Non-Mysterious Mysteries and the Joys of 1983

As always for those of us committed to our life sentence in Llanview, there are ups and there are downs.  Maybe it's that there are only downs, and I deliriously impose "ups" onto things that are actually "downs" because... well, all I see here are these shadows and the cave is no longer just an allegory.  It's possible. 

But any day we can get 80s hair and 80s shoulder pads is a good day in my book.

 

You see, there are joys to be had!  I had mixed feelings about Kim Zimmer joining the cast, but I confess I now (foolishly) have high hopes for this story.  It means we see the vets!  It means we get flashbacks to 1983 (and this from the show that routinely brings us flashbacks from the day prior or even earlier in the very same episode)!

And of course, it means we get the Return of the Queen (Victoria, that is).

Kickin' it old school.  'Cause really, the 1983 and the 2010 expression is virtually identical in its awesome imperiousness.

This really does have the potential to be fun.  Which is why I'm sure they'll soon find a way to incorporate Dani or the Fords into this storyline.  Because why let us have fun?

The rest of the show so far this week has given us scene after scene of a hysterical Tea (and not the fabulous version of hysterical Tea), scene after scene of an overly sympathetic Blair.  Something about Ross.  And Dani.  And blah blah blah.  Oh and a handful of characters whose lives did not heretofore revolve around Dani... well, their lives now revolve around Dani.  Ford made good points, which was disturbing to say the least (that was nice of Dani and Nate to turn multiple people into criminals on their behalf).  And in general, everyone acted as if Dani being in Tahiti for a year and a half until she turns eighteen and can be wherever the hell she wants since her biological father has more money than God is THE END OF THE WORLD.  As if they can't talk to her every day on MyFace.  Tahiti is not a Moroccan prison the last time I checked.  I understand that to a teenager, a year and a half feels like forever, but the adults around her really need to provide some perspective.  And her big sister needs to learn to give more helpful advice.

What's worse is that we are being asked to devote 90% of our viewing energies to this story that has absolutely no stakes to the viewing audience whatsoever since Tea is not dead. And as soon as that's revealed to the other characters, it renders all this pathos null and void.  Which I resent, because I have better things to do.  I happen to be in the middle of watching the entirety of the run of The Wire on DVD so I can see all the seasons back to back (making it even more of a bummer for me that Frankie Faison hasn't made an appearance yet as the Evans papa in this latest family crisis, dammit!).  Oh and then there was Cole and rolling his eyes again and again.  It's pretty much his go-to action, though I can't really blame him for rolling his eyes every time someone brings up a Ford.  I have a similar reaction.

Oh and Destiny squeezed out a couple of legitimate tears.

Oh and there was Ross.

I think I'd give the residents of this town the same look.

And they've cast a new Joey.  He starts in November, and I'm always in the "pro-" camp of more Buchanans on canvas, but I am of course nervous about what this will bring.  Technically Joey's a blood relative of Dani, right?  So he can't fall in love with her?

Comments

[CSG929]

I am on vacation this week, so I have watched Monday and Tuesday live. I love Kim Zimmer as Echo already, but she needs to give that "Chuckles" thing a rest.

The rest of the show makes my head hurt. I hate the way Darren calls Destiny "Baby Girl." It just bothers me. Shaun's acting is subpar. I do love Vivian and the way that she cares for Shaun. I LOVE Mama Evans, but I can't help but wonder what other type of drama this would bring if Rachel was still on the show. Although, I can not wait for this secret to come out. Damn Frons and those f**kin' focus groups!

The Dani stuff was terrible. I like Billy Warlock, but he is so miscast in this role. I HATE Todd. I also HATE the way that Dani is now calling Todd "Dad" and Ross "Ross." What a turncoat. I keep mixing up Nate and James. They don't exactly look the same, but they appear to be a similar character. Brandon Buddy looks like he can not wait to exit the show as Cole. The writing for his character is now terrible.

Jessica is HUGE and are we supposed to believe she is only four or five months along? Or are they no longer giving her exact due date?

[Heather]

I just moved and haven't had tv since last Thursday. Strangely I haven't missed OLTL at all. I am so bored. The Ford's are the new Santi's and Dani is the new Jen- annoying as hell and pointless. Is it wrong that I want Blair to beat Todd with the urn. Also Tea please shut up. This storyline isn't good enough to warrant all that screaming!!! Damn I miss Malone. When is RH coming back?

[Ziyal]

yay for the 80s flashbacks :)

[Dandesun]

Seeing the return of Queen Victoria (past AND present) was a delight. Eli snarking at Greg about inventing the fake brain problems con was lower on that totem pole.

And then everything else was just awful.

I wish to God that they'd let Blair do anything else than be Todd's jock supporter because then I could just skip over ALL of that and be well on my way. But no... there she is, super sympathetic Blair with her doe eyes and soft voice trying to talk Todd down from his various ledges and... god what misery.

The majority of this show right now is utterly meaningless.

[kitzie]

Man, Erica Slezak has aged beautifully. She's so cool.

Thanks for the Queen Victoria screen shots!

[Judy]

I like Viki best when she's being above it all. This jealousy does nothing for me. It's annoying. She acts circles around anyone else in the younger set and it really sucks that they mostly give her shit like this to play.

CSG929, despite the icky "baby girl" crap, which is unfortunately very true to life, I really like Darren better than pretty much any of the other teenagers. He's not a bad actor, he's a good role model since he treats his young lady right, and he's funny. Real breath of fresh air for me.