It’s Only My Opinion: The Present on GH, Y&R and Other Soaps Should Be Informed by the Past
The past has to always inform the present for soap stories to work, yet some characters are walking around like they just fell off a turnip truck.
I’m looking at you, Taylor Hayes. Even the remake of this Bold and Beautiful granny into a younger, naive waif does not explain why she thought she could talk her way into a fifth marriage to Ridge when all he has ever done is love Brooke Logan.
Taylor (to Ridge): “Having this wedding is a wonderful way to show Thomas and Steffy that their family is finally back together.”
Yes, because a wedding is always “final” on B&B. Taylor went on to “reminisce” about the treasure chest in St. Thomas, giving birth to the twins, and how Stephanie was always Taylor’s biggest supporter… and here’s me: That wasn’t you. Rebecca Budig’s Taylor might as well have been describing a play she saw when she rattled off all the things that happened to Hunter Tylo’s Taylor — and Thorsten Kaye’s Ridge never shared one scene with Susan Flannery’s Stephanie. It rings false when soaps pretend that recasts, rapidly aged kids, etc., didn’t happen. It’s so much better when they acknowledge the change with a line like “I feel like I was a different person back then!” and move on.
That said, Thomas’s sole focus is getting his parents married (again), which sets the stage for him to lose it (again), and that’s a believable obstacle for Ridge and Brooke (again). Or will Taylor be the one to lose it? She’s supposed to be a shrink, but her marriage speech to Ridge was completely unhinged.
Taylor: “Why are we waiting? We can get married tomorrow! We can start fresh! We can just love each other. I don’t want to wait; tell me you don’t either. [music plays] Oh, I love this song! Let’s dance. It feels so good in your arms. We don’t need a big wedding, we don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I’m all about these arms; there’s no place I feel safer.”
Ridge’s face was like, get me out of here. He stopped dancing and said he couldn’t marry her. Taylor responded that she won’t let him go without a fight because he’s letting Brooke get into his head, where, as all B&B historians know, she’s always been.
Taylor: “I guess Brooke is your destiny after all.”
Tell that to Thomas, who threatened her.
Thomas (to Brooke): “You’ve lost. My mom won. For good this time.”
And then Ridge told Brooke she’s his “forever” and put a ring on her finger… cue Thomas’s psychotic break.
Days of Our Lives characters Gwen, Cat, and Doug III came on the scene with the sole purpose of hurting people we love, so it boggles the mind that the show thought it could later make us like them. They cut their losses on Doug III, and Cat is circling the drain (when you’ve lost Jack and Jenn…), but Gwen walks around like a poor innocent who didn’t do anything to the Deveraux family.
Gwen (to Jack): “JJ is my half brother, but he definitely doesn’t look at me like I’m his sister.”
Maybe because Gwen drugged his real sister, Abigail, and seduced her husband? It makes more sense to play Gwen as a villain since her rap sheet is as long as Kristen’s. Pairing her with her DiMera in-laws (via Gwen’s husband, Dimitri) puts Gwen’s hateful personality to good use. She’s pretending to be fellow outcast Cat’s friend, but she really wanted scoop when she caught Cat snooping in EJ’s office.
Gwen: “There was nothing there for her to see?”
EJ: “Nothing at all. As for the real plans, I have ordered construction to start first thing tomorrow. It won’t be long before all of Salem learns that, this November, University Hospital will be unveiling the DiMera Family Free Clinic. But they’ll have no idea what we’re really up to.”
Um, EJ? Salem will know something’s up if you build an entire clinic in six weeks. They’ll also suspect something nefarious is behind your “gift” because the DiMeras never do anything for free or to be kind.
Side note to DAYS fans: I’m sorry to report that Gwen’s time away did not absolve her of the need to say “bloody” in every sentence, so do not play the drinking game to that bloody word.
Speaking of blood, Beyond the Gates resolved Chelsea’s kidnapping without spilling any, while psycho Allison was caught. That soap only has a six-month history, but one thing they’ve established is that the Duprees stick together (ask Ted!). They also needle each other, which lets the show inject humor during unfunny times, like when Chelsea was missing.
Naomi: “Jacob just took off without telling me where he was going!”
Anita: “That’s because he’s a cop.”
Luckily, Naomi tracks her husband, so the family could follow along when Jacob and Kat busted in on the nutball’s cabin. That was a smart way to advance story, as was Ted telling Leslie he’d give her his house if she would drop her bid to buy the house across the street from the Duprees. Leslie agreed and marched right over to throw Ted’s estranged wife out of the domain she thought was now hers.
Nicole (to Leslie): “Ted doesn’t own this house. I do. Ted is playing you so you could fall flat on that smug, over-made-up face of yours.”
Leslie broke down in tears to Eva, humiliated by Ted’s lies. BTG better not be trying to redeem her because that would go against her well-established (short) history, and Leslie is an A+ villain, which is hard to come by.
Victor’s villainous past on Young and Restless is also well established, which is why Claire couldn’t comprehend the 180 her meddling grandfather did on Kyle.
Victor: “I tested him. He passed the damn test. He loves you.”
Claire: “Things are upside down.”
Victor’s interference in his family is one of Y&R’s longest-running stories (along with the Abbott feud), and it works to great effect. Victoria couldn’t believe her dad finally let Claire make her own decision re: Kyle.
Victoria: “I’m actually jealous right now.”
She also had to listen to Kyle plead his case about why he proposed to Claire so soon after being busted for kissing Audra.
Victoria (sarcastic): “A grand gesture after you kissed another woman? It’s almost like you were trying to change the subject.”
In another welcome nod to history, Claire’s violent past came roaring back when Audra got in her face.
Claire: “Does Nate think you’re as pathetic as we do?”
Audra: “I’m pathetic? At least I’m not pathological. Maybe Kyle needs to open his eyes about you.”
Claire: “Maybe you need to watch your back.”
Holden’s a threat to Audra, too, because he’s got dirt on whatever happened in LA.
Holden: “What do you have left in Genoa City? One friend? A job that could be yanked away in a heartbeat? Don’t make me do something you’ll regret. Let Claire and Kyle live their lives.”
Considering that Audra was involved with slimy Tucker McCall, that dirt could be anything. Whaddya bet Y&R revives that connection?
Jason’s connection to Josslyn on General Hospital smacked him in the face when he and Britt were trying to escape the baddies in Croatia, and she casually mentioned Josslyn was there. What?
Britt: “She’s pretending to be a newlywed. Did you know Josslyn was WSB?”
Jason: “Where is she now?”
He saved Joss and Britt (and Vaughn by osmosis) and will now have to decide whether to tell Carly her boyfriend co-opted her daughter into a dangerous spy ring. Knowing Jason’s history (and we do), Jack’s in trouble. He’s already at Valentin’s mercy for help.
Brennan: “Do you have any more current intel? Faison’s been dead for quite a while.”
Valentin: “If you say so.”
Brennan: “His brain’s in a jar.”
Valentin: “His organization lives on.”
Since 1990! He’s Britt’s father and Anna’s nemesis, so you do the math on whether he’s really dead. Either way, Faison’s past is informing present story. I’ll take it!
Hey. It’s only my opinion.
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