I enjoyed the content of today's episode but I don't understand why they skipped a huge chunk of June's story. I guess I can appreciate it's faster than some soaps but I feel like they could've waited at least a week or two before having June meet the kids. First I would've told Smitty and Martin (as Naomi did) but allow them to talk about it, then make their way around to family and discuss it with them, discuss it with the kids, etc. before making a decision on if they wanted to see her. This would've also given them time to more realistically clean June up. She also should've had a therapist to address any mental health issues.

I loved the scenes with Ted and Vernita. He has turned into such a punk but I'm finally enjoying him now that everybody is getting their licks in. Watching them punk him out was hilarious! I just hate Carlton keeps getting the dayplayer writing. The actor is far too strong for this and is overdue for real investment.

The scenes with Leslie and her mom were good! I hope they keep her around as she goes through this illness. It was nice seeing Leslie genuinely caring about someone. I'd like to see Eva in the mix and watch her grieve. I'm so glad they're finally giving her some layers.

50 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Having Uptown as the Salsa set? Even a small rehearsal room set would have sufficed. They need to have the room/budget/flexibility for one off and short term sets.

I'm all for new sets, but I think a salsa night at Uptown wasn't a bad idea. The execution, however, was horrible. They could have easily had a few extras and a few cast in the background also learning with the instructor bouncing around from pair to pair. Would have loved to see Smitty and Martin dancing 😆 Anyway, the same situations could have taken place where the instructor mocks Tomas and takes his place with Kat, etc. Then, Tomas could have stepped in and Kat and him could have dazzled the crowd. 

However, a closed lounge with two people and an instructor was odd. 

It could have also been a great way to have Naomi/Jacob/Smitty/Martin interact. The instructor having them change partners Naomi and Smitty going back and forth about Naomi's meddling and Jacob and Martin tip toeing around his secret. And then switch again

I just keep thinking back to MVJ post about you might not like where things are going but trust that they're going somewhere. Meanwhile, I'm like are you sure, because the way some of these stories are playing out it seems like there was no plan or foresight. 

Back in the heyday of soaps, the June story would have happened on a completely separate lane then the going ons of her real children (Tyrrell and Samantha).  It would have spanned months and/or even a year plus with June slowly getting her life back on track, getting help for her mental health issues, trying to find a job and place to live.. making new friends and then without warning, she sees either Tyrrell or Samantha and thinks they look familiar.   Then bam, she wonders if they're her children and she seeks out Naomi for assistance and trying to determine the best course of action.

The benefits of a soap opera is seeing all the beats of a story play out in real time, but we just met June a few months ago and I think this whole June discovering that Tyrrell and Samantha are her children could have waited till at least November sweeps.  And I remember the actor that played Smitty mentioned originally the kids were suppose to have been 6 or 7 in the pre-production stage of the show and the ages were bumped up.   When that happened, MVJ and writing team needed to figure out how to change the June story to fit with the modified ages of the kids.

Also, the Chelsea/Allison/Madison story could have worked if the beats of Chelsea's time with Allison had been shown more then just a few snippets and one conversation where Allison turned down a chance to make their encounters more meaningful then just hooking up.  In order to care about a fatal attraction story, we need to see all the beats play out.   Perhaps the writing and production team need to rent Fatal Attraction from 1987 in order to figure out how to plot a story like the Chelsea one properly.

2 hours ago, EricMontreal22 said:

Yeah, at this point I don't think there's any point in recasting Thomas (they should have months ago of course)--the damage is done and I'd just get rid of the character.

I don't think they will. But I feel that Tomas/Eva are in the end the endgame star-crossed couple for the writers. Which I'm fine with. But let Kat find her own man...but again keeping the rivalry between the sisters alive.

 

2 hours ago, All My Shadows said:

I think of how the June/Samantha/Tyrell reveal should have been paced out, but then I think of how that’s really not the story that needed to happen there. I liked them as a more conventional family unit working through the Martin/Smitty break-up with the kids having their own short-term, tertiary arcs (Tyrell being affected by his parents’ split more than he lets on and his girlfriend helping him to keep his own goals in focus).

I actually liked how it came together. It was just a C plot in the background for a good while. Then with the phone number and the hang-up it became B plot for a minute before going back to a C plot. I even liked today's episode. If it was isolated into a week with some direction...and an A story. This week, it just stands out too much and before it's ready to be the center of attention. 

 

I agree with you. Because a lot of what is going on with the family unit is done well because we have been given time to get to know Martin, Smitty, Ty, and Samantha as a family unit (especially in Month 2 with their own storylines). So I do feel invested.

 

I definitely want more of what you said above about Ty having a hard time with the split. And what little we got of that, I like. Same with Jessica drama. 

57 minutes ago, GLATWT88 said:

It could have also been a great way to have Naomi/Jacob/Smitty/Martin interact. The instructor having them change partners Naomi and Smitty going back and forth about Naomi's meddling and Jacob and Martin tip toeing around his secret. And then switch again

I really would have love to see this. And it would have play with the on-going Martin/Smitty longing, too. 

 

38 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

Back in the heyday of soaps, the June story would have happened on a completely separate lane then the going ons of her real children (Tyrrell and Samantha).  It would have spanned months and/or even a year plus with June slowly getting her life back on track, getting help for her mental health issues, trying to find a job and place to live.. making new friends and then without warning, she sees either Tyrrell or Samantha and thinks they look familiar.   Then bam, she wonders if they're her children and she seeks out Naomi for assistance and trying to determine the best course of action.

