In regards to Vernon, I hate that the show can't quite figure out how to write for his character that isn't just holding Anita's purse. He has a long and varied history that can be mined for story.. yet the show seems insistent on focusing more on Anita then on Vernon.

The only time the show actually used his character was when Anita was off on her tour and he was involved with the Martin secret. It was refreshing to see the men given some focus for a change.

I think the one weakness that the soap still has is that the show is over-correcting for a problem that happened in the past. Too much focus is given on the female characters while the male characters are given less focus.. even though some of them have potential to be more interesting if given focus (i.e. Andre).

Unpopular opinion, but Andre/Dani is basically just surface level. The hints about Andre's backstory tell me that there is a lot more than meets the eye and I wish the writers would focus more on that and less on Dani (who is kind of surface right now).

I also wish the show would delve more into how Dani was as a parent because there is a lot of damage in her two kids that is as much her fault as it is Bill's fault. The writing would be so much better for Dani if we delved more into how narcissism and being coddled by Vernon affected how she parented her daughters.

Matriarchs are such a cornerstone of soap opera that it's unsurprising that so much care and attention has been put into developing Anita's character. Although, there were a few months there that I felt she was being underutilized.

I do think that Vernon needs to be allowed his own space within this soap to be fully utilized. They have given him a lot of background - civil rights activist, politician, lecturer at a prestigious institution. However, that can only go so far when there are no sets to really cater to that type of storytelling. As of now, we know the Wonder Twins, Izaiah, and Vernon are all connected to Banneker. I think Bill went to Banneker considering the pillow on his office couch. I don't know if a college hall set would lend itself to being a good set, but it would give us another side to Vernon.

On another note, I do find it interesting how often the writers have had Donnell and Deanna drinking in their last few appearances. Firstly, are they of age? You're usually of age when you are a college junior/senior, I assumed both were younger but I may be wrong. Also, Gen Z isn't really drinking like that.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by GLATWT88

4-13

Ooooo can we keep her?

This week is off to a great start. I thought it was surprisingly strong for a Monday. Then again, it was Jazmen on the script so I should be surprised.

But for keeping her...I was talking about Lia. Throwing Nicole under the bus. Manipulating Ashley. Giving Silk Press Sheila a run for her money because their catfight was vicious. And then her history with Marcel. We even got a hint of backstory cuz...who IS her husband? Don't think I didn't notice he was not mentioned by name. In the span of an episode, I saw more potential in her than any of her other appearances. Heck, I said back when SilkPress tried to kill Laura at the hospital, that it could have been a storyline for Ashley that she got accused of doing her job wrong by a higher authority figure, making Ashley question if she really wanted her dream job...a story having to do with her and not just her triangle with Derek and Andre. Who would have thought a year later, Ashley now has to deal with an authority figure that questions everything about her. It's a shame Lia ain't staying because I now see the potential in her being a villain after this episode. I definitely want a Round 2 for her and Silk Press Sheila.

So Ashley got a promotion? Congrats!

Well-played, Donnell. I have not liked that he came to town to look into Doug's death, but that storyline fizzled. So it's great that he was part of Deanna's quest to figure out the timeline of Joey and Vanessa's relationship. I continue to love the Deanna storyline because she's going to stumble into something that Vanessa and Joey are going to wish she has not. And I can't say enough about the actress with her 'Dru Jr' self. She says sooooooooo much with her eyes and I love it.

I still can't believe that Nicole has been thrown into this plasma ring storyline now. The more Nicole, the merrier for me. And I guess in hindsight, it is a heroine move to be accused of something that she didn't do. Gee thanks Smitty. I did like she went to confront him though.

For something nice about SilkPress, I liked she was a (jealous) person this episode and not a cartoon. And I never not like her with Marcel.

