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JaneDigby

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Everything posted by JaneDigby

  1. I just finished the whole series. Overall it was good - the cutout animation wore out its welcome early on for me but it was either that or talking heads for 4 hours. I don't remember this story at the time, I wasn't exactly at tv news watching age, though I remember Renee Richards. Liz Carmichael was a fascinating person. A reviewer said that being trans may have been the most honest thing Carmichael ever did, and I agree. Liz's love of fraud was literally lifelong so I'm not all that surprised that some would question whether she was "pretending to be a woman" as part of a grift. I think Liz was truly trans. I think she was also a con artist, exploiter, rotten parent, narcissist and petty cult leader. Every time someone would say Liz was a good parent, I would say out loud "except to her first 5 kids." When the Candi or Michael (naming him Michael Michael should be cause for a jail term, btw) would talk about how awesome life was on the run I had to call BS. I've know plenty of people who moved frequently during their childhoods and it was stressful for them. And they didn't have the police chasing them. I don't doubt that there was a genuine bond between Vivian and Liz but Liz was always in charge. It annoyed me that the doc went too easy, imo, on the Dale fraud. Liz lied her ass off in every public proclamation and raised money off those lies. If you're going to build 75,000 cars you need an assembly plant and suppliers, etc. Six months out Liz had none of that. If you accept that Liz just thought she could make it happen through force of will, well, so did the Fyre Festival guy. Her final "business" was the worst, for me. She had her own little trailer park Rajneeshpuram complete with homeless people bussed in from other cities. Yes, she gave them a home and food. Great. She also exploited them like the teenagers in the old selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door scam. Liz needed followers. It isn't a revelation that the press is exploitive so I'm not shocked by that. Grossed out but not shocked. I want someone to get the whole story about the hold-out juror and the fur coat. Was she really sick? Was that her fur coat? So, a good story. Liz wasted on talents on fraud. Her bravest act - to be her true self - got lost in the con.
  2. Fried clams in Albany. Also, there's an amazing BBQ restaurant right near the Wurst Bridge. Diners, Drive-Ins and Sociopaths!
  3. If they'd shown Elena naked on every episode I'd be calling BS on the show. That would have been 100% unnecessary. Showing Elena being beaten seemed more like the writers reminding viewers that this was a particularly vicious, brutual crime. This wasn't an accident or a crime of passion, the murder made a choice.
  4. I didn't view this is as much as a whodunit as a when-will-Grace-come-to-her-senses story. Jonathan's sketchy self was always my prime suspect. That's probably why my questions about the ending are more logistical. As in, what kind of crappy police chase was that. We all know you put the police cars ahead of the suspect car, not just behind it. Also, when did Jonathan and Henry cross the Hudson? Why did Jonathan pick that bridge? Seriously, if you want to be assured of death upon impact why would you jump into a literal creek? The Hudson River has many historic bridges suitable for one's big jump so that one is just all sorts of dumb. There's been a bit of chatter here about the relative expressiveness of Nicole Kidman's face. No doubt NK has had work done and bully for her. It's her face and she's in a profession that's notoriously unforgiving when it comes to female aging. I don't remember pre-Botox Nicole being an especially facially expressive actress. She's more of the Grace Kelly "what am I really thinking" variety. Nicole did fine, imo, facially emoting in the big scenes. It's not like I need her to be Jim Carrey. The decision to show Grace inscrutably thinking is on the director and writer as far as I'm concerned. Other thoughts: Miguel can talk! Hugh Grant delivered the creepy this episode Donald Sutherland is an international treasure I didn't need more Elena in the story but the last episode left me wanting to know more about how she ticked. What was the end game in her mind? David E. Kelly should have written much better courtroom scenes. He's had enough practice.
