It is not lost on me how much Jason's scenes now revolve around the Qs - backing up not just Michael, but BLQ and Tracy, hanging out in the mansion all the time, seeming very comfortable. Imagine that 10 years ago, let alone 20. I will say Steve gives elder statesman in that way well and fits organically in that context (it's just about the only thing he's doing on the show now that works), something he and/or the show fought for decades, but I don't think it would ever have happened if not for a) his time away and b) the fact that Billy Miller's Jason/Drew softened the character up considerably and rebuilt that family bond while Steve was gone, which made the show want to compensate when he returned.

More importantly it shows you how much the show has changed, for all its issues. I've said before that the Qs are now a central family and social/story hub on the show once more, in fact it's easily the most central, multi-tiered and vital one on the entire canvas. I didn't know that that would ever happen again. So Steve's Jason being there - running support for other Quartermaines, lecturing the boys about their work behavior, hanging out in the drawing room - feels like something long overdue but also indicates just how much their stock has risen while his has fallen.

It reminds me of Leslie Charleson's famous statement about the Eckerts in the '90s: How they were supposed to erase the Quartermaines and a year later, all their survivors' scenes were in the Quartermaine drawing room.

Edited June 28Jun 28 by Vee

9 hours ago, Antoyne said:

Every single time BLQ has a good outfit day, it’s followed by whatever this atrocity was today.

Sonny flirting with this ADA, god please just stop.

I have no issues with Curtis or DT. I don’t read much soap stuff so I never saw the stuff about the pairings he wanted. I generally cancel out the noise of what’s not on the show when it comes to actors. I’ve always enjoyed DT and maybe I’m blind but in the year I’ve been watching I’ve never seen the boredom you guys bring up a lot.

Brook Lynn looked like a plant yesterday.  I was trying to laugh at Natalia being drunk, but I kept getting distracted by Amanda's hideous shirt.

Sonny flirting with the ADA is absolutely cringey.

I don't think Donnell's performance has changed in the last year or so, but if you watch clips from when Curtis first started to now I think it's noticeable.

3 hours ago, Vee said:

It is not lost on me how much Jason's scenes now revolve around the Qs - backing up not just Michael, but BLQ and Tracy, hanging out in the mansion all the time, seeming very comfortable. Imagine that 10 years ago, let alone 20. I will say Steve gives elder statesman in that way well and fits organically in that context (it's just about the only thing he's doing on the show now that works), something he and/or the show fought for decades, but I don't think it would ever have happened if not for a) his time away and b) the fact that Billy Miller's Jason/Drew softened the character up considerably and rebuilt that family bond while Steve was gone, which made the show want to compensate when he returned.

I really enjoy Jason as a Q again.  You know I like Jason/Steve more than most, but it's annoying that we had to wait for Steve to be okay with it to get to this point.  I do think the Billy Miller/Covid firing/divorce humbled Steve.   I like Jason's scenes with the Q's, the kids, Michael, and even Sasha better than his scenes with Sonny and Carly.

4 hours ago, Vee said:

It is not lost on me how much Jason's scenes now revolve around the Qs - backing up not just Michael, but BLQ and Tracy, hanging out in the mansion all the time, seeming very comfortable. Imagine that 10 years ago, let alone 20. I will say Steve gives elder statesman in that way well and fits organically in that context (it's just about the only thing he's doing on the show now that works), something he and/or the show fought for decades, but I don't think it would ever have happened if not for a) his time away and b) the fact that Billy Miller's Jason/Drew softened the character up considerably and rebuilt that family bond while Steve was gone, which made the show want to compensate when he returned.

More importantly it shows you how much the show has changed, for all its issues. I've said before that the Qs are now a central family and social/story hub on the show once more, in fact it's easily the most central, multi-tiered and vital one on the entire canvas. I didn't know that that would ever happen again. So Steve's Jason being there - running support for other Quartermaines, lecturing the boys about their work behavior, hanging out in the drawing room - feels like something long overdue but also indicates just how much their stock has risen while his has fallen.

It reminds me of Leslie Charleson's famous statement about the Eckerts in the '90s: How they were supposed to erase the Quartermaines and a year later, all their survivors' scenes were in the Quartermaine drawing room.

I just hate that it took until most of the original Q’s were dead for this to happen. But Jason back in the Quartermaine fold works for me so much. I loved that Billy Miller’s Jason was actually welcoming to the family and I’m glad it’s FINALLY happened with Steve. So dumb that he fought it for so so many years. 

22 minutes ago, Antoyne said:

I just hate that it took until most of the original Q’s were dead for this to happen. But Jason back in the Quartermaine fold works for me so much. I loved that Billy Miller’s Jason was actually welcoming to the family and I’m glad it’s FINALLY happened with Steve. So dumb that he fought it for so so many years. 

