36 minutes ago, Aback said:

• : another typo with their phone graphics. It's so amateurish.
  

  

Again, whoever's phone this is could be someone who does not know how to spell 'caffeine'.

1 hour ago, Liberty City said:

Again, whoever's phone this is could be someone who does not know how to spell 'caffeine'.

? Maybe I missed something but the message supposedly comes from the Caffeine Fix official number. Which the recipient has not saved which is why it says 'Maybe' first.

I don't think it's a secret how much I love BTG. I'm also aware that the show is not perfect but honestly what show is??? I watch the other four soaps but the difference with BTG is I'm entertained everyday and most definitely look forward to each episode. I can't say the same about some of the others. I watch more out of habit.

BTG has very much established itself as a real contender to becoming a cultural sensation IMO. I'm just enjoying the ride.

I do think there is a real aversion (maybe based on the later years MVJ spent at GH in the 2000s, which became mired in stunts, violence and misogyny) to having too much driving action in the show. The creative team clearly wanted to get back to doing a soap with heartfelt conversations, positive messaging and educating the audience, making sure the characters come off warm with each other as opposed to being cardboard cutouts or just stereotypes or certain soap cliches.

Those notions are all admirable to a point, and I do think a soap should have heartfelt conversations and strive to educate the audience as Agnes Nixon or Labine always did. But there's a difference between educating organically through story and being didactic, or having every third or fourth conversation come off like therapyspeak or an infomercial. Which a lot of material on the show often does. Or constantly reinforcing the positive messaging about how much the Duprees love each other and are there for each other, etc etc. I get that MVJ wants to make sure this family does not end up how the Quartermaines or Wards did on GH 20 years ago (whereas the Qs are replenished today), a bitter, desolate wasteland on canvas, and that they're important to her. And I understand the reluctance to lean into Fronsian stunts or too much macho action. But the show, while enjoyable for me, often seems to shun too much hard action or propulsive movement for fear it will come off stunt-happy, cliched or overly masculine.

The most exciting moment in ages was Jacob walking into that elevator with Grayson. And Kat and Eva should go at it hammer and tongs in a dedicated workplace storyline with their feud being the focus, but instead they just keep having the same conversations with or about each other. A lot of conversations won't cover for harder action and bigger moves - in business, against rivals, with the police or criminals, etc. That's what needs to ramp up for me, in addition to the set issues. Talking through it in the most positive and life-affirming ways possible while 90% of the characters make sure the other person feels seen is not gonna get you there.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Vee

I agree with everyone. We need movement. The show can drag, because we are often subjected to exposition rather than seeing things play out.

I really don't know what can be done about sets. I guess 27 is a lot, but the actual BTG world feels very small. Naomi and Eva have been at Orphey's so much lately. I'm also like dang how much Orphey Gene's do these characters eat? We know they're not ordering the salad.

Joey's backroom could have been Martin's campaign office. They gave Andre's set to Joey so Vanessa could sex him up for two episodes. Is the cabin where Chelsea was held hostage another set redressed? If not, why isn't that being used?

I'm not sure what sets would make this show feel more dynamic, but I think it would help a lot.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by GLATWT88

IA. It would've been a lot more meaningful to see the animosity on the court between Kial and Carlton, not be told about it second hand. It's always too much build up and not enough follow through. The gala Winterfest was a HUGE disappointment. And while I get that it's hard to predict location shooting, a couple of outdoor scenes would make a huge difference.

1 hour ago, Vee said:

do think there is a real aversion (maybe based on the later years MVJ spent at GH in the 2000s, which became mired in stunts, violence and misogyny) to having too much driving action in the show. The creative team clearly wanted to get back to doing a soap with heartfelt conversations, positive messaging and educating the audience, making sure the characters come off warm with each other as opposed to being cardboard cutouts or just stereotypes or certain soap cliches.

Those notions are all admirable to a point, and I do think a soap should have heartfelt conversations and strive to educate the audience as Agnes Nixon or Labine always did. But there's a difference between educating organically through story and being didactic, or having every third or fourth conversation come off like therapyspeak or an infomercial. Which a lot of material on the show often does. Or constantly reinforcing the positive messaging about how much the Duprees love each other and are there for each other, etc etc. I get that MVJ wants to make sure this family does not end up how the Quartermaines or Wards did on GH 20 years ago (whereas the Qs are replenished today), a bitter, desolate wasteland on canvas, and that they're important to her. And I understand the reluctance to lean into Fronsian stunts or too much macho action. But the show, while enjoyable for me, often seems to shun too much hard action or propulsive movement for fear it will come off stunt-happy, cliched or overly masculine.

The most exciting moment in ages was Jacob walking into that elevator with Grayson. And Kat and Eva should go at it hammer and tongs in a dedicated workplace storyline with their feud being the focus, but instead they just keep having the same conversations with or about each other. A lot of conversations won't cover for harder action and bigger moves - in business, against rivals, with the police or criminals, etc. That's what needs to ramp up for me, in addition to the set issues. Talking through it in the most positive and life-affirming ways possible while 90% of the characters make sure the other person feels seen is not gonna get you there.

ita with all of this. things can get very preachy, with a lot of telling rather than showing.

and the choppy pacing has been an issue from the beginning: stories are introduced then dropped, sometimes reappearing, sometimes not; characters not appearing for weeks.

17 minutes ago, P.J. said:

IA. It would've been a lot more meaningful to see the animosity on the court between Kial and Carlton, not be told about it second hand. It's always too much build up and not enough follow through. The gala Winterfest was a HUGE disappointment. And while I get that it's hard to predict location shooting, a couple of outdoor scenes would make a huge difference.

I didn't have an issue with not seeing the game; sports can be tricky to depict on a soap. WinterFest I blamed on the renewal period and their likely having to pivot from it being a possible end of the show to extending their storylines. But if they flub the cotillion (which is running long as an arc) or clinic stuff then they'll clearly have real issues with climaxes.

I have much bigger issues with their not yet being a Phoenix Street set or Leslie's mansion. Those need to happen. And the D'Angelo Barksdale Memorial Corner needs to not be the only dedicated story environment for the Impaler stuff. At least move more of it into the hospital.