  5. I'm still all in on Jonathan-is-the-killer. Jonathan has to be the star and has to have all the cool toys. Not to fiction victim blame but Elena wasn't necessarily a naive creature in all this. She (allegedly) asked Jonathan to get her son a scholarship to Rearden. She semi-stalked Grace. She may have made a point of being at the fundraiser to get at Jonathan. My bet is that Elena got to be a problem for Jonathan, maybe she decided Grace deserved the truth or just wanted Jonathan to make a commitment. Henry confessing to seeing his father with Elena shows he was willing to keep secrets for dear old Dad. Would he be willing to hide a murder weapon?
  6. My main suspect is still Jonathan: purposely leaving the phone so he couldn't be traced, the phantom conference and meeting up with an already upset Elena that night are just the highlights. The hospital lawsuit needs to be explored - since when do hospitals care about who's sleeping with whom? It had to be the final straw. Also, I'm calling 100% on the "dog that died" story. I don't care if the alleged dog was a particularly winsome whippet, something else went on to drive such a wedge between Jonathan and his family. And despite my theory that Sylvia is the sad-sex partner, I hope she's not more involved. I like Sylvia. Oh, and plus 100 on Grace's awesome coats. The red one, the green one, and the murder-night cloak: all outstanding.
  7. 5. Sylvia: could be the "sad sex" partner, which would explain why Jonathan went to her with his work legal problems, she kept the conversation on Elena (and her boobs) which could mean she was jealous of her affair with Jonathan. Bonus points for the meaningful looks the two exchanged during the arraignment.
  8. It's always worth mentioning that Julie is Hope's half-sister and her stepmother.
  9. I still can't get my head around Kayla possibly being pregnant with Steve. You know, Steve was Stefano for a while and now Stefano's an embryo and ... it makes my head hurt. Good job, Show, of giving Allie all the most annoying qualities of both her parents and none of their redeeming features. Am I the only one who thinks the writers have a bet going? Something along the lines of: let's see if we can make this legacy character (Allie) even more annoying than the most annoying legacy character of all time (Abigail)? It's a dark day, soap fans, when yours truly is reduced to saying "At least I don't have to hear about her hymen 24/7."
  10. The only thing this show loves more than rape and prostitution is having characters read letters (or, in a pinch, old newspaper articles) out loud, preferably to a crowd. I'm going into "la la la la it's not happening mode" with Kayla and the Stefano spawn. No. No.
  11. At least it's not Marlena or Maggie. That's all I've got.
  12. There are two reasons to bring back a character. Reason 1 is to drive story. Reason 2 is to bring back lapsed viewers, for this reason the original actor or stunt casting is required. Ideally, both reasons should be present. Bringing back Peter Blake might appeal to lapsed viewers who watched faithfully during JER's first run. I was beginning to lapse then but even though I was inclined to hate the Blakes on principle, I understood what they brought to the canvas. Two characters who were tied to Stefano but were not necessarily his creatures. Remember that Kristen started out as a heroine, a heroine who read War & Peace in Russian for fun. Peter, iirc, was morally ambiguous at first and the story was all about would he go all good with Jen or go all Dimera. Meh. Whatever. It didn't hook me but I enjoyed the Kristen, Billie, Jennifer friendship. Kristen's return in 2011 (or 2012) was textbook how to achieve 1 and 2. She didn't roll into down hellbent on vengence, There was some ambiguity. She caused problems for Mar and John, because John is a dope. Her hookup with Brady was hot and so chronologically wrong all at the same time. Her first failed wedding confrontation with Marlena was epic Her exit drove story for months after. It was good stuff. (Eric wandering around the chapel in shock while the whole down rewatches the video? Good times.) I didn't care about Kristen in her first run but I was 100% for her second. Carly's return was a textbook example in awful. And I loved Carly back in the day. Marlena's 1991 return? Solid, and I was kinda over Mar by then. Steve's first return 6 of one, a half-dozen of the other. I'm enough of a fangirl that I would have watched no matter what. I watched SN & MBE on GH and I still have the emotional scars to prove it. SN and MBE sell whatever they're given and the writers have been reasonable respectful of their past without ever actually giving them a great story. But I'll take what I can get. So I'm not opposed to brining back Peter because he has ties to characters on the canvas, might inspire a few lapsed viewers to tune in, and he might tell Jennifer to park her high horse. Also, he could kill Abby. I can dream.
