Been catching B&B here and there on POP and why are Charlie and Pam written like a situation comedy? I was cringing during their scenes. The actor playing Charlie is not good and Alley Mills sunk to his awful level. JMO.

And why do they dress Jacob Young so horribly? It gives me flashes of them trying to make Ronn Moss look all fashionable in colors and crap.

Maya looks fabulous but I agree this story was all about the shocking moment of the secret coming out. Brad will eventually lose interest. I realize I haven't seen every episode but the little I've seen just isn't working all that much for me. I wish it would. I don't see why it's getting all of this praise. I applaud them for having a transgender on the show but eh ...

Charlie and Pam have always been written like that...

As for JY…yes I hate the way they dress him up….those big ugly ties….LOL….with all the weird super bright color shirts…...

I'm a supporter of the transgender story, but here are some of the problems:

1. Maya should've been made more sympathetic and an underdog who innocently became the victor in her longing for Rick, rather than being underhanded re: Caroline/Ridge. Lots of viewers have no sympathy for her.

2. The Charlie/Pam scenes this week were horrendous. It made a joke of the whole subject matter. And who really deduces, "Maya... is... transgender...." as the father from Small Wonder stammered, as they tried to guess why Maya would be taking estrogen. Wouldn't menopausal Pammy have a clue about women needing estrogen? I would've sooner accepted Charlie saying, "Maya was born a man!" rather than transgender. At least that statement would be a normal reaction.

3. Nicole is not dumb. She should see Wyatt coming a mile away. Clearly, he has an agenda. He could've at least waited a couple of days before dropping hints about 'secrets.'

4. It's not making as big of headline news because it's The Bold and the Beautiful. The Bold and the Beautiful has never been relevant in U.S. pop culture. Never. If it were Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or even The Young and the Restless, then yes. ABC and NBC (well, DAYS) were always the buzz-worthy soaps, not CBS. And certainly not B&B.

I will say this, that the build-up and the fake-outs and the private conversations with doors wide open is reminiscent of James Reilly's style of writing. I fully expect Maya to start having daytime nightmares of Rick's angry, fiery reaction to finding out the news, only for her to snap out of her daydream or wake up from her nightmare after the commercial break.

I'm a supporter of the transgender story, but here are some of the problems:

1. Maya should've been made more sympathetic and an underdog who innocently became the victor in her longing for Rick, rather than being underhanded re: Caroline/Ridge. Lots of viewers have no sympathy for her.

This is what makes Maya fascinating. She's complex, neither good nor bad. She's lived a very difficult life. Been shunned by her parents. Left home at an early age. Dealt with the whole gender issue, etc. She is an underdog, but a flawed one, a human one, and for me a more interesting one. Viewers may not have sympathy for her at this point, but perhaps her journey from this point on will endear them to her, or at least help them understand why she is the way she is, flaws and all.

2. The Charlie/Pam scenes this week were horrendous. It made a joke of the whole subject matter. And who really deduces, "Maya... is... transgender...." as the father from Small Wonder stammered, as they tried to guess why Maya would be taking estrogen. Wouldn't menopausal Pammy have a clue about women needing estrogen? I would've sooner accepted Charlie saying, "Maya was born a man!" rather than transgender. At least that statement would be a normal reaction.

I like a bit of humor injected into the storyline. B&B plays some beats very broadly to relieve the dramatic tension. If everyone reacts the same, it makes for very similiar scenes. Pam and Charlie have aways been over-the-top characters. Their reactions seem very true to who they are to me.

3. Nicole is not dumb. She should see Wyatt coming a mile away. Clearly, he has an agenda. He could've at least waited a couple of days before dropping hints about 'secrets.'

No, Nicole isn't dumb. But she's vulnerable, having grown up in a home with parents that as far as I can tell were very strict and dominating. Maybe she just wants to be liked for herself, or better still, loved for herself. Any guy who seems to offer that, well, like I said, she's vulnerable. To me it humanizes her more.

4. It's not making as big of headline news because it's The Bold and the Beautiful. The Bold and the Beautiful has never been relevant in U.S. pop culture. Never. If it were Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or even The Young and the Restless, then yes. ABC and NBC (well, DAYS) were always the buzz-worthy soaps, not CBS. And certainly not B&B.

