BTG: February 2025 Discussion Thread

[Alan]

It could very well be a lie. Also, I heard her say "gone," rather than dead. Gone could mean any number of things.

Wow, this goes to show how deep BTG's advertising campaign has penetrated the mainstream. 

[DemetriKane]

Thank you so much for the love

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[Contessa Donatella]

Hon, you are more than welcome. I meant every word/

[detroitpiston]

Random observations after rewatching the first week

Episode 3 is still my favorite so far. The opening tag sequence with Martin’s bad dream shifting to Anita worriedly staring out the window with her thoughts racing as we hear the elevator running with Vernon entering the room transitioning to Hayley and Caroline watching Dani holding Bill at golf club point was chefs kiss.

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Excellent directing that hasn’t gotten enough credit and I hope this is the standard the show holds itself to going forward.

Hayley having to wear her bold leopard print coat the entire time she was at the country club meanwhile pretty much all of the Dupree’s were coat checked on walk in was an interesting way to display her lack of belonging.

I love the nuance being played with Bill and Dani, very rare to see on the other US shows at the moment. Both are right and wrong, behaving awfully, and playing a game of vengeance. Dani just happens to be more unhinged and they did a great job showcasing that and how the alcohol consumption exacerbates it. A lot of this reminds me of the Sonny and Carly divorce era from the mid 2000s on GH that lead to her full mental breakdown (and year of multiple recasting). I do hope Friday’s cliff hanger wasn’t a fantasy because they played Dani being a ticking time bomb excellently and I buy her going to this extreme.

I’m convinced there is more to Mona not having a family, felt like a huge anvil drop seeing it again.  I think she might have actually had a child but given it away (with Eva, Laura, and Hayley being the potential baby)

Leslie is crazier than cat sh!t and I want to give Ted the benefit of the doubt just cause he and Nicole work so well for me as a couple lol. I’m standing on Eva not being his kid for real until proven otherwise

I agree that the show needs more next generation male Dupree’s who can carry the name. I hope we find out about a banished brother and/or sister of Vernon’s who’s own families can lay claim to the wealth and legacy.

Martin was a really essential role that they should have cast a stronger actor for. That scene with him and Bill at the wedding could have set up an amazing beef but Martin’s actor couldn’t match Timon KD’s stature.

Speaking of miscasts I dislike Ashley and her boyfriend even more on rewatch I hope her airtime decreases going forward as I’d rather see more Kat and Tomas and Naomi and Jacob

There is a lot of story potential for characters who work at the country club and the diner as the show goes forward, I hope we see additions there. They also need another strong male or two in Bill and Ted’s age range and Anita needs a diva of similar status to beef with Stephanie vs Sally, Erica vs Brooke style

In five episodes this is already the best US soap currently on air and internationally they’re tugging at Eastenders feet which I consider top of the crop. I’m still pinching myself that we even have this show. My mama hasn’t watched a soap since the Avants got purged from B&B and DOOL brought back the devil possession story but she called me raving about this! I hope it continues to be a great ride and revitalizes the genre

Edited March 2 by detroitpiston

[janea4old]

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[Planet Soap]

Agreed that We need a competing Grand Dame for Anita. Based on the promos, and without reading the description, I thought that's what Nicole was going to be.

[Forever8]

Call my running theory crazy or whatnot, but I suspect Mona is going to end up being Hayley's biological mother. 

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[Contessa Donatella]

So in your theory, Hayley NOT an orphan?

[skiman12082004]

I totally did not catch that; great eye and you are absolutely right. But, Hayley, once she took off her coat was basically in her bra, so there's that too

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[AMCOLTLLover]

Now I’m finally done with Episode 0004 02/27

Naomi-Bill scenes were my favorite! I really loved how Naomi told her Father how she really felt and that he doesn’t deserve any respect! But I do start to believe that Bill actually loves Hayley. But I Side with Naomi. It’s One Thing to Fall in and out in love with someone but cheating is another thing and Not Right. Loved how she blew him off. 
Hayley trying to make amends with Dani. Ugh. She really means well but is so naive. I mean. Hello? Dani just slapped your Face the other Day lol

It is so weird seeing Dani with Chelsea and how much tough love she is giving her. I felt sorry for Chelsea. But Yay. Andre- The Ladys Men lol I enjoyed how he made that Shooting work and let them all relax. And damn. That hook up was hot . But didn’t expect that.

Ashley is this Soap operas Token nurse! Every damn Soap has their one Doctor or nurse that gets their few storylines here and there but is mostly used in that Hospital. 
 

wait… Did Lesley ran Laura over from that Street so her daughter could take over that Job? Wow. That’s nuts lol

[Contessa Donatella]

Hayley is really something, isn't she?

The way she gets too close to people, right up in their grills, 

the way she is a gold-digger,

the way she betrayed her best friend,

the way she was ungrateful to an entire family who took her in & treated her as if she was one of their own family,

as mentioned, the way she dresses,

that she actually took cookies to try to get Nicole to pick her over Nicole's sister, Dani,

that she seems to want them to stand in a circle holding hands & singing Kumbayah!

Apparently so! Michele Val Jean has been hiding one side of herself.

THIS, all of this, even the part I deleted. And, remember: A rising tide lifts all boats! This is me, hoping for a soap opera renaissance!  Oh, yes, I wanted to mention that now I've gotten ANOTHER friend to watch BTG!!! I feel like a drug pusher but I don't care. 