  13. I keep reading this as "Clyde tries to save Ben FOR himself." I blame the show.
  14. Sit at my table. If this were the real world, everyone in Salem having sex would be a rapist and a rape victim. Why? Because their IQs are so low there is just no way they can "consent" to a malted milkshake let alone sex.
  15. Not since Emily Quartermaine Cassadine came back at the Happiest!Ghost!Evah have I laughed so hard at a "tender" reunion. Ben, honey, she should be wearing something voluminous and white, like she just popped out of the Pearly Gates for a visit. Not like she just hopped off the stripper pole to pick up a dollar. Allie's not doing it for me. She's right and everyone else is WRONG. I'm half expecting her to start her own cult so she can share her full philosophy of life. I guess if your parents are screechy schemers you're starting at a disadvantage but does she have to have her head so far up Nicole's nether parts? I take that back, I'd like Allie more if she schemed. The screechy part, tho. Nope. I hate this rape s/l less than I thought. That's not a rave review but seeing Steve & Kayla actually try to think their way out of a problem is a refreshing change. They'll screw it up because this is Days and DNA doesn't mean a thing in Salem. Just ask John Black.
  16. Another Ron C prison breakout. The last one (on GH) was fun for awhile so why not? As long as Orpheus doesn't save the life of the mayor's daughter and get pardoned ... At this point soaps for me are all about enjoying individual scenes. Watching Gwen connive and Jake needle her entertains me. I remember when Chad used to entertain me. Sigh. I'm all up for Chad being de-Dimera'd. I'd rather have him de-AbiWailed but I'm not that lucky.
  17. I suffered through Dannifer so, yes, bringing back Peter to torture Jennifer would work for me. Jennifer would be a ton more interesting to me if she didn't skate on her mistakes. Peter & Kristen teaming up again could be fun. Although I would gladly trade every Dimera (including Tony!) to rid my screen of Abigail (or AbiWail, as she's known at Casa de Digby) there are enough theoretical and off-screen Dimeras and enough usable history to spice things up on screen. Megan and her ginormous hair! Renee! (Ok, I'm a little fixated on her. I was a child.) Benjy! (He's a Dimera, he can't be Isabella-dead.)
  18. If it means Abby leaving town, I'm a-okay with a Dimera exodus. As much as I love Hope, I've been team Hope since KA took over the role in the early 80s, I'm not all that sad to see her go. Sticking her with Rafe was lame and gave Hope nothing to do. I just wish she had a proper send off.
  19. Under Reilly, IIRC, Tony was retconned to be Stefano's son again so, yes. When Tony came back under HS he was clearly not Stefano's son once more and, as a personal favor to me, Tony even mentioned Renee in a "Dimera family dinner" scene. (Yes, I'm kidding about the personal favor to me. Tony & Renee were my first 'ship. That retcon burned me.) Shameless doesn't cover it. Couldn't they just have had Ben have a twin? Plus I'll never forgive Ben for not making Abby his first victim. There's his insanity defence right there. I like Jack, I really do. But I wouldn't say the audience had formed a bond with him in the 3 months MA was in the role before the rape. Jack gave off a stalkery vibe at first, then it was an "I love me so much Kayla must love me too" vibe that set up the inner conflict. Jack raped Kayla to punish her, then he forced her to play the role of his wife while he psychologically tormented her, etc. He never paid for his crime. That doesn't mean I don't like him, it just means the character commited a rape and never paid any legal consequences. And I will never, ever get over the utter BS of Dr. Tom Horton telling Jack he should ease up on himself and realize he was worthy of marrying the town virgin. (I'm paraphrasing, obviously) because even a noted rape apologist like Dr Horton (see Bill Horton's rape of Laura) wouldn't go that far and, even worse, it removed the inner conflict that made Jack an interesting character. Word to the power of WORD (TWOP reference) on the "redemption thru rape" trope. Sami is my girl - she's a very shouty girl right now but I'm in her corner - and the fact that this show has had her raped TWICE and, for kicks and giggles, had her commit a rape, is just beyond gross. All three events were just plot point BS but the EJ/Sami stupidity was all about making Sami suffer enough to make her worthy of Lucas after the Stan stupidity. (Pardon me while I vomit in a corner.) I was never a huge Sami/Lucas fan but I didn't hate them, I really liked them in the very beginning. The appeal for me was that Sami didn't need to be "worthy" of Lucas because he was a little schemer himself. They understood that about each other. The whole blackmail rape in a car was dumb.