1 hour ago, GLATWT88 said:

I do think that Vernon needs to be allowed his own space within this soap to be fully utilized. They have given him a lot of background - civil rights activist, politician, lecturer at a prestigious institution. However, that can only go so far when there are no sets to really cater to that type of storytelling. As of now, we know the Wonder Twins, Izaiah, and Vernon are all connected to Banneker. I think Bill went to Banneker considering the pillow on his office couch. I don't know if a college hall set would lend itself to being a good set, but it would give us another side to Vernon.

I do think plumbing Vernon's background (and what he could've gotten up to during his youthful years in the movement) could be very powerful.

I think the show is overcautious about presenting the men (especially Vernon) as devoted and supportive. They're trying to send a message that I assume comes from MVJ after years of misogyny on soaps, but I wouldn't be shocked if it also comes from the show's immediate patron (the NAACP). I think that message has value and is important up to a point, but the men can't be totally defanged as has happened with several. I do think Vernon's role needs to expand. We know from last year's Martin drama that he is a power broker who can wield it when he chooses. He's not just a sweet old philanthropist. And I do think they desperately need more of Banneker, a la LOVING.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Vee

On 4/6/2026 at 10:15 AM, DramatistDreamer said:

Oh that mini scene with the 3 kids and Anita? That's not what I was talking about. I meant amongst the other kids, so we get an idea of the actual peer pressure of messing up in front of a group of your actual peers. A cotillion is a communal event and these scenes are too isolated. I get it. They don't want to hire extras and dayplayers but again, if you can't afford to make it look realistic, don't do it!

First apologies, with the new work schedule that I'm adjusting to, I'm just getting back around to this I believe.

Yes, I was talking about that as well. But up until mid-February they were slowly showing the cotillion storyline for me from Ty vs Nicole over the origin of cotillion to the arc of Jessica being anti-cotillion. Then they introduced the Bellfairs. And then all the elements they showed just vanished.

Like you, I'm now getting annoyed at it. Like I've been playing catch-up on BTG and I was irked with the Richardson family scene where Samantha was giving recap about cotillion stuff that was happening off-screen...like what you mentioned above about Samantha with her peers. If Francesca is causing trouble for Samantha in front of their peers, we really should be seeing it. They already set up Francesca vs Samantha well enough in their brief scenes that I was looking forward to more BEFORE the cotillion. The same for Ty and his dancing lessons. It could even be a reason to bring Nathan back into play since he and Ty don't even like each other due to how Nathan treated Samantha. And Nathan is Francesca's date. But...also off-screen.

For me, if we are not going to see any of it on screen until May...I almost wish they have not done a good job building it up in the first place pre-February to hook me into wanting to see it.

1 hour ago, GLATWT88 said:

On another note, I do find it interesting how often the writers have had Donnell and Deanna drinking in their last few appearances. Firstly, are they of age? You're usually of age when you are a college junior/senior, I assumed both were younger but I may be wrong. Also, Gen Z isn't really drinking like that.

Agreed. I didn't see either of them as 21. I didn't see them as close to getting their college degrees, but here we are. Donnell drinking alone at the Uptown bar was just weird.

I know I personally live for all the Dark Vernon moment, and Davis looks hot when he's allowed to show Vernon weaving his power, too.

7 minutes ago, Vee said:

I do think plumbing Vernon's background (and what he could've gotten up to during his youthful years in the movement) could be very powerful.

I think the show is overcautious about presenting the men (especially Vernon) as devoted and supportive. They're trying to send a message that I assume comes from MVJ after years of misogyny on soaps, but I wouldn't be shocked if it also comes the show's immediate patron (the NAACP). I think that message has value and is important up to a point, but the men can't be totally defanged as has happened with several. I do think Vernon's role needs to expand. We know from last year's Martin drama that he is a power broker who can wield it when he chooses. He's not just a sweet old philanthropist. And I do think they desperately need more of Banneker, a la LOVING.

Anita had a career that required her to be on the road regularly, especially if we are to believe the Articulettes are inspired by the Motown groups of the 60s and 70s. Those groups were doing shows constantly. Vernon also did plenty of work that required his time away - not far fetched to believe that extramarital situations took place. It would also open up to the possibility of a Dupree son, which is desperately needed IMO. I still think it should have been Martin.

