It's amazing what some rest and relaxation does for a body! Having just returned from a trip to Disney World in Florida (with over 100 students, so it wasn't exactly entirely restful), I was very thankful to have Soapnet to watch to catch up on the week's worth of OLTL. A lot of action and intrigue made its way to Llanview this week (which I will comment on in a moment); however, I'd really like to offer my thoughts this week about the recent Emmy nominations.
Before getting to those award nominations, though, I have a few random thoughts from this week:
1. I found it strangely ironic that Lindsay was trying to be the "voice of reason" when she spoke to R.J. about not pursuing sole custody of his granddaughter. It was strange to hear words come out of her mouth that were sound and that made great sense. It's refreshing to see the gradual change in Lindsay over the years from the vicious, vindictive woman she once was (I can still remember her shoving that needle in Nora all those years ago when she was taken prisoner by Colin) to the more calm and sane version of her that we see today. I really think that she has the potential to be a saving grace to R.J., who needs someone in his life who will tame him a little bit. Nora's comment about Lindsay's resemblance to Liz (R.J.'s former lover) was a great touch since there might be some truth to that comparison.
2. By far, my favorite character on OLTL has to be David Vickers! His dry sense of humor injects just the right amount of light-heartedness to balance out all of the misery that goes on around him. I loved as he tried to give money to an officer at the police station and said something along the lines of, "I'm not offering you a bribe. I'd just like to make a donation to your child's college fund." Or later when Dorian was rallying her family to find Blair even after she was presumed dead and everyone else wanted to mourn for her, David said, "Just humor her." I especially enjoyed his recent dinner "confession" about his childhood (all of which he made up) in an attempt to get Dorian to eat his prepared meal. He has great, little moments like that which set him apart from any other character on the show.
3. Amid the great location shots for Blair's great escape from the car, there were some other great moments related to this story. In particular, I liked a scene that just played out with Viki and Starr during which Starr wanted to run off and help her dad find Blair, but Viki was trying to show her that Jack needs his big sister and that making rash, impulsive decisions like her father does will only make situations worse. When Jack came running up to his sister and hugged her as he begged her not to leave him, viewers could see that Starr finally understood. She grows up faster each and every day.
Now, getting on to the Emmy nominations, here are my thoughts:
In the Lead Actress category, I am ecstatic for Kassie DePaiva to earn her first nomination for her role of Blair. This is totally long overdue, and I was beginning to think that she would remain overlooked forever, but I'm thrilled that the tapes she submitted warranted the nomination. I believe she should have received one a few years back for her work during the special live week, but I think she has the material this year to hopefully pull off a win. It's an especially tight category this year with what seems to be a record number of actresses nominated, but she is as strong of a contender as any other actress included in that esteemed group. Erika Slezak's work is always exceptional, and for her performance during last year's heart transplant storyline, she might also have the material to pull off another victory. Despite not having much to do the rest of the year, Slezak still is a powerhouse actress who deserves all the recognition she receives.
I wasn't surprised that nominations weren't given for the actors portraying Bo and Antonio. Despite heavy story for Antonio, the acting is just in a different league (not that it's poor, but it's just not the same caliber as other actors who were nominated). Bo's storyline this year also didn't provide enough meaty material to pull off a nomination.
How about those Supporting Actress nominations? Heather Tom fully deserves credit for her role as Kelly. She had the responsibility of being part of a huge crossover story this year, and she held up her end. That poor woman had more crying to do this year than some other actresses have done during their entire tenure on the show (has Jennifer Morris ever produced a single tear as Jen?). Furthermore, the way Tom has successfully transformed Kelly back to a more independent woman in such a short amount of time is a feat in itself! And who can ever deny that Illene Kristen as Roxy just delivers in every scene she's in? Why on earth don't the powers that be realize that she is a character full of potential and put her back on contract status? Now is the time to keep an actress who invigorates all of her scenes!
It's no surprise that the show didn't receive any nominations for Best Show or Best Writing. Although I can say there are vast improvements being made, the show was nearly unwatchable for most of 2004. My only other complaint is the lack of Tuc Watkins' name anywhere on the list. He is destined for Emmy gold one of these years. I hope his story this year affords him that opportunity to take his shot at a trophy in 2006.
I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts to the nominations (was there any name that doesn't belong on there, or is there anyone who you felt was really snubbed?). By the way, the nearly 75 responses came fast and furious to my last question posed regarding with which person baby "Ace" should remain. People were very fierce and determined in their answers, and they all had very strong and convincing arguments for their selections, but Babe seemed to be win out by a small margin over JR. Only a handful of people indicated Kevin and Kelly would make the best set of parents for the child. Thanks to everyone who responded and gave their thoughts.
Enjoy your week,
Ryan