I think B&B has made a big splash with the transgender story. It's been mentioned in the LA Times, CBS MORNING NEWS, E!, and many more news outlets. But to be honest, soaps are still considered second tier entertainment by the mainstream media. Outlets like the NY Times will mention trans issues on television, naming GLEE and ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK for their portrayals of trans characters, but it completely ignores daytime's contributions. (ALL MY CHILDREN didn't get huge press from the mainstream media, either when they did a trans story. They got a lot of accolades from the soap press, but not the general media at large, so I don't think it's because B&B isn't "relevant in U.S. pop culture.") I applaud B&B for pushing the envelope. My problem with Y&R right now is what a cliched mess it is. Nothing new or original in its stories, just recycled melodrama from Chuck Pratt and company. B&B is at least trying something different.

I will say this, that the build-up and the fake-outs and the private conversations with doors wide open is reminiscent of James Reilly's style of writing. I fully expect Maya to start having daytime nightmares of Rick's angry, fiery reaction to finding out the news, only for her to snap out of her daydream or wake up from her nightmare after the commercial break.

Like you, I could do without characters overhearing private conversations, too. It's very soapy and outdated. There are ways to create situations where someone accidentally overhears without having a door ajar. It makes no sense that Maya, who is so intent on keeping her secret, wouldn't immediately close the door when the subject is brought up by her sister.

It's been about 2 weeks...according to rRck is Maya still so Feminine, and beautiful and what you should know as a true woman? Is she honest and does she have Integrity, and she is honorable? I got tired of that contrived stuff like 2 months ago. Is Maya still completely truthful and would never lie to me/Rick? Design all jewelry and clothing according to Maya because no one would be different than Maya - so her body is the best...so every piece of jewelry and clothing should fit and be Maya and Maya only.

Honestly this may come down as the dumbest storyline in history next to Clone Reva on Guiding Light or Marlena Devil on Days.

At least Maya's engagement ring looks half decent. The one Caroline got was just an insult.

I'm a supporter of the transgender story, but here are some of the problems:

1. Maya should've been made more sympathetic and an underdog who innocently became the victor in her longing for Rick, rather than being underhanded re: Caroline/Ridge. Lots of viewers have no sympathy for her.

2. The Charlie/Pam scenes this week were horrendous. It made a joke of the whole subject matter. And who really deduces, "Maya... is... transgender...." as the father from Small Wonder stammered, as they tried to guess why Maya would be taking estrogen. Wouldn't menopausal Pammy have a clue about women needing estrogen? I would've sooner accepted Charlie saying, "Maya was born a man!" rather than transgender. At least that statement would be a normal reaction.

3. Nicole is not dumb. She should see Wyatt coming a mile away. Clearly, he has an agenda. He could've at least waited a couple of days before dropping hints about 'secrets.'

4. It's not making as big of headline news because it's The Bold and the Beautiful. The Bold and the Beautiful has never been relevant in U.S. pop culture. Never. If it were Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or even The Young and the Restless, then yes. ABC and NBC (well, DAYS) were always the buzz-worthy soaps, not CBS. And certainly not B&B.

I will say this, that the build-up and the fake-outs and the private conversations with doors wide open is reminiscent of James Reilly's style of writing. I fully expect Maya to start having daytime nightmares of Rick's angry, fiery reaction to finding out the news, only for her to snap out of her daydream or wake up from her nightmare after the commercial break.

Great observations:

1. Yep, when Brad decided this around Xmas, the scripts should've been tweaked to show the warm side of Maya - yes, she acknowledged that being nice didn't get her anywhere, but when they decided to make Rick a complete jerk in February - Maya should've been stronger in terms of calling him on it. (Hello, they won!) Instead, Maya just stands by and lets Aly rub her feet? What?

2. Ugh, I loathe these characters to begin with - they aren't funny and have no real ties to the show (sorry Pam, but you were riding Stephanie's coattails). Of all character to spit that out, Charlie is completely illogical. This is Brad talking out of both side - we're treating it with respect and want to educate, but we'll let the two dumbest and irrelevant characters invade Maya's privacy and make it a big joke

3. Nicole - yep for the schemer, she sure turned dumb after getting attention from a rich guy. Nicole is a perfect example of how B&B is pretty horrendous at introducing new characters and having them go all over the place - particularly women (Caroline, Maya, Quinn, etc.)