Edited March 2 by Contessa Donatella

[Aback]

Finally caught up with the shows and the threads! What I love:

 

• The intro. It’s not basic in my view - it’s not that modern either because it doesn’t follow the trend of modern shows like White Lotus, Game of Thrones or even Desperate Housewives, where the show takes you through an animated journey for the whole opening credits - but it’s fine. I love the theme. 
• Karla Mosley. I’ve never been a fan. The minute the news was out that she was cast, I was like “Noooo”. But she’s won me over. I disagree with people nitpicking her acting. She’s doing what’s demanded by the character. Dani is supposed to be larger than life. 
• Nicole. I love that she’s so grounded, she’s actually intriguing and nowhere near the “holier than thou” attitude similar characters have on other shows. 
• Leslie. Omg she’s giving me life. The actress has charisma and we’ve been craving a vixen for years. I wonder if she’ll do “soliloquies” like Bill Bell’s villains used to do all the time. 
• Anita and Vernon. Enough said. 

 

What I don’t like

• Why. So. Many. Kids

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  Was it really necessary to saddle these women with full grown kids?! Me thinks NOT. What distinguishes Kat from Chelsea or whatever? I’ve lost track. They don’t have a definite personality. They don’t have any original, inspired character flaw. They’re interchangeable. It reminds me of Bill Bell filling the Forresters with around 3 extra kids that TPTB haven’t known what to do with for 40 years. Plus these girls will be pregnant before Year 1 ends. I’m not dying to see 70 year old Anita as a great grandmother (which she already is via Martin, but Martins kids are adopted) or 40 year old looking Dani as a grandmother. 
• The exposition. Sorry, most of it was really unnecessary. You don’t see new shows like White Lotus filling us with exposition even though every season there’s new character. Ted used to have a twin brother? We don’t need to find out in one clunky sentence. Let us connect the dots. And then maybe yes explain it to us like we’re 5. 
• I’m sorry, I know I’ve repeated this over and over, but if they aren’t packing the weekly episodes into 1 “prime time like” weekly episode, for people to binge, they’re missing their opportunity to reinvent the genre. 
• I wish there were more comedy, a la Desperate Housewives. I suppose Vanessa will provide comic relief - I like her a lot - but I’m wondering if Cadys character won’t make her redundant. 

More to come…

[Maxim]

OMG. I was waiting to hear your thoughts and you did no disappoint! I agree with... most of everything. And I think that special part about ALL the episodes into 1 huge EPISODE... is an amazing idea. It reminds me of what the Turkish soaps are doing - they are streaming one... nearly 120-180 minutes episode every week. And that model is working very well for them. 

[marceline]

I’m caught up. A few thoughts:

• The complaints about the dialogue make sense. Something to remember though is that everything is tell and not show. It’s the soap version of world-building. I’m confident the dialogue will get more natural once we don’t need to be reminded of who everybody is.
• The look of the show is amazing. Hair, makeup, fashions, sets, etc… A little over the top for my taste but I know what they’re going for so I’m not going to complain. I’m having a little trouble figuring out how old everyone is supposed to be and who’s related to whom because Black don’t crack” and everyone looks amazing.
• I’m not going to pretend that I remember who all these characters are and I don’t want to ding anyone’s acting skill. Something actors seem stronger than others but a lot of them are newish and this is a whole new world for them. I will wait to see who pops out. For me right now it’s Naomi. That actress had to portray a lot of heavy emotions and I think she did well. By the end of the week, she was the character my eye looked for.
• I have my issues with Kara Mosley but I think she’s best right now when she lets us see Dani’s hurt. Her version of anger gives me Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest vibes. It’s one thing for Dani to be extra. It’s a whole different thing for Dani to be crazy.
• Tamara Tunie looking like Storm in a satin suit was the Black History Month present I didn’t know I needed.

[AMCOLTLLover]

And now I’m up to Date After watching 

Episode 005 from 02/28

Crazy Leslie and Eva.. She is the daughter of Nicoles husband Ted? Ok. Interesting Plot Development! I’m all up for more scenes of my Girl Nicole and that Likeable Ted. 

I don’t really get the vibe that Hayley is a Gold Digger and did all of it on purpose. Of course going for her best friends Father seems like it but it feels like they actually fell for each other. They (Hayley-Bill) could’ve handled it better with all people involved but I don’t feel like they did it on purpose.

Dani is such a Chemistry Magnet! I really enjoyed her today with André again. I even felt sorry for her After her desperate attempt to reconcile with Bill. I’m with Nicole on this. Bill is a Jerk and all but he wasn’t cold and cruel to Dani After begging him to get back together. Nicole is totaly Right: in how many more ways does Bill have to Tell her that he is not in love with Dani anymore! Gosh Girl!

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Dupres popping up in all black was a nice little twist. I saw that from a Mile Coming and from Spoiler pics but it was still funny.

Cady is Finally in the Show! Yay.

Bill threatening Martin. Uh oh. I hope martin will get a Bit more confident and fight back. I don’t blame the actor for Coming off a Bit Green in his scenes. That secret traumatized him and he delivers that vibe to me. 

Vanessa is married. That Part Slipped my mind. Wow she is doing all those role plays and going for nearly all men while being married. LOL OK. Didn’t she learn nothing from that Bill-Dani Situation?

Cliffhanger was Great but will be resolved as a Dream i guess Like always on soaps lol 
 

Edited March 2 by AMCOLTLLover