CBS This Week: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
By Mike Jubinville on November 13, 2009
It's November Sweeps month which has made for some great soap watching, but isn't all wine and roses. Here is a quick rundown of what I liked, didn't like, hated or just didn't understand on CBS this week.
It's November Sweeps month which has made for some great soap watching, but isn't all wine and roses. Here is a quick rundown of what I liked, didn't like, hated or just didn't understand on CBS this week.
The Good
Stephanie rockin' the martinis on The Bold and the Beautiful. Seriously, she was hilarious, especially after she realized Katie and Bill were getting married in a public park in Van Nuys. Ol' Steph commented she'd have paid good money to see the wealthy Bill Spencer hitching up in the San Fernando Valley. She also shared stellar scenes with ex-husband Eric, who she dissed for hosting a reception when he clearly should have told Donna to pound salt. She did it without spilling a drop of those martinis. Atta girl!
Brad and Henry of As the World Turns are my new favorite soap couple. They are making me laugh out loud with their ghostly antics. Neither Brad nor Henry were this "on" when he was alive. It's been one of the better ghost stories I've watched over the years and Trent Dawson gets to do what he does best, comedy. They are much more fun than Luke and Noah.
There was a lot of screwing on ATWT this week, but it wasn't the horizontal kind. Carly couldn't help herself and put the screws to Craig and Rosanna by tormenting them at every turn. Craig found the power of suggestion to be a bit too much when Carly popped into his head when he was in bed with Rosanna. The best line was when Rosanna brought muffins to Carly as a peace offering and she commented that Rosanna should have brought tarts. Meanwhile, an increasingly and much more fun to watch Meg was putting the screws to Damian. Seriously, Damian look like he's going to crap his pants when she toys with him and I love it.
A great scene played out on ATWT when decades-long rivals Margo and Barbara shared a drink at the Lakeview bar. Margo had a "Come to Jesus" moment when she realized Barbara and Henry were more than friends and her interest in him was more than motherly. Babs couldn't get her wine order in fast enough.
Phyllis Newman blasted Dr. Emily after getting an apology note from Patty. If I were the good doc, I'd be scared of Big Red. She's been put on notice and it was the first time in a while that a Young and Restless character preached the truth about how they really felt. Billy doesn't count, he does that all the time.
I had a tee-hee moment (thanks Joshua) when Paul was talking to Chance about his mother Mary on Y&R. Chance has no idea how much better off he is with Nina on his shoulder instead of Mary Williams. Man, do I miss her!
The Bad
ATWT for using shaky hand held cameras on Jack's US tour. It's bad when I need Dramamine to watch TV.
Oakdale is in a time warp that I can't figure out. I know soaps work at lightning speed now, but Carly, Margo, Craig and Rosanna flying from the Midwest to the East Coast and back while Oakdale time stays the same is downright jarring. I can't wrap my mind around how long Jack and Ben Franklin had to have been on that rooftop.
Y&R's Abby has a sudden attitude change. She's spent her life surrounded by chaos (she's a soap character!), so why take the only good teenager on soaps and make her like all the others? I get weary of snarky, ill-mannered teens.
Nick Newman inadvertently gives Jeffrey and Gloria what they want, money. I've never seen two characters ease in and out of money without ever having to work for it. Gloria was rockin' that Patty Hearst get-up on Friday though. All she needed was a machine gun.
Holden's hair on ATWT. What's going on there?
Carly and Rosanna are just heating up and Cady McClain will leave the show. Too bad...they are rejuvenating their old rivalry!
The Ugly
Maczilla (thanks Jillian and Melodie) offering to have a child for Lily and Cane. I'll hand out another demerit for two Bell soaps running simultaneous surrogate storylines. I hope there is no baby swapping in the cards between the two shows!
Over at B&B, Steffy kissed Bill Spencer and turned it into an international incident. I'm supposed to believe a major league CEO would travel 200 miles round trip by car from L.A. to Big Bear to talk about a kiss? They need to retool Steffy. It's good she's corporate minded, but her romantic life is hot mess and not in a good way. They keep sticking her under different men, but nothing is working!
Ok, your turn. You know what to do.
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Comments
3 March 2009
1 week 2 days
Y&R used to have some good storylines, these days they are just following other soaps. The baby-switch, surrogacy, etc. I have actually started watching General Hospital and DOOL, at least if I am going to watch bad soaps, then it will be one about mobsters running wild.
I will care for Y&R again, when it is not so much a muck.
I also tuned out of B&B in the middle of the Bridge/Tridge rubbish. Haven't been back since. And I want to thank you for telling me I am not missing anything.
9 March 2009
4 hours 20 min
The Good:
Victoria is gone on maternity leave!!!! Hooray!!!! I was so happy to not have to watch her this week!
On a related note, Maura West is back from maternity leave!!!!! Yay!!!!!
Nina in the hospital worried about Chance. I loved that she finally voiced what the fans have been complaining about, the fact that it has been so easy for Philip to waltz right back in like nothing ever happened. She was prepared for him to leave again and she expect nothing less of him.
