The GCEh?C: Canadian Episodes (Spoilers for Non-Canadians)

[Anna Yolei]

I don't get this. I have tolerated the boring domestic Newman crap, the fall felt round the world and Lauren's idiocy over how technology works because Sussmam seemed to grasp what a total cancer that Philly has been to this show. No couple on this show has been so resoundingly hated by fandom in my memory--not even Shadam in the months following the baby switch reveal, because at least I bought that they actually cared about one another. Neither half of Philly ever looked especially happy in their scenes together.

And now we've come back to this and for what? Why does MY insist on turning them into comic relief? We've already gotten that in Gloria and Jack this week and it was more effective than anything these two continue to attempt. 

[DivaT]

I think JT and GT were invested in that pairing and wanted it long term. So they try really hard to sell any little bit they get. It's mostly vanity IMO. When 99% of the positive feedback you get from fans comes from love for that pairing, you tend to focus on it and believe the hype. 

[HeatLifer]

14 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

Why does MY insist on turning them into comic relief?

And this is my issue. You want them in scenes together? Fine. But write it as it SHOULD BE WRITTEN. This show is asking me to believe that while JACK is angry/suffering/pissed/out to make people pay, PHILLY get to be fun and light-hearted. What? 

[Anna Yolei]

16 minutes ago, DivaT said:

I think JT and GT were invested in that pairing and wanted it long term. So they try really hard to sell any little bit they get. It's mostly vanity IMO. When 99% of the positive feedback you get from fans comes from love for that pairing, you tend to focus on it and believe the hype. 

I can  kinda get this. They're both new actors to the show and for JT especially this has been their biggest story.But geez, can Mal Young not take a temperature? When, in the history of any show in the history of forever, treated an infidelity story as some light-hearted romp on the behalf of the two cheaters? Maybe Ross and Rachel on Friends, and even that wore thin.

[HeatLifer]

5 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

When, in the history of any show in the history of forever, treated an infidelity story as some light-hearted romp on the behalf of the two cheaters?

THIS. I've never seen such a thing. Mal and Co. have basically been convinced by this group of fangirls on Twitter that story and logic don't  matter; that JT and GT's comedy and acting is SO GREAT that they come first.

[miamama]

29 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

And this is my issue. You want them in scenes together? Fine. But write it as it SHOULD BE WRITTEN. This show is asking me to believe that while JACK is angry/suffering/pissed/out to make people pay, PHILLY get to be fun and light-hearted. What? 

This is why I just can't with this. It makes no sense. How can Jack be traumatized by something that's just FUN and light? Jack has been wrecked by their affair - something Phyllis said as little as three or four episodes ago to Lauren ("Jack has been completely changed by what Billy and I did to him") -- yet Philly talk as though they are just random exes having hijinks as they try to get along. It's absurd.

Billy still has zero fucks to give about Jack. He still feels no guilt or remorse. He's more concerned about ensuring Phyllis understands she's always going to be his friend while shoving his tongue down her throat. And Ashley and Traci are yelling at Jack to get over it and move on.

Wow. This is some shit writing. And all to ensure Philly stans have new clips for their vidding. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by miamama

[HeatLifer]

14 minutes ago, miamama said:

yet Philly talk as though they are just random exes having hijinks as they try to get along. It's absurd.

Yes, now they're single and working to repair their relationship. Jack who? 

15 minutes ago, miamama said:

Billy still has zero fucks to give about Jack. He still feels no guilt or remorse. He's more concerned about ensuring Phyllis understands she's always going to be his friend while shoving his tongue down her throat. And Ashley and Traci are yelling at Jack to get over it and move on.

Billy's priority is being friends with Phyllis and trying to find her a new man because he knows what she likes. This actually happened. Jack who?

The entire situation is pretty unreal. Two recasts and their stans throwing the whole canvas upside down.

