Sorry...I couldn't resist the pun! I swear I almost stroked out reading the ticker scrolling across the bottom of my screen soliciting us, the loyal viewers, to share our (gasp!)...opinions about the show. I have watched A LOT of daytime and I have never seen any such thing before. Usually viewers never have to be prodded into making their feelings known, we just do it. But no...this time it seems different. Could it be that Brad is feeling the heat? Is his inbox busting at the seams with hate mail? Are people sending him dead fish wrapped up in a newspaper? Something is up and I don't think it's the ratings!
I realize that even though these scenes were taped several weeks ago, he probably never anticipated the intense reaction he received to the rape storyline. How could he? He never cared what viewers thoughts before, right? So now there have been truckloads of angry responses, a few columnists ripping the subject, and the rather lengthy but very complete survey to fill out online. I did the survey (many of you emailed me last week about it...thank you!) and found it interesting that many of the 'essay answers' had to do with 'what needs to be changed?' and questions having to do with this stupid Boldface Challenge thing. Also addressed was the 'where the heck are they?' characters and who we would like to see come back. The more I answered, the more I felt like SOMEONE must have been listening to everyone or reading my column (at least once so they know who to curse every week!). The bottom line is that this special sophomoric brand of soap writing is costing them viewers along the way. Not to borrow more over-used nautical terms but someone needs to right the ship and quick!!
As I said before, instead of Brooke coming out the other side of this mess a stronger and more determined person, it seems that she will fall right back into old patterns and be chasing Ridge-y Poo again like nothing every happened. Of course, HE would never sexually assault her, right? Yep, that' well-placed amnesia, huh? So she goes to Big Bear with him and the kids...FOR WHAT? And how is Ashley supposed to feel about that? In my perfect world, Brooke would stand on her own, embrace her role as full-time, all-the-time mom, and work hard to make her mark as a designer...not run around after a man. Not now. Brooke's days as sexual ping pong ball for Nick and Ridge have to come to an end or it will mark yet another missed opportunity for Brad to make Brooke an empowering figure instead of a used up co-dependent tramp. Sorry to be so blunt but hey, I don't do the writing.
Ok, so I think many of us see that at the very least, Stephanie shares some of the blame for the rape every taking place. What's going to happen to her? Will she finally pay for her sins? I'm not holding my breath. How convenient that Andy never got the chance to mention her by name before he fried! Imagine that. So now how many weeks have to go by before that is revealed? I would love to see her really pay this time and not just with a too-little-too-late lecture from Eric. I mean throw her butt and her pantsuits out of the mansion for good! Better yet, tell her to get a real job and make her live in the Valley!
Poor Clarke....we hardly ever see him and when finally do, he's being told he sucks as a designer. Ok, well, he does but that's not the point! He's a likeable character that provides some great comic relief. Maybe his ship has sailed, though, without Sally as his on-screen foil. Very sad....
Well it's just one big happy Y&R reunion in LA!!! Ashley, the old Grace, and the old Victoria are gracing our screens each day and I have to say I am thrilled at what I see so far from Katie's character. She could be the one Logan to totally go against type and save that family once and for all. I am also glad she will be the one to set this whole Donna-Thorne revenge wedding to rest. That story does nothing more than make Donna look as bad as Stephanie and make Thorne look like he should have been the fourth guy heading to Oz with Dorothy...'If I only had a CLUE'!!!! I cracked myself up one day this week thinking that Thorne is actually written as badly as all the women on this show! He never gets a break, he's clueless when it comes to women, and he gets talked down to by his mother more than ANY man I have ever seen!
Back to Katie, show of hands...who LOVED the scene between her and Stephanie? HA!!!! The Forrester Family Harpy better watch out...some chicks with attitude are starting to get her number real quick. Ashley, for one, and now Katie. I love it!! I am hoping that all of this signals a shift in the winds around B&B. I want to see strong women on this show for a change and not moping jellyfishes that just have life happen to them instead of them making things happen.
Don't you just love the crazy fight scenes that soaps make up? Andy defending himself with a radio antenna? OMG! The cheesy chase scene up to the roof, the evil villain dialogue...what camp! But there he is, Ridge to the rescue and Brooke sees him as the knight in shining armor yet again. As for him so graciously bring the kids back, well, he never should have let it all go that far to begin with. As long as the 50 foot umbilical cord connects him to his Mommy, he'll never change. If I were Ashley, I wouldn't marry his sorry butt unless there is a pre-nup that makes him swear never to talk to her again or she'll cut his ---- off!
Did anyone find the nick-Taylor sex scene a little, well, icky last week? I did. Eww. I know they are cute together and all but that whole I'm-so-horny thing on the conference table was a little more than my eyeballs wanted to see. Get a room you two! Maybe she secretly knows he still loves Brooke and is just doing the human equivalent of peeing on his leg to mark her territory! Heehee...
And someone PLEASE put this whole Rick-Phoebe-Constantine thing out of its misery. Phoebe could not get any more annoying if she tried and I swear I cannot stomach another 'Oh Rick I love you but I want to stay a virgin forever' scene. And then, to really make Rick look like a male whore, he slinks over to Ashley for some afternoon fantasies like some crazed horndog. HELLO???!!!! Who is writing this crap anyway? I'd rather gouge my eyes out than watch this! I actually turn the station for the few minutes they are onscreen....I just can't take it.
Ok, back to the Question of the Week: Do you like the new Katie?
The Soap Box
Cheryl says: 'I too, am appalled by the way Brook's character has been betrayed by Bradley Bell and his unmerry band of writers. I actually logged on to cbs.com to let him know how upsetting and unnecessary this rape seen with Brook is. Also, I cannot take another seen with Phoebe and Rick--they are boring.'
Penny writes: 'Loved your column this week. But you forgot to mention that the only folks on B and B who are more helpless and stupid than the women are the MEN.'
Jerilyn says: 'I couldn't believe Brooke's house was and
still is so easy to get into.. her new security is a joke ! It drives me nuts
to see so many really stupid things on this show. I realize it's a soap but
they could give us a touch of reality.'
Have a great week!!!