Loved all of the Phyllis stuff this week. Michele Stafford was on fire all week, especially in that hospital with Patty and Dr. Emily.
Also love the triplets who play Delia! How cute was that scene in the hospital between her, Elizabeth Hendrikson, and Billy Miller. When she reached out her little hand to him and he high-fived her back, it stuck out to me like a real moment, not forced in the least.
I enjoyed the Maddie, Hunter, Casey triangle beginnings on ATWT. I could care less about this version of Allison, but Maddie has really spiced up the other two.
The Bad:
I don't care about Noah, Eden, Abby, or this new character Daisy. None of them have enough scenes on their own for me to really get a sense of what they are all about. I don't care about any of them, which gives me even more reason to want to mute them whenever they are on.
Abby flirting with Ryder was so gross and disgusting. Are we supposed to believe that she in AP classes in Paris and doing so well and now she's failing out of school? I'm sorry, Ashley needs to do more than just ground the girl. If that were me, my parents would have taken away everything. Maybe they need to get ride of the million dollar horse Victor bought her.
Did not really care much about the Danber wedding. I used to really like this couple but after seeing the chemistry she has with Deacon, everything with her and Daniel since has been lackluster for me.
The Ugly:
Mike, you hit the nail on the head about Mac. The thing that bugs me the most is that the lines they are giving her aren't even all that bad. I keep picturing how another actress would say them. I feel like with the right actress (AKA one who shows emotion) this could be a decent storyline, but she is so bland and boring I don't care about anything she does. I hate that this lame storyline between her and Lily and Can is making Billy look like a villain too. He's not a villain stop making him look like such a jerk!
Chloe and Chance have no chemistry! You have Billy Miller and Elizabeth Hendrickson in two pairings where neither one of them have chemistry. I like Jon Driscoll but this character is like watching paint dry. I did like when Chloe was talking to Katherine about wishing she could show Chance the divorce papers, but the scene itself when she actually showed him the papers was so boring!
Alison's hair on ATWT and Mac's ponytail on Y&R, the hair people need to get their stuff together on both of these shows.
3 March 2009
1 week 2 days
I am too is very excited that Amelia is gone. I really hope Y&R start searching for a competent actress to play the role of Victoria. Amelia is just bad, bad, bad!!!!
I am really trying to swallow the quasi teenage storyline. But I am finding myself fast forwarding or switching channels until they are gone. The storyline seems so contrived.
As for the Danber crap, WTH is Y&R doing? They are ruining Adrienne Frantz. That girl have some spunk but the storyline she is playing now is just too awful.
Clem Ford as Mac is just awful. She is just like Amelia. Come on Y&R, Clem Ford has been on the set for more than six months and still no improvement in her acting. Can't they find someone else who at least can display some emotions.
As for Billy Miller, he is doing a superb job and it seems Y&R is making him look like monster makes him so much more attractive. I can watch Billy Miller any day.
23 July 2008
12 weeks 5 days
The Good:
As The World Turns, period. I am sooo enjoying it! Other than the fact that Philedelphia, Greenville, and Oakdale are somehow just a town over from each other. Lol. But keep rocking on World Turns. Fight off those cancellation rumors!
The Ugly:
Clementine Ford.
Where are you Mandy Bruno?!? You for real need to get offered that job!
21 November 2008
1 hour 47 min
"The Ugly:
Clementine Ford.
Where are you Mandy Bruno?!? You for real need to get offered that job!"
I second that emotion!
4 May 2008
3 weeks 5 days
I don't think Clementine's acting is the problem---I think it's the writing for Mac. Why didn't they ask Ashley Bashioum to return? I think only she can pull off this character.
12 May 2008
3 hours 3 min
Originally Posted by CGat:
The Ugly:
Clementine Ford.
Where are you Mandy Bruno?!? You for real need to get offered that job!
*******************************************************************
YES YES YES and YES for Mandy Bruno being Mac. She DESPERATELY needs to save the character of Mac!
21 November 2008
1 hour 47 min
"I don't think Clementine's acting is the problem---I think it's the writing for Mac."
Truly, I think it's a combination of both; although the writing for Mac has also been a little schizo, Clementine Ford just doesn't seem all that comfortable in the role to me.
23 April 2008
1 hour 39 min
I agree... Chloe and Chance have no chemistry together. Both great actors, but I don't see them together.
The Good: I enjoyed Robin Riker's performance at the wedding. I enjoyed her more than the others. Days is in "the good" as well, for delivering soap opera. I've been checking out GH lately, and they are doing it too. Oh, and Mac and Billy are donezo!! Michelle Stafford's look at that wedding!
The Bad: Oh so tired of Cane, Lily and Mac. Also, wasn't happy with the insta-wedding thrown on the roof. That was like something out of GLs old playbook- lets get married, now, forget these whimsical character's (Amber) dreams and lets just throw something together and make katherine a minister. Didn't buy it, or like it, but I'm happy for Amber.
The Ugly: The Jimmy's Bar set. I've tolerated up until this week, but now it has got to go. it's ugly, its trashy and gross. Why wouldn't Mac update it? Stop showing scenes of Katherine going in there, La Chancellor would never step foot in there for a drink! And lastly...the DRAB outfit Chloe was in, it looks like she was poking around Mrs C's closet!!!!