[DivaT]

37 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

I can  kinda get this. They're both new actors to the show and for JT especially this has been their biggest story.But geez, can Mal Young not take a temperature? When, in the history of any show in the history of forever, treated an infidelity story as some light-hearted romp on the behalf of the two cheaters? Maybe Ross and Rachel on Friends, and even that wore thin.

Yep. For them, the history of phyllis and billy started when they did. The affair was red hot in that it had buzz and fans attention for better or worse. So they cling to it.

Sally knows better. This is for sweeps ratings. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by DivaT

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Ravi is adorable but also half Ashley's age, don't want it but am enjoying his crush on her.   

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, Foghorn Leghorn said:

Ravi is adorable but also half Ashley's age, don't want it but am enjoying his crush on her.   

There is really nobody good to put him with. Dummer is too stupid/possibly gone, Hilary would eat him for breakfast, Mariah is too blah and everyone else is either too old or married (please do not involve him with a married woman) I don't really know where there is to go with him.

[Big Blue Plate]

I found Phyllis and Billy entertaining and light in their scenes today.  I don't want them together but I think they play well off each other when it's not that ill fated romance.   I was high idk factor until she deep fixed the kissing and called him on his crap.  

Eileen Davidson... she rules Days when she's on, masters multiple characters and yet on this show she's most likely to succeed Steven Burton as performer most likely to be injured by a chainsaw.  

Why is badly written boring parenting supposed to be good daytime?  The kid isn't even that bad.  This is one of the stupidest storylines I've ever seen.  Not offensive, not unbelievable, not offensive.  Just plain dumb.  What's next?  Faith can't find her favourite scrunchie?  Noah and Mariah talk about the weather?  Mrs. Martinez writes the grocery list? 

This episode felt like it was written in equal parts by Sally, Pratt and MAB. 

[miamama]

35 minutes ago, Big Blue Plate said:

I found Phyllis and Billy entertaining and light in their scenes today. 

 

This was precisely the problem with the scenes for me. A brother-in-law who spent months boning his sistser-in-law and destroyed his brother's marriage, his brother's mental health, and his family by means of this dark, cruel messed up affair cannot suddenly be light and fun with said sister-in-law. These scenes aren't taking place in a vacuum.

[Big Blue Plate]

Oh, please.  What happened to Smilin' Jack is back?  His mental health is hardly shattered.  Patti's mental health is shattered.  Jack's fine.   And are the original recipe siblings talking?  Yep.  Are two thirds of the original recipe siblings talking to the sinner?  Yes.  They didn't kill anybody.  They actually are allowed to have parts of their lives that don't involve hair shirts.  Hell, half this cast has killed somebody and they're allowed to have entire lives that don't involve hair shirts.  

[HeatLifer]

So Billy is going to demand that Jack treat Phyllis right and let her off the hook for the affair and then follows that up by aggressively cornering her in an elevator and making out with her? And in this story, there are no consequences to this? Is the viewer supposed to just go along with the contradictions? 

[Big Blue Plate]

The scene doesn't play out on that basis.

[HeatLifer]

1 minute ago, Big Blue Plate said:

The scene doesn't play out on that basis.

Scenes don't have to flow one after another to connect. This is who Billy is portrayed to be. He wants forgiveness.  He wants Phyllis to be forgiven. But then can't control himself and jumps into Phyllis' mouth? His priority is being friendly with the woman he had an affair with and not his brother. Meanwhile, he's still pursuing Vic on top of all of this. "We have chemistry, Vic!" Billy is unlikeable to me and I've yet to be convinced how he's not.

[miamama]

18 minutes ago, Big Blue Plate said:

They actually are allowed to have parts of their lives that don't involve hair shirt

Sure. But this part, where they are bantering like a couple of schoolkids who dated for two weeks when they are actually discussing their destructive affair? Nah.

19 minutes ago, Big Blue Plate said:

What happened to Smilin' Jack is back?