It's strange because I don't think Steve ever gave a clear reason WHY he didn't want to be a Q anymore.  I know he didn't want to go back to goody two shoes, ugly sweater wearing Jason Q, but there was a happy medium to be found.   He and Mo seem to think being a bad rip off of the Sopranos was macho and cool lol. It's too late to un-ring the bell now, but Jason absolutely should have gotten his memory back at some point.

1 hour ago, carolineg said:

It's strange because I don't think Steve ever gave a clear reason WHY he didn't want to be a Q anymore.  I know he didn't want to go back to goody two shoes, ugly sweater wearing Jason Q, but there was a happy medium to be found.   He and Mo seem to think being a bad rip off of the Sopranos was macho and cool lol. It's too late to un-ring the bell now, but Jason absolutely should have gotten his memory back at some point.

They had the perfect opportunity to basically reintegrate his memories when he had that second brain injury and they kept teasing Who. Will. Jason. Be. And then nothing changed at all. There was nothing that said getting his memories back meant he had to be a goody two shoes, especially if you’re you know a competent writer.

5 minutes ago, Antoyne said:

They had the perfect opportunity to basically reintegrate his memories when he had that second brain injury and they kept teasing Who. Will. Jason. Be. And then nothing changed at all. There was nothing that said getting his memories back meant he had to be a goody two shoes, especially if you’re you know a competent writer.

Listen, you are preaching to the choir here.  I have been saying this for years.  There is a much more interesting story for Jason about getting his memories back and reconciling the two lives he's lived.  It's better than Jason saving the day.......AGAIN.  With Alan, Monica, AJ, Lila, Edward, etc gone it wouldn't make a ton of sense to do it now.  Barely anyone even remembers OG Jason at this point.  

I've always wondered why Guza/Steve didn't want to go back.  The eventual point to the whole thing would have been Jason getting his memory back at some point, right?

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

Listen, you are preaching to the choir here.  I have been saying this for years.  There is a much more interesting story for Jason about getting his memories back and reconciling the two lives he's lived.  It's better than Jason saving the day.......AGAIN.  With Alan, Monica, AJ, Lila, Edward, etc gone it wouldn't make a ton of sense to do it now.  Barely anyone even remembers OG Jason at this point.  

I've always wondered why Guza/Steve didn't want to go back.  The eventual point to the whole thing would have been Jason getting his memory back at some point, right?

You would think a good writer would have that as the end goal.

I think it was the end goal (or at least a partial goal) when Labine originally did it. I always expected it back then. I think it got away from them as Jason became much more popular and Steve much more influential.

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

You would think a good writer would have that as the end goal.

I honestly don't even fully blame Guza.  I feel it's more on Steve.

42 minutes ago, Vee said:

I think it was the end goal (or at least a partial goal) when Labine originally did it. I always expected it back then. I think it got away from them as Jason became much more popular and Steve much more influential.

I think Sonny and Jason's 90's popularity made writers afraid to mess with the entire plot.  It was all working until it wasn't.   Both were also coasting on very popular female leads and once Kim, Vanessa, and Sarah took a hike it stopped being as "romantic" or viable.  There were hints here and there Jason was getting his memory back like when he fixed the paper Christmas tree dove/bird for Lila and it didn't really pan out.

2 hours ago, carolineg said:

I honestly don't even fully blame Guza.  I feel it's more on Steve.

I think Sonny and Jason's 90's popularity made writers afraid to mess with the entire plot.  It was all working until it wasn't.   Both were also coasting on very popular female leads and once Kim, Vanessa, and Sarah took a hike it stopped being as "romantic" or viable.  There were hints here and there Jason was getting his memory back like when he fixed the paper Christmas tree dove/bird for Lila and it didn't really pan out.

Steve had more power than Guza? 

5 minutes ago, Antoyne said:

Steve had more power than Guza? 

Not exactly in the general hierarchy.  But I think Steve, Mo, and Tony had a big say in their stories.  I think a lot was done to keep those guys happy.

Edited June 29Jun 29 by carolineg

I don't think there's any way Ethan becomes Luke's son without Tony. For example.

A bit OT: But I am currently watching the Twilight Zone episode, "Third From The Sun", from 1960, apparently the show's first season [even had the different opening theme and graphics!], and Denise Alexander is playing the teenage daughter of a government official who warns his wife of an impending nuclear war.

15 hours ago, carolineg said:

I like Jason's scenes with the Q's, the kids, Michael, and even Sasha better than his scenes with Sonny and Carly.

The Sonny, Carly, etc. scenes feel like an afterthought. But so does most of Jason's current presence, hence why a certain someone has been rehired.

4 minutes ago, Vee said:

The Sonny, Carly, etc. scenes feel like an afterthought. But so does most of Jason's current presence, hence why a certain someone has been rehired.

Well, I suppose the show had to do something.  Everything else has tanked and KeMo played her cards on the Jason/Sam situation and lost.  Becky still is around but a Liz/Jason pairing would be such a backslide-yet they are still teasing her with Ric.