BTG: July 2025 Discussion Thread

1 hour ago, Broderick said:

Hopefully, Smitty & Jacob will kiss & make up, lol.  

Those scenes were painful to watch.

-- Even with all of the criticism here of today's episode (some that I agree with, some that I don't), BTG still had a better week than ANY other soap. No other soap is bringing this level of discussion and disagreement and analysis.

-- I don't think writers have treated Nicole unfairly. Many of us (most?) think DD is the star of this show. That's because of her acting, but also because of what they've given her.

-- I loved Anita's scenes with Nicole. Excellent acting. I did side with Nicole, but I wonder if writers want me to feel that way. I have A LOT of problems with Anita and Vernon's parenting and control, but something tells me the writers don't see that as big a problem as I do.

-- It's a shame we were deprived scenes with Martin confessing to his mother, but the show clearly decided to get out that information through Anita and Nicole. Martin's been heavily featured this week, so I get it.

-- For me, Elon isn't coming off as the brightest guy. I have no idea how or why he thinks his warnings to Jacob are helpful to him in any way.

-- I look at "Next week on Beyond the Gates" as part of the cliffhanger. That's why I call the cliffhanger a big success.

Lord, I’m trying, but Anita giving Nicole a very detailed play by play of what happened as if she was literally right there on the scene is a problem for me.

Anita sucks. Do these people realize how dumb they sound issuing all these justifications for what they did when their choices are currently blowing up in their faces?  

I’ve found Nicole to be rather bland most of the time, but if this positions her as being the black sheep of the family because she sees through everyone else’s BS, it would do her a ton of favors.

Edited July 19Jul 19 by All My Shadows

10 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

I don't think writers have treated Nicole unfairly. Many of us (most?) think DD is the star of this show. That's because of her acting, but also because of what they've given her.

as a viewer, i feel shortchanged by the lack of development among the richardsons. we’ve never seen them together as a family; no idea of what kind of relationship kat and martin had growing up —  with their parents, or each other — not to mentioned the grandchildren. 

the reveal will have an impact on the entire family and beyond. not having established the foundation underlying the richardsons will likely dilute the power and depth of how the reveal plays out. 

 

Edited July 19Jul 19 by wonderwoman1951

The character and relationship development has been done in blocks with the Richardsons having the least development as a family. Nicole has had more and better interactions with her nephew than with her son and as a matter of fact, so has Ted. The writers have dropped the ball here and will have to do a lot of catch up to develop those family bonds for the Richardsons. 

In flashbacks we saw a disoriented Martin come home to Smitty who questioned what had happened. How was that handled? Wouldn't Smitty, reporter extraordinare, demand answers and not rest until he knew the truth?

Wouldn't it have been better for Smitty to be away at the time and by the time he returned, say a week later, things had blown over?

Agree re the Richardsons. The recast didn't help, but the relationships weren't explored eg why two professionals to whom education/career was obviously a thing be happy with a daughter not doing the same. That can happen, but it was not addressed.

Just now catching up with Friday's episode and I'm thinking these are 🔥🔥 to me. 

If I had the chance to rewrite.......... 

The Richardson clan are a missed beat. 

4 minutes ago, MontyB said:

Just now catching up with Friday's episode and I'm thinking these are 🔥🔥 to me. 

If I had the chance to rewrite.......... 

What? Lol. Perhaps Jacob is the next cheating black man.

Edited July 19Jul 19 by Vanguardian53

Oddly Nicole and her family seem more interesting to write, yet the writers seem intent on not featuring the clan as an actual family unit.. unless the lack of family scenes is actually to show that they're not a close knit family except on the surface?

Her family is vastly more interesting than Dani's family.

4 minutes ago, Vanguardian53 said:

What? Lol. Perhaps Jacob is the next cheating black man.

That was not on my mind.

13 minutes ago, MontyB said:

That was not on my mind.

It really wasn't on mine either for obvious reasons but....

 

 

 

The actor that plays Jacob has chemistry a lot of folks in the cast. 

First some of you all wanted Jacob cheating on Naomi with Kat, now it's Smitty. Please, no cheating with cousins. The show has already made cheating the center of two storylines so no more is needed.

20 minutes ago, ReddFoxx said:

First some of you all wanted Jacob cheating on Naomi with Kat, now it's Smitty. Please, no cheating with cousins. The show has already made cheating the center of two storylines so no more is needed.

💯 co-sign!

55 minutes ago, ReddFoxx said:

First some of you all wanted Jacob cheating on Naomi with Kat, now it's Smitty. Please, no cheating with cousins. The show has already made cheating the center of two storylines so no more is needed.

Sometimes viewers have good ideas for soap characters, but often it's pretty clear why writers are hired and don't listen to viewers.