Martin is to an extent supposed to be irritating because he clearly wants his husband to be at home playing a traditional role. The actor definitely needs to improve on line delivery.

31 minutes ago, Errol said:

Has it really been just three episodes? I just feel like we've been watching this show for years, even though we don't have all that history in our minds. The talk between Dani and Vernon alone felt so natural that I couldn't believe I was watching a scripted television show, much less a daytime soap opera.

I viewed that talk as Vernon manipulating Dani and since she seems to be adrift right now, she falls for it.

I think one of the reasons Dani is the way she is because she's never been able to live up to what her parents achieved and she isn't one to pretend everything is perfect.

The Dupree family meeting really highlights that how it looks to the world matters more then the well being of each member of the family.  

35 minutes ago, Errol said:

Has it really been just three episodes? I just feel like we've been watching this show for years, even though we don't have all that history in our minds. The talk between Dani and Vernon alone felt so natural that I couldn't believe I was watching a scripted television show, much less a daytime soap opera.

yes and a big part of that is bc we are stepping into the middle of a major storyline (Dani/Bill/Hayley) as opposed to the beginng. I feel like were this another show, the setup would have had Bill and Dani married and we see the affair from the beginning. 

28 minutes ago, Errol said:

His parents were killed in a plane crash. It's possible he doesn't want press attention on himself considering the life he might have come from (we don't yet know about said life while his parents were alive).

Definitely something is up with the plane crash since it keeps getting mentioned.  Could his parents not died in the plane crash and received plastic surgery from Uncle Ted as part of some witness protection program?  There’s definitely more to the plane crash…

1 hour ago, soapfan770 said:

love the old soapy touches…Vernon giving me Papa Bauer vibes, Mona eavesdropping at the door trying to listen in on Nicole & Hayley, Leslie, Jan, and Mona gossiping etc.

Favorite things in these 2 episodes? I really continue to enjoy the chemistry between all the Dupree’s I like the warm vibes after years of watching cold Newmans and lukewarm Forresters. I really liked the relationship between Chelsea and Naomi. The scenes giving us background on Ted, Nicole, Kat, and Andre were good. And Ashley’s preceptor knowing about her boyfriend Derek from social media reminds me of some co-workers at work spying on new hires LOL

I totally agree, It's refreshing to see a powerful family all be united yet still likable at the same time, just as the Dupree's are. I was living for the reactions though when Anita made it clear they were all going to attend Bill and Haley's wedding as a family!  

Speaking of old school soap touches.... Naomi playing the piano and singing felt very Leslie Brooks IMO! It's nice to see characters actually have hobbies or other interests too like Chelsea's social media status...I felt it when Kat and  Dani prevented her from enjoying her charcuterie! 

The working class women gossiping about the rich?? hell yeah!!   and wow Leslie is psychotic....was that it for Laura?!

I definitely see plenty of chemistry with Bill and Dani, Hate and LOVE! I actually thought he had less chemistry with Haley, but then who knows what Bill really has planned for her? 

It's amazing how fast this hour flies by....that's not the case whenever I watch Y&R...or even a half hour of B&B...LOL

Oh yeah, Vanessa!! 🥰 LOL at the Bandana around her head and the glasses!! very old school soap! and I totally agree that guy should have been Derek!! 

Edited February 27Feb 27 by YRfan23

6 minutes ago, YRfan23 said:

Oh yeah, Vanessa!! 🥰 LOL at the Bandana around her head and the glasses!! very old school soap! and I totally agree that guy should have been Derek!! 

Glad others saw what I saw. Too bad he's credited as "hot guy" even though Vanessa came up with some stupid name for him to placate Dani. She called him "Zeke" but he's credited as "Hot Guy."

He was sure hot, had great line delivery for what he got, piqued my interest and I could see why anyone would go for him. Heck, even Dani had her eye on him for just a bit. The Derek character as it stands, however, not so much.

I love that the show is bringing people who've never watched soaps!

I'm watching #BeyondTheGates. This is so fun trying out a Soap Opera. I feel like this is what's missing from the general collectives scheduled routines, soap operas. pic.twitter.com/Z2V5Bjhlgf

— Palace👑 (@Palice1erland) February 27, 2025

Just now, Errol said:

Glad others saw what I saw. Too bad he's credited as "hot guy" even though Vanessa came up with some stupid name for him to placate Dani. She called him "Zeke" but he's credited as "Hot Guy."

