August 14, 2006

Right off the bat I’m going to share with you an unpopular opinion.  I actually like the new camera work.  Perusing the various soap sites and message boards, I haven’t seen one person share the opinion that they like it.  I do.  I hate to sound like a smarmy marketing type and say, “It’s fresh, it’s happening, it’s now!”  But really - it is fresh.  Something different.  Would people be more receptive to it if they were enjoying the actual content of the show?  Perhaps.  If your best friend was sporting a different hair cut while she stuck her tongue down your boyfriend’s throat, you probably wouldn’t feel too complimentary of her new ‘do.  Or maybe people would hate it regardless.   

Speaking of forbidden kisses and people’s reactions to them, the ca ca has now hit the fan over Dixie macking on Zach a few weeks ago.  I said last week that I think Tad is Up To Something, because I find it hard to believe that even he is that much of a hypocrite.  I still believe that is the case, even though his behavior was even more atrocious this week.  I believe it because he was worse.  Also, I had to dodge all the anvils that plummeted to the ground every time a character said, “What is wrong with you, Tad?”  The thing is, while I can confidently say that Tad is putting on a show, that still doesn’t excuse his behavior.  My thinking is that he is trying to make the killer more complacent and draw him or her out in the open.  That’s a good plan in theory.  The execution of this plan, however, will result in a lot of destruction.  I’m sure he figures that the Slaters’ marriage is collateral damage – heck, probably thinks that Kendall is better off without Zach, anyway.  When the dust settles, if he gets the results he was hoping for, will it have been worth it? 

Earlier I was watching that episode of Seinfeld where the men are preoccupied with the concept of a catfight.  Supposedly they have the fantasy that it will end up with the women kissing each other.  But why do I like catfights?  When Dixie threw down a challenge to Kendall that she’d scoop Zach up if Kendall let him drop, I was wanting Kendall to grab a hunk of hair and start ripping.  Not that I can blame Dixie for wishing that she could have Zach, but damn the girl needs to keep her feelings and her hands to herself.  I was actually disappointed that it didn’t get more physical.  Not because I was hoping it would end up with Dixie and Kendall kissing.  *passing the brain bleach*  I guess it’s because we love for these shows to act out the fantasies that we can’t enact in real life.  Is your boss being a complete jerk?  Turn on AMC and watch in delight as Zach wipes the sneer off Tad’s face.   

I wonder how Zach’s new plan will jive with Tad’s plan?  Tad is basically spreading around town that Zach and Dixie are having a fling, ergo they plotted to bury Madden together.  Zach will be putting forth the notion that he and Dixie were having a fling, and it was because they were so busy flinging that they couldn’t have buried Madden. 

Meta Line of the Week goes to Kendall, who is warned by Ryan that anything could happen at Zach’s arraignment.  She agrees, quipping, “After all, it is Pine Valley.”  Honorable mention goes to Colby who implies to Jesse McCartney’s people that “We were related for awhile.” 

Well, I expressed hope that Sydney would take Colby down a peg or two, but looks like that isn’t going to happen.  Instead we have two girls of equal immaturity going way over the top in their sniping at each other.  There is nothing clever about their scenes.  Sydney’s comeback to Colby’s snotty behavior is to dump French toast in her lap?  Oooh, burrrrrn. 

One of the things I like about Jamie and Julia are the lightness of their scenes together.  I prefer Jamie when he’s being charming.  Not so much when he’s being anger boy.  Babe and Josh were just found alive – couldn’t Jamie have at least waited until they were back in PV before he laid into Josh? 

I was frightened for poor Myrtle this week when she was sharing a meal with Erica at the yacht club.  Erica was once again making a bargain with God, swearing that she won’t try to control Josh’s life if he would only survive his plane crash.  Guess it’s time to trot out that graphic I made awhile back: 

Look out, Myrtle!  Try not to get singed when the lightning strikes. 

