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kristabell

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  1. I would have loved if Brendan Thornhart had come back at some point. I think there was a potentially great storyline there. I like to pretend that that storyline could actually have been for Blair, but I'm sure it would somehow been written to be about literally everyone but her. But, I do think it had a lot of potential. Actually, I thought Cole should have been Brendan (and clearly never been in a romantic relationship with Starr.)
  2. I watched some of today's show, because apparently I hate myself. All I can say is that, as a woman in "the demo," I remember exactly why I, and I suspect many others in my demographic, don't watch daytime anymore: A woman, a rape victim, standing in her home, trying to cheer up a serial killer rapist because he's ~changed.~ That shtick was sick 30 years ago, and it's even sicker now. I really have to wonder how TIIC of this show see things like the Stanford rape case and daily gun violence, and think what they're writing is in any way relevant or acceptable.
  3. ITA. RH was great, once, back in the mid-1990s on a show that was considerably better written, had a bigger budget, had better production quality, and when he was surrounded by actors and characters who were also excellent. RH wasn't starring in a one-man show; and 1996 was a long, long time ago. As was said, he doesn't get a lifetime pass for lazy, uninspired, one-note (honestly, can anyone pick apart a difference between any of the characters he's played on any show) acting on a completely different show two decades later.
  4. Loved, loved, LOVED all the flashbacks, especially getting into the history of Anna and Bonnie's relationship. Those two - both the actors and the characters - are my absolute favorite. The two actresses bring so much to their scenes, and their dynamic is fascinating to me. The K5 can feel free to exit stage right any time. They are so whiny. I realize this would undermine keeping the actors on the show, but if the K5 hate everything Annalise so much, they could just quit. This 'you're so horrible, we're leaving' shtick gets repeated every episode and it's getting old. They sure as hell don't hesitate to call her when they need something, and then they behave like absolute entitled, self-obsessed brats. If I were being generous, I guess I could see their behavior as a way to process their own bad deeds - it's all really Annalise's fault; she's the evil one, not us. But it got old many, many episodes ago. If I were Anna at this point, I'd fire them and never answer my phone. Honestly, I don't think the show would suffer that much without the students. Who was the guest star in the role of the mom? Because wow, she's amazing! I vote for her to be on the show and replace the K5. It does seem like Bonnie's been pregnant before, which makes me worry. Judging from appearance, Anna is waaaay too far along in those flashbacks for either a miscarriage or an abortion. At this point, it would either be a stillbirth or something happened after the baby's birth.
  5. Having watched One Life to Live when each of the writers were there, I can say with surety that Dena is responsible for the Steve/Ava/Kayla rape situation (it's Todd/Margaret/Blair all over again.) Josh was around for the Todd Manning/ Marty Saybrooke rape storyline, so I'm going to assume this rape story is his. And I am beyond done with the rape culture on daytime TV. For something that is supposed to be a women's genre, and that at one point actually did have fairly progressive storylines for women, their obsession with sexual violence is disgusting and unconscionable. If they can't think of any other stories to tell, maybe it's time to pack it up. I'm so glad I stopped watching. ETA: Out of curiosity, was there a content warning at the start of the show and/or information for rape crisis lines, etc at the end?