  20. That's it, "Nighttime Hope." I'm glad she didn't actually kill anyone. It's that sort of storytelling - all shock and no long term implications - that is killing the genre. I guess the writers rolled their Magic 8 Ball and the options were, as usual: rape, prostitution, murder, previously unknown spouse, previously unknown child, brain chip and try again. This is why I can't take it too seriously on this show. Everyone is either a rapist, a murderer (or seriously attempted murderer) or a rape victim. It's a decades long fascination. I mentioned in another thread watching an old episode and there was a rapist, assisted by his son - the product of the aforementioed rape, operating on a newly minted rapist. You could literally fill a room with them. Ugh. Yes, my beloved Tony raped his then wife, Liz. They were very unhappily married and, if memory serves, both wanted a divorce but Stefano wouldn't let them and insisted on a grandchild. Tony went on to fall in love with Renee (sob!) who turned out to be Stefano's daughter. Tony's had it rough, people! I was about to say that Hope is one of the very few long-term characters not be be a rapist or rape survivor and then I remembered Sub!Sex and fans flipping out that somehow both Hope AND John were rape victims. I guess Stefano's brain chips played the role of rapist in that scenario.
  21. I'll just weigh in on the opposite side - I like EJ. I think the character has enough ties to others on the canvas to make EJ viable even on today's ... er... show. This show that features a recovering serial killer as a romantic lead. (Because having Franco on GH didn't get it out of the headwriter's system.) Wasn't Hope wandering around killing people, too, at some point? God, why can't I quit this show. WHY? So, yes, in my moral universe murder is worse than rape. Sue me. Nothing's going to stop me liking my girl Hope no matter how many people she kills. Or loving Andre, despite a bodycount that rivals Stalin. Or loving Tony, who did rape Liz back in the day. Or liking Jack. You get the picture. It's not easy liking characters on this show because each of them has gone through the headwriter wringer. EJ could be recast. But, again, unless Sami is given something to do other than berate people I'm not sure why they'd bother. Also, almost every time one of my fave characters has been brought back the writing has been a hit-job from the first scene. (I'm looking at you, Carly Manning.) If this show wants me to put up with 70-something John giving a beat down to 20-something Tripp then this show needs to deliver a few scenes that give me some motivation to care about these characters on screen. Or start featuring the Eric Brady Partial Naked Crocheting segement twice week.
  22. I thought it was pure genius when HS brought back Benji, but only to kill him was numbskullery. Hogan had his pluses and minuses, his willingness to mine a show's history was always a plus for me.
  23. EJ is an interesting character (he's legacy, right? Born on screen?) and any decent writer would be able to find something to do with him. I'd say the same about Sami, though, and it hurts to see what they've reduced her to doing. Heck, most of the cast is reduced to pitiable storylines. Also, this is DOOL and pretty much the only person who stays dead is Isabella Toscano Black.
  24. I wish James Scott would just tell us how he really feels.🤪 I loved, nay, FLOVED ejami back in the day but as far as I'm concerned they got their reunion on the John Oliver show. Therefore I'm entitled to move on. I'm not opposed to a recast but if AS is just going to be used to show up and scream at people then I don't know that the point of that would be. Now I'll just go roll back up into a ball and resume chanting "Eric is gone, Eric is gone, Eric is gone" because I'm still not over the pretty being taken from me.
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