Saturday, December 3, 2011

Soap Opera Round-up 11/28 to 12/2: The Who Cares Whodunnits



BEST SOAP OF THE WEEK: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
- I wasn't really blown away by any of the soaps all that much this week. But it is interesting to see this eternal Hope/Liam/Steffy triangle veer in another direction. (I swear if I have to hear "To Make You Feel My Love" one more time...!) Now Dollar Bill realizes that maybe he's not quite as over "Lolita" Steffy as he thought he was. Did anyone really think that was completely over? And this gives Heather Tom something to work with. (See BEST ACTRESS.)
- I'm also enjoying Pam's antics with stealing the Forrester designs to get some manly attention from Nick. I'd love for Nick and Pam to actually blossom in a real romance rather than just being comic relief. It could be a touching love story. Yeah, I know. It won't go there.

BEST ACTRESS OF THE WEEK: Heather Tom (Katie, B&B). Heather Tom tore it up this week when Katie found out about Bill's involvement with Liam and Steffy's marriage. When she found out that Steffy was also put on the Board of Directors, it looked like another heart attack would be oncoming.



BEST ACTOR OF THE WEEK: Matthew Ashford (Jack, DAYS). It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I am a longterm Matt Ashford fan. I hope I am being objective when I say he knocked it out of the park in the scene with Deidre Hall. After so many past storylines of Jack uncharacteristically being a clown and a loser, now with the post-traumatic stress disorder story, he has a serious problem that Matt Ashford can sink his teeth into. Under the best of circumstances, Jack is closed off and does not easily in confide in people. It took him forever to tell Jennifer that he loved her, for example. So when Jack confessed to Marlena about the experience in Afghanistan regarding the torture and murder of his cellmate, Ashford played every level. Emmy worthy stuff...which leads me to...

SCENE OF THE WEEK: Marlena treating Jack for his post-traumatic stress disorder, DAYS. How great was it to see Marlena treating someone with a problem based in reality? For a while, her specialty seemed to be hypnotizing victims of Stefano Dimera with brain chips, multiple personalities, amnesia, et cetera. Both Deidre Hall and Matt Ashford have done their best work since their return in this scene. Now Corday just needs to shell out some money to give Marlena an office to work in again!

GENERAL HOSPITAL - Who Cares Whodunnit, Part 1. Lisa Niles was so much more interesting alive. Other than Robin getting a nice monologue to tell Stone about her feelings regarding that travesty of a storyline, this has been such a crashing bore.
- If this soap is so close to the cancellation block, how come GH always gets to do cool montages when the other soaps generally don't?
- I am starting to understand the whole Shrew-lu reputation that Lulu has. Kudos for Dante telling her to put on her big girl pants. If she doesn't like being with a cop, she should dump him and hang out with Spinelli.
- With the firing of Brian Frons and Jill Farren Phelps all within the same week, the debate about the future of this soap is much more interesting than what is actually happening on the air.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE - Who Cares Whodunnit, Part 2. We all know Todd killed Victor or thinks he killed Victor or whatever. So can we move on from the whole Tomas thing, please? Not too much time left to waste on this soap anymore.
- Nice scene with pregnant Tea and Shaun.
- Wow! Stacy is really Gigi. Who didn't see that one coming?

YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Who Cares Whodunnit, Part 3. Victor confessing to Diane's murder to cover up for drunk Nikki is another plot twist on a murder that we are all so tired of!
- Debbie Morgan is great as Harmony. Ready for more!
- So how long before Billy rehires Phyllis at Restless Style?
- Patty would have been enough; did Emily have to come back too?

DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Will Quinn be Kate's latest boy toy? I can live with that!
- Madison finally wised up and realized that she has hired a deadbeat (Sami).
- I'm liking Jennifer becoming Abe's hardcore PR spokesperson; if she can't be a reporter, at least this new profession suits her better than her earlier job at the hospital.
- Will's breakdown going into freefall. Great acting by Chander Massey!
- EJ comes onto Nicole with all green lights, gets a flashback about Sami...and the mood is killed. Yeah, Sami will do that to a guy.

PRETTY THE SERIES - Episode 3, Season 3.
- Michael's dirty little secret comes out that he was part of one of those one-hit wonder rock bands.
www.prettytheseries.com

THE BAY - Chapter 7, Part 1.
- Romantic longing between Sara and Lee.
- A great scene with Capt. Sanders and The Mayor (soap opera fan heaven with Charles Shaughnessy and Nicolas Coster!)
- A high Lianne rips off Pete's shirt.
- Crazy Igor is back. Woot!
http://blip.tv/thebaytheseries/the-bay-chapter-7-part-1-5783984

VENICE - Episode 2, Season 3.
- We get to see more of Peter Reckell as "Richard" goes to say Hi to "The Colonel" (Jordan Clarke).
- Excellent performances from Jessica Lecchia, Nadia Bjorlin and Crystal Chappell once Gia found out about Ani's abuse.
www.venicetheseries.com

MOST UNROMANTIC LINE OF THE WEEK: (Christine "Aubrey" Wentworth to Rex, ONE LIFE TO LIVE)
I am so sorry, Rex. I did not mean to kiss you. It was just an impulse like Turrets.

BEST VERBAL SMACKDOWN OF THE WEEK: (Dialogue between Todd and John, ONE LIFE TO LIVE)
Todd: John, are you suggesting I set my own newspaper on fire?
John: I read it. Did you?



BEST SOAPY LINE OF THE WEEK: (Nikki regarding her alcoholism, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS)
What I said was one day at a time. One hour at a time. And at this hour...I need a drink!

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