I can’t really say whether Adam suspects that Tad and Krystal slept with each other.  The scene where Tad and Dixie faced off in front of Adam and Krystal was deliciously suspenseful.  It started off well with Adam’s groan that they were going to be here all night.  Tad was really walking a fine line by baiting Dixie so much when he knew and she knew and Krystal knew that Dixie had plenty of ammunition to lob back at him.  Afterwards, Adam kept questioning Krystal over and over about Tad and bringing up the fact that they spent the night together, etc.  But we didn’t have any of the usual suspicious Adam looks.  If he did suspect Krystal was the married woman, why isn’t he plotting to get to the bottom of it or looking for payback?  Does Adam perhaps suspect her, but has decided to give her the benefit of the doubt?  Maybe because he’s seen how JR’s suspicions about Babe led to such destructive behavior?  I…I…I don’t know how I feel about that.  I might seek greater maturity out of JR so that he would stop being such an ass, but for Adam to stop acting like Adam….  I’m not sure how to take this level of hypocrisy in myself.  I need to go reflect. 

I guess now that Erin’s heart has been broken, she’s going to turn to the dark side.  The concept of her and JR being evil together intrigues me, but it’s still a bit bewildering that she would be so sympathetic towards him.  It’s becoming quite common for characters to toss in a comment to JR about his murder attempt, and then move on to other business as if there’s no real significance to the statement. It’s become almost like a disclaimer.  “You’re scum, JR, and I am truly appalled by your behavior.  Wanna go play some tennis?” 

“I want to do a character voice.”  God, how I love to watch Bo and John play straight men to David’s schtick.  And what a schtick he has – rowl! 

I’ve pretty much done nothing but bitch about the GH storylines, expounding on how awful they are with the exception of the Scorpios.  Since coming back to the show, I’ve had to see characters I used to love behave abhorrently.  But as is human nature, I have become fascinated by the train wreck as it unfolds.  It’s almost like a John Woo film.  He manages to make something as awful as violence into a work of art.  That seems to be what is taking place here.  The writers, and especially the actors, are giving it their all.  The downward spiral of certain characters such as Lucky and Alexis, and how their behavior sucks everyone down with them, is very typical of Shakespearean tragic figures.  Usually, I have no sympathy at all for the central tragic figures, and certainly in the case of Lucky that still holds true.  I tend to be more appreciative of the process than I am of the characters themselves.  In the case of Alexis, I weep for what she has become.  Just as Lulu keenly felt the harsh words that came out of the mouth of a previously level-headed Lucky, I keenly felt my disappointment as Alexis alternately manipulated and pushed away everyone around her.   

A lot of the stuff going on has been played out before on soaps, yet there is something different this time.  None of the confrontational scenes were prettily worded or acted or accompanied by appropriately dramatic music.  The best scene was between Alexis and Sam towards the end of the week, when Sam lashed out at Alexis, and she snapped and lashed back at Sam.  That scene was very raw, stripped of all restraint or finesse.  It had more of an impact because it was just so real. 

Another good example was the confrontation between Elizabeth and Georgie.  Liz was legitimately hurt by the fact that Georgie, who works with her on a regular basis, knew what was really going on and said nothing.  On the other hand Georgie is just a kid and even though Maxie is a ho, she is still her sister.  Also, I loved the irony of Liz telling Georgie that she had no idea how she felt, but then again she doesn’t know about the Dillon/Lulu scandal. 

I’ve regained an appreciation of Carly again, because most of the scenes I’ve seen her in have been away from Sonny.  I guess it’s no coincidence that the last time I liked her was back in late 2001, early 2002 when she was apart from Sonny.  I think I also enjoy Laura Wright’s portrayal of her. 

How do you know when you’ve been warped by the GH outlook on life?  I thought it was very sweet that Edward wanted Jason to assassinate Alcazar, because he missed Skye and thought she belonged at home.  Skye would have been all verklempt if she had seen Edward’s paternal behavior towards her.  She always wanted his approval, and now she has it.  

There won’t be a regular column next week because this coming weekend I am going to the AMC fan club luncheon in New York City, plus a few of the related events.  Eeeeee! 

PS - I’ve revamped my website, so feel free to take another gander.  The content is still the same, but I’ve made the look of it a lot prettier.   

Thanks for reading.  Cheers! 

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