5 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

Ashley and Greyson aren't exactly super-couple material, but I will say that for a first day.. the two do seem to have a rapport and we'll see if this will lead to anything or not.

I think it's great they're giving JJ a chance despite what anyone else thinks. I'm rooting for her.

How can this show cast 3 time daytime Emmy winner, Cady McClain in her first originated role in daytime and do NOTHING with Pamela Curtis? Pamela is a blank slate. Write for her.

Edited January 14Jan 14 by John

1-9

First of all, I see CBS is at it again with their player so I hope Tuesday is up and running before I head to work tomorrow cuz I wanted to see Jordi.

That said...just did my rewatch and it holds up so much better on a second viewing. Not that the first viewing was bad. I feel like this week has been the first non-holiday related week in a while where it just flowed. I didn't feel anything was too jarring (outside of Andre's insecurities) and as I love to say...an A or just main story with other stories surrounding it. I hope this new week is more of the same.

It's just the layers I've seen with the Anita's Cancer storyline. I already immediately side-eyed Anita at the start of the episode because she's already trying to push Vernon away. I thought Tracy's and Bill's talk would have gotten through to her, but yet there she was. And I just feel that's going to grow. Not helped by the coda of Vernon not immediately telling her about Dani's diagnosis.

Then you have the testing of Dani and Nicole. I loved how it was drawn out all week and allowed to breathe. And yep. Like most of all, I just assumed it was going to be Nicole, too. Even though I KNOW I want to see her in her triangle with Carlton and Kial and not medical drama. So I liked she was negative. Which made Dani being positive that much more shocking. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Is this a way to make Dani less dynamic? Or a way to make Dani more of a damsel in distress between Bill and Andre? That were my first concerns and worries. I definitely want to see where it goes. Just...worried.

And I'm also curious to see where all of this is going with Jacob and Naomi. Cuz it feels like it's going to go somewhere. Cuz Naomi is being like how Anita is being with Vernon...pushing him away. For the first time, I wondered if Jacob and Naomi would even be together by the end of the year. I know...soap long-term. I guess I'm happy to see the good guy/good girl couple have some drama coming up that doesn't feel like it will come to an abrupt end. But their current drama feels choppy to me.

Happy to see Chels and Kat make up. But with the reveal that Nicole is negative and Kat is in the clear...I immediately wonder what beat they will play with her.

Drunk Nicole was a good view of the character being vulnerable. It is very wasted with Carlton, though and he sort of faded a bit in those scenes because he's still underdeveloped.

Vernon was barely acting like a father in this episode and his attitude was nonchalant when Anita was upset with him for not telling her about Dani. Dani is his daughter too, but he is very caught up in the "Anita Show" as he called it.

For the first time Elon acted like a decent father and not like a chastising, judgemental pain.

Besides being WAY TOO THIRSTY for his "best friend" Ted's ex-wife, Carlton just can't keep up with Beautiful Nicole in the acting department. He's dull as hell to me.

Sometimes I wonder if Greg Vaughan's unavailability to tape some scenes led to this sudden resurgence of Nicole's friendship with Carlton. At one point, she acted like she was DONE with him. Then after Winterfest, he popped up again, to my disappointment.

2 hours ago, John said:

How can this show cast 3 time daytime Emmy winner, Cady McClain in her first originated role in daytime and do NOTHING with Pamela Curtis? Pamela is a blank slate. Write for her.

They've got much bigger priorities than Cady's side character atm.

45 minutes ago, Broderick said:

Sometimes I wonder if Greg Vaughan's unavailability to tape some scenes led to this sudden resurgence of Nicole's friendship with Carlton. At one point, she acted like she was DONE with him. Then after Winterfest, he popped up again, to my disappointment.

I still suspect they probably planned to tie off the Carlton thread gradually like this before she got more serious with Kial Rollins. Even when he first appeared you still had some folks on social media moaning about Nicole not going for thirsty Carlton instead. I do agree it's past time to see GV again though, and that Carlton is deeply dull. He's a planned obstacle IMO.

Nah! Let it all be a slow burn.

And as we all know, when you mention someone/something on this show, they pop up soon after. Thus, Pamela's return after a month (?) of mentioning where is she?

I will give Kial another two weeks at most given the amount of asking here.

Nicole and Carlton are boring. I don’t see much chemistry there

Yay, Pamela is back! About time. :)

BTCH!

Im upset that its a dream bc I was loving how evil she was being. I was like I know this hoe aint doing this today!

Writers:
Ron Carlivati
Lynn Martin

Director:
Michael V. Pomarico

7 minutes ago, Cheap21 said:

BTCH!

Im upset that its a dream bc I was loving how evil she was being. I was like I know this hoe aint doing this today!

LOL I thought the same thing, I was like wow she's really going low and ramping it up...but then I started thinking wait, this is a dream. And bam, there's Pam!

original release date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 | writers: Ron Carlivati, Lynn Martin | director: Michael V. Pomarico

Thoughts:

• Damn, Hayley. That is beyond harsh. But, it is thankfully a fake-out, because even the way she was acting was beyond below the belt, even for the character. And hey, Pamela! Welcome back!

• Dana is turning on the ass-kiss quite thick. Way too thick with Joey, who is not going to buy it coming from her. At all.

• Vanessa is such a kind and caring friend, tending to Nicole while she has her hangover.

• Oh no. Not Joey arriving at Bill's office door. This can never be good. And it is interesting that Bill appears to be protective of Vanessa; is another link to his Dupree nature still existing?

• I adore that Pamela is there for Dani, through thick and thin, with some giggles and undying support. That is a friend.

• I can appreciate Nicole trying to be a bit more accepting of Vanessa's relationship, but I do feel like it will be very short-lived.

• What the Hell happened in Berlin? Now I need to know every single detail, from the beginning to the very end.

• Dana, stop looking at that gun. You do not need access to a firearm. At all. Do not.

• Dani, Dani, Dani... it is time for you to just admit you want Bill as much as he wants you. And here comes the hurdle: the con artist who stole him from you for the sake of her desperate bank account. What a ho.

Notes:

• Ugh. I thought the writer was gone... praying this is their last breakdown, because it is messier than the messiest of messy days. No bueno.

• Xavier's direction, like yesterday, was outstanding! He knows how to shoot a soap, and it shows in the results.

• I appreciate how Beyond the Gates handles its recurring players. They pop in and out as necessary, and when they arrive, it is so nice to see.

• Jeresa Featherstone was solid as a costume designer in 2025 (with some hiccups), but I have yet to see one hiccup in 2026. She knows her cast well, and it shows in what they wear.

• Rarely does a dark lip work on any woman who is not Bette Davis, but Cady McClain (Pamela) pulls it off so well. Excellent choice by the makeup team.

• McClain and Karla Mosley (Dani) light up in their shared scenes. They have a palpable chemistry that makes me truly buy them as lifelong friends.

I have to wonder if Marcel's gun is going to cause trouble for Leslie.

Speaking of Im loving her and Marcel and Joey. More of them in any capacity.

I love me some Pamela. I know she's an aquired taste but I love her and Dani's friendship .

Edited January 14Jan 14 by Rmodelboy

6 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

• McClain and Karla Mosley (Dani) light up in their shared scenes. They have a palpable chemistry that makes me truly buy them as lifelong friends.

I agree and was going to say the same thing. The smiles and laughs from Karla during those scenes with Cady seem genuine. They have such a great rapport. I just wish we could get more episodes from Cady.

I'm really enjoying this path they're taking with Leslie and Marcel. There's a dangerous feel to it which suits them well.