THE ZEN ZONE BLOG

Reese Williams: The Enjoli Woman of Pine Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:11:00 +0000

Is there nothing this woman cannot do?

She's such a "catch" that Bianca fell head over heels for her and almost immediately wanted to make babies to raise with her.

She's so "compelling" that intensely private Zach began confiding the intimate details of his life to her upon their first meeting.

She's so "dynamic" that a normally cautious Erica threw herself wholeheartedly into wedding planning, without securing a background check.

She's Reese Williams.

And I don't like her.

And it's a damn shame because I love Tamara Braun. She was one of my favorite Carlys on General Hospital and I was so disappointed when she left the show. I was thrilled when she showed up on the short-run sitcom Freddie. So, I am quite perturbed that her All My Children debut has her embroiled in AMC's "2009 Nonsensical Storyline" award winner.

I simply cannot get into the "ground-breaking" aspect of a storyline that has so much wrong with it from the outset. And since the writers have chosen to make the character Reese the catalyst for all of this abnormal behavior from my regular Pine Valley-ites, she bears the weight of all my frustration (although I've got plenty left over for Bianca).

Now, I've learned that I'll have to deal with SuperReese buzzing around Casa de Slater this holiday season acting like a cross between Florence Nightingale and Martha Stewart. Reese must have skipped the "Charm" and splashed on the Enjoli. Yikes!

Some days, around 1 p.m. EST, I envy Kendall her coma.

My Christmas Wish

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:19:00 +0000

Step aside Father Clarence. You won't be needed this year. No tinkling music and sappy, Dickensian miracles. No wishing on a star. No softening of the tough exterior of this year's sacrificial "Scrooge." This holiday season, I have only one wish, and I'm calling on Santa Charles to provide it.

I know, I know. It's too early to start my Christmas Wish list. After all, it's only December 1. Only overachievers and sociopaths are doing any real shopping this early ... at least not for others. But I'm getting a head start so I can give Santa Charles plenty of time to work it out.

What's my wish? Well, I'm glad you asked. Is it world peace? Nope. A fixed economy? Nuh-uh. A pill that makes chocolate a fat burner? Not even that. This year I'm giving my wish to somebody else ... Kendall Hart-Slater.

I want her to open her eyes and find her ruggedly handsome husband sitting by her bedside, waiting anxiously for her to come back to him. I don't want to see Reese there. Or Bianca. Not even Erica. I want Zach ... and only Zach (unless you want to bring the boys in. I'm cool with that.).

I know this event may not be scheduled to happen until after Christmas. But that's okay. I can wait. After all these years, we Zendall fans are getting pretty good at waiting.

That's not too much to ask, is it? I could ask for a new car or a better job, but I didn't. I could ask for more Josh and less Bianca, but I didn't. No, I'm gonna be a "big ole' giver" this year and pass my Christmas genie along to somebody who really needs it. Somebody who is suffering through her second coma in less than three years. Somebody who has two babies at home who have never celebrated Thanksgiving as a complete family. Or Christmas outside the hospital. (Heck, Ian doesn't even get a birthday, but that's a separate blog.)

And how about Zach? Last year at this time he was trapped in a hole. Now he's trapped in hell. A house full of women, but none of them is the right woman. So how about it? How about giving these two crazy kids a bona fide moment to remember? Do it for Team Slater, Santa Charles. Do it for all of us.

And if you want to throw in a couple of choo-choo rides for Kendall, I won't mind.

Want To Party At Con Fusion? Check Your Weapon At The Door!

noreply@blogger.com (PhyllisShnell) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:45:00 +0000

I used to love Con Fusion. From the first day that Kendall Hart Slater proposed the idea of opening the club as a part of Fusion, I welcomed the idea. Kendall wanted Con Fusion to be a place where the most elegant, fabulous people would make deals and make dates and get things on. I pictured dancing, dining and some hot musical acts stopping by to promote their latest single every February, May, July or November.

The debut party was even promising. Erica was fashionally on time, Zach and Kendall arrived arm in arm, and Amanda got promoted to bar manager. I was even granted one wish when up and coming singer, Rihanna stopped by to sing. Con Fusion was surely the place to be. Only lately, it's not the place to be at all. I'm also not loving it like I used to.

In the 2 1/2 years since the club has been open, it's been the place where, in true soap fashion, Pine Valley's big secrets were revealed. Josh learned he wasn't a Madden but a Martin and a Kane; Greenlee announced to everyone that she was back and didn't exactly forgive and forget; Adam tainted Bella perfume, accidentally drugging his own daughter in the process and Tad first suspected that Jesse's past wasn't as lonely as he made it seem.

Now, in lieu of secrets, the club had been known for violence. In the past 3 months alone, a man was killed and a woman was stabbed. Not just any woman was stabbed, mind you. It was Erica! Erica Kane for goodness sake! Not exactly pleasant party memories, or great fun, yet the citizens of Pine Valley keep going back. They party and drink with hardly any reaction or emotion to these violent events.

So citizens of Pine Valley, the next time you receive an invitation to a Con Fusion party, stay at home or check your weapons at the door.

They Don't Trust Us

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:49:00 +0000

Production cut-backs. Declining ratings. Budget short falls.

Yeah, the executives of daytime television are using the current economic woes as a way to partially explain away their recently unfavorable casting and schedule changes, the pay-cuts they are enforcing with their staff, and the decreased viewership of their respective shows. However, the truth is that what ails daytime is neither new nor a result of the somewhat recent downturn in our economy.

"But, but...we've been in recession for almost a year!" you exclaim.

True. True. But, fans and critics have been lamenting on the state of their favorite shows for far longer than that. And one theme has been consistent and consistently ignored...

They don't trust us.