Jack is traumatized. That's how PB described what he's playing. Take it how you will. It's not the point of what I was saying. You can take it right out. Their affair destroyed his brother's and her marriage (that she sobbed and begged for over a period of months after the affair). That' enough to call it destructive. 

[Anna Yolei]

On 2/3/2017 at 5:55 PM, Big Blue Plate said:

Oh, please.  What happened to Smilin' Jack is back?  His mental health is hardly shattered.  Patti's mental health is shattered.  Jack's fine.   And are the original recipe siblings talking?  Yep.  Are two thirds of the original recipe siblings talking to the sinner?  Yes.  They didn't kill anybody.  They actually are allowed to have parts of their lives that don't involve hair shirts.  Hell, half this cast has killed somebody and they're allowed to have entire lives that don't involve hair shirts.  

What are hair shirts, BTW?

I don't wanna beat a dead horse since others have cover some of my thoughts, but like miamama said it's a bit of a turn-around to go from Phyllis begging Jack to forgive her and Billy bonding with Victoria again (I guess it's asking too much for him to feel any amount of remorse for the brother he's betrayed once before, even eight weeks out from the reign of Pratt) to....whatever THAT was. 

if they wanna make Philly happen or tease the Twitter stans, whatever. But stop trying to sell it as some comedy BS. It. Will. Not. Ever. Fucking. Work. At. All.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Anna Yolei

[marina to]

6 hours ago, Foghorn Leghorn said:

Ravi is adorable but also half Ashley's age, don't want it but am enjoying his crush on her.   

I'm actually happy they're going there. May/December relationships can work and considering what other options are out there for both characters, I think they can bring a lot to each other. It'll be entertaining and hopefully done sensitively.

[valleycliffe]

7 hours ago, Anna Yolei said:

What are hair shirts, BTW?

a shirt of haircloth, formerly worn by penitents and ascetics.

also sometimes mentioned with wearing hairshirts, you also have a small whip you hit yourself on the back with..

[Capricasix]

I think hair shirts were often made with horsehide, and worn with the hair next to the skin, so that the horsehair would irritate the wearer's skin. Itchy and flea-ridden!

[NinjaPenguins]

Billy hasn't even donned a hair shirt yet. Instead he armors himself in a turtleneck of unbearable smugness.

He's not contrite. He has no remorse. He can certainly mouth the words, but when he sticks his tongue down Phyllis's throat, the hollowness of his apologies is revealed. Phyllis seems to have genuine regrets. Billy swaggers about like he's a big swinging dick, letting his big sisters run interference for him while he has the audacity to lecture Jack on how to treat his unfaithful ex-wife. Billy hasn't even tried on a hair shirt; he's ensconsed in velvet and free ballin' in plush pants.

Until he gives any indication that he grasps the magnitude of his actions, Buttbiscuit is going to get the hammering he so richly deserves. Jack could be as fine as frog's hair, spending his days dancing among the butterflies and begonias. Billy is still a trash bag who needs to put himself out to the curb for a trip to the compactor. When he comes back as a cube of regret, then we'll talk about how poor Biscuit has suffered enough. Genuine remorse talks, bullshit walks.

[DivaT]

2 hours ago, valleycliffe said:

a shirt of haircloth, formerly worn by penitents and ascetics.

also sometimes mentioned with wearing hairshirts, you also have a small whip you hit yourself on the back with..

Whipping is called self flagelation. 

[pearlite]

13 minutes ago, DivaT said:

Whipping is called self flagelation. 

Enduring Billy and Phyllis as written is self-flagellation.

[valleycliffe]

18 minutes ago, DivaT said:

Whipping is called self flagelation. 

thank you, try as i might i could not think of the proper word, only one that sounds similar but isn't the same at all. ;)

[HeatLifer]

3 hours ago, NinjaPenguins said:

Phyllis seems to have genuine regrets.

Does she, though? Or does it depend on the day? I think those Philly scenes completely negate everything she has said to Jack. She had no problems kissing Billy back, reprimanded him only for "getting back at Victoria," giggled and said they can be friends, and felt comfortable bantering with him like a schoolgirl about dating and the male suitors on his phone.

