While Episode 1 had more of a build for me, I enjoyed Episode 2 just as much.

 

I guess...outside of the recent return of the Newman Ranch on Y&R...I really have been conditioned to be used to small sets or everyone living in the same place in sometimes implausible ways. But the sets here are just so spacious. It almost takes me out of the scenes because I want to explore the background with my eyes. Just a sight feast. I think my favorite was the main Dupree set during the Vernon/Martin scenes. 

 

I loved that there was a lot of establishing this episode. Like the aforementioned Vernon/Martin scenes. While they had moments in Episode 1, it was really focused on the ladies. It was nice to get more of a feel for them as well as the deepening of the relationship. Vernon came across fuller in depth to me here. And I guess I can see why since they gave intrigue with Martin's dreams and that conversation with Anita and Vernon at the end...basically hinting that they know why that is. And more importantly...does Bill know, too? Cuz that was what that conversation sounded like.

 

Speaking of intrigues...is Nicole's assistant Hayley's Mama? Cuz that conversation with the other younger assistant and then the camera going back into the scene between Nicole and Hayley made me go hmmmm as much as that assistant's reaction. And not to be outdone, the reveal of who Ashley is friends with...and one of those 'friends' looking at Nicole's man? Uh oh...what game are they playing?

 

Yes, the mother/daughter duo debated. And I already like Eva. She was sooo sweet in her scenes with Ashley. And then to see the switch in her vibe...my kind of villainess. I also like her style. Leslie's lingering look on Nicole's man was mos def intriguing. How does she know him?

 

Hayley came across more likeable this episode for me. If Delulu. Meanwhile, Ashley was better established here, and I found myself more invested in her as a character. First day at work, nervous about not doing right is totally relatable. And look at more of her connections showing. Her being close to Eva and Leslie and it seems like that was for a while. Meanwhile, her and Andre have a history as friends. Oooo.

 

Andre, Andre, Andre. I was trying to piece together how connected he was to Nicole because of the family tree that was in the special. But I didn't think Andre was Nicole's son. So...a nephew. And the real dad died...if I heard correct? Is he connected to Leslie? 

 

I am liking Bill, but he isn't menacing enough for me yet. Which surprises me. Though I did giggle when he said aw hell no when Hayley told him what Dani did.

 

I thought it was funny that Dani vanished halfway through the episode. Just in time for her to show up in the coda. I actually wasn't feeling KM today as much as I did Episode 1. But TT gave throughout. Her body language. Her looks with double meanings. She even gave a bit of bougie when Dani suggested she would move out of Fairmont Crest. And I giggled at her look she gave to Vernon when he said Bill seem sincere. #theshadehunni She was soooo good.

 

But we know I had to save my favorite for last cuz Nicole's death stare to Hayley's suggestion she help her assimilate into the community was EVERYTHING. But I liked to see more of Nicole this episode. And her FOINE man...giving Sterling Brown to me. And then her vs Hayley. Daphnee was ooooo so good. Her looks. Her vibe. But I just love the fact that we saw Nicole, the family woman with a career and then we saw Nicole in a confrontation...two different shifts...back to back...and Daphnee navigated that beautifully.

 

I'm curious to see how people react to Martin and his husband. I like them as concept. Pretty to look at. But I was not feeling them...yet. But given how this show is very good at changing my mind on that, I know that will happen with them. And given the topic of gay interracial relationships still can be a topic at times, if that will be exploded on this show as well. 

 

I see the transitions and fade to commercial were better in this episode so the close ups were on point. 

 

Good episode. It was nice to feel more invested in characters that I didn't care for in Episode 1. Good intro of other characters. And even the other side characters have character to them. It was giving old school Y&R when you had all them side characters and they had their own personality/life/stories. 

6 minutes ago, Joseph said:

THIS! She had me in TEARS, Actual Tears during the Doug's Death storyline! Man she hasn't been given this good material in at least 7 years!

Longer!!!! But, this year, my God, that woman can act!!!

25 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Mike Manning! 😍

So glad to see his handsome face on my TV again. And to see him on a soap where the head writer doesn't hate him because of how he identifies. And he looked adorable with the glasses 😍😂😂

That being said, he and Brandon Clayborn didn't seem to have that much chemistry though. They seemed more like friends or co-workers, then husbands. And they could've at least shared a kiss. Not just because we want to see it lol but because it could have also been used as a chem test as well. We'll see what happens from here. The little hints that were thrown out in their scenes are really interesting to me. Btw, is that Brandon Clayborn's real voice or is he putting it on? 

Dani seemed more sympathetic today. I liked how she had that tough exterior yesterday but then nearly broke down today with Anita. That's a good character trait. And again, Dani's relationships with the people around her is the thing that's been standing out to me the most so far. I'm looking forward to her scenes with Bill tomorrow

The Vernon/Bill dynamic really stood out to me today as well. With the little hints that Bill was throwing out today, and with Anita and Vernon's final scene, I wonder how their characters arcs are going to play out, between the three of them and across the entire canvas as well.

I'm enjoying the surprise with Hayley too. Based on the promos and what we've heard, I got the impression that she was gonna be just as villainous as Bill. I like that there's a bit of mystery as to whether she's being sincere or not.

Eva/Leslie gave me a little bit of an Ada/Rachel or Mona/Erica vibe. And judging by the look that Leslie gave Ted at the hospital, I think we know what that might mean.

And yeah, Andre/Sean Freeman is beautiful 😍😍

They always did 😂

hehe. Yeah, I've seen him with glasses on DAYS. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Cheap21 said:

No bc Dani is supposed to be the younger sister and looks it. I also think Nicole will be more layered character with Dani being more one dimensional. Daphne’s a stronger actress with more range which I think we’ll see with her character. 