The executives. The writers. The powers that be. Those who have the final decision on what plays out on our screens and, to some degree, how it plays out. Gotta give those directors some of the credit, too.

Fans have been clamoring for some "back to the basic" style in our daytime soap operas for quite some time. Soap opera critics have been writing about what hast been truly missing in the genre.

"Where is the romance?" we've asked.

"There needs to be balance," we've lamented.

"Character, character, and character," we've cried.

To no avail.

Instead, we've been treated to one nonsensical story after another where shaky plots often supersede characterization. Character we're invested in are taken off screen or used in a manner that frustrates us, new characters are thrown in to fill the gap and are used so forcefully that it becomes off-putting.

They don't trust us.

Our letters, our phone calls, our email, and our blogs are just background noise in the decision room. On occasion, a token gesture is thrown out in order to keep the faithful few tuned in. No, the real catch, for them, is that elusive demographic who aren't biting because they want what we want...authenticity in their soaps. Young soap watchers become older soap watchers and our needs and wants where our shows are concerned really don't change that much.

Is it too much to ask?

Trust.

Trust fans when we say the violence on our screens is more than we want to see in daytime.

Trust us when we say "real" relationships between realistically written couples is something that appeals to us.

Trust us when we say that substance trumps style and is the only thing that will truly keep us tuning in.

You know what I need to know? When is this going to end?!

noreply@blogger.com (Pav) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:30:00 +0000

I've been wondering about this for a while now. Since October, I think. When's it going to end? When is our girl coming back? Sometime soon, I know. If I believe a poster on another board, AM will start filming again in about two weeks, and will show up about three weeks after that. Hey, the poster said she called the studio, and that's what they said. Her inside stuff is as good as anyone else's, right? Right.

And you know, it's not just because of the story. It really isn't. It's not just because I want to Kendall to wake up to save the strong man who is crumbling in agony beside her. No, not that. Ok, maybe a little. It's not just because I am waiting with bated breath to see her awake in all her glory, pull that damm tube out of her mouth and smite her enemies with the sword of her words. Nope. Not that either. It's not just because I miss her like crazy, and the show hasn't been the same without her. Or because everything seems to be put on hold while we wait for the actress to have her well-deserved honeymoon-vacation and return to us rested and ready to recreate the Zen we know and love. Well, ok. It is that a little, too. But it's really something else. Something a little bigger, maybe. Something surprising.

It's because I'm Kendall's bitch, folks. Now, I knew I was Zen's bitch. And I certainly was Zach's. But I never realized that I was Kendall's too.

I pretty much think that says it all, don't you?

I'm rooting for Annie

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:29:00 +0000

Let me see if I’ve got this straight.

First, Aidan Devane, Pine Valley’s resident private eye, manages to sneak his way into Annie Lavery’s secured hospital room at Oak Haven to…uhh…what?

Get the goods on her and prove she is faking her condition?

Drive her even crazier?

What?

Once he’s successfully in and confronts his target, double-oh-dumbass takes the bait and approaches his unbalanced quarry when she beckons him. Then, our supposedly TRAINED super-spy and spotted dick is overtaken by a slip of a woman in hand-to-hand combat and has to be rescued by the Chief O’Police and his team of Keystone Cops.

What is wrong with this picture?

Have the writers given up all pretense of trying to make this stuff plausible for us? There were plethora of ways Annie could have overtaken Aidan that would have seemed more realistic than her cooing “Come here my little pretty” and then attacking him head-on and nearly strangling him. The man is damn near twice her size and a frickin’ former spy! We're supposed to believe this is the well-connected "go-to" guy with all the training, tricks, and backup Pine Valley would ever need.

Come on, writers! ! Geesh!

Second, Dynamite Dodo and his trusty side kick, the Green Butthead, are so guilt-ridden over driving Annie crazy and hurting poor Fish-‘n-Chips that they keep finding their way to one another, often with little Emma in attendance, just so they can twist that knife a little further.

Yeah, Ryan the “good guy” keeps leaving his crazy-ass wife’s kid with the woman who helped to drive his wife to murder because their paid nanny is conveniently not around. I suppose it would be too much like “the right thing to do” for Ryan to drop Emma off at Slater Daycare, where Bianca and her brood have taken up residence, while he and Greenlee take turn playing selfless and noble.

Yep, I’m definitely rooting for Mrs. Looney Toons. Go get ‘em, Annie!

The Zach Zombie

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:43:00 +0000

All this talk about missing Kendall has made me realize what I really need ... more Zach! As much as I miss Kendall, and God knows I do, I miss Zach even more.

Not the man we're seeing on our screen. The lost, aimless man who doesn't seem to feel comfortable anywhere. Not the shell of a man who wanders through his life like a ghost. Not the distracted man who stands by numbly while pots like Ryan Lavery call the kettle black. Not the sad man who mopes around his own house, trying desperately (and unsuccessfully) to find five minutes of peace from the family of strangers who have invaded his space. He is lost, clearly. And it is becoming increasingly difficult to watch.

I miss the man who would have reminded Ryan of another person they know who killed their brother ... Jonathan Lavery. Ryan wasn't so quick to want to see him in prison, was he? Maybe Annie just needs to have the bad cut out of her, too.

I miss the man who would have put Bianca and Reese up in the finest suite the casino had to offer. And the man who would have at least asked Bianca what the hell she thought she was doing, showing up in Pine Valley with her due date in sight, without ever bothering to clue the rest of the group in on her little secret. (Look, we all know he would never really yell at Bianca, but the question deserves to be asked, and we deserve to hear the answer. More importantly, we deserve to see him upset about it.)

