Sunday, May 31, 2009

BC - Thu, 5/28/09

Given David's nature and given the MANY times he's just let himself into the Martin residence, you'd think Jake and Amanda would be a little more circumspect about talking in the house about the baby and their plans. He probably has bugs planted all OVER the house (or he WILL, soon enough).

As usual, the Keystone Kops put people of interest together to get their stories straight and/or tip their hands to each other (Erica and Ryan in this case).

JAR told Colby to stop ragging on Liza (she had just told Liza she wasn't part of the family and was NOT wanted there at the funeral). JAR was surprisingly (for HIM) mature and astute when he pointed out that she needed to think about what Uncle Stuart would have wanted. Marian needs all the support she can get, and that includes her daughter, Liza.

That organ music playing at the funeral while Scott was talking to eBabe at the entrance was AWFUL! It was like they couldn't decide on whether or not to play a dirge, vampire music, or carnival/colliope music.

Look! Cat-Ruth made an appearance at the funeral!

Kendall tells Ryan that it's okay -- LIZA is the one that screwed everything up, not him. Kendall should really consider that by abandoning her seconds-dead infant and going to the mansion to point a gun at Adam/Stuart's head, she might have been just a teensy bit responsible for being in her current predicament. Delusional/self-justifying much?

All right, WHO was eavesdropping on my email to Ashley Mendoza at the Pine Valley Podcast? On May 10 at 7:05 pm I had emailed her the following in response to her asking people for suggestions on a name for an award for actors who take the crappiest writing imaginable and just slog on through like troupers, playing it for all it was worth, as opposed to, say, Rebecca Buddig, who clearly was just phoning in her performances in the last go-around.

*****
Hi Ashley!

I've only read a few comments on last week's podcast, but I was reminded about the award and the need for a name. I would like to suggest something along the lines of the Rubbertree Award. Why? Well, I was reading a comment about it and an old song, HIGH HOPES, popped into my head.

Just what makes that little old ant,
Think he can move a rubbertree plant?
Everyone knows that an ant ... can't ... move a RUBBERTREE PLANT!

But he's got, HIIIIGH HOPES!
He's got HIIIIGH HOPES!
He's got high in the SKY, apple PIIIE hope!

President Kennedy used a variation on that theme during his election campaign (with Sinatra singing it). Shirley on the 1970s LaVerne and Shirley TV show also called upon it during tough times to buck up LaVerne's spirits or to get her to do something that seems hopeless.

It seems to fit with the poor actors trying to give a decent performance in the face of monumentally crappy writing.

Looking forward to the next installment!
*****

O-M-G! The fact that AMC just used that as a part of Stuart's funeral is just plain FREAKY!

Annie is in the cell next to Kendall and offers to help her through her first day in jail. I guess Annie doesn't know that Kendall is an old pro at being arrested and has, in fact, done two years in state prison (where she met Janet From Another Planet).

I've been pretty pre-occupied lately, and I don't think I was really paying attention during the hearing for David's "misconduct" over Adam's prescriptions. Nurse Gayle took the fall for him, and he arranged for her to get a job elsewhere. WTF? Why wasn't she immediately ARRESTED for it?

There will be no Friday Boogie Chillen; it wasn't BAD, I just wasn't inspired to comment on any of it.

Robin "some days are like that" Coutellier

Thursday, May 28, 2009

BC - Wed, 5/27/09

When Adam sees that Liza is "pregnant", he asks who the poor bastard was that she duped THIS time. EXCUSE ME? Liza may have absconded with Colby when Colby was about 7, but ADAM is the one who bought a sperm bank for the sole purpose of switching his sperm with Jake's so that Liza was DUPED into having HIS baby. Pot, Kettle.

Adam also needles Liza about not coming back for her daughter until now. He conveniently leaves out his threats to have her thrown in prison for even CALLING Colby, let alone SEEING her.

Kendall ruminates that they should have STAYED to see if Ian would pull through or not. Uh, you should have stayed PERIOD! She also said that a parent would do ANYTHING to protect their child. In what way was she and/or Zach protecting Ian by going over to kill Adam Chandler? It's not like Adam was actively TRYING to kill their child, and if they thought Ian was dead, well, in what way were they protecting him THEN? What did they think Adam was going to do at THAT point, go to the hospital morgue and paint a little mustache on him?

Why don't Amanda or Jake ever call the police when David barges in uninvited and refuses to leave? The least they can do is make a RECORD of it. He can (and SHOULD) be charged with stalking.

Why is KRYSTAL at PVH to take Tad home? Jake's not in his hospital garb, so HE could do it. For that matter where are Joe and Ruth? Or Opal. David hates Tad's GUTS and Krystal is married to him. It's stupid and contrived.

Robin "I AM enjoying Tad's returning silliness" Coutellier

BC - Tue, 5/26/09

Zach pleads guilty and the judge says fine, sentencing is on June 3 (my birthday) and he goes to prison in the meantime. Court is adjourned. WTF??? Did the prosecutor even SAY anything? Zach may not want to have counsel, but he has to GO ON THE RECORD saying so and the judge has to question him about that choice, FOR THE RECORD. He must be advised of his rights, in court, when pleading guilty. If he pleads guilty, there can be no appeal, for instance. Was he told that? No. For that matter, ZACH has to allocute (tell what happened) for the record. It's entirely possible that HIS version of events do not match up with the investigation. I don't think they even had a court reporter to MAKE a record! What a TOTAL FARCE! How stupid do they think we ARE?

OT: For you REAL court-watchers, there is a Casey Anthony hearing scheduled for Thursday, 5/28. WFTV in Orlando usually has video of all things Casey Anthony, either live or after the fact. Phil Spector is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, 5/29, for the Second Degree Murder of Lana Clarkson. There may or may not be video coverage somewhere, but "Sprocket" will be in the courtroom and blogging about it at Trials & Tribulations. Sprocket attended most of both trials and blogged about it all. Phil Spector HATES Sprocket and routinely directs his Stare Of Death at her.