He was sure hot, had great line delivery for what he got, piqued my interest and I could see why anyone would go for him. Heck, even Dani had her eye on him for just a bit. The Derek character as it stands, however, not so much.

I'm willing to give it some time, but if the current Derek proves to not work out as well, maybe they can swap him with the "Zeke" actor! haha. 

Honestly too soon to think about serious recasting, yet I know with it being a soap it will happen at some point. 

1 minute ago, dragonflies said:

I love that the show is bringing people who've never watched soaps!

That's amazing!!!   again I don't want to speculate too much now, but this really could be like a renaissance for people tuning into Soap Operas and for Soaps again in general!

1 hour ago, Errol said:

Martin is annoying. That's it. I said it.

Yes, he is. Good looking actor, but wooden and doesn't seem to be able to deliver dialog naturally.

1 hour ago, BetterForgotten said:

I thought KM was hilariously bad during the crying scene in the elevator while Dani was leaving Bill’s office. Sometimes less is more, especially when playing a character that’s so extra. 

I laughed out loud. I wasn't expecting it and I thought it was awful.

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

That was my least favorite performance of hers so far.

Yes, and we're 3/3 for her performance being one of the weaker parts of the show.

1 hour ago, soapfan770 said:

I’m holding out before I make that judgment but so far he is the one character that unfortunately sounds good on paper yet we haven’t seen materialize on scene at all yet.

He reminds me of Grace from Passions. 😂 At least when it comes to a soap starting…

8 hours ago, BetterForgotten said:

That’s right girl, flip that freshly French silk pressed hair! 

OMG Leslie gonna be all type of scheming and I am here for it.

1 hour ago, Errol said:

Martin is annoying. That's it. I said it.

Martin is perhaps the weakest link along with the Mild Whites (Nurse Ashley and that man whose name I don't remember). The last two days he was greeting at Epcot Center, and today dude delivered his lines like he was hosting the Mr. DNA Tour at Jurassic World just before the raptors get loose. It is painful. Chelsea is green too and I'm not sold on Naomi yet, but Martin, who is currently the most important of the kids, is a problem.

Besides that: The show continues to mostly steadily build well. I was right that Bill and Dani still have it; KM and Timon Durrett are great together. And I thought Karla mostly ate today tbh, despite never being a big fan of hers previously. She shone not only in the material with Bill but running herd on the kids at the family meeting. Yes, she goes big because she's written to but she's also been given nuance in the last two days and we see her break. The little cry in the elevator was a bit Erica Kane melodramatic, but to me that's the character.

The family meeting felt organic and like the Quartermaines getting together; it felt comfortable and was the most interesting they've all been so far. They feel like a real unit. Am I ready for Tunie to stop using her awards show announcer voice and stop talking largely in proclamations and exposition though, yes. Her scenes with Dani the previous day, where they got to just talk like two close relatives, were her best so far. Between that and the have-not characters at the diner recapping the plot in classical soap fashion - something that Leslie and Nicole's Black assistant actually carried very well for the most part by being authentically gossipy in how they delivered it - I am hoping MVJ can drop the B&B-style declamations of expository plot once the first week or so is out of the way.

Leslie/Dana/whoever is more fun to watch than I'd expected and I'm invested there. The reveal of her after the crash was very well-filmed and lit. Some of the moving camerawork and angles they've chosen here this week remind me of The City, in a good way.

Ted, Nicole, Kat and Andre continue to take it. Ted is insanely fine.

The Vanessa stuff was silly but inoffensive. Her husband is fine too.

7 minutes ago, MichaelGL said:

He reminds me of Grace from Passions. 😂 

Oh, don't go there! But it's true. And Dana Sparks is one of my MVPs for WOAT (Worst of All Time).

17 minutes ago, MichaelGL said:

He reminds me of Grace from Passions. 😂 At least when it comes to a soap starting…

Speaking of Passions I got a bit of an Julian/Ivy vibe with Bill and Dani's sparring too! 

39 minutes ago, dragonflies said:

I love that the show is bringing people who've never watched soaps!

They ain't wrong either. It HAS been missed.

40 minutes ago, kalbir said:

OMG Leslie gonna be all type of scheming and I am here for it.

In term of sheer charisma, Trisha Mann-Grant has it in spades and more than most of the relative unknowns in the cast. She's a find so far and I am really looking forward to her developing this character. 

Edited February 27Feb 27 by BetterForgotten