enchantingmonkey

Ava is my favorite right now. I love all of the little games she's playing with Rafe and Nicole. It's funny that Rafe and Nicole refuse to come clean and admit their sexy times on that table even as the situation becomes more precarious. Ava and Nicole's back and forth in the kitchen is the kind of shit I live for. I don't know what to say about the My Gay Dad storyline. It seems difficult to convey the complexity of coming-out with a character who hasn't been on the show for years (decades?), and I don't know why I'm supposed to care this much about a character I don't know. Other the hand, I'm curious to see what the actor playing Ray will do with his storyline. Even though Jackee Harry is hit or miss for me, and Sal Stowers is almost always a miss, I do think the Show has done a decent enough job of setting up the character that I'm intrigued to see what will happen when he finds out the truth about having a daughter. Abe having to choose an interim Police Commissioner makes me wish there was a sleazy cop on the force that Abe has to reluctantly appoint as PC, and then that character schemes to keep the job after Rafe is exonerated. Aside from the occasional run-ins with Trask's Snarky Mouth, Rafe as PC is so boring.

Maybe I should look again for yesterday's episode. It sounds better than today's, which I was able to FF through in about 10 minutes. T.R Coates is Johnny's movie producer's name. I watched only a couple minutes of their scenes, as I figured he was a day player and merely another opportunity for the Devil to do its silly I-Might-Kill-You-But-I-Wont Dance. The Devil talks the talk but never walks the walk. It's tedious. Nice surprise at the end, though, when it was revealed that T.R. is Paulina's ex. I suspect he'll be headed down the same path as Charlie Dale and Dr Snyder, since he's already been established as a villain. @Peanut6711, thanks for your response about Trask's dig on Ben/Ciara. I tried to "like" it multiple times, and the site froze up on me each time.

Peacock didn't have today's episode available even this late at night. So Abigail was whisked off in a plane? And Rafe was arrested for being a dirty cop? Anything else of significance that I've missed before I watch tomorrow's episode?

I know, and I hate it. I really enjoy Raven Bowens but she's a terrible cry-er. Jackee Harry was cracking me up as Paulina was trying to hint-hint to Chanel that she saw her and Allie having sexy times together. JH is much better when there's.a comedic slant to her scenes. I like Lindsay Arnold more than the rest of you but I agree that those scenes with JDevil were some of her best. It sucked that Carson Boatman couldn't really play the scenes as her brother. It might be easier to care about Craig and Nancy's Awful Wig if I actually liked Chloe but I don't, so there's that. For as stupid as the mask shenanigans can be, that was a fun twist on it. For once I dIdn't have my CC on, so I didn't know it was actually Ava until the end. And I swear that Linsey Godfrey did a great imitation of that smirky smile Ava Braun does with her lips. It was so good I might go back and watch it again. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that I've enjoyed two days in a row. Lately, I've been riding the FF button like it's my J-O-B.

Did JDevil explain why he wants to take over DiMera Enterprises? I keep feeling like I'm missing something, although I realize it's possible the story really is just that stupid. I guess I didn't really know why MarDevil wanted Ciara's unborn child but there are enough horror films of that nature to draw a conclusion. I can't figure out why the hell the Devil wants to run a major corporation, unless it's some lame allusion to modern CEOs being Demons. There are actually a few things I like about Lucas resorting to underhanded tactics to keep Sami from EJ but the Devil's interference in the storyline makes it too stupid for me to give a damn for long. The biggest mystery for me right now is whether I'll care enough to continue watching after a two week break for the Olympics.

What the Hell!?! I really was hoping we'd gotten rid of the Devil that easily. Now I'll have to type out "JohnnyDevil" when it was so much easier to type out "MarDevil". JoDevil? It was funny to me when John told Marlena she wasn't allowed to drink champagne. Like, who made the Post-Exorcism Protocol? I was really hoping we'd get a Snarky NYE's celebration with Ava making veiled comments at Rafe and Nicole, rather than the snoozefest that was Ciara/Ben, Johnny/Chanel and Tripp/Allie. Alison Sweeney's crying was pretty bad but it was nice to see Camila Banus drop the Annoying Energizer Bunny Caricature she plays nowadays and do Gabi as an actual human being for a few scenes.

Missy/Jennifer's short hair was the best part of the episode for me. John's Precious Medallion extinguishing MarDevil's Giant Matchsticks and tossing her across the room? Those Writers are really committed to making the Show look as stupid as possible. I can kinda/sorta see why Jan sleeping with Shawn is a decent scheme but it was described as Shawn/Belle's marriage going up in flames, and it's really more of a slow burn if the image of Jan in bed with Shawn is meant to eat at Belle over time. MarDevil tied to the bed with ropes was kinda fun, because they suggested tying her to the bed with ropes during the Previous Possession but decided to use her silk scarves, but They saved that until the end when I barely gave a damn anymore, so... A day late, and a dollar short.