I miss the man who, during the last coma, sat by his wife's bedside and held her hand. The man who talked to her ... telling secrets and begging her to come home. Now it seems Zach can't get any time alone with Kendall without Bianca showing up with her sad face and the same old question: "How's Kendall?" She's in a coma, Bianca! That's how she is. Don't you think you would have gotten a phone call if she'd suddenly opened her eyes? Do you think he would leave you out of the loop with something that important? Oh wait, new mommy, of course you do. Isn't that exactly what you would have done ... what you did?

I miss the man who would never apologize to Ryan Lavery for doing what he thought was right, no matter the consequences. But this version of Zach - the Zach Zombie, if you will - never stops apologizing to Ryan. It's enough already. He doesn't owe Ryan anything. Zach's mistakes aren't any more significant than anybody else's. Ryan just thinks if he can get Zach to take the blame, somehow that absolves him, but it doesn't work that way. Maybe if Ryan could keep it in his thong, Annie wouldn't have been driven to such extremes to keep him.

Boy, don't get me started on that! This is supposed to be about Zach.

In short, I miss this Zach:

I know he's in there, buried beneath a barrage of baby dramas and near-death experiences. It's been a hell of a year for Team Slater, and the cracks are finally beginning to show. Zach needs Kendall to help him break through the bad stuff and find hope in the good. He needs her to remind him what all the struggle is for. He needs her to wake up and tell him how much she loves him. (He really needs to hear that.) And he needs her to be the one thing he needs most right now ... his best friend. I hope he gets her back soon - make that VERY soon. Because until he does, we'll never get back the Zach we need. He's lost without her, and I'm lost without him.

BTW, kudos to Thorsten Kaye for ripping my heart out every single day. This is in no way meant as a criticism of him. I live for him. If he was a lesser actor, this would be easier to take. But he's so good at tapping into Zach's pain and loneliness, even in a crowded room, that I am literally becoming depressed over fictitious characters.

And now there's a snowstorm and a convenient little cabin. And is Zach tree hunting with his boys? Nope. Maybe little Mimo? Uh-uh. That might actually make sense. No, we get more bonding time with Reese. And of course, more talk about how much he needs to be with Kendall. But when will we get to see that?

Why do the writers hate me so much? Or am I supposed to be enjoying this? GRRRRRR!!!! Calgon ... take me away!

Remembering Myrtle With Zach and Kendall

noreply@blogger.com (PhyllisShnell) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:27:00 +0000

Today as I watched Zach Slater share his love for his wife Kendall with a stranger, I immediately thought of Myrtle Fargate. A show like today was her signature and it made me miss the red haired spitfire even more. Myrtle always had the right words for Zach at the darkest times and it made me sad to think that she wasn't there for Zach when he needed her most.

As I watched Zach come to the difficult realization that he wouldn't give up on Kendall no matter what, I was reminded how Myrtle is always looking out for Zach. She didn't need to be there for her wisdom and insight was clearly present as he talked.

It gave me comfort to know that Myrtle will never be forgotten and will always be in the minds and hearts of Zach, Kendall, her Pine Valley family and the All My Children viewers.

As Pine Valley prepares to celebrate the life of this remarkable woman, I thought I'd share my favorite moments of Myrtle with Zach and Kendall. It was hard to name just a few as I decided on my list, but I loved loved loved the trip down memory lane. What are your favorite Myrtle moments?

The Woman Loves Me

Zach tells Myrtle that Kendall loves him.

Sometimes We Think We Know Something, But We Know Zip

Myrtle restores Kendall's faith in Zach and her marriage.

It's Happy Hour Somewhere

Myrtle reminds Zach that Kendall loves him passionately. She advices him to grab onto Kendall and not let go.

Who Said Talent Was A Crime?

Myrtle visits the casino and tells Zach to give Kendall to get back to where they were.

Mr. Ian Slater, Meet Your Fairy Godmother

Kendall introduces Myrtle to her and Zach's son Ian on Thanksgiving.

clip credit to willowfriend and favorite moments

A Tale of Two Wives

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:19:00 +0000

Will AMC surprise us?

I’m hopeful they will, but time and again they’ve burst our soap bubbles.

I give the show mad props for what they did right. The initial return of Jesse and Angie was a masterpiece. The promotion and buildup was brilliant. Angie and Jesse’s first sighting of one another at the train station, buttressed by the haunting and very appropriate strains of Alicia Keys’ Like You’ll Never See Me Again, was top-notch. The Hubbard reunion and re-marriage was everything soap fans could have hoped for. However, it seemed that’s where the writers ran out of gas.

It was clear there was a detailed plan in place for the couple’s return to Pine Valley and how it would be accomplished. There was a lot of attention paid to the couple’s history and how it could be tied into the current story arcs – and it showed. There is also, however, a clear indication that what to do beyond the over-the-top soapy reunion wasn’t really a priority; hence, the secret family coming to town to show their munificence in “letting Jesse go”. And in order to accommodate the new Hubbard polygamist sect, something had to give - character and common sense.

The writers had to give up on writing based upon the character’s history and we, the viewers, will have to set aside common sense if we are going to make it through this storyline without screaming the entire time. We’ll have to deal with Angie trying to exercise unbelievable understanding and accommodation by allowing the “other woman” to move into her home and play Wifey #2. We’ll struggle through Natalia treating Angie like the wicked stepmother who is trying to take her poor mama’s place even though she acknowledges knowing it was her mother who was second choice. Frankie will grate on our nerves with the constant flare-ups and childish resentment over daddy spending time with the “other family”. Pout. And we’ll have to deal with Jesse trying to be all things to all people and pissing of everyone as a result. Are you as excited as I am?