Reminder: These two had an AFFAIR that devastated Jack. Jack. Her husband. His brother. A GOOD character. 

That's the problem with writing Philly this way. This isn't organic storytelling. THEY are the ones who should be suffering and dealing with the consequences of their behavior. Jack and Vic should HATE them. This should DEVASTATE Phyllis and Billy. That is what the next building block of the story should have been. But it's not. Why? Because YR is so innovative? No. This was a push by the actors who wanted to work together in a romcom way, an EP who supported it, and fangirls who validated them.

[DivaT]

2 hours ago, valleycliffe said:

thank you, try as i might i could not think of the proper word, only one that sounds similar but isn't the same at all. ;)

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! No, not at all. 

[valleycliffe]

5 hours ago, HeatLifer said:

Reminder: These two had an AFFAIR that devastated Jack. Jack. Her husband. His brother. A GOOD character. 

That's the problem with writing Philly this way. This isn't organic storytelling. THEY are the ones who should be suffering and dealing with the consequences of their behavior. Jack and Vic should HATE them.

meh, sally wrote phick, this is them 2.0

[HeatLifer]

33 minutes ago, valleycliffe said:

meh, sally wrote phick, this is them 2.0

Well, it's a bit different for a variety of reasons, namely because she screwed Jack's BROTHER this time. And shouldn't the consequences be worse now since this isn't the first time for Phyllis? But, no, she gets to walk away clean, get her "power back," and continue playtime with Billy? Seems like an illogical story turn to me.

[Anna Yolei]

3 hours ago, valleycliffe said:

meh, sally wrote phick, this is them 2.0

If she did, then that makes this week's asspull even worse. As it's been mentioned many times in the last year, Phick at least followed some kind of logical progression throughout the affair. Nick and Phyllis actually enjoyed being in one another's orbits. None of the writers were making Jack or even more amazingly Sharon into the bad guys because they didn't just move on after the affair was discovered. Nick had a ButtBiscuit moment in which he petitions the court to process his divorce more quickly because of Phyllis' pregnancy and the judge told him in so many words to go pound sand. And even once they became legally wed, she wasn't just accepted into the Newmans with open arms.i do remember some reason that Vikki and Nikki had the cops arrest Phyllis on her wedding day. The slapstick happy-go-lucky stuff came well after all the affair, after they'd been married a while.

Most importantly, Phyllis didn't cheat with Jack's brother (not that ex-stepson is much better), so yeah. It's gonna have to be written differently just on this one premise alone.

[DivaT]

After watching, I can't help but laugh. The show did a disservice by giving JT and GT comedic scenes in the same episode as PB and JC. I'll leave it at that. 

[valleycliffe]

LOL  peaches, i find it difficult to stay up until 8pm....

but, i did see the clips from the show... snl is the best..

[Toomuchsoap]

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 9:03 PM, Anna Yolei said:

If she did, then that makes this week's asspull even worse. As it's been mentioned many times in the last year, Phick at least followed some kind of logical progression throughout the affair. Nick and Phyllis actually enjoyed being in one another's orbits. None of the writers were making Jack or even more amazingly Sharon into the bad guys because they didn't just move on after the affair was discovered. Nick had a ButtBiscuit moment in which he petitions the court to process his divorce more quickly because of Phyllis' pregnancy and the judge told him in so many words to go pound sand. And even once they became legally wed, she wasn't just accepted into the Newmans with open arms.i do remember some reason that Vikki and Nikki had the cops arrest Phyllis on her wedding day. The slapstick happy-go-lucky stuff came well after all the affair, after they'd been married a while.

Most importantly, Phyllis didn't cheat with Jack's brother (not that ex-stepson is much better), so yeah. It's gonna have to be written differently just on this one premise alone.