Just now, GLATWT88 said:

Anita had a career that required her to be on the road regularly, especially if we are to believe the Articulettes are inspired by the Motown groups of the 60s and 70s. Those groups were doing shows constantly. Vernon also did plenty of work that required his time away - not far fetched to believe that extramarital situations took place. It would also open up to the possibility of a Dupree son, which is desperately needed IMO. I still think it should have been Martin.

I agree Martin should've been their son. And I think they are holding a lot of Anita's past in reserve. It is only a matter of time before the notorious Dante Green shows up.

As I told @Khan the other day, the reality is a lot of the audience (especially the newer element of the audience unused to soaps) seems to deeply value Anita and Vernon being an elder couple who are very faithful and monogamous to each other. It wouldn't matter to me personally if they'd strayed, I've watched soaps all my life. But given that audience response to even the hint that he could've been with Sharon I think you mess with that at your peril for a soap as young as this, at least for now til a point in time when the show is more secure.

But I do think an illegitimate child, grandchild, etc. has to happen for one or both someday. That's the nature of the beast with soaps. For now though, I'd probably line it up to say that any out of wedlock bloodline would pre-date their marriage.

On 4/7/2026 at 11:11 PM, Paul Raven said:

Agree. Ted/Shanice would be more interesting if she maintained her boss attitude to some extent.

Agree. They are a sexy twosome who need something to shake them up.

I'm all for her opening up, but I never want Shanice to not keep her 'in charge' confidence and gift for getting all the tea.

Yeah. I'm still waiting for the investigation into Andre's past to come back around in story myself.

5 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

I'm all for her opening up, but I never want Shanice to not keep her 'in charge' confidence and gift for getting all the tea.

I'm on record as being disappointed with the Shanice they've given us for the past few months. Her confidence and her bite have been sanded away. We all have moments of self-doubt, but Shanice is now paying way too much attention to Nicole and Nicole's shadow. I don't like her questioning her place in Ted's world.

2 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

I'm on record as being disappointed with the Shanice they've given us for the past few months. Her confidence and her bite have been sanded away. We all have moments of self-doubt, but Shanice is now paying way too much attention to Nicole and Nicole's shadow. I don't like her questioning her place in Ted's world.

Yeah, I miss the days when things would be going down with characters and there was Shanice in the background...stealing the scene. Or her on the phone gossiping to her friend later.

And with that recent Ted/Nicole scene where Ted was talking about how he and Shanice are on different pages and me going 'since when???, I'm not sure if I'm for Ted/Shanice anymore...which like Dani/Andre last year...have been a happy surprise so far this year.

HEY, RANDY, HEY!!!!

WORTH THE WAIT!

mMMm.

Just now, Taoboi said:

And with that recent Ted/Nicole scene where Ted was talking about how he and Shanice are on different pages and me going 'since when???, I'm not sure if I'm for Ted/Shanice anymore...which like Dani/Andre last year...have been a happy surprise so far this year.

Those comment from Ted came out of nowhere. None of their scenes gave that to us, so it felt like a 180 turn in the writing.

Are they moving Ted back into Nicole's orbit? That's also a bad idea. She's also (poorly) juggling two men, and a third won't make that story work any better.

1 minute ago, ranger1rg said:

Those comment from Ted came out of nowhere. None of their scenes gave that to us, so it felt like a 180 turn in the writing.

Are they moving Ted back into Nicole's orbit? That's also a bad idea. She's also (poorly) juggling two men, and a third won't make that story work any better.

So it wasn't just me. GOOD. And same...none of their scenes gave that at all so yes, a whole turn in writing.

Well I know @Broderick has long had a theory that the plasma ring storyline is a way to move Ted back into Nicole's orbit for a while now. And up until that moment and Lia throwing Nicole under the bus on Monday, I was not completely on board with it. Now though.