SwordQueen

Thanks, JBC344, for reminding me more about Mimi. I liked her with Rex, before she lied to him, and sometimes with Shawn -- but, I hated the storylines so much around that time that it colored everything else. Mostly I thought she was shrill and exhausting, and if I'm being honest, I think it was more about the actress who portrayed her, than the character herself. I liked Bonnie though, and that was because of the actress as well. I really wish they would bring back some of these characters. They are needed, since the ones we have are either boring or annoying. Even having Belle, Shawn, and Chelsea in town would have them involved with Kate, Sami, Abby, Will, Theresa, Brady, Eric, Kristen, Victor, and their parents. I just remembered that Sonny and Chelsea are related, right? Through Justin and Bo? Sonny needs some other people to hang with besides Will and Abby. There's T, but his awesomeness is being spread too thin as It is with having to prop broth Will and Abby. And speaking of, if they have T continue to sing Abby's praises, he, too, will get an eye full of my side-eye. The Aiden/Hope sl is so boring and I wonder how they are going to move this forward. Are they going to have Hope divorce Bo? I can't see her cheating on him fully. I would hate for him to die or be presumed dead off-screen because that would suck for Ciara. Girlfriend's got enough untapped range and angst in her already. I don't mind Aiden so much, but they need to hurry up with fleshing him out a bit. We know he has some secrets and guilt about his wife, and possibly the circumstances of her death, but not a whole lot else about him. He has dimples. They're cute. That's all I got. And every time I see him, I just end up wondering when Justin is going to come back from hiding out in NY from, well you know, from Adrianne. oceanblue, lol at Jennifer's hair being a wig or real. Which possibility is less frightening? I haven't watched today's show (I don't watch live), but a hooker for JJ??? Taking pics of her daughter sucking face? Eve, man, what are you doing? Those Horton's are just not worth all of this energy, and JJ is the least of the worst of 'em. Where is she getting the money for a hooker?

Wanted to add that Nick was dating or wanting to date Chelsea for a bit before he slept with Billie and that was shot to hell. Chelsea started dating Max, her non-blood-related uncle (uncle, right?), who turned out to be Melanie's half-brother, and then whoops! just kidding, he wasn't. He had the drugs for a head injury he acquired when killing Melanie's step-dad (whom she thought was her bio dad and then whoops! just kidding, he wasn't) and then became hooked on them. His personality changed starting then. IIRC, Nick didn't remember that he had killed him, at first, right? Reading these storylines all laid out like this, really shows how completely fucked up soaps are. lol That whole John/Marlena/Kristen/Brady/Eric mess, wonderfully summarized by sunnyheart, omg. Can't believe I sat through that crap.