And BOTH instances should plainly illustrate just why it is that ACTORS shouldln't be telling the showrunners and their writers what the fuck to write. Phick was the brainchild of JM and MS, and LLM was just their useful idiot. Now JT, and I assume, GT (though I think she was just being politic on the show's behalf back during the summer when this was festering away) are/were the ringleaders, all cheered on by the handful of stans on Twitter who apparently followed JT over from GH.  By now I would have thought that the HW and this show's EPs would have learned that's it's never a good idea to let the inmates run the asylum. FFS, EB has been giving them their marching orders for over thirty five years. Who the hell is in charge anyway? It's like Breitbart calling the shots in the WH in Washington now. It's insanity.

Edited February 6, 2017 by Toomuchsoap

[peacheslatour]

Quote

It's like Breitbart calling the shots in the WH in Washington now. It's insanity.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

[rcc]

I thought the Jack/Gloria interaction today at the bar while watching her television interview and after it was very funny. She can really deliver a line. Fun actress to watch.

[HeatLifer]

5 hours ago, Toomuchsoap said:

Now JT, and I assume, GT (though I think she was just being politic on the show's behalf back during the summer when this was festering away) are/were the ringleaders, all cheered on by the handful of stans on Twitter who apparently followed JT over from GH.

Gina is the main cheerleader for Philly. Her Twitter tells it all, lol.

[Gam2]

I think Gloria acts like a mental patient-the bug eyes and hateful way of speaking. She seems to think she's entitled to her sons' love and support and Jack's financial support/job. I really don't like this character or this actress. She's just a grifter in my opinion. I think she could be a good character if she had anything to offer that anyone on this show wanted to buy. 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Have to agree about the bug eyes, must be too much filler up there!  LOL. I too am tired of her sneering her lines all the time, can't she deliver any with some feeling...

[RedRockRosie]

On 2/4/2017 at 11:15 AM, HeatLifer said:

That's the problem with writing Philly this way. This isn't organic storytelling. THEY are the ones who should be suffering and dealing with the consequences of their behavior. Jack and Vic should HATE them. This should DEVASTATE Phyllis and Billy. That is what the next building block of the story should have been. But it's not. Why? Because YR is so innovative? No. This was a push by the actors who wanted to work together in a romcom way, an EP who supported it, and fangirls who validated them.

You have nailed it here. I am SO OVER  these two. Repulsive!!

[HeatLifer]

12 minutes ago, RedRockRosie said:

You have nailed it here. I am SO OVER  these two. Repulsive!!

It's a classic case of the actors believing their own hype/fangirls hype. They now believe the show should be written for their "never-been-seen-before" romcom talents. 

[RedRockRosie]

33 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

It's a classic case of the actors believing their own hype/fangirls hype. They now believe the show should be written for their "never-been-seen-before" romcom talents. 

Now that's bordering on sheer "fantasy". ;-)

[Artsda]

So I guess Chelsea never heard of cloud storage? No way that photo was just deleted just like that. It's backed up. She's now lying over deleting pictures and thinking that's going to keep Nick from finding out that Christian isn't his? Makes me want Faith to get her way, she's already plotting her parents reunion only brightside of that would be Sharon gets her son she raised back.

Sharon I guess is at the anger stage of her grief. Getting rid of all of Dylan's stuff, looking for divorce papers, then dumping the milk on Nikki? Hilarious, real soapy. I guess that was the theme for today on CBS since B&B had a similar scene.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Artsda

[bannana]

Wow, this show has become so boring, cannot believe I just typed that.  And I seriously cannot take the rehabilitation of Pricktor Newman.   Stop it Show!  We know better.  Unless and until he does an apology tour, I will not accept this kinder gentler snowflake Prick.

I am seriously thinking of bailing on Show.

[Artsda]

Victor was all nice and supportive of Sharon, telling her she's family and her daughter needs her.  He tried to put her in jail for murder He gas lit her, the pretending that never happened and he cares about the kids now is stupid.