My sister mentioned that Kendall is wearing a relatively low-cut neckline for someone who has just had heart transplant surgery. Sure enough, she is; however, there IS a scar there, although it's ridiculously faint, all things considered. My stepfather has a heart surgery scar due to bypass surgery and it doesn't look NEARLY as faded (or thin) as hers, and his surgery was done almost 2 years ago.

Okay, so Jennifer Bassey's face doesn't move very much, but for someone who is nearly 67 years old, she looks FABULOUS!

Robin "to hell with growing old gracefully!" Coutellier

Saturday, May 23, 2009

BC - Fri, 2/22/09

Are we REALLY supposed to buy that a) Liza bothered to wait at the front (or back) gate, b) Liza didn't EASILY know how to bypass the front (or back) gate, and c) the Chandlers have any sort of gate whatsoever, other than the gatehouse? I mean REALLY -- if they have gates, they are about as effective as dandelion fluff in holding back the marauding villagers. Or even a lost toddler. Okay, she was lying, so I guess we AREN'T supposed to buy that.

I'm glad they didn't ignore the history of Liza and Jesse.

LOD:
Jesse tells Ryan that Annie seems rational and lucid and, hell, she even saved Adam Chandler's LIFE! Jesse: "On second thought, maybe she IS still crazy."

MARIAN!!! She looks FABULOUS! Sad, of course, but FABULOUS, nonetheless.

Robin "I hope she stays around" Coutellier

Friday, May 22, 2009

BC - Thu, 5/21/09

Although it's been a little corny so far, I have to say that it's nice to see MEK get a chance to be his quick-witted, silly and endearing self again! I wonder if he's going to remember or admit killing Dr. Madden now that he doesn't have as many social inhibitions.

I like Natalia's new hairdo.

Although he's doing a good job pretending to be dead, David Canary's left eye DID twitch a little when Scott was talking to him about a poem.

Ryan is RICH. Why doesn't HE have people out looking for Annie?

The way Krystal's hair is today, she looks a LOT like Marissa/eBabe.

Krystal may still be wearing the same outfit she was wearing last night, but she sure did get her hair and makeup nicely done. I wonder if she stopped and got her nails done, too.

I'm glad Liza explained that she DID contact Marian.

I liked that Scott went in to talk to Stuart and stroke his face and hair and hug him and cry. See, Kendall and Zach, THAT is how REAL people react when someone they love dies. It may have been fairly short, but at least he STAYED.

Adam was looking pretty pathetic in his confusion and grief, and in a VERY human (aka NON-Adam-like) way.

Robin "will Aidan continue to sneak into Annie's room/cell to have sex with her or will the thrill be gone since she's willing to stay there?" Coutellier

Thursday, May 21, 2009

BC - Wed, 5/20/09

I told you Tad would hurt if he laughed. I hope we aren't in for months and months of knock-knock jokes.

Here's another theory on what might have happened. Earlier in the evening Adam had told Stuart that Scott would inherit Chandler Enterprises when he died. Stuart didn't think that was a good idea because Scott just wasn't that type. Sooooo ... what if Stuart got dressed up in one of Adam's suits and combed his hair and then went to see Adam, who would want to know what the devil he was doing in a suit. It's just NOT Stuart's style, after all. Stuart would then have said that he wanted to show Adam that he was making a point -- Stuart is not a suit kind of guy and NEITHER IS SCOTT. Adam leaves the room for some reason, the lights go out, and Stuart is left standing in the dark. Then he gets shot

OR Stuart PLANNED to do the above (except for the last part), but Adam wasn't there, so he was standing there when the lights went out and he got shot. Adam sees what has happened (without others seeing him) and is devastated that Stuart was killed because of HIM. We hear the voices and Adam's own statement that he must die because of what he has done to all of them because that's what's going through ADAM'S mind upon seeing that Stuart has been killed. He didn't need to check for a pulse because their twin connection is so strong that he KNOWS the other half of him has died. Either that or he saw Zach take Stuart's pulse and Zach gave some indication that Stuart was dead. The trauma of what has transpired plus the taking of his altered medication, plus the underlying mental problem sends him into a blackout state.

Liza told Colby she was going to try to find Marian. So why did she then make a beeline for Tad's hospital room?

The baby Liza is "expecting" is probably Amanda's baby. She told Colby and Tad that she went to a sperm bank. That will probably fly for a while, but it's not a very plausible story considering her history. After all, COLBY was a sperm donor baby, but Adam bought the clinic and switched the specimens. People who knew Liza at the time would wonder why she would risk something like that again. Not that Adam would WANT her to have another of his babies. Colby doesn't know about the sperm-switch history or even that she was a product of artificial insemination. She'll probably find that out in the coming months, though.

Speaking of Liza and her history, where the hell did she get her law degree? This came up on R.A.T.S.A. and someone astutely pointed out that Liza has been on the run for all these years. She KIDNAPPED Colby. Adam agreed to drop the charges (for Colby's sake) if she left Colby alone, but Adam probably wouldn't have any say in the matter since the FBI was involved. It would be the FEDS that would decide whether or not to drop the charges. Liza would not have been able to pass the bar using her real name due to the outstanding charges. Does she even have a license to practice law in Pennsylvania? I'm pretty sure she was using aliases. She would have been easily found by Adam if she'd been going by her real name. A law school would probably insist on having her transcripts from PVU. So how is she able to now be a legitimate lawyer (assuming she really IS one) and move about Pine Valley freely using her own name?

Colby is very relieved that her father isn't dead, but considering that her beloved Uncle Stuart IS dead, she's not very upset.

That was pretty good grieving by Scott (right up until he joined the ranks of people who want to kill Adam now more than EVER. He dried up right quick at that point.

It's also possible that SCOTT killed Stuart, thinking it was Adam, because he really DOES want the company or to pay him back because he thinks Adam arranged to have the doctor killed. Then there's the matter of a BABY that might die because of the faulty valve. He COULD have a motive. In any case, he's devastated that Stuart was murdered instead of Adam. If Scott did, indeed, do it, then he's also feeling tremendous guilt.

