Thumbs/ Second Opinion
Best Of Show Or Worse For Wear? Digest Decides.
thumbs up! BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Quinn’s Back In
We’re happy to see that B&B is crafting a muchneeded resurgence of Quinn, the Forrester matriarch who nearly imploded her marriage when she plotted to have bestie Shauna marry Ridge out from under Brooke’s grasp. After she and Eric reconciled, Quinn basically went AWOL — until now. Recently, we’ve gotten hints that Quinn might actually be turning over a new leaf. Given that she’s always been persona non grata among the Forresters, it makes sense that she’d seek connection with people outside the family, and her newfound involvement with Zoe and Carter has been a breath of fresh air. It’s been fun to see Quinn “coach” young schemer Zoe, and in her scenes with Lawrence Saint-victor (Carter), Rena Sofer got the chance to show her character’s softer side. What started out as her pep talk to him about Zoe ended up with her sharing her own vulnerability regarding the shaky status of her marriage; Eric hasn’t quite trusted her since learning of her Ridge/shauna shenanigans. We enjoyed seeing these two bond, and if this was a chemistry test, they passed. Quinn getting more involved with Carter has a lot of potential to shake up the canvas, and we hope the show explores the rich possibilities such a twist could bring.
thumbs down! GENERAL HOSPITAL Widow’s Bleak
Not every fan shed a tear when GH killed off Franco, the divisive character whose rap sheet includes despicable crimes against beloved players like Sam and Lulu — but
for those who enjoyed his love story with Liz and his evolution from psychopath to devoted husband, it was a crushing blow. The silver lining for those in the latter camp was the hope that his widow, Liz, would be the centerpiece of a major story as she mourned and sought justice for his murder. Unquestionably, the aftermath of Franco’s death should have been her story — but instead, she is getting its crumbs, while the focus goes to Jason (as the man falsely accused of firing the fatal shot) and Cameron (as his grieving stepson). The show has all but ignored the rich matter of what it is like for Liz to suddenly be bereft of her life partner, or shown her grappling with her monumental loss — and the absence of her emotional perspective is especially striking when compared to how much screen time has been devoted to Carly’s heartache in the wake of losing her spouse (a key difference being that Sonny isn’t really dead!). That Liz — one of the show’s most beloved heroines — feels like an afterthought in this tale not only does the character a grave disservice, but leaves her legion of fans in the lurch.
thumbs up! DAYS OF OUR LIVES Jan With A Plan
Bringing back Heather Lindell’s Jan has been a welcome shot in the arm for a slew of stories in Salem. Her most recent plot — secretly recovering from her coma and sneaking out of the hospital to kill Charlie and frame Belle — was not only a clever surprise (be honest — did anyone think it was her before the button comment?) but harkens back to GH’S “Who Killed Diana Taylor?” story in all the best ways posheather, sible. Like GH’S who only wanted Jeff back in 1981, Jan’s singular focus (since high school!) has been Shawn, and nothing will stop her from attempting to become Mrs. Brady again and again. Having someone on the canvas as outlandish as Jan offers Head Writer Ron Carlivati and Co. a host of storyline paths, and Lindell embraces her character’s crazy with gusto, holding her own in every scene she’s in. Here’s to the show keeping Lindell around as Jan finds new and torturous ways to upend Belle and Shawn’s happily ever after.