Before we get into the Pine Valley scene, I just wanted to offer my best wishes to anyone affected by Hurricane Katrina. All of our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.
On a happier note, I have officially been offered a regular gig here at Two Scoops, and I have all of you to thank! I hope you know how much I appreciated your words of encouragement and support -- now on to all things AMC!
Same Old Babe
I hate to start off on a negative, but I'm really not looking forward to watching Babe's plot against JR unfold. I kept having flashbacks to just after the custody hearing, when Babe insisted that she was going to be a better person for her son. Well, what kind of a person would purposely break another person's heart for her own personal gain?
I'm not trying to make excuses for JR, but every horrible thing he has done stemmed from Babe's many betrayals -- sleeping with his brother, not telling him she was already married, lying to him about his son being dead. Babe seems motivated only by her desire to have her son all to herself. It doesn't seem like she's changed at all. With JR already lined up for some major pain -- the reveal that Di isn't Dixie after all -- the last thing he needs is to have that woman stomp on his heart again. Plus, does she have any clue how much she'll hurt Jamie by marrying his brother -- again?!
Speaking of Babe, I was taken aback when she shared a few scenes with Greenlee, but I liked how the writers compared the two situations. Babe and Ryan both did very hurtful things for what they thought were the right reasons. I think Ryan's betrayal was much worse, of course -- his "solution" was much more drastic and cruel. And we just got a preview of Greenlee's reaction to Ryan's return. Those scenes aren't going to be pretty, but I can't wait to see Rebecca Budig and Cameron Mathison play them out.
Looks like the Laverys are on the road to recovery. I must admit that I appreciated the scenes where Ryan talked Jonathan out of blowing up the three Lavery kids -- Ryan's much better when he's not constantly yelling at people. Louder does not necessarily mean better! But I thought it was a little odd that Ryan kept saying he was dead to a man who regularly sees ghosts! Johnny Boy obviously has mental problems -- let's not confuse the man with three sticks of dynamite at his fingertips!
The "B" Word
While surfing various message boards this week, I noticed that a lot of you were a little ticked off with Zach for using the "B" word this week. I know I yelled at the TV when he whispered that less-than-sweet nothing in Kendall's ear.
Don't get me wrong, I completely understand why he would be mad at her, but resorting to name-calling wasn't necessary. It especially hurt because of how genuinely concerned Kendall was when she thought Zach may have been killed (gosh, I wish Simone would have shut up during that scene!). Plus, as I've mentioned before, Zach's behavior seems a little hypocritical.
That hypocrisy came shining through in Friday's episode, when Zach not only lied to Kendall about his role in Ryan's "death," but also criticized her for "obsessing" over a past love. Exactly why do you think Zach is going out of his way to help Julia Santos? Maybe because he feels horribly guilty over what he did to Julia's big sis, Maria?
I always look forward to Zach and Kendall's scenes together, and I knew it wouldn't be smooth sailing for them as a couple, but Zach's behavior this week really annoyed me. That big scene at B.J.'s will definitely come back to bite him when Ryan shows up very much alive. But the pain on Zach's face when Kendall stormed off was real -- he hated having to lie to Kendall, and hates Ryan for "forcing" him to do it. There's hope for Zendall yet!
A Little Carnie Wisdom
Myrtle's appearances this week were a sight for sore eyes. While her scenes with Jamie were great, once again her scenes with Zach stole the show. Ever since these two first crossed paths, I have loved their relationship. Myrtle brings Zach's humanity to light in a way that only two other people -- Bianca and Miranda -- have ever done. I also liked that she hinted that Zach and Kendall's marriage might not be the colossal mistake everyone else seems to think it is. Bring on the carnival stories and clever quips; I want more Myrtle!
We also finally got a scene between Adam and Brooke, but it was way too short. I guess it's good to know that the writers haven't completely forgotten about that couple's potential, but giving us such a small dose almost hurts more than not seeing them at all! According to most of the previews I've read, Brooke will remain on the backburner through the fall. They seem to be delaying a Brooke storyline over and over -- I just hope they don't chase Julia Barr off the show in the process.
Last but not least, Julia survived the gunplay at Wildwind and has now taken refuge at Tad's house. I really want to care more about Julia's storyline, but at this point, I'm having a hard time getting into it. I'm glad that she has finally reconnected with someone from her family who I care about, Sam. I also loved Tad's comment about Sam's reaction to his aunt's return: "Well that's progress. You just called a Santos family." It's about time that Sam realized DNA doesn't make a family; love does.
Well, that's it for this week. Write me and let me know what you think about AMC these days -- I want to try to include your comments in future columns. My favorite comment this week came from a reader, who summed up the Lavery story in one simple question: "Is it just me, or are the Laverys really stupid?" Short, sweet, and right on the money!
Have a great week,
-- Kristine