Robin "no resuming previews after all, just promos" Coutellier

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

BC - Tue, 5/19/09

Jesse tells JAR that what happened tonight (Tad getting shot) was a horrible, horrible **ACCIDENT**. No it wasn't. Jesse's gun did not ACCIDENTALLY fire itself THREE TIMES into Tad's body. I think only one of the bullets made a direct hit, but he FIRED three times. That's no accident.

Kendall's baby's HEART STOPPED a very short time ago. Now the police want her to come down to the hospital to question her or they'll come and GET her. Why can't they send someone to the hospital to question her THERE? That way, if something happens to the baby she'll at least be nearby. All things considered, she's amazingly calm about it, asking Erica to stay with Ian. The way they are writing her, it's like she doesn't even GIVE a damn about Ian! He's always been an afterthought to her. Right before he temporarily died, she and Zach were told that Ian would probably be dead by morning. They managed to revive him, but I didn't hear anything about his prognosis magically changing. The police can damn well wait until morning for Kendall's statement! She was there and even thinks she was the one who killed Adam, but THEY don't know that (yet)!

Later in the show, David talks about how much Ian is improving and says that they might be able to do surgery to replace the valve soon. Huh? At what point did he miraculously get BETTER as opposed to being revived after his heart stopped? According to them, he was leaking all over the place internally. How did THAT part stop? Did they squirt some of that stuff you squirt into tires to plug a leak down his airway?

Kendall should know better than to lie about leaving the hospital. There are cameras all OVER the place and she would have been caught on them.

Jesse shot someone. Shouldn't he be on Administrative Leave now?

Based on what we heard today, I think we're going to see a LOT of "inappropriate" behavior from Tad pretty much right off the bat. I don't buy the instant laughing, though. You don't laugh as you are coming out from under the influence of anesthesia, and once you DO start laughing, it's probably going to hurt enough that you stop, especially if you've just had surgery on your HEAD. And your throat would be VERY dry, so your voice/laugh would probably be kind of croaky.

As it turns out, STUART was the one who died, not Adam. I wondered about that, because the spoiler I had heard previously indicated it would be Stuart, and I thought the spoiler might have been wrong, although no one seemed to bother to even LOOK for Stuart. I have no idea why he was wearing a SUIT, but he was. The look on "Adam's" face as the camera circled around him WAS very Stuart-like, though. That was a good method to keep us guessing, because if you were surrounded by people trying to shoot you, you might go slack-jawed, too (personally, I'm pretty sure some OTHER part of me would go slack first, but that's just me ), so it could fit either scenario. But then they had his "thoughts" being heard by us, which certainly seemed to indicate it was ADAM. Maybe it was Stuart remembering what Adam had told him and we didn't see it. There's a LOT we don't see these days.

Looks like they are back to showing us previews at the end of the show.

Robin "how will Jesse react to meeting up with Liza?" Coutellier

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

BC - Mon, 5/18/09

Okay, so Adam DIDN'T have a heart attack or stroke. THAT theory was shot down, so to speak. Jesse radios that he's got the body in the living room and it's shot in the back. Uh, shouldn't he at least check for a PULSE before he refers to it as "the body"?

Why are all the women wearing pointy, very high-heeled shoes to murder someone? Not only are they uncomfortable, but they make a lot of noise. At least they weren't slingbacks that went THWAP, THWAP, THWAP with every step. And why was Kendall wearing pointy heels to sit a vigil at her baby's hospital crib? You'd think she'd want to at least wear comfortable shoes for THAT.

Jesse sure is quick on the draw! He starts shooting AS he warns someone on the terrace not to move. Great cop my ASS! Then he points the gun toward the ceiling (so as not to hurt anyone accidentally). Turns out that the man on the terrace is Tad whom Jesse, with THREE shots, managed to shoot in the head. OOPSIE!

Did Jesse even BOTHER to send someone upstairs to protect the children? You know, the ones that are in the range of fire since he's now pointing the gun at the ceiling? Apparently NOT because they children are alone up there. Ryan came and dragged Kendall away. Does he even KNOW that Emma is still there? Did he set her down in the hallway and then completely forget her very EXISTENCE?

A cop tries ineffectively to keep Krystal and Opal from running out to see who else got shot. Why didn't he just shoot THEM, too? THAT would have stopped them, although saline from Krystal's implants might have made somewhat of an exploding mess. There'd probably be saline goo dripping off the ceiling.

JAR is told by Scott that Adam is dead. After a few moments of letting it sink in, JAR remembers Junior Junior and races upstairs shouting his name. Well it's about F**KING TIME someone remembered the children! Meanwhile, Aidan has made his way upstairs, not to take care of the kids, but to grill Junior Junior on Emma's whereabouts so that he can find Annie.

Colby rushes into the nursery and blurts out to JAR that she can't find Emma anywhere. Even with all that shooting going on and sirens wailing, etc., Colby was completely oblivious to it. Maybe SHE shot Adam. Then JAR tells her that someone put a bullet into their father. Slightly concerned, she asks if Adam is okay, as if he had just twisted his ankle or something. I'm not sure she understands the concept of *PUT - A - BULLET - INTO - OUR - FATHER*. DAMN she's dense!

David has obviously been having an affair with The Bride Of Chucky. So much for his professed GREAT LOVE for Krystal. Not that he loves Gayle, either. Like Krystal, she's TOTALLY besotted with him and can't seem to comprehend how BLATANTLY he is manipulating her.

Ryan tells Kendall that he hasn't been able to get hold of Colby to find out how Emma's doing. He says it very calmly like it's no big deal, as if Colby took her out for a walk in the moonlight and they just aren't back yet. Never mind that a) he has credible evidence that Annie is back, b) Annie used to LIVE at the Chandler estate and knows her way around, including the tunnels, c) he KNOWS Adam was just SHOT and is probably dead. Does he even CARE that his own little daughter could wander downstairs and FIND the dead, bloody body? Apparently not. He also knows the electricity is off, so the children might wander around calling for help because they're scared. And what about Colby when she finds out that her father has been shot? Does Ryan think Colby will be just fine and it won't affect the kids in the slightest that the person taking care of them is suddenly wailing because her father was just murdered right underneath her feet? Not that Colby IS freaking out. Yet. This Colby isn't very good at freaking out. She's also not very good at NOT freaking out, but I digress.