  6. PUPPY!!!! She was so cute chewing on her little basket. Watching that scene is the first time I smiled at something on DA in a long time. And Robert / HB's reaction was priceless - that's the face of a very happy dog lover! Count me among the masses who really could do without Henry and Mary. Personally, I would prefer Mary single. I think her character works best in family and business scenes, but it falls absolutely flat for me in romantic ones. ~In lurve~ Mary just isn't true to the character imo. Why does she need to be married to get her HEA? And, at this point, there is no relationship that makes sense for her. If JF wants Henry to be her future husband, then leave the show off with that - with her realizing she's ready for a new relationship. That would be significantly more believable than a marriage at this point. The other problem is the character of Henry himself. He should have been introduced last season, or one of the eligible bachelors from last season should be on screen now, if matching up Mary is a necessity. I think both actors did well with what they were given, and the scenes, if taken alone - especially the telephone breakup - were really quite well done. The problem was, I just didn't care. The acting was good and I know I was supposed to care, but I didn't. The audience doesn't have enough history with this character or their relationship, and the attempted manipulation isn't working for me. I also loved Edith and Bertie's sofa scene. I don't particularly care for either the actors or the characters, but that scene was absolutely beautifully shot. And I believed more about Bertie and Edith's relationship just from the visuals in that scene than I did from all the melodrama surrounding Henry and Mary. Oh, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. I used to really like you. Why can't you just be evil again? Thomas seasons 1-4 (maybe 1-3) was easily my favorite character. He was fun to watch, he was interesting, and Evil Butler is the best! But he was also a believable villain; he wasn't over the top. There was significant complexity there, and I actually rooted for early-seasons Thomas to get his ish together and succeed. Now, I just want him to drown in his bathtub of sorrows and leave me alone. Self-loathing, self-pitying characters are my least favorite characters. I can find something to root for in almost anyone who is actually DOING something. But I imagine, after a long day of complaining about how people he treated like shit for a decade aren't suddenly his BFFs, Thomas retires to his room to play his orchestra of tiny violins overseen by a rain cloud. I just don't care. If he would DO something, anything, maybe I could feel something for his character again. But this constant drumbeat of pathetic isn't sad, it's annoying. Moseley was sort of a sad sack mope the first few seasons, but I rooted for him because he was trying to do something, to better his lot, to get a job, whatever. Just shit or get off the pot, Thomas; I can't take it anymore. Speaking of Moseley, he has come so far and I think his relationship with Baxter is probably my favorite "romantic" one on the show. This Coyle business, however...Why would I care about Baxter's connection to someone we've never seen regarding an incident/relationship that took place off-screen before the character was introduced? And Violet was back in fine form this week! I hope we see her again before the end of the series. I would watch the hell out of a Violet/Puppy/Mrs. Hughes/Mrs. Patmore spin-off.
  7. Exactly this. No television show is holy, and trying to guilt viewers into watching it is infantile at best. It's their responsibility to put out a good product that people want to watch, not the viewers responsibility to watch whatever dreck they vomit up on screen. I hung with a couple of soaps for years after I stopped being entertained for a character or actress here or there. But I, too, feel perfectly mature in my decision to use my free time in a way that I actually enjoy, and that does not include watching GH. Maybe if it were a good show, I would watch it?
  8. I always, always wanted a story where it was revealed that Brendan (Blair's still-born baby following the car accident with Kelly) was actually alive. The perfect opportunity (and IIRC there were some hints that it was a possibility at the time) was when Marty and Cole returned to Llanview. (Never mind that Cole still shouldn't have been older than Starr), But having Cole turn out to be Blair's son whose death Marty (possibly in collusion with Todd - because they would both be invested in Blair's child with Patrick not being around) had faked would have been a good story and far preferable to the Romeo&Juliet mess we got instead. Of course, that would have been a story that was actually about Blair, so we couldn't have that. And, knowing RC, it would have been a story that somehow revolved around Kelly, Todd, John McBain, and featured Tea as the heroine. But in the hands of a capable writer, I think it would have had potential.
  9. Thank you Nate; I blame Wes for it too. Who made the decision to make Wes so central to this show? Because I am more than ready for him to leave/be murdered/whatever gets him off my screen. He is by far the weakest member of the K5 and one of the weaker actors imo. I could stomach him a lot more if he ever actually did anything, instead of moping around as if he's the victim of the world's machinations. I'd much rather watch a show about the actual adults. In fact, I would watch a show where Viola Davis and Liza Weil read the phone book. I love the dynamic between Annalise and Bonnie; and those two actresses deliver every time. As for the baby, he is very clearly mixed up with Wes in Annalise's mind somehow; but, as was said up-thread, hallucinations and psychosis very rarely make strict sense. Timelines may be getting mixed up; her guilt over Wes' situation may be getting mixed up with whatever feelings she has about the baby and what happened there. I very much believe there was a baby at some point, and that that baby is not Wes. Whether the baby died, was stillborn, given up for adoption, etc, we don't know yet. But I'm very interested to find out. And Viola Davis' performances with the hallucinations, and especially that last scene, were phenomenal. ETA: Only Annalise could be bleeding from popped stitches on a gunshot wound, and still show up everybody else in a courtroom while engineering a conspiracy.
  10. B&B is licensed internationally and makes an enormous amount of money off of that licensing. Most of their location shoots - Italy, Australia, etc - double as promotion for the show, which airs in those international markets.