Now for the surprise…

Will the writers take a different approach once Rebecca is magically cured? Oh, you don’t seriously think they’ll let her die and have Angie and Jesse rally around Natalia and live happily ever after (until sweeps, that is)? Do you? So, how much do you want to bet that once old Becky is cured she’s going to want a “do over” so that she can have her little family life with Jesse back? After all, she only forced him to leave because she thought she was dying. Once that little roadblock is removed, all of Angie’s sacrifice and understanding won’t mean a thing. What do you think? Will the gloves come off and we’ll have Hubbard vs. Hubbard by February? Or, will the writers surprise us and do something completely different?

So this is Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:14:00 +0000

So. It's Christmastime. Again. But what does that really mean? Crowded shopping malls? Obligatory office parties? Struggling with tree stands and tangled lights and snowflake garland? Sure, all of that. But what else?

For some people it is a lonely time, but for me it's just the opposite. I never feel more crowded than I do at Christmas. Expectations and rituals abound. Presents to wrap. Candy to make. Carols to sing. I go through the motions, but most of the time my heart isn't really in it.

I guess I've just become one of those cynical people all the holiday movies are made for. It's not that I don't love my family. I do. But I see them ALL THE TIME. And yes, maybe they're not as backward or as annoying as the "hollywood" version. But what ever happened to peace on earth? Where is my peace when I've got twenty people in my living room, leaving me nowhere to sit in my own house? Dishes stacked to the ceiling for me to do after they leave. How much family is too much?

And let me tell you, un-decking the halls isn't nearly as much fun as decking them. Which is why the lights always end up in a tangled mess, only to cause frustration for the next year. Same with the snowflake garland and the busted tree stand.

Maybe my problem is that I just can't get over the sadness that I'm feeling because of Kendall's coma ... and now her failing heart. Yes, I'll admit it. The show has started to affect my mood, even when I'm not watching. I've been crying with Zach all weekend because I just want Kendall to wake up! Not for me anymore, I want it for him.

So I'm bummed out, stressed out, broke and utterly out of the Christmas spirit. Bah, humbug!! And then I stumbled across this picture of my precious little nephew, Clayton ...

... and it reminds me of a conversation we had last year. We were talking about God and he innocently asked me who that was. I told him God was Jesus' father. And he immediately asked, "What's his mother's name?" I hesitated for a second, trying to figure out how to explain omnipotence to a four-year-old. In the end, I just said, "We don't really know about Jesus' mother." To which Clayton replied simply, "Mary."

Out of the mouths of babes, indeed.

So there you have it. The true meaning of Christmas, brought home by the simple innocence of a child. He remembered what I'd forgotten ... what I'd taken for granted after all these years ... Christmas is about Jesus. It's about the day God became man. The day a pure, perfect, innocent life came to this earth to die a horrible, unjust death so that we might live. It's about a man and woman willing to let themselves be used by God to change the world forever. It's about love, people. And peace and hope and charity.

Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas, Clayton. And Happy Birthday, baby Jesus.

Mental Health Break

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:41:00 +0000

I've been bored and depressed enough in 2008 so I'm giving myself a mental health break from stressing over state of my show. Thankfully, there are only a few more "new" episodes left for AMC to show. My hope is that we can start fresh and that the writers have a resolution to not ^&@# it up next year as much as they have during this one. <>

Now that I've procrastinated until I can't procrastinate anymore, I suppose I'll hit the stores and do some Christmas shopping. I swear I'd rather have a root canal than to brave the crowds,the mall Santas, and the "spritz" chick at the perfume counter. My saving grace is the very short gift list I have this year. Yay! So, I'm setting a goal to be in and out in under an hour and my incentive will be the nice bottle of Chardonnay I plan to reward myself with if I meet it.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Resolved

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Here are my resolutions for a new year of Zen.

1. I resolve not to let "Spoiler" ruin every story before it even airs. Things are seldom as bad as spoiler would have us believe. Which begs the question: why does spoiler want to torture us, the loyal fans? Because, as has been said many times, spoiler is a lying bitch! It's been proven over and over.

2. I resolve not to get twisted every time my beloved Zendall is used to prop another couple and/or storyline. Hey, it's the way things are done in soapland. I don't like it, but that's the plight of the soap fan. I will just have to keep reminding myself of all the times other characters have been used to prop The Slaters.

3. I resolve not to climb out onto the ledge whenever Zach and/or Kendall are forced to do something we all know is totally out of character. This one will be the hardest to keep, simply because most of these cases could be easily avoided. I don't know if the culprit is lazy writing, or just incompetence. (I do know there is an acute lack of fresh ideas in daytime as a whole. "Been there, done that" reigns supreme.) Take our current situation (please!). Having Zach father Bianca's baby is the height of character assassination ... for both of them. And now the baby has become an afterthought. It's like the whole purpose was to set up some "deep bond" between Zach and Reese. So much so that he would agree to such a horrible thing after one meeting, just because she's so damn cool. Now the baby is insignificant, but we are all left with the fallout from such a monumental decision. Problem is, the fans are the only ones to see it as monumental. Everybody else shrugs it off like it's insignificant. Why couldn't Reese and Bianca have arrived in Pine Valley to check on Kendall? Or to celebrate Christmas? Then Zach could have fallen under Cool Reese's spell and it would set up the same end result ... Bianca's insecurities over Reese. No baby to cloud things. And no destruction of a beloved character.

Oh wait, I'm not gonna let that stuff bother me anymore. Right?

*climbing in from the ledge*

Okay, I'm past it. Why? Because I don't watch the show because of the quality of the writing. If that was the case, I would have tuned out a long time ago. No, I watch because of the quality of the acting. Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew are why I watch. Period. The amazing chemistry between them keeps me coming back for more and more and more. Even when most of that "more" is in the form of more heartbreak and more frustration. They always make it worth the pain.

So what will the new year bring? Another year of heartache for soaps' most tortured couple ... and their fans? Maybe. But even if that is the case, I'll be there. I'm resolved.