[Anna Yolei]

2 hours ago, Artsda said:

Victor was all nice and supportive of Sharon, telling her she's family and her daughter needs her.  He tried to put her in jail for murder He gas lit her, the pretending that never happened and he cares about the kids now is stupid.

To be fair, he's had his own daughter and one of his sons arrested too.

EB's ego will never allow for the redemption this character needs. He's been completely off the wall abusive to everyone since about the time of that Senate story. And not even just that: his intelligence took a nosedive as well. The Patty mess is one example--how the hell did he expect to control a mentally unstable woman? For that matter, what exactly was the point of dragging her back into Jack's life?  To kill him? A hit man would've been far cheaper and efficient. 

Now,Neil's insanity was all kinds of WTF for the type of Moral Mary character he's usually been, but that was still only one instance. Victor's had years of such behavior, and it'd be nice to address some of those elephants in the tiny studio apartment. 

[HeatLifer]

So Phyllis tells Jack that her and Billy were a mistake and they were self-destructing. But then also says they never would have worked because Billy will only ever love Victoria. 

Er, Phyllis, you were married to Jack and you supposedly claimed to love him. You'd think THAT would have been the reason why Philly never would have worked.

TPTB continue to write Phyllis like Jack wronged her and she's some poor victim of unrequited love for Billy and deserves to find the "right person." Meanwhile, PB still clearly plays Jack like he loves this woman. #FreeJack. Every regime proves to me that Phyllis was the WORST thing to happen to Jack.

[babyhouseman]

7 hours ago, Anna Yolei said:

To be fair, he's had his own daughter and one of his sons arrested too.

EB's ego will never allow for the redemption this character needs. He's been completely off the wall abusive to everyone since about the time of that Senate story. And not even just that: his intelligence took a nosedive as well. The Patty mess is one example--how the hell did he expect to control a mentally unstable woman? For that matter, what exactly was the point of dragging her back into Jack's life?  To kill him? A hit man would've been far cheaper and efficient. 

Now,Neil's insanity was all kinds of WTF for the type of Moral Mary character he's usually been, but that was still only one instance. Victor's had years of such behavior, and it'd be nice to address some of those elephants in the tiny studio apartment. 

Other soap villains have had times when they reflected on their past deeds and apologized. They'll go back to being bad again, but remorse can add to their storylines. I think EB thinks Victor's misdeeds make him look like a cool bad ass, but it's just making him more repulsive. 

[pearlite]

Yesterday's CDN did feature a couple of odd items. I said "odd," not good.

Oh, and one giant plus for me, no Sharon. Mind you, I'm still savouring the sheer Sharon-ness of her climbing up Victor's leg, begging him to send out troops to find Dylan. Well, Ms Mypolar, you're still in that "Nothing matters more than my man" mode, eh dear? Maybe you should consider time-travel--back to 1957, where that attitude had some weight. Lady, your kids are a mess, and you've abandoned the lifeboats, so if you're set on staying in 2017, perhaps a night-school course in small-business management.

Now, back to "odd." Ravi with an office full of cut-out valentines? Distinctly odd.

Second item--maybe just more stupidly ratings-grabbing and patronizing than odd. Toronto's back getting the shout-outs. Thanks folks. We really don't care. But then, when Lily is told she may have to go to Toronto, she exclaims, "Oh good, I love Canada!' Umm, Lily, we don't have all the ballots counted yet, but we're not quite sure whether Canada in all its chilly splendour loves you back.

[Capricasix]

I always laugh when Americans think that Toronto = all of Canada ?

[Anna Yolei]

They do? Maybe it's an East Coast thing, cuz most people in California usually think of Vancouver first.

Still, I get the irritation. California is a HUGE state and lots of folks think SoCal respresents the whole state. As a native NorCal girl and a San Diego transplant of nearly four years now, that is definitely not the case, nor does anyone take surfboards to school (as one Texan asked us at an out of state band competition once in 2003 ?)