  11. I used to find Carson's overly-conservative jerkiness sort of humorous, but I'm done now. Between the way he treats Mrs. Hughes and his "I'm not drinking because my Lord isn't" BS, I hope Mrs. Hughes stabs him through the temple with an ice pick. I want to feel something for Thomas, but I think the character has been too stagnant for too long. Seasons 2 and 3 were the highpoint for Thomas imo. He was actually my favorite character at that point, mainly because he was multi-faceted and there was actual dramatic tension between him being a mean vindictive ass and a person trying to better their lot. I still think that scene of him trashing the room full of fake black market goods that had bankrupted him was the best exploration of his character the entire series. But that was many seasons - and what 8 years in show time - ago. There's not much interesting in a character who behaves like an ass all the time and then cries by themselves. And the crying and playing with kids isn't a very good way to manufacture sympathy. The character needs some growth; and I need some more actual tension in his storyline. I don't know why JF bothered with this Henry nonsense. If he had been introduced a season or two ago, and allowed to actually air out as a character, that would be one thing. But being the third (fourth?) cardboard cut out of "insert love interest for Mary here" just isn't doing much for me. As others have said, I'd much rather Mary remain single and in control of Downton. That's seems much more her destiny. I have always enjoyed her business and family scenes far above any love-interest scenes. I think romance is where her character is weakest. I did enjoy the house tours. It felt very organic, and there were some amazing shots of the house. And, of course, Mary's blue dress!
  12. Oh God, don't torture me with what might have been :(((((((
  13. Denker and Spratt can exit stage right any time. The writers will never recapture the magic of Thomas and Mrs. O'Brien, so they need to stop trying. I love Thomas, I can't help it. I do long for the return of self-centered, pro-active Thomas. I think the character's high point was the return from the War, and the scene where he destroyed the room full of fake black market goods told me more about the character than anything that's happened since. In theory I'm happy to see Tom back, but considering that the plot line seems ready to pick up right where it left off with his not belonging (though he just decided he belonged?), the show clearly doesn't know what to do with him and I think leaving him in Boston, or hell London so he could be recurring, would have been best. Oh Carson, Carson, Carson, the correct thing to say is that having your BRIDE at your wedding is all you need, not having the woman you work for in attendance. Please, no, stop. I still just can't get on board with the Carson/Hughes thing (and I'm pretty sure every time it was mentioned, it was "Carson's wedding" - couldn't miss "Carson's wedding, etc.) I would have much preferred they remain friends; oh well. I also agree that Thomas' job interview offered the best scenes of the episode. I say we just follow Thomas around as he interviews for jobs, thus giving us a nice insight into society and economy in 1925 England.
  14. I have absolutely no doubt that if RC were still there, this is exactly what would have happened. RC wanted to do his "Tale of Two Todds" crapfest somewhere; and I would not be surprised if that were his original idea here, especially if BM exercised an early out. ETA: Not that SK would ever be involved because he's fat and all.
  15. I liked the pace of this episode because it reminds me of what I really liked about Season 1: the feeling that you are looking in on these peoples' lives for an hour. That sort of slow, lazy pace suits the show imo, and really shows off the costumes and sets. On the other hand, after feeling sorry for her for four seasons or so, I LOATHE Edith on a scale not measurable by human means. Do I understand that she wants her child, and to a certain extent she was a victim of social mores? Yes. But I feel about 10,000x worse for Mrs. Drewe. The way Edith treated the Drewe family is just the most obvious way in which the entire Crawley family / elites in general steamroll over everyone else and as long as they end up looking crisp and pretty at the end, no one else matters. I can't stand it and I can't stand Edith. I agree with the poster upthread who said that Edith could have at least had a mother to mother talk with Mrs. Drewe and empathized with the emotions Mrs. Drewe has. What Edith expected of the Drewes was completely unreasonable. And now I assume they will be shuffled off to some other tenancy so their presence won't disturb the family. Gag me. Most of the storyline could have been made better if Mrs. Drewe had any agency in actually agreeing to it. Had she known Marigold (and seriously I still can't deal with that name) was Edith's, she may have behaved differently and probably would have put up some emotional walls so she wouldn't bond with the child too much. But, as far as she knew, this would be her child permanently. (And, as another poster upthread said, maybe Mrs. Drewe lost a child recently. Maybe she'd always wanted a daughter. But of course, she can't get a pov because she's only a cog in the machine.) Edith using her as a babysitting service is despicable. ANd I agree that Mrs. Drewe behaved on guard with Edith from the beginning, and I think that would be the normal reaction. She knows she has no claim to anything and no recourse if one of the members of the Crawley family wanted to do something or take something from her. I'm sure she was nervous from the start that Edith had taken too much to Marigold. Seriously, in the scenes where Edith visits, she doesn't even make eye contact with the Drewes' other children. I would have been on my guard with her too.
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