1 June 2009
13 weeks 2 hours
Mandy Bruno as Mac would be perfect!!
18 November 2008
10 weeks 3 days
I can't stand Steffy and her Taylorish obsession to go after taken men. Clearly the wrong sister died.
20 November 2007
4 days 17 hours
The good:
Carly is back in ATWT, and is gravitating towards Jack, I came back for that one! When she took the compass from the box, just wow!
Katie/Bill love story in the afternoon! I did not remember what it looked like!
Y&R not much!
The bad:
Michelle Staford overacting with Patti and the doc. There I said it, it was painful because I am a a big fan, seriously!
Love EH and BM but they never were a great couple, they are the same person but different sex, not interesting! Opposite attract!
Most of Y&R anyhoo!
Bill even considering going to big bear for that twit!
3 March 2009
1 week 2 days
apart from last week and few episodes the previous week. Cane/Lily/Mac wasn't on. Y&R was mainly tying up loose ends with Victor etc. Remember Victor's last days was November 2nd. So I can't see how Mac/Lily/Cane can be on way too much when they weren't being show. I almost thought the actors quit because it was only Victor/Ashley/Nick/Adam/Nikki etc were being shown.
25 February 2009
8 hours 3 min
Regarding : B&B Wedding in Van Nuys
Scuse ME Stephanie Forrester ? How dare you put down the San Fernando Valley !! Oh No you didn't !!!
As a person who lives in the SFV, I can honestly say it's not that bad... haha
I found the set comical (they didn't film in Van Nuys), even though it's minutes away from the CBS broadcast center.
Didn't Bill Spencer seemed B-O-R-E-D (Don D. seems so done with this role)..
20 November 2008
7 weeks 4 days
Mike--happy to see a shout out to Trent Dawson. He is so good-and I never hear any props on for him on Performer of the Week He has to do the craziest stuff--but he pulls it off. Can you imagine any other actor on the show doing the Geneva Swift S/L? IA he is great at comedy (which is harder to do than drama) but can do the drama very well too. He is also fantastic when it's just him in a room talking to himself. As I said a few weeks back before they killed Brad--Trent and Terri C--very uderrated actors IMO.
I really like the ghost s/l too. I think it's one of the best things happening on the show right now. Do love the grief that Carly's giving Ro and Craig. Love to see Ro get her teeth back before they send her off again. A great sisterly knock down drag out fight (like the old days) would be awesome!
The Bad--I just can't get into this Lily/Damian/Holden story. Lily's actions are not making sense and whoever is writing her dialogue for this story should be shot. THe other day she says to Holden--I don't know why you still hate Damian after all these years--WTF???? What kind of meds is she on? Where has she been for the last month? Really weak story telling.
9 October 2007
10 hours 37 min
Crustee, I understand what you mean about Lily. Noelle Beck has been playing Lily as a stronger, more self assured woman than Martha Byrne did (not a slam). To see her revert, especially over being torn about Holden or Damian, doesn't always come off. I think they managed to revitalize the triangle because both couples have fan bases.
7 November 2009
14 weeks 4 days
Steffy drives me crazy. Retool her, recast her, please. Her and her bad hair need to stay far away from Bill! Speaking of Bill, I adore him and Katie, and the wedding was cute, but between his white white suit and black black hair and lighter brown beard... I was so distracted! He's a handsome man, he should look handsome for his wedding.
Stephanie drinking the martinis was awesome.
Mac was so bad during her break up scenes with Billy. Billy Miller is such a great actor, and she is just so wooden. I don't know if I can take this surrogacy s/l and her being on my screen just about every day when we hardly ever get to see characters I actually like, like Sharon.
1 July 2009
3 days 15 hours
Mac has always been a dry character but CF's Mac is the worst. How about a facial expression? Or maybe some hand gestures when she talks? It's like a robot is saying her lines and it is just blah. Chloe and Billy are great together! I like Chance and I have enjoyed the Chloe and Chance stuff but they just don't compare to Chilly.
Steffy on B&B needs a kick in the skull. She has gone from Rick, to injecting herself into Jackie and Owen's marriage, and now she kissed Bill right before his wedding. She is an idiot and I just can't stand her.
Lily is another one who drives me crazy. She says she wants to be with Holden but then Damien convinces her otherwise. Why she would trust Damien after all the stunts he's pulled is beyond me.
20 May 2009
5 hours 5 min
Maybe it was me this week, but I disagree Mike, I think Clementine Ford should get a most-improved honor this week. After finally giving her a storyline which gives her character some depth after being so vapid for so long, she has finally showed some emotion. Let's be honest: all she's done as Mac is pout, whine, and wail. I'm glad Mac acknowledged that Billy's issues with Cane, however valid, are not hers and, despite his protestations, still wants to be a surrogate for Lily and Cane. I'm glad that Y&R is finally addressing the WHY behind Cane actually claiming Delia as his own, when she wasn't. I'm glad Billy is lashing out at Cane and that resentment hasn't dimmed, after all this time.