4. For the 'most watched' serial in the world, B&B is way below the radar here. Part of it is CBS the other part is that the show has really never done anything buzzworthy. I can't think of a single, remarkable storyline - it's all pretty much triangles with siblings involved.... Plus, it still has the air of a knock off - substitute Bold for Young and Beautiful for Restless. (The name is still kind of a parody.)

Brad promised a big "love story" aka happy result, but to make that happen is going to be a stretch. Will viewers really buy that Rick will accept her after the endless diatribes about Maya's femininity, womanhood, honesty, no secrets, etc. Rick has been horribly written during the past three months: the takeover could still happen without Rick being a total pill - and they are other ways to communicate the things that Rick adores about Maya instead of laying it on so thick about being the perfect woman. Funny how Rick really never commented about Maya's looks etc. during the previous two years. He always focused on her substance - loyalty, support, etc. so it comes across as incredibly shallow - a far cry from what we saw from Nov - Jan.

Great observations also @ edgeofnik:

What you said about Maya was exactly what I posted a week or so ago. Someone disagreed with me about it-- saying that Maya didn't need to be popular and having an unlikeable side makes her more complex. I wasn't talking popularity, I was talking humanity. Also, this is not a novel or a play or even a art house film-- this is Daytime TV, a soap, there is little lattitude for trying to build so many contradictions in a single character...especially these days. In terms of making Maya more of a sympathetic/empathetic figure, you either 'go big, or go home'.

Like I said in that previous post--you can't have Maya shouting at Carter that she will not accept being bullied, yet be so docile and stand idly by as Rick humiliates his cousins, particularly Ally, who is more like Bambi caught in a pair of headlights. The fact that she has laughed and giggled at the situation, never even subtly trying to get Rick to modify his tyranny, makes her a lot less rootable in my book.

I still think that when all is said and done, though, Rick will still come out of this situation looking the more sympathetic figure than Maya, despite his tyrannical ways. I also see him turning to Caroline, if not for romance, then for comfort and friendship, bringing even more conflict with Ridge.

Nicole is just treading water at this point. This is probably the most interesting storyline that Wyatt has had in quite awhile but it is a disappointment for the Nicole character who could have, should have been more interesting. What is a high water mark for Wyatt is mediocre for Nicole.

Honestly this may come down as the dumbest storyline in history next to Clone Reva on Guiding Light or Marlena Devil on Days.

Hardly.

Besides, what about Passions? No particular story, just in general.

I absolutely hate when guys post douchey mirror pics...

+∞

I can hardly believe that Carter blabbed to Ridge, Maya is gonna crap a purple turd.

I realize this is all s/l dictated, but you don't wait until you get a freaking PROPOSAL to tell your romantic interest that you're trans. That's like month one of serious dating, and frankly, there are plenty of people out there who would be down with it day one.

By the way, I've never heard Rick and Maya say, "I love you." Do they say that often? Or more specifically, does Rick say it often, because that adds something. I've heard his excessive obnoxious gushing about her, but never the L word.

By the way, I've never heard Rick and Maya say, "I love you." Do they say that often? Or more specifically, does Rick say it often, because that adds something. I've heard his excessive obnoxious gushing about her, but never the L word.

Rick said it once LOL that situation was so funny. Maya ASKED him to tell her he loved her and he was just trying to avoid having to say it for like a complete episode until he finally caved and said it. It cost him so much energy to do so I thought for sure they were gonna be his last words.

Edited May 3, 201510 yr by Markjeh

Wow, that's interesting. Thanks!

Wow, that's interesting. Thanks!

He was extremely enamored of her when he was playing penniless Rick and for a time after that. There was that one episode where they were running down Rodeo Drive and she tried on clothes she couldn't afford but he could and she was all wide-eyed and he was all mesmerized.

I might have actually tuned in for this s/l had it begun with Maya looking at herself in the mirror and expressing some fear or uncertainty about where she was heading in light of her introduction as the struggling, grieving mother. Then the sister could have shown up to reveal why Maya was nervous. This insta-trans story takes the focus off the character on whom it belongs in favor of focusing on the keeping of a secret (which is seemingly more important than what the secret is about). If Maya is totally okay with who she is then even though she may be afraid of Rick's possible rejection, living a truth should trump all of that and she should want someone who accepts her.

The bullying by Maya and Rick ruined the storyline for alot of people. Neither character is rootable