Days: July 2023 Discussion Thread

[Liberty City]

Is everything about looks with you?  Just because you don't find someone attractive does not mean they're not. 

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[AbcNbc247]

Got anything else for today?

Ehhh… maybe he could have made Leo somewhat likable

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, yeah, we'll put it around: Van Hansis, Miracle Worker! 

OMG, Galen's eyebrows are really horrific. 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges
Oh yeah

[Soapsuds]

I haven't seen the rest of it. Is there more?

[ranger1rg]

I don't see a whit of chemistry or anything else between Wendy and Johnny. And tbh, there's not much there with Tripp, either.

Maybe someone can explain to me why Wendy is worth getting into a huge beatdown fight over. I really have no idea what makes her special.

And yes, I know Tripp is laid back/mellow/boring --  but the answer isn't to pair him up with laid back and mellow and boring Wendy.

I think Soapsuds knows that. We all have our own opinions about attractiveness and sexiness and chemistry.

The fact  (MY fact) is that Soapsuds is right about Greg Rikaart. I think Rikaart is attractive in a generic sense and that he's one hell of a good human being. I don't think his character is likable and rootable, and I blame both him and especially the writing.

If Dimitri is USING Leo the way he's using Gwen, I'll buy this storyline "romance." But no, it's not believable that Dimitri is so hot for Leo that he can't take it any longer. If Leo were unbelievable eye candy, I might buy it...but not with Rikaart.

[j swift]

It is amusing to me that Marlena has a blazer for every occasion.  Today's gingham number was perfect for deprogramming someone during the summer.  It says, "I like hypnosis and picnics in the park."

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I like the Wendy and Li dynamic.  I think it would be strengthened if we got to know their father and the rest of their family a bit more.  I thought it was clever to use Li's obsession over Gabi to inspire Wendy to make a choice between Tripp and Johnny.  Even though it is entirely predictable that she'll choose Johnny and then pine over Tripp until they get together, like every other love story in Salem (see Xander, Chloe, Sarah, Rex, Nicole, EJ, and Eric for examples).

Can we talk about Rafe's use of Botox?  Those dyed eyebrows are permanently angled in the most distracting directions.

Finally, today, I liked the Gabi/Stefan scenes.  I could see where they are attracted to each other's fiery nature.  It's lost the contrived nature that they dated a few years ago and now are trying to rekindle their relationship.  Unlike Nicole and EJ who make no sense to me, and seem to have completely forgotten about their shared past, Gabi/Stefan are a dynamic duo, and it only took one Spanish pejorative to convince me.   

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Edited July 11, 2023 by j swift

[Michael]

I don't think Leo is unlikable because of GR's performance. I think he generally does a good job with what he's given. It's just largely Too Much of what should be a very, very supporting character, and they've done too many fake-outs where he seems to learn a lesson and then regresses with no explanation. And it irritates me that they seem to craft entire scenes and scenarios around giving him these pithy one-liners that would largely be funny in isolation but feel like they come at the expense of solid storytelling, characters I care about, or even basic logic.

Of course, there's the larger problem that they don't know where the line is with him hitting on every straight man he comes across. It's one thing for him to make a comment to Gwen about how hot Xander is, but the constant sexual harassment is a bad look.

One thing that I struggle with, with GR in the role, is that he's very clearly a guy in his mid-40s. It seems like Leo was conceived and introduced as someone who was supposed to be, like, 28, and they still write him that way. But I'm sitting there going, "This man is 45 and should know better." That factor aside, I don't think the casting is an issue with Leo.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Michael

[ranger1rg]

But isn't that factor enough of an issue? Enough to affect every element of the writing for the character?

I do co-sign to most everything you said about Leo as a character and how the writers have botched it.

[j swift]

I was intrigued that they sort of addressed this issue yesterday when Leo was in bed with Dimitri and being told to keep it a secret, he lamented that every man he goes after is either straight or otherwise attached, which actually made me pity Leo a bit.

However, these are two strong points.  If Leo was saying, "I'm not getting any younger and I need to find a mutually loving relationship", I would sympathize with the character and applaud the creativity.  Yet, writing him as 30something slacker is disingenuous and alienates the audience who sees that is not what he is.

Edited July 11, 2023 by j swift

[Michael]

I can see what you mean there. There's just such a weird disconnect for me -- I just don't pin that on Rikaart, who I think is doing a good job with the material he's been given, and it isn't his fault he isn't 28 (or doesn't look it). Once they decided to make Leo more of a regular thing, I don't know why the writers didn't adjust accordingly.

They could totally have written into that!

It always felt odd to me that Will and Sonny were mixed up with this dude was a good 10-15 years older than them, and that was never an issue, but Leo being with Craig was SUCH a scandal. There's actually a bigger age difference between Zack Tinker & GR than there is between GR & Kevin Spirtas!

[Contessa Donatella]

 

[j swift]

She recycled her Valentine's blazer? 

[Soapsuds]

They definItely should go there with Tripp and Johnny. Flush the girl.

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[Contessa Donatella]

I know, how that must have bugged her!

My friend the Costume Designer says blazers are in all the stores now, or at least were a month ago when he said this, and all the actresses suddenly wanted blazers & Deidre has more selection than the stores do! 

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Then, he shared that Genie Francis will only wear black blazers. I think he was a little sad. 

Personally I thought she looked fabulous one day last month in just a soft harvest green blouse with pants & no jacket. But, it was a shock. 

[ranger1rg]

The age difference is pretty much the same, though. Besides, I think the whole age thing plays differently once a character is in his 60s.

Why the hell would they want Wendy when they can have each other?
 

I did have to laugh at both actors smiling right before they knew they were to go into that BroHug+ move LOL. Tripp became interesting for about 10 seconds.