Ron must really like Heather Lindel to continue to bring back Jan for one plot contrivance after another. I like her, too, but she's an interesting performer, and I wish they'd give her something more than the usual Plot Point BINGO. So MarDevil can slam the door in Tripp's face but she needs Kayla's key card to open Jan's hospital door? It's like there's a Quota for Stupid with this Possession 2.0 storyline. Kate trying to reason with Philip's current state of insanity was some of the best material they've given Lauren Koslow in months. Really enjoyed those scenes. And it was weird how I actually didn't roll my eyes as far back as possible when Nadia Bjorlin was trying to emote during Chloe's scenes with Kate. She kinda did a good job, for once. But I loved it when Jan called Chloe the Most Vapid Person on the Planet.

I keep hoping Jennifer Aniston will join the show as a Personal Assistant/Nurse-like character who develops an unhealthy attachment to Victor, his power and wealth, and begins plotting against the rest of his family. But no one listens to me.

Trask pleading with Kate and Victor to sign a death certificate reeked so badly of Plot Contrivance to squeeze out a Dramatic Scene or two that I couldn't help but laugh as I tried to hand wave the stink away from my nose. Good lord, Writers, who farted in the elevator? Didn't Matt Foley live in a van down by the river? I couldn't stop thinking about him during those Brady/Chloe scenes. Poor Gwen. So much desperation, so little time. Was NOT expecting to see Philip again so soon. I figured they were going to drag this out for months. So now he has to convince Kate to lie for him to prolong this?

If she had said "The Salem Brain has been detected", that would have confirmed it. But yes, I think she's been reading our posts when she has a few free moments between tormenting the citizens of Salem, USA. I loved Sami's arrogance on full display as she rambled off all the ways she's better than Nicole. At least now Ava knows that Saint Rafe is a low down, dirty cheater. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the fallout will be delicious. I was so hoping that MarDevil-as-Ben and Ben would show up wherever Ciara was, and make the little twit have to try to figure out which witch was which. If the Show is determined to make this MarDevil story totally CrapTastic, at least let me have a little fun!

Whatever is happening to Brady, I'm so amused by it currently that I don't care how stupid it becomes as it all plays out. This probably won't last long. Why is MarDevil trying to reason with Ben and Ciara when she can open doors by will, lock doors, turn into a panther, and turn others into cats? Just lock the both of them in that godforsaken cabin and bring them food when she pleases. So stupid. Kate slapping Chloe AKA The Frozen Face Off. If a Frozen Face slaps another and there is no one there to hear it, does it still make a sound? This Botox's For You. The only thing we have to freeze is the face itself. Stick around, folks, I'll be here all night...

If Lucas is the kidnapper, why would he call the cops? I thought it was too convenient that Jayson got away so easily. But it's so difficult to tell if These Writers are actually giving us clues, or being their usual sloppy selves. Enjoyed Ava and EJ. I so wanted him to tell her about Rafe and Nicole but that would have been really stupid on his part. I wish Ava had a friend who she could vent to about how boring her life is now, and how she'd like to go back to being the one who makes the threats. I think OldAva would had a good laugh at EJ telling her how he knows all that happens in Salem, USA.

Are they saying good or bad things about her?

He could have playing along during all of those scenes with Allie, and run out of The Pub being totally relieved that he was there when Allie got the call from Sami. While I'm not sure I think Lucas is smart enough to pull off kidnapping Sami all on his own, I do think he's smart enough to play it off in front of Allie if he did it. That was all These Writers could come up with for Ava and Gwen keeping Kristin out of prison? Those scenes with the Statesville Couriers were so bad that all I could wonder is if today's script writer dislikes Ron so much that they wanted to make it as stupid as possible.

Little Henry is a Cutie. I liked that he looked more like Allie/Sami, and I love that Sami’s DNA seems to triumph over that of the father’s of her offspring. Well damn, I was hoping Chanel’s dream about her mother rejecting her would be real, and Raven Bowens might actually get something meaty to work with. Johnnie and Chanel wanting to run off to escape their problems was so irresponsible that I couldn’t help but laugh and roll my eyes at the same time, especially when both have struggled to pursue their “dreams”. Thank God Belle figured out how to get Doug freed from captivity, because I can’t wait to see what happens when MarDevil finds out. Hell Hath No Fury, indeed!

Obviously, I enjoyed everything that was Nicole and EJ. As I’ve already said, this plot to seduce John is utterly stupid but Eileen is selling the hell out of her scenes. She was so fun to watch today. It makes me wish even more that they’d give Stacy Haiduk a break, especially when it’s clear that Eileen will at least try to do something fun with this Garbage Writing.