Resigned

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:16:00 +0000

I’m resigned.

Since mid-2006 I’ve been hoping and praying for AMC to find some relief and a renewed sense of purpose, which might increase viewership and, by extension, its ratings. I honestly believed that the cure for what most ailed the show would be to remove the keyboard from the undeserving grip of Megan McTavish.

“Just give us a new head writer, “, I thought. That’s all we needed – a new writer and another chance.

Yes, I was frustrated by the direction she had chosen for my couple. I am a selfish viewer and I am not alone. The soap purity police who come taunting that couple or character fans must partake of the entire AMC buffet, and like it, or else we're not a “real” fans of the show can kiss our collective %*@! That is exactly what soap operas are – entertainment buffets. There is supposed to be something on the show for everyone to enjoy. And while it’s nice to appreciate the spread, as a whole, no one expect viewers to squeal in delight over every single item on the line. My favorite dish just happens be be Zach and Kendall and I prefer them hot, spicy, and served side-by-side. ;-) Although I appreciate a occasional side of Drs. David Hayward and Jake Martin - they are not what keeps me coming back for more.

Now, back to Megan – she gave us some good times. Stories were written under her reign that had me captivated with the entire show and cast. However, there came a point where she wrote in a manner which negated not only what she had previously done but that also wrecked the foundation laid years before her tenure. In essence, she completely SUCKED at the end and I, like so many others, wanted her gone. In fact, I was so happy at that first hint of her truly leaving that I sent Brian Frons a big, fat “thank you” email. Well, thanks to The Frons, I have come to regret both thanking him and my initial glee at having McTavish banished from Pine Valley. Because…

The Bears have done more damage to the integrity of my couple than I care to admit. Yes, McT had us in the torture chamber and kept dangling the payoff just out of our reach, but she hadn’t yet crossed the line. There tenure and the havoc they were allowed to wreak, in such a short span of time, is something I don’t care to reexamine too deeply. And while I can be grateful they are now gone, I can’t say that having Charles Pratt on board has comforted me - just the opposite, in fact.

See…the thing is that all of these writers have had one thing in common and it is something I am now resigned to – they do not listen to the fans. Period. They don’t. None of them. Not in any meaningful way, if at all. I realize that the things I complain about that are affecting my couple are the exact same things that other fans are complaining about regarding their favorite characters and couples. The fans are in sync and even if we aren’t rooting for the same players our wants for the team are neither difficult nor unique.

I’ve seen the lists, resolutions, polls and surveys all over the internet and all basically looking for the same things we have been unable to attain since McT left the building. And I am resigned to not getting it from the writers. So, I’m just going to place my faith in the actors to continue to try and bring as much integrity to actions of their characters even when those characters are performing actions contrary to their history. I am just going to have to look deeper at the expressions displayed by the actors to fill in the gaps the writers will continually leave. I am resigned that most actions won’t be explained in any manner that makes sense and that some plot devices will forever dangle out there – unresolved.

In 2009, I am resolved to make peace with the fact that being a “resigned” soap fan is the best I can hope for right now. Because no matter what, I am a “Zendall” fan – first, last…and always! So, my goal is to suck it up and support my couple as passionately as I can. (Yes, that means writing letters, making calls, and sending trinkets to the media and the show. And I'll be blogging about the fans who mock fans who are passionate in this way.)

Here’s to hoping for a better year for Zach & Kendall – and AMC! Cheers!

Unaborted fetuses of the world ... UNITE!

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:17:00 +0000

*SPOILER ALERT*

Josh Madden (Martin-Kane).

They wanted his abortion to make daytime history ... well it did. Reversing it decades later doesn't change that. In fact, undoing it also made history. Surely. And killing him off now certainly doesn't change it. So why do it?

Don't tell me you can't use him. How can a canvas that has room for newbie Reese's family, newbie Natalia's family, and newbie Taylor's family not have room for a Kane/Martin baby boy? It's absurd. Completely absurd. At best it is pandering to political correctness. At worst, it's just plain bad writing. Laziness in the shape of character assassination. Which, now that I think about it, has become the norm for the AMC regime.

It makes me sad, to be sure. But more than that it makes me angry. The show I have loved for decades has been hijacked. Heck, the whole genre seems to be in exile. Where are the sappy love stories? These days the "happy" couples suffer more than anybody else. (Well, except the audience.) Where is the adventure? Where are the laughs? The warm family moments? Seems like everything worth watching happens off camera while we are treated to gloom, doom and despair. (All we need now are the Hee Haw hobos. Oohhhh.)

Josh is a character with limitless possibilities. And Colin Egglesfield is an actor who can pull off any of them. Misunderstood hero with a heart of gold? Done it. Sneaky weasel with his own dastardly agenda? Done. Insecure guy finding his way in a new family situation? Yep, he's done that too. The character is smart, charming and well-educated but prone to stupid decisions. He has ties to the two major families in town, leaving him connected to nearly everybody on the canvas. So how can there be no place for him?

And, to add insult to injury, they write him off in the most bogus way possible. Grand theft artist as victim of the very man he stole from. Um ... what? Using his love for Kendall as a catalyst for his attack on Zach doesn't make this go down any easier either. It just makes it all the more confusing. If he loves Kendall that much, why would he want to hurt the man who loves her most in the world ... and the man she loves most. Oh yeah, that's right. Zach is to blame. For everything apparently. Even tornadoes.

See, I always said he was a god!

So long, Josh. We'll miss you. At least until your evil twin shows up. Hey, it's Greg Madden. Anything is possible, right?

All that matters...

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:26:00 +0000

MySpace Countdowns

The more things change ...

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:14:00 +0000

... the more they stay the same.

Is it me, or are the citizens of Pine Valley stuck on a hamster wheel?

