BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

[te.]

I mean, soaps are a world were 5'2" Eva Longoria can be a runway model...

[AbcNbc247]

I don’t think it was intentional.

Because if it was, I imagine it would’ve been mentioned in one of those ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ specials that aired. 

Edited 12 hours ago by AbcNbc247

[Paul Raven]

That works for me.

And/or Dani could be in with a fast crowd and got involved with something shady and Bill came to the rescue.

[Liberty City]

I didn't say he was or that news came out of his exit; I said: "Once Lindstrom likely wraps up his run," not that he was. 

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 And considering DAYS has shoe-box sets, the casino set on this soap is far from as bad as many are suggesting, at least from my viewpoint. 

[AmandainNC28655]

And another way for Bill to go against the DuPree's by working to get Haley custody of Ty and Sam.

[Vanguardian53]

For the Duprees to be the core family, other non-Dupree characters have brought something more to the table than they have. The two daughters are both victims at this point. Vernon hasn't done a whole lot besides coddle Martin. And I'm not too sure about Anita's singing past being all that interesting either.

Edited 8 hours ago by Vanguardian53

[MissPhoenixGirl92]

The only example that I can think of is that doctor he ran out of town for allowing his mom to die from surgery complications. And I think he also chased that other guy out of town that had an affair with his now ex-wife. Other than that, I agree. They really need to start making him a lot more menacing and threatening. BTG should be taking a page or two from Law & Order: Organized Crime, (but of course it doesn't really need to be nearly as violent or gruesome as that show)

[ranger1rg]

Jon Lindstrom proved with Ryan Chamberlain on GH that he can play menacing and evil. He's not doing it here, and I think it's a combination of writing and performance.

 

To be fair, Longoria has modeled and has represented major companies like L'Oreal, but she was never a runway model.

I don't have any problem with seeing Dani as a runway model. I think it's more than possible, and I don't understand anyone criticizing her look.

I actually have a bigger problem with the whole "Anita is an EGOT" thing. I think it goes way too far. Give her a Grammy. Say she was nominated for a Tony, or even won. But an EGOT winner? No.

 

The fact that you're using DAYS to defend a BTG set is telling, since we all know DAYS is poverty level soapdom. I expect so much more and better from Gates.

 

 

I can't help it, but I'm LOL at the people defending that backroom bingo hall casino and making excuses for it. It's hilariously bad.

 

[Aback]

Characterization:

- I realized I have PTSD from Ted #1’s constant swaying. The moment I saw NuTed, I actually caught myself thinking, “Why isn’t he rocking?”

- Leslie makes very little sense from a storytelling perspective unless she’s completely psychotic. What was she hoping to achieve with all her dramatic reveals and aliases? Also… who wouldn’t put two and two together after Laura’s accident?

- Anita and Dani come across as mean-spirited, and honestly, the Duprees should just be portrayed as full-on villains. Been saying this since day one—remember when Dani punched Haley and the whole Dupree clan just walked away from her with that “shame on you” look? Wrong on so many levels. Glad others are finally seeing it too.

- Mona is sanctimonious and I can’t stand her. She’s the worst kind of person: lower-to-middle class but constantly making excuses for the rich.

- Call me crazy, but I’m actually enjoying Ashley and Derek’s storyline. I’ll take this neurotic OCD queen over the sanctimonious, multi-talented nurse any day. Plus, soap couples are usually so plastic. They deal with insane drama but never go to the bathroom, never plan a weekend away. Look at Kat and Tomas—every scene is just them planning lunch or dinner…!

- Btw by now André seems bored af by Ashley.

 

WTF Moments:

- No young woman would be even remotely interested in going to a casino (looking at Eva). And it’s wild how the show is treating gambling like it’s some kind of therapeutic hobby—like retail therapy or something.

- What are they doing with Smitty’s eyebrows… and more importantly, why?

 

Parallels with Other Soaps:

- I like Nicole, but she reinforces my belief that soaps should never include psychiatrists. If they’re portrayed accurately, they ruin the fun by rationalizing everyone’s childish and selfish behavior. If they’re portrayed inaccurately (hi Taylor from B&B), it’s equally bad.

- Anita’s story is giving major SSM vibes from 2017‘s Y&R, when Victor got Nikki to start playing the piano again. 

- Karla played a model on B&B too…

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Direction & Continuity:

- Pascarelli is hands down the worst director this show has.

- Wednesday’s episode started with a nighttime establishing shot of Orphey Gene’s… but all the scenes that followed were clearly set in daytime—until halfway through the episode, when it suddenly switched back to night.

