Why do supercouple obstacles need to be clear to the viewer? Check out what Digest columnist Carolyn Hinsey has to say about what’s happening across the daytime dial.
Keeping A-list couples apart is Soaps 101, but the obstacle has to make sense.
A mother who shot you and your wife in an alley and left you for dead is a good one. B&B’s clueless Finn denied the danger when his psycho birth mother was released from prison, repeatedly telling Steffy that Sheila was “gone for good”. But there she was spying on Finn and Kelly at the beach, peeking in the window, lurking outside the back door, until Finn finally yanked the lunatic into the house to end it.
Finn: “We’re never going to forget what happened in the alley. Walk out that door and never come back.”
Sheila (pointing to Steffy): “You’re appeasing her? She’s controlling you!”
Finn: “If you love me, prove it. Say good-bye.”
Sheila left, vowing to return of course. Finn proved his unfitness as any kind of protector again by insisting they were safe, which was a joke.
Steffy: “I can’t do this anymore.”
She packed up the kids and hightailed it to Europe, leaving her hubby alone to stare at an empty living room and wonder where it all went wrong. Let’s start with when Liam snapped a photo of you hugging Sheila and go from there…
Liam thinks he’s got the inside track with Steffy now, but after three failed marriages to her (seven weddings overall) he’s not exactly THE GOLDEN BACHELOR.
Wyatt (to Liam): “How you got Steffy and Hope is going to baffle me until the end of time.”
Me too.
Suspecting your partner of burning down your house is another good one. GH’s Anna rose from the ashes and moved to the Metro Court, where her suspicions of Valentin only grew.
Anna (surveying her desk): “Did you move these?”
Valentin: “Obviously the housekeepers have been here. Are you alright?”
No, she’s not. Anna followed Valentin when he went to meet “Pikeman” and then they both lied to the other about what they had been doing.
Secrets and lies do not make for a solid romance.
Sonny’s mob life has gotten in the way of most of his romances (remember when he found Brenda wearing a wire?!) and now Nina’s the one getting upset about being in the dark when he gets arrested. What to do? Take a meeting with Sonny’s baby mamas.
Olivia: “If you’re going to be with Sonny you don’t have a choice.”
Alexis: “This isn’t easy to deal with. Having said that, Sonny has a way of getting out of these things.”
Ava: “This is the life he has chosen. There will always be something else.”
A believable hurdle.
Ned’s amnesia and Curtis’s paralysis are external problems that will wind up being temporary for them and their wives. However, the failure of anyone to hold “amnesiac” Esme accountable for her vile crimes could be a permanent barrier for Spencer and Trina.
Spencer (to Trina): “Living with Esme hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. We’re just co-parenting Ace.”
There aren’t enough turtle doves in the world… Spencer’s concern for little brother Ace is laudable, but after Esme drugged Trina and made a video of her best friend Josslyn losing her virginity, Trina’s response to that comment should have been “As long as you’re living with Esme you won’t be kissing me.”
That’s not an obstacle, it’s a deal breaker.
So is hitting your paramour’s father with a fireplace poker and framing him, like DAYS’s Theresa did to Brady (among other things) so she can’t have been surprised to hear this when she tried to reconnect:
Brady: “I don’t want to go back down that road with you. Please go.”
Philip got a similar response from Chloe when he returned from the dead to declare his love. Nicole argued his case, to no avail.
Nicole: “You and Philip had a good thing going.”
Chloe: “He didn’t just disappear. He faked his death and framed Brady for murder.”
Nicole: “He’s better. You can pick up where you left off.”
Chloe: “I’m with someone else now.”
Nicole: “Isn’t there a part of your heart that still belongs to the first guy you fell in love with?”
Chloe: “Are we talking about me, Xander and Philip or have we segued to you, Eric and EJ?”
Excellent question. Nicole is carrying Eric’s baby (unbeknownst to her) which will be a hiccup for her and EJ, while Sarah just gave birth to Xander’s child, which will be a solid roadblock for Xander and Chloe.
Suddenly Philip might be looking better, eh Chloe?
Y&R’s Kyle thinks Audra looks better than his wife Summer because Summer lied to him. But then we saw Audra slither from Kyle’s bed into Tucker’s and thought ew — that’s Kyle’s new uncle! I loved Nikki threatening Audra’s job if she didn’t break up with Kyle (HR issues aside) because Kyle and Audra aren’t the money couple —Kyle and Summer are.
But don’t tell Kyle that.
Kyle: “You forced me out of my job to protect Summer and now you’re worried about my emotional state?”
Jack: “I thought with time and space you and Summer could find your way back to each other.”
Kyle: “Whatever you need to tell yourself. I have a new life and a new job — just like Smilin’ Jack in the old days.”
Jack was dumb with woman too, so nice role model you’ve got there son.
Newman matriarch Nikki is protecting her granddaughter Summer from Audra, working against Victoria’s beau Nate, and not keen on Nick’s girlfriend Sally while across town the Abbotts are in open warfare.
Jack: “We haven’t always agreed with each other’s choice of partners.”
Ashley: “Oh really Phyllis?”
Jack: “Victor?!”
Family with long memories. Now that’s an obstacle.
Hey. It’s only my opinion.