I agree, If She Could Make Valerie/Vincent Somewhat believable, and that was no easy task, and be a Be a Good Rachel on OLTL, she can play the Black Marlena Evans to perfection

As she noted in the specials, Daphnee went out for Dani but the role was always earmarked for Karla by MVJ IIRC. I don't have a problem with it. As many of us have noted, Daphnee comes off like she has already been running this show (with the elders) like a young Kathryn Hays for ten years.

36 minutes ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

They seem to be intentionally making him appear as a dork. No idea why. But actually Mike Manning is a very handsome and sexy man.  

How weird. That quote is from Cheap21, not me. Which I replied to because I felt Mike was giving shades of Cyrus's just as dorky (but smart) boyfriend on Scandal. I am VERY aware of how attractive he is from his appearances on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Well from those that liked him and posted pictures on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.  That said...I thought he looked cute. And I felt his clothes fit in all the right places. I am also a sucker for a guy in glasses so uh yeah. lol.

 

 

1 minute ago, Joseph said:

I agree, If She Could Make Valerie/Vincent Somewhat believable, and that was no easy task, and be a Be a Good Rachel on OLTL, she can play the Black Marlena Evans to perfection

OMG!!!! We've got Dani being compared to Erica, Rachel Cory & Dorian ... Now we add in comparing Nicole to "the black Marlena"!!! And, there is no question, Anita: Stephanie Forrester! This soap should be subtitled: Daytime Icons!

As @AbcNbc247said, I would have loved a kiss between the gay couple instead of a 1985 Steven Carrington hug.

1 minute ago, Taoboi said:

How weird. That quote is from Cheap21, not me.

Sometimes this software goes a little crazy!

1 minute ago, Taoboi said:

Which I replied to because I felt Mike was giving shades of Cyrus's just as dorky (but smart) boyfriend on Scandal. I am VERY aware of how attractive he is from his appearances on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Well from those that liked him and posted pictures on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.  That said...I thought he looked cute. And I felt his clothes fit in all the right places. I am also a sucker for a guy in glasses so uh yeah. lol.

 

 

He's also on THE BAY! 

17 minutes ago, Cheap21 said:

I also think Nicole will be more layered character with Dani being more one dimensional. Daphne’s a stronger actress with more range which I think we’ll see with her character. 

Yeah we are already starting to see that. How Daphne had to shift from grown woman in love to fierce sister in the same scene with no real break in the episode was a masterclass. 

4 minutes ago, Vee said:

As she noted in the specials, Daphnee went out for Dani but the role was always earmarked for Karla by MVJ IIRC. I don't have a problem with it. As many of us have noted, Daphnee comes off like she has already been running this show (with the elders) like a young Kathryn Hays for ten years.

I agree; she does seem settled into the role, but she also didn't give me anything in the premier episode, whereas today I felt more from her.

The discussion about the ages of the kids made me think of when it was Nurse Ashley's(?) turn for back story today, and she went on about how rough her mom must have had it as a "young mother."  My first thought was how Dani and Nicole both look at least as young as the actress playing this character's mother, but maybe that's just me.

On that note, they're also really going out of their way to let us know Anita and Vernon aren't THAT old.  Today he made a point to say that MLK and John Lewis "came before" him, which while unnecessary was innocuous, but it reminded me of a line yesterday that I had meant to mention.  Did anyone else hear Anita say the two of them met at THE (I swear, I heard "the") March on Washington, and then went on to clarify that this was "in the '70s"?  Of course, there were marches on Washington in the '70s, and every decade since, but I feel like that phrase—without any additional context—implies the 1963 March, no?

Those quibbles aside, I enjoyed the show again today.

I agree that Bill's unapologetic selfishness is fun and the actor has that charisma. 

I'm not sure how I feel about Dani at this point, but I like the fact that I'm grappling with what are clearly deliberate choices to depict someone who can be "too much" (as opposed to the way many characters on the other remaining soaps have literally done too much on my TV screen at this point for me to indulge any of their current drama). 

Haley had no business bringing those cookies or most any of the other things she's done in the last two episodes to try to ingratiate herself, but I feel somewhat badly for her even if I don't for the life of me understand the whole gated community/country club aspiration. 

Nicole continues to be the soap heroine we've been lacking for decades, and I too like her rapport with her husband. 

And I'm intrigued by Martin and his husband after this episode, even with the trope of the gay couple being the ones who adopted a bunch of kids, in no small part because I was completely floored to learn that HE is the source of whatever dirt Bill has on Vernon.

2 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

Sometimes this software goes a little crazy!

He's also on THE BAY! 

Ikr. I was like 'huh?'

 

I know he was. Mike stays booked and busy.

 

5 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

As @AbcNbc247said, I would have loved a kiss between the gay couple instead of a 1985 Steven Carrington hug.

Not 1985 Steven Carrington!

 

*falls out*

 

 

12 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

Longer!!!! But, this year, my God, that woman can act!!!

I liked the storyline with Scotty dying and she finding out Eli was her Grandson, she was even nominated for it, but not the right topic to discuss that

Episode 2 was a better watch for me. Of course because it was the 2nd ep and some stuff had been established.

I thought Clifton came across better this time. Need to give the actors time to settle in.

Karla was giving more depth and Daphnee continued to shine.

Still a few too many characters telling each other how wonderful they are and having conversations to explain relationships.

I'm glad Bill isn't a complete villian-gives the character greater longevity. We still are not sure why he ditched Danni this time after other affairs. Maybe she just got too old.

The new supporting characters-the other nurse and Nicole's older assistant were fine.

Do the Duprees have a housekeeper? So far , no.

Hello husband/hello husband -cringe. The gays were not allowed a kiss? They didn't seem a good match first time around. Saddling them with teen kids?