- The picture on the piano at the Duprees’ house shows two little girls and two little boys. Who are the boys? One could be Martin (or Tyrell?), but who’s the other kid?

(And speaking of pictures… no one under 50 is walking around with a printed photo in their pocket. But I digress.)

- I love catching the time on the phones when they pop up onscreen. Friday’s episode was supposedly set before lunch, but Vernon’s phone said 3:15 in one scene and 3:50 in the next. A few scenes later, Kat is playing Leslie’s audio for Jacob and her phone shows 10:40. Cool. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Aback

[Taoboi]

Apparently. lol. 

Well you know I don't mind standing also with the cheese so  

[Taoboi]

What? A nice little mini-marathon of catching up before work. 

 

YES, PLEASE. 

[LostinHarmony]

It definitely did. Nothing major, but I clocked the minor changes too. Passions did something similar with its theme in the later years and people thought I was crazy, but the nuances are there if you're paying attention. 

[Taoboi]

And while I'm doing catch-up, it's good to see you did as well. And YES. This is how May Sweeps SHOULD be. A story climaxing. Another A story being built up as we did with the aftermath of the first A story climaxing. B plots being built up...actually moving and being interested in most of them...if not all. hehe. New story being started. And even the C plots are moving, too. 

[LostinHarmony]

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[Taoboi]

5-14

 

Well, I'm glad I went back and started from Wednesday. I remember watching and reading the comments here. I figured that perhaps rather than what soaps usually do...have an episode focused on other plots while the A story has a day off and is in the background aka Thursdays typically...this show just did it on Wednesday. I still liked it because I'm such a biased Jazmen fan. And I like how the episode continued the various threads from the fallout from the SilkPress/Eva reveal (Eva v Kat being the standout and Eva's continued attempts to find her landing as she is in pariah phase), but I think the problem I found with it was that outside of the above, the show decided not to focus on any B plot, either so the stories outside of the above were C plots. 

 

I like Dani and Andre. I like what they are. I like how it has been a slow burn in the background. But of course, at some point it will come out or they will hit the next phase in their story. I have liked that you can see Dani still being herself, but Andre's influence is clear...like when she took his advice and basically parroted him to Pamela a few weeks ago. And she was actually defending her man basically here. And their pillow talk...mmm. They have such chemistry and such built in drama. And well-paced for a C plot. No story is good without some twists and near misses, so I was happy to see that Nicole...even with her dealing with her own feelings which was cool to keep the SilkPress storyline alive...almost figured it out. Yeah, near miss...always lets you know how invested you are.

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And I've said it before, but it's not like the writers can truly go to the well for the Dani/Bill/Hayley story right now. So for now, they can only be developed/explored through individual storylines. Dani has Andre and her growing business. Bill with the trembling hand as well as messing with the Martin/Smitty marriage seem to be his. So Hayley for now is the weak link. She so needs her own storyline. I thought she would continue to try to fight for her place in the community. She still might. But right now, her just following Bill around like an insecure puppy ain't it. And she is still talking about that honeymoon? Ha!

 

I like the June storyline so far. It's something different. And we know I like the good guy/good girl couple of Jacob and Naomi. Because soaps still need good guys. And I'm not sure where it's going...though I love all of you all's theories about it. And that picture...another clue.

 

Everything with Eva the Pariah is giving old school soap, and I love it. Cuz any villain/vixen/anti-heroine has to go through that uphill battle of being accepted when they fall or their schemes are exposed. And she is straight underdog. And I like how realistic it has been so far with some people being able to move forward with her and people being against her for what she did. Unlike some soaps *cough*Y&R*cough* It feels like it could go in any direction and that just feels exciting. And we still have so much plot to play. Laura's accident. SilkPress clearly won't go down without a fight. The rivalry between Eva and Kat. The potential split in opinions on Eva within the Dupree house...especially given what a lot of us think in terms of if Eva is a twin or was switched or something else entirely. And everyone is acting their butts off. And if they aren't, they are definitely growing into it. So far...it's all good.

 

Loved dinner at the Martin/Smitty household. I liked they even kept the C plot with Ty mildly going. And I'm a sucker for a montage involving makeovers and/or hair. 

 

Of course, I have to mention the best (for me) C plot of all right now...ANITA!!! Great to see she's finally getting a story slowwwwwly going. Okay, perhaps even too slow for me. lol. But it has been building. But now to see it moving. To get some good solo Vernon/Anita scenes to see their chemistry on display. And then the coda with the phone call...so Sharon ain't happy with her. Can't...and I do mean CAN'T...wait to see how it develops.