5 hours ago, Antoyne said:

It’s actually funny to see how different perceptions are away from this board. 

 

5 hours ago, MontyB said:

They are out of control out there, but it's just so awesome to see people engaged. 

I agree!!! For better or for worse (cuz even I have been a lot more picky myself this month leading up to today) I DO like that people are engaged. And it's just so interesting how for every person who says that they show is not doing one thing, you have ANOTHER person saying the show is doing the thing that the first person said they are not doing.

 

11 minutes ago, Chris B said:

It's been such a delight having a US soap that I anticipate watching daily. It hasn't been perfect but having seen the beginning of so many soaps, they got a lot more right that many of the others. 

Same. They really did. And they have definitely come leaps and bounds over Month 1. Looking forward to how things are at the end of the year from this point as well.

11 hours ago, Chris B said:

I can't imagine it'll always remain at this pace but right now it definitely feels like they want to establish their next set of stories and getting out of that new soap mode.

And that makes perfect sense. We are six months in, it is time for either the A stories (which for me was always Dani/Bill/Hayley, SilkPress, Martin's Secret) to either have their next major story turn/or-end or for new A stories to start. I feel...as usual...the SilkPress storyline is again outpacing the other two. D/B/H had their story turn with the baby lie/now-fake-marriage, but it's vanished off the screen to C plot land which Martin's Secret is back there, too. I find that somewhat telling of the strength (or influence?) of the SilkPress storyline as the popular of the 3 main tales.

 

Even the B plots are turning now that we are at the six months mark. Doug/Vanessa/Joey maybe leading to a murder now when it started as a gambling/open relationship story. Derek/Ashley went from leaving each other to now back at Square One. Dani/Andre which started as a fling, got derailed by his obsession by Ashley, and now appears to be pivoting off as well. Even the June storyline has a turn. 

 

5 hours ago, MontyB said:

I agree. Most folks on this board are old school soap fans, but when I read comments about the show on other sites they think the stories are taking too long. A lot obviously new to daytime TV.

The show needs to find a good medium.  

And I find that funny because outside of GH currently, I find BTG to be the most 'movement in story well' out of the all of the soaps that I watch. And even GH is taking longer than BTG. Too long where?

 

I agree. And I'm sure they will get to it by the time the year is out.

It's when people aren't talking about the show(good or bad) is when we should worry. Any engagement is good. 

Well outside of The Nicole/Carlton date, I did my rewatch of last week. I actually didn't like it the first time around. And I'm going to continue to stand by what I said then. BTG works best when one of its A stories is the hook for the week with other stories happening around it. Last week didn't have that. And making the June storyline the main focus was not the way to go. Not because I don't love it, I do (and yes, I know I'm in the minority), but because story-wise I didn't feel it was ready for that focus. Good performances though.

 

Do I feel the June storyline was rushed? The story...NO. THIS part of said story...partly. I didn't mind it, but I see why people have an issue with it. It was very much B&B when they have a story and rush through it. And up until now, the June storyline has been a C plot. And I felt that was the way to start it and it was slow. It didn't even hit B plot until the phone number reveal. And now it turned out that she was (after some potential red herrings) after all Ty and Samantha's biological mother. Okay, that was good and nicely paced to me. But this part of it...where Jacob and Naomi find this out and tell the kids...hmmmm...yeah, that was off. It wasn't that timing was wrong. At the moment, Martin and Smitty are at odds due to the Martin's Secret storyline. Ty and Samantha are playing matchmaker. So the timing for a reveal was perfect. So I would say the execution as others have mentioned. Or I know someone did mentioned that perhaps June should have built herself back up first before the reveal...and I would have liked that as well...rather than the reverse that we are about to get. Because now what? Also, Martin and Smitty's estrangement need to go on a little bit longer. They have the longing DOWN. And June being back could have brought them back together. Down the line. Just feels too soon regardless of me liking the story development. 