David Hayward. He left because what was once a thriving, multi-faceted character had turned into a mustache-twirling cartoon bad guy. No facets. No layers. Just evil for evil's sake, which had become a total bore. It was a waste of a fine actor's talents. And then he was gone.

Fast forward. Now he's back. And I, along with many other fans, was so excited about his return. Great actor once again united with a potentially great role. New headwriter. Fresh start. Endless possibilities.

But what do we have? A man obsessed with the daughter he never really knew to the point he has turned Amanda into a whore and Krystal into an addict. Once again he's a mustache-twirling bad guy bent on getting revenge against a man (JR) who didn't do a damn thing to him. News flash, David. JR isn't responsible for the tornado. It's all Zach's fault, remember?

JR Chandler. How many years now have we been forced to watch him walk around, in and out of a bottle, pining over Babe? Putting aside the fact that Babe was certainly not worth all that devotion … it’s enough already. The heir to the Chandler fortune has been burdened with his mother’s heart. The ruthlessness of Adam colliding with the compassion of Dixie. Fearlessness battling with an inner desire to be a decent guy. That makes the potential of this character also endless. The warring factions within him make him compelling. But do we get to see any of that played out? No. Just more of the same.

He’s drunk and mean. He’s sober and sorry. He’s obsessed with pleasing daddy (or destroying him, depending on the day) and he’s obsessed with his dead wife. But for me, the big question is why? Seems to me like he and Babe had far more bad days than good ones. And let’s not forget about the day he loved her so much he tried to kill her. Theirs was no great love story. It’s just another example of how soap writers don’t know how to tell a good love story anymore.

Unless a couple comes along that can create their own romance …

Enter Zach Slater. In one corner is the wife who has his heart. In the other corner, a pair of fluttering eyelashes that have his attention. A different damsel in distress; a new sob story; a fresh batch of tears ... but the same old trap. He's been there so often, you'd think he would recognize the signs by now.

Zach is one of the few characters who have a chance to realize a large part of his potential. He gets to be dark and ominous, but also loving and generous. He can be the villain and the hero in the same storyline. But that is due more to the portrayer’s skill than the ability of the writers to script something worthy of him. Instead he is forced to replay the same scenes over and over, like something out of “Groundhog Day.” How refreshing it would be to see this intelligent, resourceful man learn from the mistakes of the past instead of repeating them with alarming ease.

Bianca Montgomery. A wolf in sheep's clothing. Big brown eyes and a cold, selfish heart. Clueless and self-serving, taking what she wants now with no worry about what it will cost tomorrow. She has always been a supporter of Kendall only as long as it didn't interfere with her own wants or needs (or those of anybody she deemed more important).

They try to pass her off as some wise old soul who has nothing but love in her heart for the masses, but that's not who she is. She's the kind of woman who would show up on her sister's doorstep with no warning with a baby on board that just happens to have been fathered by her big-hearted, generous (and apparently stupid) brother-in-law. Nobody gets a heads up phone call. No respect for the fact that Zach and Kendall were trying to enjoy some much-deserved and long-awaited private time. So what? Bianca needed to get it off her chest so she could feel better. The rest of the world, including Kendall and Zach, be damned.

Then she moved into Kendall's house and started playing house with the new love of her life, which gave her a front row seat to Zach's suffering at the loss of his wife. So what did she do when the sister she betrayed woke up? She rushed in and dropped a baby bomb on her. Maybe she was just trying to get Kendall to flatline so she could save her. Who knows? Maybe she’s got Father Clarence on speed dial and she wanted to give him a little work.

All I know is I’m glad she and Reese are out of Kendall’s house. I only wish Zach had sent them packing before Kendall came home. But, that would have given him a chance to show growth as a character, and that is apparently forbidden. Why? Because the more things change … the more they stay the same.

Sorry, Charlie!

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:02:00 +0000

It’s clear that Charles Pratt’s definition of a “ground-breaking” lesbian love story and wedding and that of a large swath of the viewing audience could not be further apart if it had been scripted by the AMC writing staff.

The relationship between Bianca and Reese began with the difficult challenge of having the audience accept that the pair, particularly Bianca, had asked Bianca’s brother-in-law to not only father their child…but to keep that information from his wife.

And while Bianca’s loyalty to Kendall has always, in my mind, been a debatable topic, the sheer callousness of Miss Montgomery showing up in Pine Valley unannounced and pregnant wasn’t exactly engineered to endear her to long-time viewers.

So, Charles Pratt decides to up the ante by having Binks wax poetic about the “super cool” partner who was so wonderful, that a normally “cautious around strangers” Zach Slater agreed after a single meeting to father a child for the pair and keep the donation a secret from his wife.

WTF?

We like drama. Okay?!

We get it. But, this nonsensical, plot-driven crapfest was doomed before the first keystroke.

Enter SuperCoolReese. The secret-keeping, former fiancee of a MAN, the recent lesbian who proclaims her love for Bianca to her face, while proclaiming her “feelings” for Zach behind Bianca’s back. Each time she raged about anyone daring to question her commitment to Bianca it just made her that much more intolerable.

Sorry, Charlie.

You definitely created a couple to root for – it’s just that I’m rooting for Bianca’s farce of a marriage crumble before she even leaves the chapel. And I am rooting Kendall to kick her sister’s betraying ass back to Paris. I am also rooting for Bianca to feel the sting of betrayal and pain when she finds out that Reese has been panting after her brother-in-law since she hit town.

And as for SuperCoolReese…I know I’ll be grinning widely when Bianca takes those kids back to Paris, leaving Reese to deal with the aftermath – Pine Valley style. And I can hardly wait for Reese to realize that when the chips are down, Zach will always do what is necessary to keep Kendall.

