-- Makes little sense that Martin didn't tell Smitty about the added security detail. Who's paying for all this?

-- And why is Martin traveling "all over the state" for his campaign?

-- Smitty is always working on his "story." What story? What is there to report on the blood plasma theft ring?

-- Leslie needs to be dialed down a bit. Every line -- every single line -- is shade or snark or a threat.

-- Eva went at Izaiah pretty hard for not defending her to Darlene. Maybe Eva should go after her ridiculous mawmuh just as hard.

-- Izaiah said their Sunday family dinners ended up in yelling. I thought the Hawthorne family was pretty calm except for black sheep Izaiah.

I swear Smitty and Martin have the worst communication - so much lying and hiding within their relationship.

There is an element missing in the dynamic between Darlene, Izaiah and Eva. In the old granny's soap opera days, Darlene would have been on the hunt for another young woman to catch Izaiah's eye. Darlene would have re-acquainted herself with someone like Laura (who she would have known via Naomi, maybe?) and befriended her, while on the sneak tip, invited Izaiah to a lunch that she already invited Laura too. They're sitting down to brunch at Uptown an lo, and behold, Eva walks in to see the trio chatting it up. But I know BTG doesn't do old-fashioned drama, sooo-🙃

Anybody who thinks all divorced couples stay divorced hasn't watched Y&R in the last 40 years lol. I'd be fine with Dani and Bill staying exes (although, sadly, I don't see Dani and Andre staying together forever) but with Nicole and Ted, there ought to be wiggle room for back and forth.

It really is a waste to have Leslie being so self-centered and not actually defending Eva. Of course that would require Leslie to take some responsibility and acknowledge that she put Eva up to a lot of the negative things she did and Leslie is nowhere near doing that.

Smitty breaking into Nicole's computer was surprising and has the potential to create a lot of drama if done right.

Smitty and Martin never resolved their issues, they just swept them under the rug.. but the behaviors are still the same that caused the issues to begin with.

SPS needs to have a few layers added in order to show that there's a human being there. Gina on Santa Barbara was campy, but there were things that humanized that character and I think MVJ and co need to reign her in a bit.

At least Eva and Iziaiah have conflict and some stakes in their relationship now,

I thought they resolved things with Martin and Smitty pretty well over the course of last summer and fall. I bought that reformation.

5 hours ago, DramatistDreamer said:

There is an element missing in the dynamic between Darlene, Izaiah and Eva. In the old granny's soap opera days, Darlene would have been on the hunt for another young woman to catch Izaiah's eye. Darlene would have re-acquainted herself with someone like Laura (who she would have known via Naomi, maybe?) and befriended her, while on the sneak tip, invited Izaiah to a lunch that she already invited Laura too. They're sitting down to brunch at Uptown an lo, and behold, Eva walks in to see the trio chatting it up. But I know BTG doesn't do old-fashioned drama, sooo-🙃

Anybody who thinks all divorced couples stay divorced hasn't watched Y&R in the last 40 years lol. I'd be fine with Dani and Bill staying exes (although, sadly, I don't see Dani and Andre staying together forever) but with Nicole and Ted, there ought to be wiggle room for back and forth.

Yes to all of this. It may still happen and I like using Laura for this.

Nikki/Victor, Doug/Julie, Mac/Rachel etc were all divorced at one point with the possibility of re-uniting.

17 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

Just wondering how many of you carry your laundry detergent from room to room when you wash clothes. 😂

You do if P&G are paying for it! Was watching Abbott Elementary and Janeen and Gregory were moving into their new apartment. There was a big Wayfair box onscreen and Janeen commented on how efficient Wayfair was in delivering some furniture.

At least Samantha didn't have to plug Tide in the dialogue.

Are they going to be able to pull off a believable debutante cotillion on camera with a soap opera budget? Or will it take place off camera? Will the event be cancelled at the last minute because of some plot point? Any speculation about how the cotillion will be handled?

40 minutes ago, Tisy-Lish said:

Are they going to be able to pull off a believable debutante cotillion on camera with a soap opera budget? Or will it take place off camera? Will the event be cancelled at the last minute because of some plot point? Any speculation about how the cotillion will be handled?