Jesse wants to know what Tad was doing with a gun. That's a valid question, but they sure are jumping to a lot of conclusions, one after the other after the other. Every time they find a new clue they think the NEXT person probably did it and they're willing to shoot to kill based on each new assumption.

At PVH Ryan inadvertently hears from a blabbermouth cop that a child is missing from the Chandler estate and that it's a little girl, taken by her own mother. Did you buy a f**king clue NOW, Moron?

Okay, rule #1 (or at least among the top 3), NEVER put murder suspects TOGETHER, and especially ALONE together when investigating a murder. N-E-V-E-R. All kinds of story-planning and/or "influencing" can go on in the process, not to mention cross-contamination. They HAVE to be separated. For that matter, why did they let Opal go to the hospital? Yes, the Keystone Kops just shot her son in the head, so they kind of owe her one, but JAR's father was shot in the back and DIED, so why does JAR have to stay there when Opal gets to go? She and Krystal were both standing over the body, albeit after the fact. Krystal has to stay and she and Opal were found together.

Natalia walks into the room where all the suspects are. Are CADETS allowed at murder scenes? The crowd of suspects/witnesses are, as I so astutely warned against, hashing everything out with each other, pointing fingers and trying to figure how what happened. Natalia's carrying Junior Junior. At least SOMEONE is with him, because Colby sure as Hell wasn't.

At PVH David tells Jake he'll provide assistance, if necessary, to the neurologist who will be performing brain surgery on Tad and Jake is to stay the hell away. Jake begs to differ, but David overrides him. WTF? Tad's MORTAL ENEMY is going to muck around in his BRAIN? I don't THINK so! Doesn't Tad have someone listed as next-of-kin (like his father, Opal or Jake) who can refuse to let David anywhere near him in the operating room? Let's hope it isn't Krystal, because she always sides with David. The CAT scans show that the bullet is lodged in Tad's frontal lobe. The doctor warns Jake that Tad might be a very different man if he survives.

According to a Wikipedia entry, damage to the frontal lobes can lead to a variety of results:

  • Mental flexibility and spontaneity are impaired, but IQ is not reduced. So he'll be smart enough to realize that he's not being spontaneous or flexible.
  • Talking may increase or decrease dramatically. He's not often quiet -- this could go either way.
  • Perceptions regarding risk taking and rule abiding are impaired. IOW, nothing will change.
  • Socialization can diminish or increase. He's always been pretty sociable. He'll either turn BACK into a party animal or hole up in the basement and watch the Reality Channel day and night.
  • Orbital frontal lobe damage can result in peculiar sexual habits. Oh dear (or maybe I should say "Oh DEER!"
  • Dorsolateral frontal lobe damage reduces sexual interest. Whew! For a while there I was worried about the deer. And the goats. And the garden gnomes. And the Travelocity Gnome.
  • Creativity is diminished as well as problem solving skills. So much for being a private dick. Of course, with that risk-taking problem, he COULD turn into a PUBLIC dick of a whole 'nother variety.
  • Distraction occurs more frequently. Hilarity ensues as he stops what he's saying and doing, mesmerized by a fly. That might work out well for the goat, though.
  • Loss of smell and/or taste. Hence the whole goat thing.
Wait a second -- those WERE Erica's legs at the crime scene? Or is that a red herring? If Erica goes to trial for killing Adam (and she's as good a guess as any), will she use a menopausal defense?

Erica asks Kendall where she was and Kendall gives a flimsy excuse about going up to the roof. Erica, herself, gives a flimsy excuse about taking a bath with her phone turned off. BZZZZZZT! Why would she turn her phone off if she KNEW her baby grandson was at death's door? TOTAL lie! For that matter, why wasn't SHE at the hospital WITH Kendall in her time of need?

Robin "stay tuned for answers to these questions and more ... As The Stomach Turns" Coutellier

Sunday, May 17, 2009

BC - Fri, 5/15/09

On a sad note, Susan Willis, who played Helga Voynitzeva back in the early 1990s, has died. Helga was a HOOT! The character and the portrayal of her was VERY reminiscent of Cloris Leachman playing Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein. RIP, Ms. Willis.

I never noticed it before, but in the nighttime shot of the exterior of PVH there is a silhouette of a man peeping out from behind the left pillar. He's holding something rectangular like a magazine or a clipboard, and then he steps to the left and flamboyantly throws his arms out and JUMPS off of something (presumably a ledge). You can see it in the opening shot of Friday's show and on Youtube.




Once more, the doctor's give vague orders. Angie frantically says "More eppy, more eppy" as she, Jake and a nurse work over little Ian. And WTF was up with the nurse IMMEDIATELY saying "I'm sorry" in response to Kendall's frantic pleas to help Ian? Obviously there WAS something that could be done to at least f**king TRY to help him! Talk about soapy behavior! I'm surprised we didn't hear organ music.

There was a continuity error in the PVH scenes. When Ian's monitor first goes into alarm, the nurse quickly lowers the crib rails (only to tell them that she's sorry -- what did she do, unplug him?) A few moments later when Angie and Jake race into the room, they have to lower the crib rails again.

We were wondering what happened to Emma after Ryan set her down on his way out and went in to stop the confrontation. At this point (especially after being knocked out), Ryan KNOWS that someone pulled a gun on Adam in the living room. So why is Emma STILL there or brought there AGAIN? The place is a powderkeg and Ryan KNOWS it!