Behind the Scenes at AMC

noreply@blogger.com (AllOfUsInTheZone) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:57:00 +0000

This is MUST SEE viewing:

Hilarious!

SoapMania: Destined to Fail?

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:52:00 +0000

I’ve been perusing some of the discussion around the net and, it seems, that some are questioning whether or not the recent notification that the SoapMania (SoapNation) tour cancellations are another indicator that daytime is in real trouble. Frankly, I think that sets up a false correlation between the two outcomes. The failure to launch SoapMania has little or nothing to do with the ailments of daytime. The stated rationale used to establish SM was flawed from the onset.

From the minute ABC began touting SM during last year’s SSW as the great new “thing” to replace, or rather, to expand the outreach of SSW, I cried foul. There were so many obvious holes in that logic; I cannot understand how or why the person who made the initial pitch wasn’t sent back to the drawing board to try again.

The first question TPTB should have asked was “who” their target consumers were. The answer would have been:

a) Those who were already attending the annual SSW events; and,

b) Those who would like to attend events such as SSW, but who were unable to because of the geographical distance and/or the cost.

The second and third questions should have been IF and how they could reconcile the two.

If TPTB had done that, it would have been pretty obvious that these were two competing goals that simply could not be reconciled; however, were ones that could be pursued independent of each other.

Let’s look at who the attendees of SSW were: families – a large number who used the events at Disney as their annual vacation destination. It became a win/win proposition for all. The soap viewer in the family could pitch it as a vacation spot where everyone could have something they wanted fulfilled. With all of the theme parks, golf courses and sporting events, Orlando is an ideal spot to get folks to participate in shelling out their hard earned money to see their favorite soap stars. That pitch becomes a bit more difficult to justify to a spouse or significant other when you’re only heading over to a local hotel to spend $75 or more to sit and talk with your favorite star for an hour or two (no matter how much chicken they serve). SSW was FUN because people could bring their whole family and make a vacation of it, while stalking their favorite stars on the side.

SSW was also special because it only happened once a year. Let’s face it, it is much easier to plan a once a year, large event, where just about all the cast, crew, and staff are involved than it is to try and coordinate multiple events throughout the year where schedules are constantly being changed due to storyline changes and life’s unexpected mishaps. A once a year event gave the coordinators time to plan so that fan favorites included not just individual stars/characters, but also the “pairings” that are so popular in daytime. Not just the man/woman pairings, but the arch enemies or BFFs. Let’s face it; wouldn’t we all prefer an event that has both TK and AM? Well, SoapMania made those kinds of events less likely because of their shooting schedules.

SSW was more than just an opportunity to meet stars and receive autographs. The game and talk shows, parades, and host of other non-soap related events taking place over the course of an entire weekend made the cost of attendance well worth it. SoapMania tours would have been a poor substitute. And therein lies the problem…

There is no comparable substitute for the SSW experience. The cruises offer a, somewhat, similar experience, because there are a myriad of alternative recreational outlets, along with shows and entertainment, to enhance the meet and greet experience for attendees. However, because it is a cruise, the expense and the increased limitations on the number of people who can participate make it a less attractive option for many of the families who were SSW regulars.

I understand the network’s desire to reach out and expand their ability to reach the fans by having the stars of their shows participate in meet and greet opportunities in locations closer to them. However, the exchange of one type of event for the other was an uneven one. Sure, SM would have picked up some of those viewers who had neither time nor money to make the trip to Orlando for SSW. However, they were also going to lose a lot of those SSW attendees who were only able to participate because they could wrap it up as a “family” package deal.

AM Viewer: “Honey, we’re not going to Disney just so that I can stalk and ogle Thorsten Kaye. The kids really want to see The Mouse. And you’ve always said you wanted to golf where the pros have. Orlando has a TON of stunning courses.”

LeerySpouse: “I dunno. How much is this gonna cost? I don’t have a lot of vacation time.”

AMCViewer: “See, that’s the thing…it happens over the weekend so you would have to take too much time. And it usually fall around Veteran’s Day, so we can plan our family vacation around it. The kids will LOVE it!”

Win-win.

Bring it back. The interest in SSW was increasing, not waning. Fans of last year’s event even managed to coordinate an impressive activist protest over the weekend for fans to express their displeasure that the events were ending. It may be too late to coordinate an event for this year, but it is never too early to plan for a return of a better SSW in 2010. If anything, expanding the event to include a weekend on both coasts, at both Disney parks, would seem much more preferable than trying to make SoapMania work.

SoapMania was destined to fail. It’s time to bring back Super Soap Weekend. There just isn’t a substitute.

We're Still Fighting for Zendall!

noreply@blogger.com (AllOfUsInTheZone) — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Light at the end of the tunnel...

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Sun, 03 May 2009 12:11:00 +0000

May is supposed to be a good month for Zen fans.

I have to put that qualifier on that statement because Charles Pratt is still involved in the storytelling (much to my everlasting horror). Frankly, I have zero faith in his ability to tell a story with any depth. It seems he is only capable of swimming in the very shallow end of the pool.

But, I guess the lesson to be learned in all of this is that if I hold fast, perhaps, Pratt will join his predecessors soon. In the meantime, as far as my Zen is concerned, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Ouch!

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:10:00 +0000

So it’s not a big deal that “Guiding Light” is ending?

We’ve gotten used to soaps lasting so many years, the death of one takes on all this drama. But “Guiding Light” has been a poor performer for many many years.

Brian Frons, President, Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group

I honestly don't know what is scarier. Is it that the Wall Street Journal turned to Brian Frons, of all people, to ask about the demise of Guiding Light (a show he hasn't worked for in more than 25 years)? Of was it that cold-hearted response given by the man that oversees the show of my favorite soap couple?

Good grief!

