't scream or stare with crazy eyes and constant Joker smile? Just one? Someone may say - well maybe it's the director's fault... but bitch this is just beginning to be a pattern and it's only with her. I don't know what's going on with Tonja... she has shown she can deliver amazing performances, but lately, it's just not happening. I loved her back when she was crazy about Bo and she didn't seem that clownish back then even at her most unhinged. She was like a dangerous sociopath, but not like a cartoon.

They really need to tone her down because the whole show is already filled to the brim with clowns. Let's not talk about Tina, Luna... or Mortimer. Let's just not. I don't want to sound like a hater. BUT. It's absurd how much better the other storylines and characters are, while we have this confused mess on the other side. There is no symbiosis between the two worlds. Thank goodness the clowns don't get that much airtime, but WHEN THEY DO, I find myself as irritated as I am right now. One minute Alex's main goal is to destroy Renee - OK, she's doing these ridiculous things, like robbing hotel guests, Natasha Romanova and some guy and then she suddenly decides she doesn't want Mortimer anymore, but it's Cain she loves, so now she has to do something naaaasty "cue the WITCH LAUGHTER and the the circus music"... TO TINA. It's all so PLOT driven and doesn't mix well with the rest of this exquisite and wonderful show.

However, I refuse to fast-forward and will keep subjecting myself to Alex talking with Bulge while looney tunes music plays for an eternity, just so Malone can deliver the other great storylines and memorable scenes. I'm biting the bullet, so to speak. But it's incredibly annoying.

And of course ALL of this is subjective. It's just my opinion. But tonight I had to stop after just 1 episode, I could not watch Alex Olanov anymore. I had to say ENOUGH for tonight, which is the first time I don't want to continue or don't even look forward to it. I hope she is not in the next episodes. I pray to God. This bitch needs to be retooled and reimagined in a new way.

This is one of the reasons I haven’t made it through the Malone era, and I love camp, I loved the 80s but Alex, Cain, Tina, Mortimer, and some of the Gottlieb background music is hit or miss and drains the show of its energy but as you’ve said, what is good, is damn good, and is beyond a hit but then they swing and miss it is dreadful.

If I had the time or the talent I wish I could edit these episodes to take out the “comedy” attempts

Alex is one of my faves😭😭 Hopefully you'll like her better when she's paired with Asa.😎

5 minutes ago, soapfave06 said:

This is one of the reasons I haven’t made it through the Malone era, and I love camp, I loved the 80s but Alex, Cain, Tina, Mortimer, and some of the Gottlieb background music is hit or miss and drains the show of its energy but as you’ve said, what is good, is damn good, and is beyond a hit but then they swing and miss it is dreadful.

If I had the time or the talent I wish I could edit these episodes to take out the “comedy” attempts

This is precisely how I feel. You phrased it perfectly. I was even thinking of saying something similar earlier, like how I wish I could rewind time... and scream to them from the future "PLEASE EDIT THIS OUT!", but sadly... it's not possible. Still... Thank God they seem to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and don’t put the clowns in the spotlight too much. I honestly couldn't handle a constant dose of Alex Olanov in her current state. I would rather stop watching. I'm serious. She is THAT annoying. Especially when the tralalalalalala music is going on.

6 minutes ago, mar4331 said:

Alex is one of my faves😭😭 Hopefully you'll like her better when she's paired with Asa.😎

She actually started as one of my favorites. I found her very intriguing... I wanted to learn more about her daddy issues and delve into the source of her obsessive fixation with men... I still recall that moment when she told little Jessica that her father once gifted her a dollhouse, just before leaving and not coming back... which she has kept to this day. I preferred Alex when she embodied more of a Fatal Attraction sociopath (even if it's a cliche) rather than a circus mob wife. I even went back to her scenes starting from early 1991... and I loved the late summer Lake episodes where she stalked Bo and Cassie. That scene with the boat was sooo good - the music still haunts me. That entire sinister theme was fantastic... until they replaced it with the incessant mob circus clown music that plays in 1992-1993. So the situation is not entirely hopeless. I believe that if she is toned down and portrayed more as a serious antagonist rather than a comedic joke... she could be effective again. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed too! Hearing about a possible Asa pairing makes me interested indeed. Even though I will always remember Asa's hilarious fights with Renee and think - here is family. 😁