jsm1125, I hesitated with Chloe, but yeah, definitely early on. I hated what they did to her at the end, but I loved the Nicole friendship. They were fun drunks together. Totally forgot Chelsea, I liked her, too. Mimi I don't remember being anything but obnoxious and desperate to me, but maybe I'm forgetting things about her. And like most of you guys here, I will be so pissed if they have Sami forgive EJ and ride into the sunset together. Ugh. And I loved them in the beginning, when he was EJ Wells and had better hair. I sorta understand Sami softening towards EJ when it comes to their kids. The show has beaten us over the head with how Sami screwed up Will by always fighting with Lucas (of course it was never his fault, no.) so I can believe that she's really torn because she knows how important having a stable home life and civil co-parents are for their kids -- and EJ has embraced all of her kids (one thing I like about his character) which is something I don't think she wants to take away from them. But, yeah, other than that? Sami needs to nuke him. Then ride off into the sunset with Kate, and that portrait . That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Just watched yesterday's show. Sami and Kate are my idols right now. Sami's "He called you a broken down whore." and Kate's facial reaction. lol I just want to watch them for an hour. A spin-off with the coven needs.to.happen. The one thing this show often does right, it also completely destroys; there are and have been some awesome female characters/actors on this show (Kate, Sami, Nicole, Anna, Carly, (early) Kristen, Billie, Vivian, non-harpy Julie, Theresa, and I know I'm missing some), who are capable of bring smart, strong, witty, and independent. But then they go and throw them under the bus for, what, a man? A pure Pollyanna? A pointless plot? The women on Days have always, I thought, outweighed the men in awesomeness and badass-ed-ness (excepting Steve, Jack and Victor, imo, who are all awesome in their own right.). Stupid , stupid show. I know I keep beating a dead horse here, but Abby sucks. I mean, really, really sucks. First, she sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong with Bollie and makes such presumptuous statements about who his father really is and his motives and intentions, when she doesn't even know the man. That's such an annoying thing that some people do. If someone tells you that a family member or loved one has treated them a certain way, then believe them and leave it alone. Don't try and convince them that they are wrong or bad for not wanting a relationship with that person. Unbelievable that I'm rooting for Bollie to dump her ass, because even he is too good for her. And then, if she says one more time that Sami and EJ "deserve" each other, like it's some kind of "oh snap!", I will scream. OF COURSE they "deserve" (as in belong together) each other! They were engaged, you box of hair. They wanted to be together, they have kids together, they love(d) each other. You helped fuck that up, and NOW you want to say, that they should just be together, because it's what they "deserve"? I swear, man. To quote the eternally golden Sofia: Beat it, you twenty year old mattress! Is it just me, or did it seem like Lucas was hitting on Jordan a bit? It was a weird scene. He's always been an advocate of her and Rafe's relationship, though who knows why, but it felt a little weird. I wish he would spend the little time he has on screen with Sami -- or smacking Will upside the head. I just can't with that boy, and now he's got me side-eyeing Sonny, too, with Sonny's reassurance to Will that he and Sami will just get over it without any work from Will, because bygones! I hate that they made Will a writer, too. The character and the actor just can't make it believable. EJ needs a makeover.

I agree with both of your posts, and want to add that I am completely perplexed at why TIIC are having Eric act like a pre-teen boy. A virgin pre-teen boy. "Girls make me think dirty things." " I need to put what, where? Ew." I mean, he's had sex before. He's had sex with Nicole before. The way he always looks sooo uncomfortable in sexual situations, or just romantic ones (or even just regular ones! I mean come on.), is annoying and it feels almost offensive to the audience who watched Eric, and Eric and Nicole, the first time. He wasn't this stupid and lame, show! If he were, instead, having to face himself, and sort through his feelings and values and how to transition back into being a man who can have relationships with women and express his desires openly, as opposed to only having a relationship with god, I would think that would be more real and interesting (as much as a priest on a soap can be). But, nooooo, he has to walk around with that constant stank face on. Don't even get me started on the crap that they're trying to pull with blaming the women on the show for men's behavior. We get it, those evil women and their magical devil vaginas are manipulating the menfolk. Bring on the *Witch Hammer. *Maybe they aren't in Illinois, after all! I mean, we have our awesomely wicked or wickedly awesome coven (Kate, Sami, Theresa, Nicole and Ciara) -- and not, one, but TWO Polly Purehearts, walking around being all pious and beige (unless it's "Dress as a Clown" day in Salem).

Oh how I miss when people were buried alive. Those were the days. I miss LS as well. I ...sixth? ...the sentiment that I miss CM and that CM's Will had chemistry with DH's Marlena. There was a softness in Marlena when she was with Will that is never seen in her anymore. I could actually *feel* the affection between them. CM had chemistry with all of his onscreen parents (bio and step) and grandparents (and, Gabby) I thought. GW's Will is just so hard-edged and seemingly mean-spirited. Besides a few times with Sonny, I don't feel any affection and love for any of his family members -- not even Marlena and Kate, who Will often went to for support. You never know what you had until it's gone I guess. I'm all for media questions starting to roll in for Will. Not only about EJ's shooting and Lucas going to prison, but Will's relationship with Gabby and their baby together, the circumstances of Nick's death and relationship to them all, Gabby going to prison for Nick's murder, the birth circumstances of his siblings and Grace, gay marriage and its controversies, his husband's connection to the Kiriakis businesses and Victor's wars with Stephano and the Dimera businesses, and Will often being supported financially with Dimera mob money. He cracked open Pandora's box with that article, and If Will thinks he can just pick and choose which family secrets get leaked to the media, he needs to be "taught a lesson". I hope this opens Sonny's eyes to Will and his lack of character.

