KerleyQ

I think the bomb just broke one of the legs off that chair in the basement. Everything else is just fine.

Well, it was probably only because Stephanie didn't realize Maya was an option...

I keep expecting to find out that ELQ has some asset that is highly valuable, and they don't realize its value, but the LoD does. Most likely, whatever it is can be used to further their evil plans. I don't know what Helena has sold Nik on in terms of wanting ELQ, though. I assume that, much like Kiki is going along with Morgan's plan and letting him think they're getting AJ back for Sonny, when she really plans on getting custody herself, Helena is allowing Nik to think that he's going to acquire ELQ and add it to his portfolio, when she really plans on either outright claiming it on her own or just raiding its assets to benefit her own agenda.

He did Melrose Place.

That's the part that grates the most about this whole story. Morgan is not remotely acting like this is the brother he grew up with and adored. He's positively gleeful about what he's doing to Michael - endangering Michael and the sister he claims to be doing this all for. He's acting like he short sheeted his bed and will be sticking his hand in a bucket of warm water after he falls asleep, not like he stole drugs he knows very little about from a hospital and is drugging his brother and encouraging him to drink when taking those drugs. This is way too similar to what Sonny did to Jax to help Carly keep Joss, and Sonny and Jax had decades of hatred between them to fuel that shit.

Not the original poster, but I think the "freak show" would be the publicity circus, not that Maya is a freak. But sadly, some of the media and general public would treat her as such. I mean, look at Bruce Jenner. Some are respectful, but a lot of the more tabloid-y outlets are far more interested in turning it into a freak show spectacle to get eyeballs.

I want him to do it kind of faux-innocently. Something like "so you told him, and he's cool with it?" Since she said she'd tell Rick when he proposed, he can get away with assuming that she followed through.

As much as that entire Brenda visit pissed me off, I will be forever grateful that, at least, we got this GIF out of it. Although I do wish it had happened anywhere other then the first NB after Brenda believed Robin was dead.

"Toonces! Look out!!"

Carly is most definitely a "do as I say, not as I have gleefully done" kind of beast.

I wouldn't be surprised if the reveal came at an FC fashion show, but I'd bet anything it won't be by her choice or on her terms.

Ditto. I just can't see it. Spencer. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! How does anyone put up with that brat? It's not your face, dude, it's your personality. It sucks.

Carly and Sonny?

I agree, it seemed odd that Farkle would let something like that bother him.

So we're getting another "amnesiac Nik is taken in by the woman who recently lost her husband...who vaguely looked like Nik until he exactly looked like Nik."

The Austin & Ally episode did go a lot farther in terms of the bullying. I thought it was kind of interesting, though, that both A&A and GMW decided to also focus what seemed like half of the episode on the friends wanting to retaliate against the bully (with reverse taunting on A&A and violence on GMW). I feel like the bullying episodes even do venture into the "wish fulfillment" aspect of DC shows. Part of what makes bullying such a problem is that nobody (especially not the "popular" kids steps up and tries to stop it. Here on GMW, we've got Lucas (the guy whose "flaw" is being "perfect") standing up for Farkle to his own teammate. Over on A&A, the girl being bullied for her looks has two music stars among her BFFs to stand up for her. In both cases, the victims had a protective circle of close friends who would go the mat for them. I think that most of the kids who are bullied (especially to the extent that Trish was) and get to the extent where they refuse to show up for class, wish they had that tight knit circle of friends around them who will defend them and shut down the bullies, especially if those friends were the popular kids that Lucas, Austin, and Ally are (the kind of kids whose disapproval of the bullying would carry some actual weight with their peers).

I agree that DC shows aren't going to do gritty - we won't see them tackle sex, specifically between teens or unmarried people, for example. But, they do address some controversial issues in non-confrontational ways. The biggest example I can think of is that, in its last season, Good Luck Charlie had a same sex couple. The younger daughter's friend had two mommies who came over for a play date. They treated it as completely normal except for the parents deciding how to divide the two mommies up (since, typically, the dad would take the kid's dad to the basement to watch the game while the moms hung out together). I actually appreciate that Disney doesn't get really over the top when addressing these kinds of issues, because it's helping to not teach young kids that there's something "abnormal" about it. And a large part of that is that, while they know that older kids and parents are watching, they still have a lot of young kids in their viewing audience, and they want parents to feel like their shows are "safe" for their kids to watch. And, actually, I appreciate that GMW addresses something that a lot DC shows seem to shy away from - where the absent parent is. You look at Dog With a Blog, for example, and the family is a blended family, but you don't hear where the other parents are, or that they even exist. It's like the parents each just magically produced their children without another parent involved in any way. The only way the absent parent gets addressed is if they died (Hannah Montana). And, it seems like not only are they willing to acknowledge that Maya has a deadbeat dad, but it also seems, to me, like it's likely she was conceived out of wedlock. And Lucas, while they haven't come right out and said it, also seems to be the product of divorce, as it seems like he lives in NY with his mother while his father is still in Texas. (Although they haven't firmly put that into play, so it could be that his parents are still married but work keeps them in different areas for chunks of time.) The one DC show I can think of that kept the divorced parent in play was Suite Life, and I think that was only because they showed that the parents still loved each other. (Also Suite Life, and its spin off, seemed to do a pretty decent job of slipping stuff in that you wouldn't expect on a DC show, for whatever reason. Maybe the other shows just need to try a little harder?) Anyway, I appreciate when they just treat stuff like it's just a normal part of life, especially when it comes to the whole family relationships thing. I'd bet that most of the kids watching these shows know kids who have divorced parents, remarried parents, same sex parents, etc. Hell, some of those kids watching are the ones with families like that. So it's nice for them to see that reflected on the shows they watch without it being treated like it's a big deal. In other words, I'd rather not see various things given the "very special episode" treatment. I know DC does still do it to some extent, but, as much as I enjoyed the cheesy good fun of, say, Saved By The Bell, I don't think it would work now, and I wouldn't want the DC shows to try to duplicate that. And, now that I've said that, one of these shows is going to pull a "very special episode" on me. I know GMW came close in the bullying episode, when they moved from the bullying to the kids trying to "save" the bully. But, I don't want to see a full on one. Just...no.

It jumped out at me right away because my son was born in 2002, and I'm already dreading that he's going to be a teen this year. Where did my baby go??

If she had him Halloween 2001, he'd already be 13, turning 14 this year.

Ron doesn't believe that women exist who aren't scheming bitches. I made the mistake of reading the responses to that, and came across this gem: I've lost a little hope for humanity.

I want to see the big hook come out and drag her off screen, kicking and screaming.

I think the issue is that Quinn is an "outsider" like Deacon, but, if he can have Brooke, then he's "accepted" or some such shit. (But, I swear, if he starts talking about being the "patriarch"...)

I didn't think it was possible, but today was worse writing for Liz than the bulk of Niz. I refuse to hate the character, no matter what shit the show saddles her with, but, good Lord. Don't have her bother to take a breath between Jake's "wife" showing up and her considering taking Ric back. And, of course, it's solely so that, when the truth comes out that Ric hired Greenlee to pretend to be Jake's wife, Liz can get mad and dump him again. This stupid, stupid show.

And then we had the hideousness that was the Luke/Carly exchange. I can't even bring myself to quote it.

And now I'm ridiculously grateful that Luke was too old at the time of these events for NB to play young Luke.