1 hour ago, Maxim said:

This is precisely how I feel. You phrased it perfectly. I was even thinking of saying something similar earlier, like how I wish I could rewind time... and scream to them from the future "PLEASE EDIT THIS OUT!", but sadly... it's not possible. Still... Thank God they seem to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and don’t put the clowns in the spotlight too much. I honestly couldn't handle a constant dose of Alex Olanov in her current state. I would rather stop watching. I'm serious. She is THAT annoying. Especially when the tralalalalalala music is going on.

She actually started as one of my favorites. I found her very intriguing... I wanted to learn more about her daddy issues and delve into the source of her obsessive fixation with men... I still recall that moment when she told little Jessica that her father once gifted her a dollhouse, just before leaving and not coming back... which she has kept to this day. I preferred Alex when she embodied more of a Fatal Attraction sociopath (even if it's a cliche) rather than a circus mob wife. I even went back to her scenes starting from early 1991... and I loved the late summer Lake episodes where she stalked Bo and Cassie. That scene with the boat was sooo good - the music still haunts me. That entire sinister theme was fantastic... until they replaced it with the incessant mob circus clown music that plays in 1992-1993. So the situation is not entirely hopeless. I believe that if she is toned down and portrayed more as a serious antagonist rather than a comedic joke... she could be effective again. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed too! Hearing about a possible Asa pairing makes me interested indeed. Even though I will always remember Asa's hilarious fights with Renee and think - here is family. 😁

Your timing is perfect twice-Jason and Dorian were getting the closest yet at the same time as your recent recap and now Alex is back. I can definitely see the difference between this iteration and the later one.

I will give major props for one thing to this era-putting Wanda in the thick of things! This is good comedy - Wanda becoming an overbearing aunt over Jason, convincing herself he is now a junkie, only to find him with Dorian, who she thought was frequenting her establishment for the clam chowduh only to realize it was for Jason (and assumes drugs) bringing the two into a cat fight with Dorian defending that she has hardly even one glass of wine. The scene of Wanda grabbing Jason’s eyes after he caught her going through his coat had me laughing out loud. I adore this woman and Jason so much.

“WANDA WEBB WOLEK DOES NOT COWER IN THE FACE OF A VIPER!”

Meanwhile rather it is the writing or production, the Lord-Buchanans come off so cold. In the 80s, Viki and Clint with the kids were some of the sweetest family scenes that balanced the absurd going ons but everything feels so cold outside of Megan with Andrew, Marty or one on one with Viki.

Sarah/Bo/Cassie at least got interesting again with Scarecrow coming up, but I know it goes nowhere; Cain keeping an eye on his competition in Blair is keeping Max, Luna and Asa interesting; Carlo and Alex are officially back and Hank appears visiting Alex in what I assume are his first scenes at the sanitarium.

10 hours ago, soapfave06 said:

Your timing is perfect twice-Jason and Dorian were getting the closest yet at the same time as your recent recap and now Alex is back. I can definitely see the difference between this iteration and the later one.

🤭 I love an unintentional synchronicity.

9 hours ago, soapfave06 said:

I will give major props for one thing to this era-putting Wanda in the thick of things! This is good comedy - Wanda becoming an overbearing aunt over Jason, convincing herself he is now a junkie, only to find him with Dorian, who she thought was frequenting her establishment for the clam chowduh only to realize it was for Jason (and assumes drugs) bringing the two into a cat fight with Dorian defending that she has hardly even one glass of wine. The scene of Wanda grabbing Jason’s eyes after he caught her going through his coat had me laughing out loud. I adore this woman and Jason so much.

