1 hour ago, Broderick said:

For it to work effectively on screen, the actor playing Andre needs to be a sure-enough "bad boy player-type" who's inexplicably smitten with the "sweet down-to-earth" nurse.  The audience should be wondering, "Can Andre really settle down with this girl and give up his playboy ways?  Or is he only going through a temporary phase with Ashley?"  Sean Freeman doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped him.  

The actress playing Ashley needs to be completely sincere and devoted to salt-of-the-earth Derek but inexplicably drawn to the more worldly Andre.  The audience should be wondering, "Can she forget Andre and settle down with Derek, or will she always have a weakness for a bad boy?"  Jen Jacob doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped her. 

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John made this same story work in "Grease", but obviously Sean Freeman and Jen Jacob lack the charisma (and the effective writing) that made "Grease" so successful.  

The actor playing Derek needs to be blue-collar, sincere, down to earth, devoted to Ashley, and a little bit jealous that he doesn't have the free, wild streak that she finds attractive in Andre.  Ben Gavin doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped him.

All three of them are a complete bust, in my opinion. 

Andre works fine as Dani's "boy toy", but it's clear she's got the upper hand in the relationship, and he's just along for the ride.  I doubt that's the way it's supposed to come across.    

 

100% When you reiterate what it is supposed to be - what it is on paper - I finally see what Michelle and co. are going for. I've seen none of that on my screen, though. 

5 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

Beyond ugly. It's a question of taste, and that entire room is the very definition of tacky.

The furniture is tacky, the shelving is tacky, the colors are tacky, the decor pieces are tacky. It's such a huge miss that it has to be intentional, right?

Except I don't think it is.

It IS as tacky as (most of) Ms. Hayley's clothes...

1 hour ago, Vee said:

you'd still have Jen Jacob to contend with.

Who, in soapland, could play a convincing Ashley? I can see her as more of a scrappy, wrong-side-of-the tracks sweetheart (as written). I can't think of any current actresses that could make her interesting. As for JJ, I think she'd make a much better bitch. When she showed that side, she actually was more appealing. 

33 minutes ago, Gatecrashers said:

Who, in soapland, could play a convincing Ashley? I can see her as more of a scrappy, wrong-side-of-the tracks sweetheart (as written). I can't think of any current actresses that could make her interesting. As for JJ, I think she'd make a much better bitch. When she showed that side, she actually was more appealing. 

Where did Michelle find Jen Jacobs?  Has JJ previously been on a soap opera?  I don't recall seeing this actress in anything before BTG.   In my opinion, JJ needs an acting coach pronto. And whoever is writing Ashley's plot and dialogue needs a writing coach -- also, pronto.  

Edited September 14Sep 14 by Tisy-Lish

3 hours ago, Broderick said:

For it to work effectively on screen, the actor playing Andre needs to be a sure-enough "bad boy player-type" who's inexplicably smitten with the "sweet down-to-earth" nurse.  The audience should be wondering, "Can Andre really settle down with this girl and give up his playboy ways?  Or is he only going through a temporary phase with Ashley?"  Sean Freeman doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped him.  

The actress playing Ashley needs to be completely sincere and devoted to salt-of-the-earth Derek but inexplicably drawn to the more worldly Andre.  The audience should be wondering, "Can she forget Andre and settle down with Derek, or will she always have a weakness for a bad boy?"  Jen Jacob doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped her. 

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John made this same story work in "Grease", but obviously Sean Freeman and Jen Jacob lack the charisma (and the effective writing) that made "Grease" so successful.  

The actor playing Derek needs to be blue-collar, sincere, down to earth, devoted to Ashley, and a little bit jealous that he doesn't have the free, wild streak that she finds attractive in Andre.  Ben Gavin doesn't project this, and the writing hasn't helped him.

All three of them are a complete bust, in my opinion. 