Ian's heart starts beating again. Angie half gasps/half wails: "Oh my God, he's ALIVE!" She's an ER doctor. I'm sure she's glad that he's alive, but you'd think her training would have helped her keep a calmer and more professional demeanor -- she should have jumped right in to do whatever it is that doctors do the MOMENT a patient's heart starts beating again. I guess I'll cut her some slack since she's already frazzled about Frankie's injuries.

Isn't ANYONE watching the kids? You'd think Adam would at least remind all the many people trying to kill him that the kids are right upstairs.

Does Stuart still drive a canary yellow station wagon?

If Adam KNOWS everyone in town is, quite literally, out gunning for him, why didn't he alert his Security staff and arrange to have a bodyguard with him? I know that wouldn't do any good since no one in town is capable of being even REMOTELY secure, but you'd think he'd make a TOKEN effort at least. Then again, he does seem to have a death wish at this point. He seems to be waffling on that point.

So Kendall went over to Adam's without so much as a gun? What did she think she was going to do to kill him once she got there, stomp on him with her stilettos? The same with Zach. You KNOW Zach has guns stashed somewhere (like the Casino), so why did he show up and pick up a gun from the floor, just like Kendall did?

David drills it into Junior Junior that EVERYTHING he does is for him -- EVERYTHING. Nice, if Adam is killed and David did it, then Junior Junior will spend the rest of his life feeling responsible for it.

The Chandler estate is located at 300 River Road, according to Jesse. I can never think of River Road or River Junction without thinking of the old Carol Burnett skits called As The Stomach Turns. If a character was sent to River Junction, that was the END of the character and very ominous organ music would play -- NO ONE ever returned from ... RIVER JUNCTION! And no one survived a drive on ... RIVER ROAD!

Someone mentioned on R.A.T.S.A. that they think it might have been Liza who shot Adam. I was confused about the pointy black heels on the bared legs we saw. I thought maybe we were meant to think it was Erica, but I think the legs were too big to be Susan Lucci's legs, and I idly wondered if they were using stunt legs, but Liza could definitely fit in both shoes and the scenario. Colby soundly rejected her over the phone, so Liza is probably pretty pissed off at Adam.

Looks like I was right with everyone taking a bead on Adam at the exact same moment. Everyone kept picking up everyone else's dropped guns, though, so each gun is going to have multiple prints on it, assuming they can even GET prints off of them. I don't know, though. It looked to ME like Adam might have had a heart attack or a stroke. Thunder cracked at that moment, so we don't know yet. I do hope at least ONE of them managed to shoot someone other than Adam.

Robin "Helga would have been PERFECT to have been seen wandering around the Chandler mansion on Friday's show" Coutellier

Friday, May 15, 2009

BC - Thu, 5/14/09

Marissa to Kyrstal: "I just came to give you something."
Me: "A punch in the mouth?"

It really bugs me when people who are supposed to love their child or grandchild constantly refer to it as the child, the boy, that child, etc. At least Erica has the excuse of NEVER saying or allowing anyone else to say the G word -- she's vain. But Adam is KNOWN as Grandpa, as is David. They talk about Junior Junior as if he's a THING or someone's else's kin, not their own. The least they could do is refer to him by NAME or say OUR little boy, etc.

Adam puts a loaded gun in a drawer. After Junior Junior was TAKEN AWAY when he drank the scotch that JAR left out on top of the very same cabinet, Adam still just sticks the gun there without a second thought. Nice. Foreshadow much? I did see JAR use a key on it, at least, but that's hardly the best place for it. It may be handy to shoot Adam's plethora of enemies as they all barge in en masse to kill him, but it's STILL too easy for Junior Junior to get to. Or Emma, for that matter, since she's suddenly coming over to play with him now.

There was another major foreshadowing, too, but I'm not going into detail about it just now. Actually, the entire show was pretty much foreshadowing, but at least ONE of those foreshadowings will bear fruit.

Krystal sure knows how to dress to kill, doesn't she? The neckline AND the backline on that top plunge pretty far -- far enough that the skin UNDER her bustline shows in the front. She could probably wear that top facing either way and no one would be able to tell the difference.

Guns, guns, everywhere guns. I'm wondering if a whole bunch of people are going to shoot at Adam at the exact same time. Then they can all wipe their guns of handprints, throw them into a pile onto the floor and make a run for it. A bullet can be matched to a specific gun, but if none of the guns are registered to any of the people shooting, there are no prints, and everyone shoots at the same time, there would be no way to know which gun was in the hand of which person.

Is Ian really dead, or will they be able to revive him? Kendall nodded at Zach to indicate she would carry through on their pact; did she then LEAVE little Ian to go kill Adam??? It wasn't clear if she was doing that or going back into Ian's room. Was it just to get the car keys? If your baby dies, you don't go running out that very second to wreak revenge. You STAY there with your baby. You hold him close to say goodbye. You stroke his little face, and pat his little bottom, and hold his little hand, and pour your love and grief out to him! He'll be taken away after a while and this is going to be your LAST CHANCE to cuddle him and be with him before they do that. He's still WARM for God's sake!!! There's time enough for revenge LATER. Zach DID run out to kill Adam (only to be stopped by Jesse).

I don't understand this at ALL!!! I absolutely understand wanting to get revenge, but running out to kill someone the very SECOND your baby's heart stops just BOGGLES MY MIND!!! It happened so fast that, for all they know, it was a wonky heart monitor! It makes the hatred and revenge toward Adam seem to be MUCH more important to them than their OWN BABY. I could almost accept Kendall doing that -- she never did seem to bond with Ian, and being comforted by Ryan might be more important to her. Zach OTOH bonded very strongly with Ian from the moment Ian was born. Even as angry and vengeful as he is, the REAL Zach would have stayed with the baby not only when he died, but probably until Zach or Ian was dragged away by force, not unlike how Rhett Butler reacted when Bonnie Blue Butler died in Gone With The Wind. Then again, Rhett DID take time out at first to shoot the pony.

Question: What kind of heartless, clueless writers kill off a BABY and dismiss it within 30 seconds?

Answer: The Chuck Pratt kind.