The benefits of a soap opera is seeing all the beats of a story play out in real time, but we just met June a few months ago and I think this whole June discovering that Tyrrell and Samantha are her children could have waited till at least November sweeps.  And I remember the actor that played Smitty mentioned originally the kids were suppose to have been 6 or 7 in the pre-production stage of the show and the ages were bumped up.   When that happened, MVJ and writing team needed to figure out how to change the June story to fit with the modified ages of the kids.

While I've liked what we gotten so far...outside of this week...I have to say I like your idea better. But would people have had the patience for it? 

 

I must admit that with the aging up of the kids...I am now wondering what the story could be. Cuz I was just hoping it was misdirection on June's part in some way. Outside of the clear reason of Martin/Smitty trying to be a united front. 

June could play a role in how the kids react if they find out the rest of Martin's secret. If they are really angry they could leave and go stay at Regina's house to give their other family a chance.

I definitely feel like Martin's secret will come into play.

25 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

While I've liked what we gotten so far...outside of this week...I have to say I like your idea better. But would people have had the patience for it? 

 

I must admit that with the aging up of the kids...I am now wondering what the story could be. Cuz I was just hoping it was misdirection on June's part in some way. Outside of the clear reason of Martin/Smitty trying to be a united front. 

If the pacing of all the stories was better, then I think people would have patience for it... especially if there was progress and focus.  

Had the kids been 6/7/8 years old.. then the story could have been like the movie 'Losing Isaiah' where the mom that lost custody of her child fights the new adoptive/foster mom for custody once she cleans up.

With the kids now aged up to 16/17... I think it wouldn't be a custody story.. but a look into why Tyrrell and Samantha are the way they are.  Why is Tyrrell more withdrawn/passive and why is Samantha overly confident... and how do they deal with seeing the woman that caused them extreme trauma when they were growing up.. and their fear of losing the stable family life with her coming back into the picture.

On 8/9/2025 at 9:28 PM, Tisy-Lish said:

Understood.  But If Dani is the bad-girl.  That makes Hayley the good-girl, which means she cannot be faking her pregnancy. Be careful what you wish for...  LOL

To me it seems more like bad woman vs bad girl.

On 8/9/2025 at 9:34 PM, Soaplovers said:

And because Dani was raised in wealth with two parents and an older sister... she can't be the Erica Kane type.

Erica Kane was a have not that was driven to be successful in order to finally gain the love of her father that was long with held (in her mind).  

 

Well okay let me put it this way: Erica Kane but without the struggle.

2 hours ago, GLATWT88 said:

I'm all for new sets, but I think a salsa night at Uptown wasn't a bad idea. The execution, however, was horrible. They could have easily had a few extras and a few cast in the background also learning with the instructor bouncing around from pair to pair. Would have loved to see Smitty and Martin dancing 😆 Anyway, the same situations could have taken place where the instructor mocks Tomas and takes his place with Kat, etc. Then, Tomas could have stepped in and Kat and him could have dazzled the crowd. 

However, a closed lounge with two people and an instructor was odd. 

It could have also been a great way to have Naomi/Jacob/Smitty/Martin interact. The instructor having them change partners Naomi and Smitty going back and forth about Naomi's meddling and Jacob and Martin tip toeing around his secret. And then switch again

I didn’t mind it bc I’ve also gone to a salsa dance class at a bar before. Like you said it would have made more sense to have more people there so that the place was making money while this was happening. Tomas renting the whole place out seems unlikely for him 

Edited August 15Aug 15 by Cheap21

1 hour ago, Soaplovers said:

With the kids now aged up to 16/17... I think it wouldn't be a custody story.. but a look into why Tyrrell and Samantha are the way they are.  Why is Tyrrell more withdrawn/passive and why is Samantha overly confident... and how do they deal with seeing the woman that caused them extreme trauma when they were growing up.. and their fear of losing the stable family life with her coming back into the picture.

With the way this has been written so far, you really expect this kind of storyline?

 

40 minutes ago, Cheap21 said:

I didn’t mind it bc I’ve also gone to a salsa dance class at a bar before. Like you said it would have made more sense to have more people there so that the place was making money while this was happening. Tomas renting the whole place out seems unlikely for him.

As GLATWT88 said, the execution was horrible. I had no problem with the dance session being held there, but no one else around? Really? I was immediately taken out of the scene and couldn't believe what I was watching.

It's Peaches. Hair and wardrobe worked their magic on this young woman to make her look like some sassy old woman.

Edited August 15Aug 15 by Vanguardian53

Peaches? OK

Again we've gone from Leslie all alone to having a woman turn up, reveal she's her mama, no her stepmother and she's dying all in one episode.

Too much all at once.

As for the $50,000 from Ted, Eva has brought that up and cracked that she spent it all on wigs, but still no explanation of where it actually went.

If they wanted to keep Leslie broke and desperate then just have Ted give her less.

Leslie could have had a throwaway line that she had debts to settle, but no, they left it up in the air. Is this another of MVJ's story threads that is going somewhere?

Edited August 15Aug 15 by Paul Raven

44 minutes ago, Vanguardian53 said:

It's Peaches. Hair and wardrobe worked their magic on this young woman, making her look like some sassy old woman.

 I was wondering how old the actress was bc she looks hte same age as Leslie. The wig wasnt fooling me