Oh, hmm. I was thinking JS sprung his departure on them and that's why this sl is such crap. But alas, no. This is just how they write the show. I'm trying to give tiic the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they are just punking us. Maybe the ending will be all amazing and well-written and satisfying. But alas, no. All of this talk about Will/GW has made me realize that I know exactly what he looks like with that head/chin down, eyes up stance; A bull ready to charge. No wonder he evokes no sympathy from me. He's hostile and on the offensive -- as well as stupid and ineffectual. And I think that Marlena is only half right about his reasons for writing that editorial. He wanted the cover story and the money. But also the attention and the glorification of being the one to "take down" Sami Brady and EJ Dimera. He also wanted to "take a stand" and seem like he's actually doing something, rather than letting everyone else do it for him. Now he has opportunity (the job offer) and the means (cover story and inside information) to get the attention he seems to want right now. It's like he's "sympathizing" with Abby, but it really seems like he wants to usurp the attention away from her, onto himself. Being "outraged" on her behalf enables him to feel justifiably angry at his mom. He lacks the balls to do it on his own, like everything else. Oh, and I never thought, when he came on, that I would like Sonny more than almost all of the other characters. He really does deserve a better husband than Will. He needs to be half of a power couple.

The way I see it, is that EJ is already loathed and despised by most Salemites. He can't really get much lower in their estimation. And a couple of them did accuse him of rape (not that that's exactly out of his wheelhouse, but still). So, really he can't go much lower than where he already was. What are they going to say? They hate him *even more* than they did? They know he's a despicable criminal. He had been hunted down and yelled at, but what else is there to say? Abby otoh, is *supposed* to be an honest, upstanding citizen. A "good girl" even. Her actions have shown otherwise. So, it would follow that people would be shocked and upset by HER behavior, since that is where the discrepancy lies. A "good" person who does "bad" things, *should* upset people. And get people to start questioning how they view and care about that person. Ethics are what a person does when no one is looking, so the saying goes. If she purports herself to be an ethical person, she failed there. And *that* is what should be examined. As for the "whore" comments from Sami...do you expect the wife/partner to do...what? I honestly don't understand how Sami is *supposed* to act? Normal people in the real world get very upset at cheaters. This is a soap, so behaviors are exaggerated and the wife also happens to be Sami Brady, so yelling is what she does.. Whore et al. are words that also get thrown around when people are upset, doesn't always carry the literal meaning. I mean, otherwise, "bitch" wouldn't be used so interchangeably. I can't see how that is slut-shaming. She is not being called a slut for sleeping with Chad, for instance. I guess it bothers me that she is being defended by invoking something that actually exists as a problem for women, when the situations are not at all the same. Also, Abby has used those words (slut, whore,etc) on several of Salem's women. So it's a little much to act (again) like she's a victim when she readily does the same thing to others. She can give it, but looks like she can't take it. That kind of person irks me. *Oh! I just thought of an example where the Horton's did exactly what Sami is doing but it was perfectly OK for them to do. When Jenn thought that Dan and Theresa had slept together. She went around yelling names at both Theresa and Dan. Badmouthed them to her children and to anyone who'd listen. Glared at them in public and was basically just like Sami. And Dan and Theresa didn't even DO anything! So again, perspective, Hortons. Get some. And EJ is getting his. It just looks different. He is being called-out and humiliated in other ways. Longer-term ways than Abby, actually. And it's a different kind of betrayal to deal with when it's your partner. The fact that she loved him is the very reason why it seems harder for her to write him off, like she did Abby. When someone you love that much hurts you, the love doesn't just stop. Sami has been shown to be very conflicted in her feelings towards EJ as many real people are. And if Sami Brady knows one thing, it's self-preservation. If she didn't have her kids and herself to think about, EJ's world would be leveled by now. She has to be careful in what she does to him because it affects her and her kids' future. I hope they don't have Sami forgive him. I hope he has to sell his plasma just to buy a ticket out of town.