Robin "DISGUSTED!" Coutellier

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

BC - Tue, 5/12/09

Erica tells the Bride of Chuckie (Nurse Gayle) that she's on to her and will be watching her VERY CLOSELY. Uh, why doesn't she just inform Adam or, if she has the power, FIRE her, right then and there? I can see where she might not be able to tell Adam right away, but there is CLEARLY a conflict of interest and Adam has every right to fire her and have her replaced with another nurse.

I just noticed that David Canary's right hand seems to be shaking somewhat at times. It's subtle, though, and for all I know he's been doing that for years.

Why would Barry have a meeting about damage control over the defective heart valve at a table at the yacht club if they want to make sure NO ONE gets wind of the fact that the knew the valve was defective even as it was being implanted into a baby? They couldn't meet at the Chandler house or a room at the YC or even during a walk on the beach? Nope, gotta do it in a place where competitors and reporters might overhear them.

Robin "eBabe is NOT happy to find out that she was a blue-light special" Coutellier

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

BC - Tue, 5/12/09

Erica tells the Bride of Chuckie (Nurse Gayle) that she's on to her and will be watching her VERY CLOSELY. Uh, why doesn't she just inform Adam or, if she has the power, FIRE her, right then and there? I can see where she might not be able to tell Adam right away, but there is CLEARLY a conflict of interest and Adam has every right to fire her and have her replaced with another nurse.

I just noticed that David Canary's right hand seems to be shaking somewhat at times. It's subtle, though, and for all I know he's been doing that for years.

Why would Barry have a meeting about damage control over the defective heart valve at a table at the yacht club if they want to make sure NO ONE gets wind of the fact that the knew the valve was defective even as it was being implanted into a baby? They couldn't meet at the Chandler house or a room at the YC or even during a walk on the beach? Nope, gotta do it in a place where competitors and reporters might overhear them.

Robin "eBabe is NOT happy to find out that she was a blue-light special" Coutellier

BC - Mon, 5/11/09

I wasn't playing close attention to WHY Opal was at Ryan's place and I was wondering. She questioned Aidan, but I don't think he asked her why SHE was there before he hustled her out, did he? Later in the show it was revealed that she went over there to tell Ryan NOT to go to the party at the Chandler house. Uh, if that was the case, why did she just quietly let herself in with her key without even knocking when he wasn't expecting her? For that matter, why didn't she just CALL him? Yeah, I know she needed to "see" Annie and catch Aidan, but it was was a) incredibly rude, and b) stupid.

After Opal leaves, Annie rushes into the room, squealing with delight over Aidan being there. He untangles her from him and says: "What the hell is WRONG with you?" Annie: "Uh, I'm criminally insane -- DUH! I killed a few people, remember? Hello??? Is anybody in there??" She thwacks his forehead and a hollow sound echoes forth. Okay she didn't say or do that last part, but it's what I THINK she should have said and done and what would have happened if she HAD.

JAR is mad because "now David has an all-access pass to this house". What does he mean "NOW"? David has ALWAYS had an all-access pass to the house. He pops in and pops up wherever and whenever he feels like it. Has Security ever stopped him, even ONCE?

I think Jill Larson looks much better with her hair red as opposed to blond. OTOH, the matronly style is nice enough, I suppose, but it's kind of Better Crocker/Phoebe Wallingford-ish. Erica wouldn't be caught DEAD with that hairstyle, at least not for another 20+ years.

Ian's heart monitor changes its tune for the worse and David curses, giving the order "INCREASE THE MEDICATION!" WHAT medication? I would imagine Ian is getting more than one medication pumped into him. I would think the name of the medication AND the dosage would normally be included in an order like that. Of course, it WAS Jake he was giving the order to, but still ...

Aisling, I hope your flashbacks weren't too painful when watching Aidan roll down the stairs! I did notice that he landed quite carefully, though, as opposed to thudding onto the ground. Once his stunt double and/or dummy (insert your own joke here) stopped rolling down the stairs and Aiden Turner took over at the bottom, he looked more like a chimp or an orangutan doing a playful somersault. Not that I would expect an actor to be THAT realistic. I suppose that WOULD be asking a lot from one's instrument for the sake of one's craft.

I think the angel and engraved lettering on Babe's grave is supposed to be golden, but on MY TV it kind of looks like the color of baby barf after a baby eats pureed peas.

A poster (katya) on the Pine Valley Podcast blog suggested a GREAT nickname for Marissa. Since Krystal basically auctioned off Babe's twin sister at birth, maybe her nickname should be "E-Babe" I LOVE it!

I have to confess that I'm a little miffed that Krystal kept the BLOND baby instead of the brunette. My sister ALWAYS got the blond dolls and I ALWAYS got the brunette ones. From an adult standpoint, it makes sense in order to differentiate which doll belongs to which little girl, but from a kid standpoint: THAT'S NOT FAIR! Once Marissa finds out (assuming that she doesn't already know it and is just playing along for the time being) that she was sold as a baby so that Mama could keep the shiny blond Baby-Doll with the glittery hoo-ha, she's going to have a wicked MARCIA-MARCIA-MARCIA complex.

Robin "Why, yes, I AM a middle child. Why do you ask?" Coutellier

Monday, May 11, 2009

BC - Fri, 5/8/09

Someone on the Pine Valley Podcast commented on how skinny Marissa is. I don't think she's skinny. Compared to some of the other women on the show, she looks just about perfect as far as weight goes.

Hmmm, it's pretty odd to see David PRAISING Chandler Enterprises at a press conference. What's his angle? Is he setting up Adam and JAR for a big fall? If Ian died or had to have yet another operation to replace the valve, that wouldn't look very good for David, and I don't think he would to that to a toddler. I suppose it's a win-win for David either way, though. If it succeeds, he's the first doctor to use it, and if it fails, he can use that excuse to take down the Chandlers. Maybe the SECOND person who gets it is going to ... well ... GET IT. I doubt he did it JUST for visitation rights once a month with Junior Junior. Or did he? Toward the end of the show he explained to Scott that Ian survived DESPITE it being a flawed valve, because he immediately recognized the problem and was able to fix it on the fly. For now. You never know with David, though. With Chuck Pratt writing, anything is possible.

