I thought that was a stunt. The Danielle story was a disaster and I think it was, along with the Stacey crap, a big reason why ratings fell (the Dorian gay marriage story as well). It seemed to me that they just backburnered her because they had to try to retool the story. That led to the fakeout about Tea's illness, which was part of the Evil Eli crap.

This!!!

Didn't the ratings keep dropping at this time? The problem with the story for me was they just had random nonsense happen and they would make sure it was all blamed on Eli. None of it had any follow through. I still don't know what the point was in killing Melinda Cramer.

I dont care what it did for the ratings bc I know what it did for me

I think the show stopped caring about Todd/Blair long before FL returned.

The main problem with any Todd relationship is that the show does a little dance around depravity and abuse yet still wants us to see this as twu wuv. It is exhausting and degrading and ultimately hollow.

Thank you. Absolutely right.

I dont care what it did for the ratings bc I know what it did for me

Oh I don't mean to take it away from you - I could see why FL's performance would draw a viewer back in. I just wondered if it had any effect on the overall ratings.

Yeah, she was backburnered for like two months as they reshuffled and re-plotted half the show amidst a slew of firings. Then they launched the giant cancer/Eli/etc story which ate the show for most of the rest of the year, and Tea was all over that. She was not exactly hurting for story last year or the year before. I frankly welcomed the brief respite from Todd and Tea's endless love after the saga of Ross the kayak destroyer and why poor Dani should come to love her re-rapin' (or so we thought) dad.

As for why this story is happening, Eric, you say you don't see it as RC hating TNT but you also don't say what you see it as instead, or why OLTL is trashing them. I'm not debating whether you or the actors feel it trashes the couple or the characters; that is your business and your problem and you are totally entitled to feel that way. I'm asking why you think RC did it if he didn't a) secretly hate Todd and Tea or secretly worship Todd and Blair. If it is not about the bigger picture, namely giving each woman a "Todd" and setting the brothers against each other for years to come, then why did they do it? What other reason is there for Ron Carlivati to write this storyline in which TSJ becomes Victor Lord, Todd's twin brother who was intended to remain on the canvas? Is it a longstanding anti-TNT conspiracy? And if so, wouldn't they surely have pulled the plug long before now?

Edited August 18, 201114 yr by Vee

So not only does Victor Jr not remember he was brainwashed into believing he was Todd but RHTodd also doesn't remember he had a twin and was used as a guinea pig so Victor Jr can replicate his memories and entire life.... Seriously?

What was the purpose of RHTodd being held hostage and tortured? And why was Baker initially demanding from him to tell him what he needed to know at the compound before he escaped.

How useful was Victor Jr posing as Todd for the agency when he doesn't even remember? Irene went though all this trouble to create Todd2 and Victor Jr doesn't even remember he was doubling dipping between the agency and his life as Todd. Even now?

And this is why soaps have lost all credibility.

TSJ was screwed.

I don't know why you say TSJ was screwed. Wasn't he leaving the show anyway? He is starring in the most interesting story I have seen on OLTL in ten years. It sci-fi a little and doesn't completely make sense, but it is so entertaining I can make allowances for Irene's illogical schemes. Watching wednesday's episode it was Todd/Victor/Walker I started to feel sorry for, not Todd. Is playing the role of Todd > playing Victor? Why?

OLTL is going out with a bang and TSJ is right at ground zero of their key story. I think the last time I was able to watch OLTL regularly was back during the baby switch story with AMC, but this has fun going for it too. I just with Tina was on for this Lord Family Reunion. The writer is a genius and deserves a daytime emmy.

I so disagree on Ron deserving an Emmy. That would be like them giving MAB from Y&R an Emmy, which I guess means Ron has a pretty great shot

I so disagree on Ron deserving an Emmy. That would be like them giving MAB from Y&R an Emmy, which I guess means Ron has a pretty great shot

Fair enough, but tell me honestly which soap story currently on the air is more fun than this one where you feel like if you miss a scene a line of dialogue you should rewind? The info and story is coming at you so fast you had to hang on every word Irene was saying.

Fair enough, but tell me honestly which soap story currently on the air is more fun than this one where you feel like if you miss a scene a line of dialogue you should rewind? The info and story is coming at you so fast you had to hang on every word Irene was saying.

The writing is awful....lol. It might sadly be the most entertaining of the moment, but it is defiently not the best writing of the year. Far from it. This is the ONLY thing OLTL has going for it. Everything else falls flat and I wonder what Ron's backup plan is for once TSJ leaves bc none of the other stories hold the interest

I don't think anyone screwed TSJ, because in this case, given TSJ's history with re-negotiations, I happen to believe OLTL's version of the story, which really isn't very far apart from TSJ's own account. As I understand it, he didn't want to sign a multi-year contract, but OLTL refused to agree to only a single-year extension. As a result, he made it clear that he was leaving, and OLTL reluctantly wrote him out of the show despite wanting to continue on with both "Todds." When the show got axed from the network and pilot season dried up, he came back and, to his credit, said he'd be willing to finish out the end of the network run. Only problem is they had already begun scripting and shooting and these two shows barely have enough money left now to keep the lights on. TSJ's salary had already been recirculated throughout the budget. Therefore, no room at the inn. An unfortunate confluence of business and time. A very boring and undramatic story, but likely true.

I'm not saying OLTL and ABCD have not lied many times in the past about many things, because they absolutely have. But this story is boring and dry enough to have the ring of truth, and TSJ has done this dance with the show before, as has Michael Easton as well as many other stars on the network. I do know for a fact OLTL's coffers are bone dry now in terms of cash, and I knew that before the TSJ exit controversy began, so I know that point is accurate. IMO, the network's version is likely basically the truth - they would have kept him on as Victor, with Tea, if he'd come to terms sooner when the money was still there. We can nuance it out and say, 'oh, but they're lying because they could've done quick rewrites and reshoots like always' - well, maybe, maybe not. We know their budget is not what it was before. They're stretched very thin. Rewrites and reshoots are not so easy. "Oh, but they dropped in material for Roger Howarth!" Yes, mostly him alone with dayplayers and a child, which can all be taped and edited in without having to affect the current cycle of taping. With TSJ gone they had to write and shoot a quick exit arc - undoing that would've had to totally reshape the storyline and thus the schedules and thus the money. It's sad and boring and it's not an evil conspiracy, and I do wish he was staying, but I believe that story because it is so lame and bureaucratic and leaves both sides culpable, so it is almost certainly the truth.

I have to say, I haven't been as interested in a story, or coming to discuss a story, on any soap in YEARS. So kudos to OLTL for that.

I absolutely have to agree with this!

I absolutely have to agree with this!

+1. The story may have its holes but for the most part has been extremely entertaining and suspenseful!

With TSJ gone, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Victor has surgery to get his old face back and they have Roger Howarth doing his best Tomax and Xamot:

LOL!! Can you imagine?

Uh when has TSJTodd hit Tea?

I hope you're being serious. He hit her a few months ago, she then tied him up, they fought then had sex

Constantly? Spare me the made up events.

And spare me the moralizing on TnT when Todd and Blair are equally abusive.

Made up? Puhleeze You can only wish they were made up. Blair's been nothing but a prop for both

Maybe so, but we're talking about TnT, not TnB, nice deflection though

I still don't know what the point was in killing Melinda Cramer.

Neither does Ron Carlivati.