It would be spoiler-ish to post, so:

Julie Hanan Carruthers confirmed they built a ballroom set (which has already been previewed on a news broadcast) on an additional soundstage for the cotillion. They brought in choreographers and have upwards of 28 couples dancing. It's going to be a production for them.

9 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Yes to all of this. It may still happen and I like using Laura for this.

Nikki/Victor, Doug/Julie, Mac/Rachel etc were all divorced at one point with the possibility of re-uniting.

Especially since Laura lost her mom, she would be particularly vulnerable where having a possible mother figure re-entering her life is concerned. Not that Darlene would be consciously exploiting that and perhaps she really does genuinely become close to Laura. Soaps used to have these types of relationships where people weren't related by blood but there was a pseduo familial or a multi-generational relationship between two characters. On As The World Turns, Lisa was like that to some of the young wayward characters in town that she could relate to, or Kim Hughes and her former step-daughter Betsy Stewart. These relationships, I think, add layers to characters' personal stories and the show itself and it doesn't require a lot of screen time, just a series of well-placed, brief scenes, sprinkled here and there on occasion.

19 minutes ago, Tisy-Lish said:

Are they going to be able to pull off a believable debutante cotillion on camera with a soap opera budget? Or will it take place off camera? Will the event be cancelled at the last minute because of some plot point? Any speculation about how the cotillion will be handled?

I am tempering my expectations on this. I have a feeling it will be the continuation/culmination of more off-screen action.

quoting spoiler from LibertyCity

7 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

a ballroom set (which has already been previewed on a news broadcast) on an additional soundstage for the cotillion

replying to spoiler with a question:

question

I watched the news broadcast you linked but I didn't see a new set. However, I often miss set details -- so it might my own difficulty seeing it. Timestamp? Or maybe you intended to link to a different clip?

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by janea4old

Writers:
Sara A. Bibel
Cheryl L. Davis

Director:
Steven Williford

original release date: Friday, April 10, 2026 | writers: Sara A. Bibel, Cheryl L. Davis | director: Steven Williford

Thoughts:

• Poor June! I am sure it is not easy feeling such pressure when your wishes are not being respected, especially by one of your children. Hopefully, with Nicole being there, she can help temper the situation.

• Welp... Madison got served. That cannot be a positive sign, can it?

• I see Ms Vanessa is continuing to work her plan to insert herself into Joey's businesses. I just hope the endgame remains the same.

• Uh-oh... Randy, Ms. Lynette is exposing your cover in multiple ways.

• Deanna ordered a vodka soda and did not get carded? I know she is a college student, but damn... Uptown staff should be cautious about this.

• Joey is absolutely getting off on Randy's secrets, and he is totally going to enjoy figuring it out.

• Of course Madison's mother would cause her to be sued for malpractice. Why do I sense a very tense family confrontation about to happen?

• Hayley shops at Fenmore's? Her looks do not read as such outside of the one she is wearing today.

• Maybe it is time to go back to the alleyway, you two? The stairwell just seems like such a suspect spot.

• I appreciate Nicole trying to de-escalate the situation between June and Samantha, but the latter is just making this worse by allowing her attitude and emotions to play on full blast.

• Oh my God... June is breaking my heart. I cannot imagine the burden she carries having to feel that every single day of her life.

• Seeing Bill and Naomi both approach Madison's lawsuits from different viewpoints is refreshing. You can see both of their points of view and approaches.

• Deanna is invoking her mother by approaching Joey. This will either end badly or poorly. I do not see a positive resolution between them occurring.

• Oh my... that little tiff between Nicole and Vanessa was heartbreaking. Both spoke some very honest, raw truths, and I can tell they are both beyond hurt at the other. Wow.

• I like that Bill and Naomi are going to be working together on Madison's legal team to fight the malpractice lawsuit. Together they could be very formidable.

Notes:

• Bibel and Davis have proven themselves a formidable team as writers, and today's episode was no exception. A seamless flow and effortless execution.

• Jasmine Burke (June) continues to show up. She aced her material today and really made my heart break for June as if she were talking directly to me.

7 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

• Hayley shops at Fenmore's? Her looks do not read as such outside of the one she is wearing today.

I won't be able to watch until Sunday, but sounds like a good episode.

Haley's wardrobe is beyond awful. Definitely not Fenmore's. Maybe Fenmore's has a rack version.