 

I disagree with the other major development...Silk Press Sheila being Barbara's daughter. That didn't at all feel too rushed. Why? Foreshadowing for one. For another...SilkPress has been running around the canvas for the last month being an annoying cartoon character and a FAAAAR cry from the cunning villainess she was at the start of the show. There has been discussion for a while about what to do with her if we are keeping her (and her awesome portrayer on canvas) around. Cuz she's not going to jail for Laura's accident. At least...not yet.  She needed a pivot. The Barbara reveal did that. And TMG played the hades out of that, giving SilkPress some much needed layers that she has not had since at least post-anniversary if we are being honest. And the Barbara pivot sets her storyline to keep going AND in a whole new playing field. Cards played right...given who I feel her father is...we might even get a rival family out of it...something mentioned that a lot of people would like to have on canvas against the Duprees. For now, a Have-Not vs a Have...that writes itself, too.

 

That said...I am bothered that the Hayley storyline has abruptly vanished. Not my favorite of the A stories, but it finally got my attention and intrigued me. And...it went up in smoke. It didn't even really get a side-comment in episodes. That I found odd.

 

I hollered at Neurotic Ashley not wanting to be with Andre after all. And I liked that she revealed her POV and told him off to his face. That said...I'm not looking forward to Ashley trying to get back together with Derek over his accident. Yeeeeah NO. 

 

That was the only things that stood out for me. A pretty meh week even though it held up better on a rewatch.

17 minutes ago, dragonflies said:

It's when people aren't talking about the show(good or bad) is when we should worry. Any engagement is good. 

Exactly! Which is why I love it. For us, look at what's going down at B&B. And that's just bad, but still...

1 hour ago, Taoboi said:

 

 

I disagree with the other major development...Silk Press Sheila being Barbara's daughter. That didn't at all feel too rushed. Why? Foreshadowing for one. For another...SilkPress has been running around the canvas for the last month being an annoying cartoon character and a FAAAAR cry from the cunning villainess she was at the start of the show. There has been discussion for a while about what to do with her if we are keeping her (and her awesome portrayer on canvas) around. Cuz she's not going to jail for Laura's accident. At least...not yet.  She needed a pivot. The Barbara reveal did that. And TMG played the hades out of that, giving SilkPress some much needed layers that she has not had since at least post-anniversary if we are being honest. And the Barbara pivot sets her storyline to keep going AND in a whole new playing field. Cards played right...given who I feel her father is...we might even get a rival family out of it...something mentioned that a lot of people would like to have on canvas against the Duprees. For now, a Have-Not vs a Have...that writes itself, too.

 

 

I'm just now catching up to Thursday and Friday's show. 

I knew she was going to go over the top when she received that money and I am here for it. 

@Taoboi Other then Friday's episode where Chelsea asked Bill how Hayley was doing, the 'miscarriage' story has vanished without a trace.   This is exactly the issue that I hope BTG can get a better handle on in their second season episodes (It took B & B about nine months or so before it really hit its stride so I have faith BTG is getting to that point).

And I was actually enjoying the Hayley story because it was so confusing.. that I almost wonder if she really was pregnant and actually miscarried.  Why else would she go to the doctor and Bill went into the examination room with Hayley... and not have it revealed that Hayley was never pregnant.

12 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

@Taoboi Other then Friday's episode where Chelsea asked Bill how Hayley was doing, the 'miscarriage' story has vanished without a trace.   This is exactly the issue that I hope BTG can get a better handle on in their second season episodes (It took B & B about nine months or so before it really hit its stride so I have faith BTG is getting to that point).

And I was actually enjoying the Hayley story because it was so confusing.. that I almost wonder if she really was pregnant and actually miscarried.  Why else would she go to the doctor and Bill went into the examination room with Hayley... and not have it revealed that Hayley was never pregnant.

I think this plays into some viewers thinking stories take too long to develop when they are cycling them in and out in this way. 

We have stories like June rediscovering her children and Leslie's financial windfall that move at the speed of light and skip several beats and then we have stories that are dropped for several weeks to resurface again out of the blue. Sometimes it works and other times it really doesn't. Definitely something they need to sort out for season 2. 