Even as fans of AMC are trying to grapple with their worries over what the future holds for AMC with the revelation of the show's move to LA, what in the hell are they supposed to find reassuring about comments such as this?

While rumors are circulating that several longtime cast members were not very pleased about the move and aren't exactly inclined to relocate, many of us are trying to hold on to hope that our show is not going to be irrevocably changed for the worse. And it ain't exactly reassuring to read such a dispassionate response to the loss of another iconic soap from the man who just assured viewers of AMC that he has the show's long-term best interests at heart.

Many fans have expressed their concern that the powers that be, and Brian Frons, in particular, don't really give a shit about what fans really want to see on their favorite soaps. That concern is rooted in many of the decisions made by those in charge that seem to be counter to the expressed wishes of many long-time, passionate viewers. Loyalty seems to be a one-way street. Unfortunately, this craptastic interview by Mr. Frons seems to give credence for those concerns.

To read the rest of the interview, click here.

The truth hurts ... and heals.

noreply@blogger.com (ninekaronas) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:28:00 +0000

Kendall: There it is. Right there between us, keeping us apart.

Zach: What?

Kendall: Ryan. I need to know. Is my relationship with Ryan, my past relationship, the reason that you're pushing me away?

Zach: It really doesn't matter.

Kendall: Zach, it does matter. I'm in love with you. These past few months have been hell. We got divorced. We almost lost Ian. I got convicted of murder. But instead of driving us apart, everything just brought us closer together. And it showed us what an incredible team we still are. The way that you fought for me and for our family, it just made me fall in love with you all over again. But every time I reach out to you, there's this wall. I hit this wall. And I keep asking myself, "What is this thing that's in the way?" And now I know. You can't forgive me for what I did with Ryan.

Zach: You're right. I can't. We can jump into bed together and be on each other all night, pretend everything's ok, but it isn't. We got to be honest with each other. You betrayed me. You broke my trust, you broke my heart. I can't let it go.

Kendall: So you're walking around carrying all this resentment towards me?

Zach: The moment they pulled me out of that hole, it was never the same. We both know that.

Kendall: But, Zach, I don't want to give up. You, Zach -- you're the man that I belong with.

Zach: Today.

Kendall: All right, you know what, Zach? That's not fair. That's not fair. I mean, you're treating me like I'm some petty fickle idiot.

Zach: You gave yourself to another man not once, but twice. And now, every time I see Devane, I don't know what he's saying to me. All I can hear is my heart pounding in my head, "That's the man that slept with my wife."

Kendall: Ok, stop it, please.

Zach: And then Ryan. My house, our bed.

Kendall: It's over.

Zach: Not for me.

Kendall: You want to hold this against me for the rest of our lives, that's your choice, not mine.

Zach: It's not a choice. I don't forgive. Not anyone, not ever. Not even you.

I know this scene from last week got mixed reviews. Some people thought “it was so good.” But others felt it was “sad.” And I even heard a few fans lament that it “broke my heart.” While I can certainly understand all of those sentiments, put me down in the “good” column. No, make that “great!”

In fact, I watched that scene with a smile on my face. Not because I’m angry at Kendall and want to see her mistakes harvested again and again. And not because I want to see Zach bleed. So why was I smiling? Because it was finally out there … the truth.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

It’s not about who betrayed whom in their relationship. It can be argued that they have equal blame in that. But the truth is that there has been betrayal. And things have been broken that crazy glue can’t put back together. Some things “I’m sorry” just doesn’t fix.

For me, last Wednesday’s show was about sticking the landing. It’s about Zach finally telling Kendall how her actions made him feel, and her finally hearing it. The truth has been tossed back and forth between them, but neither of them ever really owned it. Or earned it. It was a weapon to hurt or an excuse for bad behavior. But now I feel like they finally understand each other. And love each other with an even deeper love. And the last scene, with each of them reaching for the other through a closed door, solidified that for me.

Because the ugly truth was unleashed, it no long has the power to destroy them. Now the healing can begin. In fact, it already has.

But …

What really is the truth? Is Zach’s struggle really with forgiveness, or with fear? I submit he has already forgiven Kendall. He’s risked too much for her in recent weeks to make me believe he hasn't. His problem is with the forgetting part of the equation. And with having the courage to open up his heart to that kind of hurt again.

That comes with healing. And healing takes time. But, thanks to the long-awaited arrival of the truth, that healing is on the way.

Well, Shit!

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:06:00 +0000

WEEKEND SUDS FLASHES

PLANNING TO LEAVE AMC: Thorsten Kaye (Zach), Alicia Minshew (Kendall), Ray MacDonald (Joe) and David Canary (Adam/Stuart)

Nelson Branco - The Soapgeist: August 17, 2009

I can't say that I'm surprised about Ray MacDonald. But, even a hint of the other three and heaven help us...

Not quite ready to curl up into a ball of misery, with a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates, Seal's Loneliest Star playing in the background, and a stack of Zen clips on DVD paying in heavy rotation.

But it's damn close...

Maternal Instincts

noreply@blogger.com (Rella) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:50:00 +0000

Damn, Liza!

For a moment there, I thought those maternal instincts would kick in and that you'd haul ass back to your place to ingratiate yourself to Colby with your stolen baby.

"No, I just realized that...um...I'm doing it again. Here...here I have this beautiful,baby boy, at home. My second chance. And I'm here having dinner with you. No wonder people think I can't be a good mother."

Silly me.

Apparently Liza didn't fake a pregnancy and steal a baby to get close to Colby, she fake a pregnancy and stole a baby to give to Colby. Liza is much too busy, with her Legal and Chinese food business, to raise a new child. She's been working overtime to try and get both Slaters off. Kendall, with her legal maneuvering. And Zach, with her Mu Shu.

What is the next step for the Hubbards?


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