Do you know the timeline for JS's decision to leave? I know AS had announced her leaving last year, right? And these shows are taped so far in advance, so they might have had to do some quick re-writes. This entire SL and the Nick one, which facilitated it, seemed so disjointed and random at times. A shame, too, because both had potential for days (heh). I don't think tptb really want viewer reactions to be "Huh?". EJ's attitude and comments to Abby could have happened for many different reasons, but I guess we'll never really know. They could have made both a little more sympathetic had they written them to have a shred of dignity and respect for themselves and everyone else. Abby didn't *have to* throw herself at EJ like that. She didn't *have to* offer her services free of charge with an extended warranty. But she did, and she did. Yet, everyone in Salem is acting like she was at once a "victim" and a "survivor" of her own sexual affair! The actions do not match the reactions and that's what actually bothers me. Because it's everyone, not just like her brother or someone else very close to her, who you'd expect to want to stand up for his sister. I feel like we (the viewers) are being pushed towards liking/agreeing with certain characters and pushed towards disliking others (Sami, basically and to a lesser extent, Nicole and Kate). The balance is out of whack. There's no perspective being given to the characters. I don't see it as shut-shaming either. It's not about Abby being a woman and having sex. It's about her complete lack of integrity, honesty, and respect. Which is a pattern to her character/personality. ETA: And if we want to talk slut-shaming, can Nicole be first, okay because she was the actual victim/survivor of sexual abuse and exploitation. And that has certainly been used against her (not just the stuff she is actually responsible for). Theresa, too, has been called-out wrt her sexual history. Hell, Sami is even bashed for all her husbands and almost-husbands. JJ is now being put down for being sexually active while away at school. But Abby can't even be taken to task for going after married men, twice now? And not even by the wife (who if it were anyone but Sami would be receiving heaps of support)? I mean, really? She's not being slut-shamed. Her "crimes" (if you will) just happen to involve sex. She would still be a liar, a cheat, and a disloyal person with another crime. I'm in, but I don't know where it is. Buddy system? Wherever it is though, the place needs to have an open bar. That line from Anne was the BESTEST thing on this show out of the entire week! Really wish that Anne and Theresa could be allowed to care about something else than the two beige and one tan stains. I like them together and separately, being snarky little greek choruses. Throw pop-up Victor and non-sobby Nicole in there and it's a party. This show is just not fun -- there's nothing (purposefully) funny or exciting about it. I mean, I like drama and all that soapy stuff, but the sl's they are peddling are kind of just so ... aaah ... annoyingly boring and never-ending. Where's the mischief? The sexiness? The sweet moments? The suspense? The FUN? Boo. I had high hopes (I know) for the JJ and Paige thing, because I thought they could bring in some good youth-related summer hijinks like we used to get, now that Paige has decided to use her words, with her mom and friend (who by the way, think just wants Paige for herself. Which would be cool, too). But, if it's even possible, they are more boring than their parents. It's times like these when I miss Jack.

Salem has quite a large number of assholes per capita, don't they? I've decided that I really hate this show now. So sick of everyone and their stupid problems. lol I am even sick of Theresa and Nicole because they should be doing something fun instead of being stuck 'reacting' all of the time to the rantings of morons. And what's with all of this crap about Druggie!JJ and his past? Now he's getting reamed for being with other girls before he even knew Paige? Ugh. Just another morality play, like when Mimi got told by The Virgin Mary and rendered infertile for having an abortion. Meanwhile, a rapist and a home-wrecker get no comeuppance, and the latter even being praised for her 'strength' to carry on after being caught. Will needs to get crushed by an elevator, shot three times in Salem Square and then thrown in the river. And Sami is being a hell of a lot nicer than I would be to these fools. Not sure how much longer I can keep watching. I have to watch entire week's worth of shows at once because I put it off. lol I just want to see Sami/AS off. GH is more interesting to me right now -- and Corday, that should tell you something.