If he was on Survivor, he definitely won the Immunity Necklace and would be safe at the next Tribal Council. It reminds me of Justin Deas on Guiding Light with the arms flailing all over the place, although I liked JD more than I like JT. Did Chanel consummate her relationship with Johnnie? I was really hoping she wouldn’t. I FFd through parts of every scene but it looked like she was inviting him to sexy times with her. Wait, did EJ and Nicole have sex? I’m happy that Sami is finally back but I was hoping EJ and Nicole would get far enough to make things more complicated.

Yeah, that was mostly stupid, because I’m allergic to cats and once I leave the environment that cat lives in I can start breathing again. My allergic reaction isn’t delayed to hours later. But I’ve never been forced to deliver flimsy exposition to someone who may need to deliver a questionable expression, so go figure. During the Original Possession, the Devil had many failed schemes but it was usually because It assumed the worst of the characters involved and they would somehow triumph over their worst instincts. This specific scheme was not only pointless but totally moronic. At least Chanel was there today to save this episode for me. The rest of it was a waste of time and money.

At least they got Eileen to play those scenes with John and Marlena. I mean, the Devil’s plan was still so utterly stupid but that feeling of nostalgia helped me to enjoy it. The weird thing for me was that I thought Eileen looked much prettier here than she does currently on Y&R, and I figured Y&R would have better makeup and lighting. I hate the idea of Kristin being freed for some ridiculously contrived reason but I like that Gwen is being pushed to resort to her troublemaking self. Xander and Maggie are so cute together. It was nice to see them interacting again. That look on EJ’s face when he realized Nicole had sex with freakin’ Rafe.

It seemed like They were doing a little History-Repeats-Itself thing with the Susan/MarDevil confrontation mirroring Kristin confronting The Devil, where Kristin grabs Marlena’s wrist, the reveal of yellow eyes and The Devil attacking Kristin/Susan. During the Original, this was preceded by MarDevil turning herself into a black panther to attack the Scholars. I actually enjoyed Susan and MarDevil at first, until Susan started yammering about Vivian being a vampire and then it all became so stupid. I used to enjoy Stacy as Susan but it feels like she defaults to Susan as a total moron territory now, whereas I thought she made her feel like more of a real person when she first started playing her. MarDevil telling Shawn/Belle to close the door for her as she rushed off to take SuCat to the shelter made me laugh. I thought Raven Bowens was kinda close on how Celeste said “Stefano” and figured she had watched some of Tanya Boyd’s scenes, so it was weird when Theo came in to correct Chanel on her accent. I was hoping we’d get more of a confrontation between Chanel and Paulina, as this isn’t the first time Paulina has lied to Chanel about something.

Yes, she said it after Charlie had been sent back to wherever he came from due to Saint Tripp bashing him over the head with a frying pan. It was quite romantic. It all struck me as funny when I read that. Look at Trask trying to get in on the dirty dealings. I was pleasantly surprised that she decided to throw her hat into the ring, even though I hope Xander wipes the floor with her. Chad having the balls to go visit Kristin while EJ stayed away felt contrived to me. I kept wondering if maybe they couldn’t afford to pay DF for the day. Looking forward to Abigail blowing up Gwen’s life! WooHoo!

Of all the Zombie shows/movies that I’ve seen, I don’t think The Devil was the source of the Zombies, so I’m fine with the Show doing something different. But the “death” of these Zombies was mostly stupid, regardless. The only thing I thought was somewhat interesting was that Saint Tripp was able to bash his brother’s head in but I doubt there will be any emotional consequences to it. Another vote for this being really bad. Seeing Mike Manning again was the only reason I didn’t totally hate it. I don’t care if Tripp and Allie lurve each other, because they’re as dull as dirt, and I never needed to see Nicole and Rafe succumb to their ridiculous forbidden lust for each other. Can we have EJ back to being an asshole tomorrow? It’s about the only thing I have to look forward to with this Show.

Vincent Irizarry was once Beverly McKinsey’s son! My god! He just seemed kinda bored doing this, much like he did when he was playing Deimos as a living human being. Charlie’s story worked best for me, because I love what Mike Manning does with his character, and he was more concerned about his son than having anything to do with Allie. I hope we get something kinda/sorta interesting with Charlie and Tripp. That rivalry was such a lost opportunity when They killed Charlie. Blake Berris is still fun to watch, even though I can barely give a damn about Gabi anymore. I know Ron C loves his camp, and this was probably more about having fun but I thought it could have actually been interesting if They had spent a little time in the scripts talking about how the trauma of the events experienced lingers within the psyche of all of the characters involved. There were some hints of that here and there but Charlie’s desire to find his son was the only thing that I found compelling.

They have yet to do a single thing that I could consider to be more exciting than what they did 25 years ago. Maybe Hall is having more fun than she did back then but the writing, the production values and the sets are all a pale imitation of what they did before. The acting, too. No one is selling the Hell out of this story. I feel bad that she ever had to say that Ron C’s writing is daring and imaginative. Talk about putting lipstick on a pig.