I have a question about the valve replacement. Ian is just a baby. He's going to grow quite a bit over the coming years. Wouldn't the valve need to be replaced as he grew older? Is it too big for him now and he'll grow into it, or will it be too small for it and have to be replaced every few years until he's an adult? Wouldn't scar tissue build up around the sutures and stay unstretched or, worse, split as he grows?

How many of you guffawed when David, with a straight face, told a reporter that they maintain STRICT doctor/patient confidentiality at PVH? BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!! Stop, yer killin' me!

Why did Aidan get up from the table to warn Annie not to say anything about where she was and telling her she was taking a BIG risk calling him? Wouldn't have have been considerably more discreet to simply sit there and take the call without dramatically pacing about over a sudden phone call? Super secret agent my ASS. He may have done it to get away from the people near his table, but he COULD have been a bit more nonchalant about it, even if he had to pretend he was digging out a wedgie to do it. Come to think of it, a nasty wedgie WOULD explain the expression that's on his face most of the time.

Adam invited DAVID (and Krystal) to the mansion for the celebration party? Oh PUH-LEASE!

Hey, they actually DID acknowledge that Ian was not yet 2 years old (he's 21 months)!

I don't understand why JAR seems to think visitation rights to David are a done deal -- JAR did NOT give visitation rights to him -- ADAM did. Not only that, but wouldn't the COURT be the one to say that David has the RIGHT to visitation? From what I can see, David has no rights AT ALL, even if Adam DID sign the papers. ADAM does not have custody, PERIOD. If JAR is too stupid to figure that out within 2 seconds, then he really shouldn't be running a multi-national conglomerate ... or even signing a report card. THIS MAKES NO SENSE!

I liked the way Adam's voice went high when he told Erica and Nurse Gail that he was FINE. A voice suddenly going high is a dead giveaway when someone is lying or at least nervous about THAT part of what they are saying.

I LOVED how David made it clear to Scott that it's in everyone's best interests for the heart valve to work, as opposed to David telling the world that it was flawed: if anything goes wrong, Zach will make sure they all end up in the desert somewhere after going through a wood-chipper. Ah, THAT explains his angle. Even DAVID has second-thoughts about crossing ZACH.

And then they end the show with finding the doctor (who pioneered the heart valve) hanging from the ceiling, with us seeing his feet swaying back and forth. Man, what a DOWNER! AMC is really pushing the envelope lately. That's the third in-your-face event in about a month or so; first they showed Zach removing Liza's panties, then they showed Jake going down on Amanda under the covers (which was in HIS face in that instance) and now a hanging body. I hope we aren't going to see the man's bloated face with his tongue protruding, his eyes popping out and a rope around his neck on Monday (not to mention puddled urine on the floor, among other things).

Robin "talk about a cliff-HANGER" Coutellier

Friday, May 8, 2009

BC - Thu, 5/7/09

When Ryan said to Tad (re the Satin Slayer and Dixie's death): "What happened to you not wanting to dig this whole thing up again," how many of you IMMEDIATELY flashed to Tad burying Dr. Madden and causing his death in he process? Yeah, there ARE some things Tad just does NOT want to be reminded/questioned as far as digging things up goes.

Jake tells Amanda (re his loving her) that he never says anything he doesn't mean -- at least he TRIES. So I guess he meant it when, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, he called her a slut and said she looks like a hooker! Sorry, but it's going to take a while for me to reconcile the two Jakes.

Ryan's thoughts are that when this (this being Ian's health crisis) is over, he's going to take her far away from all this to a place where kids never get sick and she can just smile and laugh and let go. Why bother? Doesn't he accomplish that in his own penthouse? She never thinks about the kids when she's there unless someone calls to tell her that something is very wrong ... AGAIN. And she's not with them because being with Ryan is MUCH more important to her ... AGAIN.

They've really gone over the edge with Adam this time! Adam is an evil bastard who will stop at nothing in business to get the edge and crush his enemies. He has NEVER deliberately risked the life of a BABY, though. When he locked Gloria up in that warehouse and she went into premature labor, the baby DID end up dying after a day or two. However, that was a different situation, and he almost committed suicide over it. He didn't believe she was really in labor and was driven by a jealous and possessive rage. Does he really believe the doctor is lying about the heart valve having a design flaw? Maybe, maybe not, but I still don't believe it's true to Adam's character to just go ahead with the surgery anyway just for the sake of money. Then again, he DID leave Krystal on the floor to give birth and then kidnapped her baby to SELL it to strangers, while leaving it in the care of a known psychopath. Still, in the cases of Gloria and Krystal, he was driven by intense emotions. This time he is cold-bloodedly gambling with the LIFE of a BABY! Chandler might go under if they don't have a successful operation with the new heart valve, but it will SURELY go under if the baby dies BECAUSE of the heart valve.

First they show Zach pulling off Liza's panties, and now they show Jake going under the covers and starting to go down on Amanda. What next? Are we going to see him coming up for air and wiping his glistening mouth and chin? Of course, we actually DID see Krystal wiping her mouth several years ago after she convinced a doctor/lab tech to make sure the DNA results on Babe's unborn baby showed JAR to be the father.

Robin "it's only a matter of time before we see naked crotch shots" Coutellier

BC - Wed, 5/6/09

Ah, THERE'S the "I'm going to Germany!" I was looking for!

JAR says Ian is 2 years old. Not quite. He was born in late July of 2007.

Amanda has fond memories of her and Jake. She remembers the time she wore the pirate outfit with the parrot on her shoulder. She also remembers wearing Brot's uniform for them to have sex. Uh, why would she be remembering THOSE episodes? IIRC, Jake used the pirate outfit as an excuse to call her a slut/hooker (even though HE was the one who asked her to do it), and Taylor, who thought Brot was dead at the time, caught Amanda "desecrating" Brot's uniform and it was quite the mood killer. Amanda felt HORRIBLE about how thoughtless she had been.