So I just binge-watched Friday’s and all of this week’s episodes minus today. It’s all a blur of beige and grey, so I am just going to ramble for a bit until my eyes adjust and I can see color again. I’ve been noticing hair a lot more lately (what else is there to do?). For as much as the stylists must hate MR, JL must be a favorite. Her hair seems to be the most consistently good. It’s so shiny, it makes me happy. Like something I could aspire to. Maybe it’s all the coke. Something to think about, for sure. ED/Kristen’s hair looks much better after S&M scenes with Dan when it’s all tussled and wild. Dan looks much better during S&M scenes with Kristen when he’s gagged and getting punched in the gut (and I don’t even hate Dan all of the time). Love how the patented Marlena hypocrisy was in full-swing at the precinct. She wants Kristen’s life completely destroyed? She wants five minutes alone with her? That sounds like revenge there, Mar. I really hope Sonny doesn’t turn into a pod like the rest of ‘em. He’s the only proof that Salem-style inbreeding hasn’t completely stupefied the whole town yet. Well, there’s Ciara, but time will tell if she’s more Kiriakas or Horton. I wish Sami and Kate would just fake their own deaths and go off into the sunset together, bickering and drinking martinis. Nicole, please take off that sad sack (literally!) dress with the hot-glued plastic pearl collar, thank you. All I think when I look at it is what a lovely ‘pearl necklace’ you’re sporting, but that’s not very appropriate for the Vatican (I don’t think). And everyone in Salem needs to play a round of ‘musical chairs’ – and anyone who doesn’t TAKE A SEAT needs to be thrown in the river. I’m looking at you, Adrianne – you’d better shut the fuck up for a hot second so you can listen for when the music stops. And please, can the music just stop already? I'm looking at you, Corday. You're next. JS/EJ has been looking a bit peaked lately. So as it turns out, Abs isn't so S-M-R-T as she (and everyone) thinks she is. Well, I'm shocked. Nicole...yeah. Gurl, I know you want a baby like really badly, but you don't need to settle for that man-child. I miss Kate and Sami in their domestic bliss. Eric is an ass full stop. Shut up, shut up, shut up [everyone].

Sonny: 1. Keeps 2. Barware 3. Makers 4. In 5. Business (Hey, it's a tough economy, Sonny's doin' America a solid) Franco: 1. Stopped 2. Using 3. Corpses 4. As 5. Art (Maybe he can cheat a little and use a former coma patient instead) Luke: (this one is harder) 1. Is gone for 6 months out of the year 2. Was a decent father [to Lucky] for awhile 3. Owned some cool clubs 4. Had a very memorable fashion sense 5. Saved the world once, or something

lol I wasn't yelling at you, personally, just emphasizing my point and for some reason I can't bold anything. I'm sorry if it came across like that.

Because she FUCKED UP! Yes, she should keep apologizing. That's what decent people do. They are humble, keep their head down and apologize and attempt to make amends or rectify the situation, if possible. It hasn't been that long in Salem days since it all came out. It's not like it's been years, or even months, And the bitch keeps arguing with Sami. Just shut the fuck up, Abby. You were wrong AND you pissed off the wrong person. Deal. I don't even think she is or was sorry anyway for what she did only that she was caught. And because EJ turned her down. This is the women who, not just made a one time mistake, she went back over and over again and even propositioned EJ about being his full-time private V.I.P. If he had taken her up on that romantic offer, she would still be climbing him in the shower stall. eta: To clarify, I don't think this is something Abs can't come back from. Cheating is like breathing to most Salemites. But she still has to pay her dues and she's only extending the pain by trying to fight Sami. The whole reason I love Sami is that when she fucks up (and boy does she), she accepts and expects retaliation and prepares for it in her own special nutty way (damage control or revenge on the revenger). Abby is just pulling a Carly Corinthos... brave, strong and loves with her whole heart, stiff upper lip and all that. That's what I find so heinous.