14 minutes ago, MontyB said:

I'm just now catching up to Thursday and Friday's show. 

I knew she was going to go over the top when she received that money and I am here for it. 

Oh, yeah, TMG is giving. I loved that just when the character is about to go over the top/cartoony, TMG injected the right amount of grit to keep her character grounded, petty, but still funny. Those were good episodes. 

 

I hope the writers play it right and let her get as close to 'the sun' as possible so she can fall right down into her comeuppance by the plot thread of Laura's accident coming back to bite her on the tail. 

 

15 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

@Taoboi Other then Friday's episode where Chelsea asked Bill how Hayley was doing, the 'miscarriage' story has vanished without a trace.   This is exactly the issue that I hope BTG can get a better handle on in their second season episodes (It took B & B about nine months or so before it really hit its stride so I have faith BTG is getting to that point).

And I was actually enjoying the Hayley story because it was so confusing.. that I almost wonder if she really was pregnant and actually miscarried.  Why else would she go to the doctor and Bill went into the examination room with Hayley... and not have it revealed that Hayley was never pregnant.

I agree.  One of the things I did like when an A story has taken center stage on this show, they would have a (what I call) Thursday episode where there are just the other stories and a mention of the A story and the the rest of the week went back to the A story. Thank you for correcting me with the Chels/Bill scene because there really has been nothing on it.

 

Same. They set up some interesting questions. How does Hayley know Randy? What's Randy's next move now that he's important to TWO stories? Was she pregnant at all, or just lying to Naomi? Was that doctor that talked to her and Bill on her payroll? What in the world? And I surprised myself because they are all interesting questions. It does help that since the baby lie, Hayley, for me, is reminding me of how Kristen Dimera grew into a love-to-hate villainess with her own baby shenanigans. Since the audience know something is up versus the characters, it gives a 'hiss at the character' moment every time she's on screen, blaming someone (re: Dani) for something. And then trying to frame Dani. Speaking of someone needing a comeuppance...lol. It surprised me in how invested I am when it is my least favorite of the main storylines so I have to give it credit for that.

 

That said...where did the storyline go? The abruptness is waaaay too bad. Forced. It reminds me of when we discussed over the last couple of months of the writers purposely stalling a storyline and how they are much better ways to do it than the storyline vanishing. Heck, it didn't even flow out of the storyline rotation. It just...vanish. If that makes sense. 

 

But like you, it's probably a growing pain. One that I hope they grow out of for sure once we get to the second season set of episodes. 

I think there is also a effort to make sure the show doesn't miss out on Emmy nominations next year. Lots of story happening makes go lots of choices for submissions. For acting, Tamara, Daphnee and Trisha have already been given good material for reels. But of course the Outstanding Drama Series award is going to be the top priority for a nomination. With only 5 soaps BTG does not want to be left behind.

5 hours ago, Taoboi said:

I disagree with the other major development...Silk Press Sheila being Barbara's daughter. That didn't at all feel too rushed.

I think the issue is her how they did it. Silk Press being revealed as Barbara's daughter at the six month mark isn't rushed, however, the whole "her adoptive mother (who is also dying!) coming back and revealing a big secret" was. It just sort of came out of nowhere and had no real emotional stakes in it, which is probably why I'd prefer for her to have known all along that she was Barbara's daughter (and again, it would further explain why she's there in the first place). It just came off as random and a bit too soap opera clunky with the coincidence of her having been an Articulette fan, just happening to meet Ted and then developing a revengenda against the Duprees. 

Since they likely knew all along she was Barbara's daughter, they could've done a better job with either setting up her estrangement with her adoptive mother or just that it's a part of why Silk Press has such a thorn in the side for the Duprees. 