Robin "Ah, good times!" Coutellier

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

BC - Tue, 5/5/09

Wow, I'm STUNNED! That's TWO people at the hospital who refuse to give out information about patients to people who have no legal business knowing. Does that mean there is a glimmer of hope for HIPAA in PV? ... Nah.

Did you notice that Dr. Bender was paged to the MENTAL WARD? Does anyone call it that anymore? Yeah, WE can call it a loony bin or mental ward, but wouldn't hospitals have long ago started referring to them as Psychiatric Wards or just by code numbers, as far as paging goes?

I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with JAR AND David. At least as far as the heart valve goes. They haven't done ANY human trials and they're willing to stick it into a TODDLER? They should go with one of the other options and then, once the valve has been proven to be effective, THEN they can put it in him at a later date. Yes, they'll have to cut him open yet AGAIN, but that's less risky than putting an unproven, unTESTED PROTOTYPE into his little chest!

Something doesn't ring true to me about Frankie's situation. He's seriously injured and is being flown to Germany. Jesse and Angie would be on the FIRST plane to Germany to be there ASAP, not sitting by the phone wringing their hands. So would Randi, but I doubt she has a passport (but I'm sure Jesse would somehow be able to push that through VERY quickly).

Robin "let the sweeps BEGIN!" Coutellier

Saturday, May 2, 2009

BC - Fri, 5/1/09

Considering how attuned Stuart has always been to Adam, you'd think he would have at least NOTICED that Adam has been WAAAAAY off his game lately. He doesn't even seem to be aware that Adam has been taken to the hospital on numerous occasions.

Colby fights having David examine her father, but relents and LEAVES THE ROOM! I suppose I can chalk that up to inexperience on her part, but that is MAJORLY dumb. OTOH, since she left the room, I don't have to watch her attempt to act and say all her lines in the same inflection as a nervous child reciting Hiawatha by memory and not having the slightest idea of what any of it actually MEANS.

Robin "she might as well be reading the phone book, but slightly on edge because the letters are so small and hard to read" Coutellier

BC - Thu, 4/30/09

Kendall wakes up in Ryan's bed and asks what time it is. He says it's almost noon. So she stayed the night. Where's Emma? I can pretty much guarantee you that a child will be awake and demanding attention WAAAAAY before noon unless there's something seriously wrong with it. And Kendall's OWN children? Eh. Not even blips on her bony radar. Then reality hits -- almost NOON! OMG -- she has to get to WORK! Again, children don't even occur to her/them.

JAR accusingly tells Scott that he wanted to go public with the heart valve two weeks ago, and Scott just want's to grab the glory all for himself. That's funny -- JAR forced the doctor to sell out because the doctor refused to rush it into production by the end of the WEEK -- and that was on 4/23/09, only ONE week ago.

Scott says the valve is ready for a clinical trial. Don't they need to have some time-consuming government paperwork processed LONG before a trial can actually go forth? I would think the change in ownership alone would delay the process.

Robin "f**king paperwork" Coutellier

Friday, May 1, 2009

BC - Tue-Wed, 4/28-29/09

Why did Kendall go to the park to get fresh air in the outdoors when they have acres of greenery all around the Slater house (and a pond)? Based on the incessant downtown horns they were so fond of piping in a while back, we know that the park is in the middle of the bustling metropolis of downtown PV. And we also know from views from atop the Chandler building that they have 5-lane one-way streets. That means Kendall had to go to great lengths to get to the park. Oh wait, she went there to meet Ryan. Funny, the air doesn't smell so "fresh" to ME.

Is it just me, or does Opal look like she's wearing a belt made out of pebbly duct tape?

Krystal and David sure do know how to sling euphemisms around. David tells Marissa that he and Krystal recently "found their way back to each other." Marissa says that Krystal told her that she had married her "old flame". Uh, they had ONE drunken shag after a frat party in the early 1980s. (I seem to recall she had come to the party with David's roommate, who then dumped her for another girl and David found her crying in their room. If they had been any drunker, they would have missed each other, tipped over, and accidentally shagged the furniture instead. That's hardly "finding their way back to each other" OR being "old flames". It was more like a brief, one-time exchange of bodily fluids. He didn't even remember her and I'm amazed SHE remembered HIM.

Kendall reacted to Ryan's angst about not seeing any remorse in Alexander Cambias' eyes and offered sympathy: "I'm sorry! I'm really, REALLY sorry!" Was I the only one who was surprised when she didn't immediately add: "But what about ME???"

I was watching Stuart on Wednesday's show and it occurred to me that some newer viewers not not have noticed that his left collar was sticking out. That's his trademark. What a lot of people might not know is that the REASON Stuart's left collar is always sticking out is because Stuart has a nervous, little-boyish habit of tugging on the bottom of that side of his sweater so that the collar keeps popping out. David Canary explained that once in an interview.

I don't remember if it ever came out to anyone but the viewers, but AMC *SHOWED* a gloved hand replacing the peanut butter in Winifred's SHOPPING CART when her back was turned. The poison was NOT put into the peanut butter at the Chandler house, so if they come up with another way to further the CURRENT storyline, they will be re-writing show history, aka LYING because they think we won't notice. Tad and Jesse were discussing how ANYONE could have gotten into the Chandler mansion via the tunnels. Hello, it was SHOWN THAT IT HAPPENED AT THE GROCERY STORE!

Kendall tells Ryan she loves only HIM and no one else. He says: "And what if I don't believe you?" She says: "Then believe THIS!" She grabs him and starts passionately kissing him. Ummm, isn't that kind of what split them up to begin with? She had desperately tried to get him to make love to her in a really pathetic manner. Sex is her way of diverting attention from the issue at hand. She's not frantic and doesn't have a note of hysteria this time, but she's STILL using sex to get her way and try to convince one or both of them that she really loves Ryan only.

Robin "same shit, different day" Coutellier