Agreed and I've said before that remorseful people don't get all up in the face of the one they betrayed (and yes, it was a betrayal. Abby wasn't a stranger) and talk about how great the sex was and how connected they were and how it was all the fault of the wife. Remorseful people when confronted by the betrayed would be humble and say things like "I completely messed up. What I did was selfish and thoughtless and I have no excuses for my poor behavior. I hurt not only you and your children (whom I care about), but I hurt myself and my family. You have every right to be angry with me and I don't blame you for wanting to hurt me in return." Remorseful people actually have emotion behind their words and in their body language. Abby, like all narcissistic sociopaths (I almost married one, I should know) just mimic the emotional and behavioral patterns of others in order to get the reaction they want. There's no sincerity, she can turn it on and shut it off like a switch. Now before anyone says "But Sami...!!", yeah Abby's issues don't negate Sami's and Sami's do not negate Abby's. Hers are hers alone to atone for. The people of Salem need to get a fucking grip.

See, I didn't think Stephanie was actually more beautiful than Melanie, looks-wise or personality-wise. She may have a more conventional beauty by certain standards, but I don't think that's what makes someone beautiful. And that is exactly what I liked; It wasn't the typical boy pushes quirky girl out of the way to get to the beauty queen. Guys in real life actually do often prefer women who aren't conventional or who have physical "flaws". It was just nice to be able to watch that in a medium which mostly caters to showing off conventionally beautiful people. Now there's nothing wrong with conventional beauty, but showing over and over again that men only prefer that is not true to life. I always loved the relationship between Nancy and Craig for instance. He just adored her and was so attracted to her. She wasn't a conventional beauty. I thought it was realistic and was glad to have that represented on the show. I always wish soaps had more variety with all kinds of people, physically, personality-wise, racially, religiously, sexually, etc. -- it gets too boring [for me] otherwise. Eta again: I don't generally find conventional beauty as attractive as other traits in people, so that's where my pov is coming from. In fact, I have rarely, if ever, been attracted to the actors on soaps, although I can objectively recognize beauty in them. Soaps just don't represent my people. lol Yes to everything you said here. I love mysteries and action adventures that also involve romances and lust and friendship. Why, why can't they do that anymore?

Sometimes I think Eric is attractive. Well, okay, I think GV is attractive. Eric is too much of a asexual, sour puss, man child for me. I can't get it up for that. So, is this priest stuff going to go away soon? I'm sorry, but I really, really hate this religious SL. The show has always had a Catholic bent, which was in character for most of the families of Salem, but I don't want to have to sit and watch an obviously confused man praying to a lamp (love that), or a woman asking god which lingerie is best for seducing a priest, or another woman plotting to rape a priest (ugh why), or Father Squiggy (in general).

Like mother, like daughter, like half sisters? lol It runs in the family.

Love, love your post, sunnyheart. I agree that except for T, and Sonny when he gets to be a Kiriakis, the teen/YA scene is sorely lacking in personality. I also loved Rory and Bev and actually felt a little pissed when they went a had them turn on JJ and start acting a fool. Guess they wanted to exaggerate the stereotypes a bit more wrt "good kids" and "stoner kids". I don't mind Paige so much now that she has finally been shown to have an independent thought. Ciara is just my favorite person ever. Its so hard to find child actors who can actually emote in character and even harder to find ones who can create their own persona at that age. I remember when she used to hide in PRs arms because she was so shy. I never thought she would end up owning most of the scenes she was in. And I just get a kick out of her being Hope's daughter. She does actually seem a fitting daughter of Bo as well. Just as long as she doesn't get too precious and the show goes into GH kid territory with her. Yeah, I thought some of her mannerisms were a bit much, however I would take an awkward, defiant, giggly teenager/YA over the virginal boring beauty queens that were/are Stephanie and Abigail (Haha, am I projecting much?). I felt the same way about Belle for a long time, too. I liked Chelsea though, she had some fire. Mimi was about half okay, half completely fucking annoying. I loved Nick at first (he was such a cutie), but I am glad he's gone now and I didn't think they necessarily destroyed him for Melanie. The whole SL was stupid, I thought. In fact, I wasn't too thrilled with any of the YA storylines during that time, but not because of one particular actor/character. I think the reason I don't mind a newbie like Melanie hogging the air time from Stephanie was because she herself (as a character and an actress) was a newbie. We didn't get to watch her grow up onscreen, so there wasn't an emotional attachment for me. I do prize legacy children over general newbies though and I agree that a different actress in the role may have made all the difference. I felt no familial connection between her, and Steve and Kayla.