“WANDA WEBB WOLEK DOES NOT COWER IN THE FACE OF A VIPER!”

Meanwhile rather it is the writing or production, the Lord-Buchanans come off so cold. In the 80s, Viki and Clint with the kids were some of the sweetest family scenes that balanced the absurd going ons but everything feels so cold outside of Megan with Andrew, Marty or one on one with Viki.

Sarah/Bo/Cassie at least got interesting again with Scarecrow coming up, but I know it goes nowhere; Cain keeping an eye on his competition in Blair is keeping Max, Luna and Asa interesting; Carlo and Alex are officially back and Hank appears visiting Alex in what I assume are his first scenes at the sanitarium.

Love my Wanda. Sadly she's been less and less seen lately in 1993. I miss her.

Up to March 30th, 1993

🦩

"A journey to LOVE SCANDAL."

🔷

Following one pretty rough episode... they have returned to TOP FORM.

🔷

Picture yourself on the final journey of a legendary train... and if that's not spectacular enough... now picture unexpectedly encountering your lover... just as you've made the decision to divorce your husband. It's almost too perfect. Finally no more shame, no more hiding. This is the fantasy that WE ALL CRAVE at times. 😁 While it may not be the most realistic scenario, who the hell cares when it's so beautifully romantic and exquisitely done. Watching the train approach... then the stunning interior scenes... Viki navigating from one carriage to another, heading to the restaurant... Sloan unaware that he is about to cross paths with her. Anna Karenina, darling... Viki Buchanina is upstaging you! The production quality was outstanding. Buchanina and Vronsky... I mean... Sloan... are finally UNITED. For how long... that is the question. But let them have their moment, they suffered enough for it.

🔷

Ladies and gentlemen... we have a new face in the show - this eerie, almost theatrically exaggerated, "religious" ex-con woman who is now portraying herself as a converted saint, preaching to the people about souls and forgiveness. JESUS CHRIST! Her hair is a mess, yet her face is flawless. Hmmm. Why do I sense that this is just her latest con, and that the town of Llanview is ABOUT to find out? Is this bitch going to scam her way in society? Is she going to steal someone's money? Cord was asking her to share information that could expose Cain, but she refused to be "bribed". I suspect this woman is in it for the long GAME. I had goosebumps. Angela Holiday, that's the name she's using... which likely isn't her real name... it sounds too "angelic" to be real. A devil in disguise? BRING IT ON, MALONE!

🔷

My newest favorite duo is Nora and Bo. @mar4331 That cute moment when Bo refused to leave her office and was flirting like a schoolboy... the fake migraine (he was the one pretending) that resulted in a kiss. AH! These two remind me so much of my husband and me when we were dating. The chemistry is electric. I truly adore them, and what stands out the most is that they aren't boring or irritating, like some of the new couples can be at first. They are a couple of mature individuals, they've both been around the block and that's what captivates me. Their love is REAL. It's not just youth's fantasy.

🔷

Now, let's talk about the scene that brought me to tears. You all know how much I enjoy criticizing Marty - calling her a despicable liar and a rumor-starting beast... but today, MAN... she made me weep. Listening to her confide in Jessica of all people... was special. The writers caught me off guard. The tale about her mother and the piano! AH. I can already feel they are getting ready to turn her into a heroine. Revealing her humanity and showing us she has a heart too. Without a doubt, the clip of the day!

🔷

For a final thought... the episode before this one was just unbearable - it was all about Alex Olanov...

I already said what I said about this clown, but I want to add that it's amazing how well the show recovers when they flatline or have a dull moment. They never have more than 1-2 flop episodes one after another.

Overall -  8.5/10 - Without Alex, it would be a perfect 10.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Clip of the day

The real face of Marty Saybrooke.

Edited 28 minutes ago28 min by Maxim