I am happy to say that May 2, also known as Ron Carlivati's first air date, is quickly approaching. Next week, we should start to see this show get back on the track like it was before the writers' strike. The first half of last week felt like a day in July, when the powers that be expect people to be out and about instead of sitting at home watching One Life to Live. I honestly felt like I was being bombarded with the teen drama at the beginning of the week, and I didn't look forward to watching the rest of the week. However, it seemed like the second half of the week started to focus more on the core characters, and I found myself wanting to fast forward through fewer scenes. I sincerely think this show is right on the verge of improving, based on a few things that happened last week.
Rex finally caught a glimpse of the side of Adriana we have been seeing for months. It's about time! He has been so oblivious to her attitude about Gigi, and she hasn't even been subtle! She acts sweet and attentive to Rex, and then she treats everyone else poorly. He doesn't know that Adriana is blackmailing Dorian into helping her investigate Gigi, nor does he know how she has treated Shane. I love that Shane made Adriana a villain in his comic book. How fun was it to watch people's reactions to seeing Adriana's likeness with the name Evelyn Evil? It would be priceless if Rex saw it and figured out that Shane doesn't like her! The show has had so little humor lately, but "Evelyn Evil" definitely merited a laugh! It's amazing how perceptive kids are, but the older and allegedly wiser adults need some help with that. Things will get interesting when Adriana brings Brody Lovett back to Llanview. Rex doesn't know that Adriana's "business trip" is all about sticking her nose into Gigi's business! At the same time, Rex has to realize that he is spending a lot of time around Gigi. He doesn't even think about how Adriana feels about that, but he rushes to Gigi's rescue every chance he gets. Could he be realizing he still loves Gigi? I think it's safe to say that Adriana and Rex's wedding will be more like an almost-wedding with all of these issues. That would be okay with me because Adriana promised to leave Llanview forever if she didn't marry Rex, and I know Adriana wouldn't make a promise she couldn't keep!
Meanwhile, Jessica is inserting herself into Cristian's life every chance she gets. I feel like this development came from nowhere. Jessica and Cristian have hardly said 10 words to each other in the past few years, but now Jessica feels like she must protect Cristian. With the sad rumors about Forbes March's exit looming, I can't help but wonder if the writers are testing a reunion between these two characters. I don't see the appeal of Cristian and Sarah. They usually bore me, and I couldn't care less if they stayed together or broke up. However, I don't think putting Jessica and Cristian back together is a good idea. They were a couple a LONG time ago, especially in soap time, and I don't see a spark between them. They might make good friends, but considering what Jessica did to Antonio, it would be illogical to have Cristian fall for Jessica again. Of course, love isn't always logical, but the whole idea of Jessica and Cristian becoming a couple just doesn't work! I hope that Jessica's sudden interest in Cristian's life is just another example of Jessica being nosy. She has a history for getting involved in things that don't concern her, so I want this to be one of those times. It seems like Nash and Jessica's happiness is going to end, but I don't want to see Jessica and Cristian inexplicably reunited to make up for it! I want Cristian to reject her, just so she knows what it's like! I think it's time someone said no to Jessica and for her to have to do things on her own. If Nash really does leave, this would be a great time for Jessica to act like a grown up and not get her way all the time. That could be an interesting story!
While Jessica is busy sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, her father Clint continues to dabble in dirty business practices as Buchanan Enterprises faces yet another attack from one of Asa's foes. I like the conflict that Clint's new attitude is creating so far. Bo wants to solve the problem in an ethical, honest way, while Clint is willing to do anything to save the company. Clint and Bo haven't had that many conflicts over the years and this one has the potential to be severe. Bo still has issues with Asa, months after his death, and he can't even tolerate the notion that Clint is turning into Asa. Clint thinks Bo doesn't have what it takes to save the company from disaster. I think Clint and Bo will eventually have a big falling out over this issue, and a rift in the Buchanan family is never dull! Once Bo finds out that Lindsay is the one who encouraged Clint to use the unethical methods AND supplied him with the information to do it, I am sure he will rethink the status of his relationship with her. So far, I think the writers are doing a good job of keeping this focused on the characters rather than the details of the business problem. Other shows have focused so much on the details of business that the story fizzled, but so far, this story has revolved around the family dynamic of the Buchanans. It's been great to see them working together, and their importance on the show has been rebuilt slowly over the last year. It's about time!
The crisis at Buchanan Enterprises also affects their relationships with other people. After Clint and Bo, the crisis at Buchanan Enterprises affects Clint and Nora the most. Nora is the district attorney, and if Clint is caught doing something illegal, Nora will be put in a difficult situation to say the least! She already has already been warned by the mayor and by Lee Ramsey that she needs to start winning cases. Imagine if she is forced to investigate Clint! She's already had to look at some files from the company, so the possibility of her having to go after Clint isn't out of the question! Also, Nora has been unpleasantly surprised by Clint's recent behavior, and I am sure this will become more of an issue as time progresses. How great was it to see Renee and Nora discuss the issue? Renee knew Asa better than anyone and she also knows what its like to be married to a business mogul. Nora and Renee's conversation was far too short, but I commend the writers for remembering that Nora and Renee are friends and that these two women have so much in common, especially right now! I was thrilled to see Renee focus on something else other than singing Jared's praises and/or defending his honor to other people. Instead, her history with Asa is being used to enhance Nora's story. I hope we see more of the friendship between these two women. They have both been married to Buchanan men, and Renee can be a good confidante for Nora as she tries to figure out what is happening with Clint!
Finally, due to some recent real life events, I feel I need to speak up for Hillary B. Smith. As you may know, I started watching One Life to Live because of Hillary and because of her character Nora. I can say without a doubt that if Hillary weren't on the show, I wouldn't feel nearly as compelled to watch it. It was devastating when Nora was placed into a coma for several months back in 2005. We didn't know if Nora would ever wake up or if Hillary would be staying with the show. The way Hillary was treated under the last writing regime was insulting to say the least. Hillary has endured so much in the past few years and she is a true champion for persevering even when her future with the show looked bleak. This is one of the many reasons that I am eternally grateful to Ron Carlivati for giving Hillary a story and for increasing her air time. I don't understand how anyone can attack Hillary because she was promoting her story about Nora's relationship with Clint. This is the real world, and the characters are fictional. Hillary should never have to defend herself about anything she says about her character's storyline. Nora has been paired with a few people over the years, and while I preferred some pairings over others, I have always watched and supported Hillary. I want to make sure Hillary knows that she has many fans that support and appreciate her and her work regardless of who her character is romantically paired with or what her storyline may be. Hillary is a phenomenal actress, and she greatly appreciates her fans. I had the pleasure of meeting Hillary a year ago at a soap event, and she was the nicest person you'll ever meet. She was very attentive to her fans, and it was obvious how much she cared about everyone fan she encountered. She deserves nothing but the best from her fans, especially since she has been so wonderful to us!
If you would like to let Hillary know you support her, I encourage you to send her a note or a card through the studio. If you need the address for the studio, please email me. Another way to actively support Hillary is by becoming a part of the C.H.E.R.I. Initiative. The C.H.E.R.I. Initiative is fan-based and was originally created in Hillary's honor. Fan bases for 5 actresses came together to support all 5 women: Catherine Hickland, Hillary B. Smith, Erika Slezak, Robin Strasser, and Ilene Kristen. The initiative celebrates its second anniversary in May, and we are always looking for people to join our efforts. If this interests you, please email me, and I'll give you more information!
Until next time,
Dawn