Okay, um...my hands are shaking...here it goes... I mostly liked Melanie. (There I said it) When she first came to Salem as Max's bratty sister and then with her, Carly and Dan in family scenes. I thought she worked well with CC and LS and JA. I liked that she didn't look like the typical female soap actress, and I didn't like Stephanie or SH, so. Hated her romantic parings. I know she had quirks people hated. I think I have pretty high quirk tolerance levels, otherwise I'd have to hate myself. I'm even wearing pigtail braids! Though I look (and act) more like Wednesday Addams than Pippy Longstocking. I will see myself out now. Thanks for the whiskey.

Exactly! She's all alone in her corner and has been reduced to begging and pleading for scraps. Yet again. She doesn't even seem to have an actual home. I find that hard to watch, what with my lack of anger management skills and all. Every time Eric gives her that Judgy McJudgerson glare and whisper-shouts at her (has anyone else noticed how he does this... its all breathy whispers or breathy shouts), I want to take his sad trombone and just smash it over his head. I'm not asking for much either. Just bring in someone who she can be herself around and someone who chooses HER first, above anything or anyone else, then let it play out and see what she decides to do with that. It seems to be all negative extremes with her; completely conniving or completely pathetic. Being a female Jack sounds good to me (miss him), as long as she gets a better spouse than Jack was stuck with for just about all of his nine lives. eta: Is she still friends with Chloe? Can they at least have her do one-sided conversations with Chloe, so we can see that she does have one person to vent to? Is that too much to ask? Yes. Yes it is.

Can we talk about Nicole for a minute? I wrote this in the best and worst thread about which characters to write off and it applies here as well. This was tough! I almost said Nicole. Guys, okay, you guys, here me out first. Love her when she's marrying geezers for money, sexing hot men and snarking on all of the Salemites while tossing back a few martinis. But, she's just so pathetic now and I feel like her hair and wardrobe are going through some kind of manic-depression as a side-effect of having to chase after Father Eeyore and his little gray rain cloud. I don't want her off permanently, just give her a vacation with some cabana boys and credit card so she can go shopping and get her hair fixed. I am so exasperated with her that I can hardly stand to watch her scenes. They have had her burn so many bridges, and while that's nothing new, it feels like they have gone too far. Who can she sleep/snark/drink with now? What do guys think needs to happen with her in order for her to be fabulous again?

I think you have just uncovered the bond between Will and Abby. The blank look, sociopath* appearance and behavior...and they have both been in an eye-fucking contest with EJ! Scary. Sociopath, not psychopath, but I don't want to underestimate them.

1. Jen (although unless she's waving her arms and yelling, she kind of just blends into the carpeting. Think I'm going to start calling her CamoJen.) 2. Abby (She can go crawl under a man and stay there) 3. Kristen (Just sad. In the pathetic way, not the poor poodle way.) 4. Eric (Why IS Eric?) 5. Julie. (She takes the shrew cake.) This was tough! I almost said Nicole. Guys, okay, you guys, here me out first. Love her when she's marrying geezers for money, sexing hot men and snarking on all of the Salemites while tossing back a few martinis. But, she's just so pathetic now and I feel like her hair and wardrobe are going through some kind of manic-depression as a side-effect of having to chase after Father Eeyore and his little gray rain cloud. I don't want her off permanently, just give her a vacation with some cabana boys and credit card so she can go shopping and get her hair fixed.

I was expecting at any moment for Kristin to say that Brady was "Shagadelic, baby!". She looked like a fem-bot, but acts like Dr. Evil.