Well, I have to say I have been swamped with very touching emails from all over the globe this week. The Scoops faithful have come out in force to express their devotion to the warped and overly sarcastic spin I put on things each week. I have to admit, I was getting a little worried these last few weeks as I could hear wind blowing through my Inbox but everyone is still there which affirms my theory that perhaps the lackluster storylines have dampened things a bit. So a big 'Thank You' to all my readers who took the time to check in...it truly made my week! Now, on to the rather anemic goings-on from last week...
I say anemic due to the week not really getting juicy until Thursday. The cat is out of the bag now and Nick is looking at his Mother in a slightly different light now. The affair has been exposed and no matter how many different spins old Deacon puts on things, he can't make this weird relationship palatable. Imagine how Nick feels finding out his Mother is bedding a guy his age? Nick is seems fairly progressive in nature but this is asking too much. I loved his acting in those scenes, though, and it would be a travesty if he is not nominated for an Emmy this year.
Jackie is certainly in a pickle now, isn't she? She needs to get her story straight, however, as she says in one breath that she loves Massimo and is devoted to him but then talks about how Deacon make her feel so good. Yeah, I'll bet. Now do I think Mojo was a great husband? No. He really needs to lighten up a bit and take down that insipid Dorian Gray portrait that hangs over the fireplace. It's spooky. Let girlfriend do her own thing and you'll have a happy marriage. Deacon is just around for sex. I'm convinced of it. Brooke made a good point when she commented that Deacon 'falls in love often'. Thank you Brooke...he's run through every woman on the cast except for Stephanie and Sally. He's always in love and every woman is his soul mate. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Boring! And what's up with having Brooke be the go-between for Nick? Does he think she can really be THAT unbiased when it comes to Deacon? Too much history there for that. He's changed? Right. Did anyone catch the comment Brooke made about how committed he is to his daughter? What daughter? You mean the Invisible Girl? We never see him with her. Face it, Deacon is going back to his gold-digging ways and while I still like his character a lot, he won't become truly engaging until he has a REAL relationship that doesn't involve a virgin or someone else's sloppy seconds.
Looks like Massimo is on his way back from vegetable-land with the help of some mysterious clinic in LA. Nick won't disclose where it is so Jackie doesn't disrupt his recovery. What our good Captain doesn't know is that Pop has already forgiven Jackie for her transgression based on all his internal dialogues we have had to suffer through lately. Since he can't talk, all we saw was a close up of his eyes and heard the echoed screams of a man that was watching his caretaker feel up his wife. I am predicting Mass will recover and tell Nick he wants Jackie back because he loves her and believes Deacon is only out for the bucks. Jackie will go back to him and live happily ever after. It can't really end any other way. I can't see Deacon and Jackie riding off to the Malibu love shack as a married couple boogie boarding all day and giving each other weird henna tattoos. Besides, he's still young and hot while poor Jackie may be only a couple of years away from getting her AARP card. Popular opinion is against their relationship, too. I know I am.
Poor Caitlin...the first of our new teens to get her own Forrester-laden romance and now globetrotter Rick is heading back to Milan and off contract. Gee, that was quick. You know what I don't understand? Why did this romance fizzle out yet we are stuck with the hideous Mrs. Robinson pairing of Amber and Thomas (or 'Toooommmmm' as Stephanie keeps saying)? When did this ridiculous storyline become more appealing...or is it another Baby Bell curveball we are thrown when we get behind one romance just in time for his Sybil impersonation to make us focus on the less attractive one? I don't know...I am just plain tired of seeing Amber justify the coupling and Thomas running around after her in saying 'Amber's great...I love her' in that annoying voice. Ugh. Where did they find this kid? Did he go to the Ridge Forrester school of phonics? Get that gravel out of your throat, boy! Talk like a man!! So what are we going to see next...Thomas consoling Caitlin into bed after she gets all weepy for the jet setting Rick? Will he realize he should be with someone his own age and leave Amber waiting for the phone to ring? With the spoilers saying Thomas 'comforts her', my bet is on a prom night mattress dance.
I guess Rick hasn't had a decent story in a while to justify keeping him around. It's a shame, really, as I do like the actor and think there could have been some potential. With Bridget apparently coming back onto the canvas, it would have been nice to see all the younger Forrester's together. I keep predicting that if the powers-that-be don't really cultivate the younger characters soon, there won't be anyone left when the vets start retiring. Think about it...Ridge, Eric, Brooke and Stephanie can't last forever. Make Rick, Bridget, Dr. Mark, Thomas, etc more the focal point in the coming years and the transition will be fine. Hell, they should dust off CJ and bring back Kimberly to shake things up.