21 minutes ago, te. said:

I think the issue is her how they did it. Silk Press being revealed as Barbara's daughter at the six month mark isn't rushed, however, the whole "her adoptive mother (who is also dying!) coming back and revealing a big secret" was. It just sort of came out of nowhere and had no real emotional stakes in it, which is probably why I'd prefer for her to have known all along that she was Barbara's daughter (and again, it would further explain why she's there in the first place). It just came off as random and a bit too soap opera clunky with the coincidence of her having been an Articulette fan, just happening to meet Ted and then developing a revengenda against the Duprees. 

Since they likely knew all along she was Barbara's daughter, they could've done a better job with either setting up her estrangement with her adoptive mother or just that it's a part of why Silk Press has such a thorn in the side for the Duprees. 

And I would say that if the foreshadowing of it was there in hints. I had mentioned...and continue to...the fake story she made up for Eva...which happened to be SilkPress's own story. It was very quickly established and mentioned a few times that SilkPress was an Articulette fan...another hint. Not too many times, but enough times that when the reunion concert happened, it was completely plausible that SilkPress would want to go...being a big fan since she was young. It's just more reason I feel it was planned. I do agree that it would have been nice to have Peaches set up a little bit better.

 

Rewatching some of it today felt information dump-y feel to this next turn, but it was answering questions that several people and myself asked as well when the reveal was happening. And it is a soap. Something like the parentage drop and how it was done is very soapy. Heck...just last year...Holly dropped on Sasha's doorstep on GH and revealed herself as her mother out of nowhere. So not unusual at all. At least for me.

 

In the history of soaps, there have been coincidences (the reveal, crazy woman comes to town unknowing of her link to the main family after causing drama a la Kendall Hart) like this. I could almost pick on it, but when you have a capable actress who can sell it...which for me TMG did, giving her character layers and some bit of an emotional side...I can suspend some of the disbelief. And I also picked on the B&B execution of it, but again I explained why it still works in the SilkPress storyline. 

The best thing the show has going for it is the intense, sustained audience engagement. Not just in this thread but all across social media and clearly, in the general audience.

It's got a real viewer share, and Sheila Ducksworth's point is well taken when she talks about having to walk the tightrope between the pace classic soap fans are used to and that of the 18-29 demo used to something speedier. I understand that struggle, even if I don't think they have at all figured it out yet onscreen and I think it needs a ton of work. The stuff with Chelsea and Madison in particular is like the pace out of primetime Melrose Place, where within a week they're all but moving in together. Many such examples.

The reality, both refreshing and frightening, is that no American daytime soap has had to face or try to hook an all-new audience since 1999. BTG is the first and hopefully not the last, but they have genuinely garnered a new audience that wasn't already bought in, one unused to daytime pacing. It is trying to marry the two kinds of viewers onscreen. That's a trying task and we can see the seams and issues with this all over the show, its pacing, execution, etc. But I think this being six months, it having the intense following it does is still a promising sign. I just hope that in another six months they've learned to use MVJ's lessons from the ABC soaps - not the latter-day Bell ones.

Edited August 25Aug 25 by Vee

Have Ted or Nicole had any involvement in the June story? 

Chelsea in the Hayley miscarriage?

Has Dani had any mom/daughter talks about Madison?

Those kind of connections seem to be ignored to the detriment of the story.

I sometimes forget that some characters are related as they seldom share scenes.

2 hours ago, Taoboi said:

In the history of soaps, there have been coincidences (the reveal, crazy woman comes to town unknowing of her link to the main family after causing drama a la Kendall Hart) like this.

The thing is that they didn't need to go down this path if they planned it from the start (which I assume they did). Usually when soaps throw these sort of curveballs it's because they have a break-out character they want to keep and tie more closely to the canvas, or because there's new head writers / change of direction or because the previous status quo got stale and there needs to be a shake up.

Either way, this sort of messiness happens on other soaps because they don't have the luxury of a clean slate, which is one of the things that Beyond the Gates actually has. It's the same with the ages being all over the place and the timeline making zero sense. I give more grace to other soaps on this because of said factors (it's decades of decisions that the current head writers have little control over), but when you have a clean slate and then it's down to choices because it's not done out of necessity. It just feels like taking all the wrong lessons from soaps.