Andre works fine as Dani's "boy toy", but it's clear she's got the upper hand in the relationship, and he's just along for the ride.  I doubt that's the way it's supposed to come across.    

 

On point!

5 hours ago, kalbir said:

Alex Alegria, Ben Gavin, Jen Jacob are the weak links of the main cast.

Agreed, all should be axed, and some such as Tomas and Ashley should be recast.  I'd just kill off Gavin's character. 

2 hours ago, Gatecrashers said:

Who, in soapland, could play a convincing Ashley? I can see her as more of a scrappy, wrong-side-of-the tracks sweetheart (as written). I can't think of any current actresses that could make her interesting. As for JJ, I think she'd make a much better bitch. When she showed that side, she actually was more appealing. 

I remember thinking of a few early on but the first that came to mind was Eden Riegel, though she's now too old and I think too big a daytime star for the role on this canvas. Either way, I can't recall the others and I don't think the role works period. If you have to turn an ingenue psycho to make her work on daytime, you better have either a strong actress involved or an exit door waiting. Here it's the latter: I'd just write Ashley out.

I'd off myself if I had to listen to Eden try to act on any soap opera in 2025/2026.

The problem also is the few times that Ashley's mom Jan has been shown talking to Ashley... I find I'm more interested in Jan's backstory and about who Ashley's father is and what happened in that relationship that caused Jan to shelter Ashley from the world.   I don't know if MVJ and co intended for that to be the case (if they had, they probably would have cast someone like Krista Allan (sp?) of Days & Bold fame as Jan).

I heard a rumor that the actress that played Allison had auditioned for Chelsea originally.  Even if not true, I do think she would have been a good Chelsea.

 

I honestly find Jan mid at best as well. I know they're hiring local new talent and good for them but there is something to be said for strong soap vets in these roles, lol. Jan and the two Articulettes don't make a huge impression for me, and all should be recast IMO.

I would be all for the Joey connection, but it wouldn't make Ashley much more interesting to me unless she lost it. And even then, it's the Apollo Theater hook for you!

Edited September 14Sep 14 by Vee

I haven’t watched Friday’s episode yet but I just want to say Debbi Morgan is incredible in Beauty in Black and I’d love to see her on BTG.

Has any mention been made of Derek having a family and/or why he has had no one visit him in hospital?

It would have been nice had a few firehouse buddies turned up and some flowers or a hamper arrive from everyone at the station.

Maybe I missed any of this type of stuff?

I assume as a human golem born from rock and stone, Derek has no family.

3 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Has any mention been made of Derek having a family and/or why he has had no one visit him in hospital?

It would have been nice had a few firehouse buddies turned up and some flowers or a hamper arrive from everyone at the station.

Maybe I missed any of this type of stuff?

One of the oddest things about watching older episodes of soaps (mainly from the 1980s, when they briefly moved over into the mainstream) is how many people are in scenes! Guiding Light, for instance, had at least one HUGE party per month, lasting over muliple episodes, with tons of extras dressed up in fancy clothes. The hospital scenes had lots of extras, too, and lots of "under-five" players (characters who would say under five lines of dialogue per episode). 

No more. It's a cost-saving measure. Creating firehouse buddies or family members for Derek costs money. It also explains the very limited number of sets.

4 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Has any mention been made of Derek having a family and/or why he has had no one visit him in hospital?

It would have been nice had a few firehouse buddies turned up and some flowers or a hamper arrive from everyone at the station.

Maybe I missed any of this type of stuff?

Nope, you haven't missed a thing. Derek apparently has no familY and no friends and knows no one. It's ridiculous. I understand budget considerations, but having a major character connected to no one doesn't work.

Of course, I have a problem with the hospital stuff in general. Just about every patient comes in right past the main desk and goes to the room right beside that desk. Physical therapy? The PT visits the room to do it. Check-ups? The doctor visits the room to do it.

We did get Derek in a wheelchair, but what did he do? Rolled around the main desk area.