Spectra Couture By Thorne Forrester will be a ghost town soon if Ridge has anything to say about it. Funny, I don't remember him using the term 'high end exclusivity' when he was extorting Nick? Now it's a legal thing? Whatever. Ridge is doing little more than proving what a snake he is. But watch out! Here comes Brooke who seems to be getting soft in her middle-aged years. She still has a soft spot for Thorne and for Nick meaning there will certainly be trouble in paradise as Redwood Rigid may be overruled by the little woman. She seemed upset that he decided on his own to blackmail Nick into not carrying Spectra and will likely get support from the 'Rents. That will force the 'I have more stock than you' tactic that I believe will backfire. Eric may be a jellyfish, but even I don't think he will put up with that threat after they put Thorne to the curb to give Ridge the presidency. I personally hope Ridge is left with nothing...no marriage, no respect from his kids, and no place in the company. He has been acting like a world-class turd for months now and if nothing else in life, I believe in the concept of karma. Watch your back, Ridge...it's about to come back around!
Am I loving the power couple of Thorne and Darla or what?? Yes I am and it's about time he come into his own. He's been the doormat and the unlucky in love basement dweller for far too long. I truly believe his character transformation has been one of the best things Bell has created in a while. He seems poised to strike up a friendship with Nick soon and that can't come soon enough. They may have more in common than your think. Both are subject to King Ridge's crappy behavior and both have had to stomach some serious issues in life. But I think Nick will see Thorne as a person of much higher integrity than his older and egomaniacal half-brother and maybe give him a shot at some window space at JackieM. After all, what is Ridge so afraid of? His family's rags have been selling just as well as anyone's so what's the big deal. Nick, do the right thing and give them the space to prove themselves. Thorne deserves a break and Ridge needs a swift kick in the ego.
I wasn't at all sold on the Amber-Brooke smackdown they tried to lay on Stephanie. Now we are supposed to believe that they are so alike and willing to be buddies? Nah! She hated Amber for all the drama Prince Rick went through. See, these are the 180 degree turns I don't like. One minute, bitter enemies and the next, united against big bad Stephanie. I don't agree with all the shenanigans she has pulled in the name of family protection, but I do think she has more integrity than those two put together. My solution, you ask? Nobody gets 'thrown out' of the family. Just find some way to get along...but send Amber packin'. She doesn't belong there and long outlived her welcome after mistake #78 (there were so many I lost count). Brooke is stuck there due to the marriage with Ridge and RJ the Christ-child, so that's fine. Stephanie will always be there, for better or worse. Can they all just get along? But I do have to admit that he catfighting between Brooke and Steph are a guilty pleasure of mine. It is always some of the best acting and snappiest dialogue.
Ok, so what will Bridget's role be? Maybe she will come back and capture Deacon's eye after he gets dumped AGAIN. I think they should bring back CJ for a little hot romance between them. Or she could hook up with hot Dr. Mark who only gets dusted off when someone get hurt. Must be tough to come in every few months and recycle the same dialogue...'We are running some tests but won't know anything for a while. Nurse, set-up an IV drip and let me know the progress'. Hey, where do I sign up for that job? But I digress. I am happy Bridget is coming back but I do hope the new actress can nail it. The last one was awful and with good acting it, Bridget could become a great daily asset to the cast and stories. Just keep her away from Ridge, will ya? I don't think we can take anymore of that nonsense.
Who's on the Soapbox?
Anonymous writes... 'I find your one-sided opinions a little lame. Maybe that's why your mailbox is empty'. Hmmm. Ok, well I would have to say that everyone is entitled to an own opinion. As it is a column and therefore highly subjective, I'm not sure how to respond. My opinion is not expected to be popular with everyone or it would cease to be a column and would be a recap of the week. Maybe some weeks it does seem a bit weak, but I think that may be more a function of weak storylines than anything else. There are weeks where No-Doze has become my best friend, you know? But hang in there...after all, yours is the 65th email of the week so I must be doing something right.
Sue writes... 'I pretty much stopped watching when Ridge and Brooke got married But I like to read your comments. If they would get rid of Ridge, I would watch again'. Amen, Sister!
Diane writes... 'I love the evolution of Thorne and am equally thrilled that they are finally making use of Darla, she has been a great part of the cast since day one!' I agree, Diane, there was unused potential there and it seems that many viewers feel the same way you do.
Dawn writes...'I printed out one of your scoops for my 73 year old mom about 6 mos ago and she's hooked on reading them'. Wow. I'm truly speechless. Dawn, if you read this, please tell your Mom how much I appreciate her interest and I hope I give her a little laugh each week. I am honored.
I always find myself a little in awe at how many people the Internet connects on a daily basis. When I asked 'where' all the Scoop readers were in the world, I was truly amazed. We are spanning the globe here at Soap Central...here's a sample of exactly where:
UK
South Carolina
Perth, Western Australia
Detroit, Michigan
Los Angeles
Brisbane, Australia
Washington, DC (my own backyard!)
Pennsylvania
Long Island, NY
Honduras
Tennessee
Lenoir, NC
Central Illinois
Dallas, Texas
Huntington County, PA.
Toronto, Canada
Baltimore, Maryland
Alberta, Canada
New York City
Wisconsin
SSgt Jennifer Ramsey in Sumter SC at Shaw AFB (special shout out any and all proudly serving in uniform!!)
Fowler, Illinois
Until next week, stay in touch with your thoughts...it's the best part of my week when I hear from everybody!
