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This week on Gays of Our Lives, Paul is at the center of an epidemic storyline on Days. But can the show make this tasteless storyline entertaining? Plus, Robert is accused of murder (again) on Emmerdale and Iolo and Tyler grow closer on People of the Valley. And Robbie has a one night stand that won’t go away on River City. All this – and more!
PICKS AND PANS
I loved Eva rolling her eyes at Sean’s melodramatic behavior in the church.
I do like Todd and Jason being supportive and close of each other. It’s nice to see. I’m not a fan of Jason’s crappy behavior of Eileen. I don’t care if he is grieving. She’s put up with his BS for decades. She’s right when she said she doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. I’m glad he saw sense.
The scenes between Jason and Eileen and Tony’s gravesite were quite moving and well acted. I’ve never thought much of Ryan Thomas as an actor, but he’s doing a good job in this storyline. I still think this whole thing is a set up for Pat trying to bilk Jason and winding up dead.
So I’m guessing because Todd and Billy are spending time together as Todd gets involved in the Lee storyline, either A) Todd tries to steal Billy from Sean, B) people assume that Todd is either after Billy or C) Todd and Billy start an affair? I hope none of these things happen, mostly because it would mean lot of screeching and whining from Sean, never a good thing. Personally, I’d prefer Todd steer clear of Billy and Sean and get himself a boyfriend.
Paul is sick… and so are the viewers.
What is the point of this storyline? Seriously, what is the point? I mean, the storyline ends this coming week and there will be no lasting repercussions for anyone. Don’t get me wrong, I thought for sure they’d kill off Paul during this story, but we know he survives and has story ahead under the new writers. So I’m grateful for that much.
But it’s all much ado about nothing with no real stakes. It’s pretty much a story in which literally nothing happens. The characters walk around in those silly hazmat suits as if there’s drama, but there really isn’t.
Those bonding scenes with Paul and John were nice enough, I guess (though Drake Hogestyn is as wooden as the day he showed in Salem as The Pawn) , but it just made me wish we’d of seen this relationship they were rhapsodizing about on screen.
And I still question the sensitivity to having a gay man be Patient Zero in a medical epidemic. It just seems tone deaf to what’s happened in the real world.
Ben has a really nice smile.
Lee always looks like he’s really confused. He’s pretty though.
I’m glad not everybody is treating Jay like the town pedo. I still don’t buy that most people, including those closest to him, would turn against him.
I’m not that thrilled with this somewhat lighthearted storyline for the Carters, but it’s nice change from the usual lies and secrets and violence they’re involved in.
Peggy has never been a favorite of mine, but she is a legend on this show so it’s great the show is giving her return such special attention. That said, bringing her back just to kill her off is a bit weird.
I think Phil’s women, all of whom he’s treated awfully, sitting round and feeling sorry for him is just… bleh.
Emmerdale (U.K.)
Everybody believing Robert had Gordon murdered based on literally no evidence is ridiculous and plot driven. Yes, Robert killed Katie and plotted to kill Chas, Paddy and Aaron himself, but that was for self-preservation and done mostly on the spur of the moment. Planning Gordon’s murder would be totally different. Gordon was in jail, a threat to no one. There is no reason for Robert to have Gordon killed. It’s a silly plot twist and creates faux drama for Robert and Aaron. And as much as I’m glad it didn’t drag on, the fact that it was wrapped up and resolved in an episode makes even more pointless.
Sorry Robert, Adam is still the best man for Aaron.
Given this latest nonsense, I wonder if Robert will ever get tired of Aaron’s endless drama and walk away. I agree with Robert when he says he tries and tries and it’s never good enough for Aaron. It’s the dynamic of their relationship now and I don’t like it. And frankly, Aaron so easily and quickly believing Robert had Gordon killed isn’t the sign of a trusting relationship.
I don’t know which is more gross: Cain committing another kidnapping or Charity being turned on by it.
I’m glad Crazy Emma is back, but I wish didn’t mean Finn’s life had to revolve around her. I really hope this cab storyline gets Finn more than just being a referee for Pete and Ross.
I liked the Adam/Aaron scenes. The show often forgets they are best friends. It was nice they remembered for a few minutes.
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In some casting news for Hollyoaks, it was announced last week that out actor, Andrew Hayden-Smith, will be joining the show as the new DS in town. He’ll be investigating the Patrick Blake case. Some may remember him from last year’s Cucumber-Banana series.
For the “Tom Pepper” fans out there, he’ll be seen on EastEnders next week, May 23 and 24. .. Based on what’s about to go down at Beale Manor, Tom will more than likely be called into action as Walford’s favorite paramedic, but still, I love a man in uniform…. If it were up to me, I’d like to see Tom at the Vic flirting with Johnny again when Bobby enters looking for help.
EastEnders: The bit with Mick & Linda was funny but was part of the larger plot point of getting Belinda back to Albert Square. Belinda in Linda’s tacky dress was funny, too.
Emmerdale: I suspect that we’re in for more “faux drama for Robert and Aaron” because the show doesn’t seem to know what to do with them now. Heaven forbid they should just be happy and enjoy one another’s company for a spell. The presence of Liv eliminates that possibility. As for Robert trying and trying to please Aaron, I recall that Jackson tried to make him happy, too (pre-train crash) to no avail – and Jackson hadn’t killed, plotted to kill or blackmailed anyone. Would love to see Robert move on and leave Aaron to stew in his misery.
People of the Valley: Last week definitely saw an acceleration of the Iolo/Tyler pairing, but I also wondered if Tyler was trying to hard because he felt guilty about Iolo’s attack. Spoilers suggest I’m wrong. I, too, wanted to enjoy the lead-up more because the two actors have a remarkable chemistry and the flirtation could be wildly entertaining. Since they are already roommates, though, I think the pacing is not too unrealistic since they spend a lot of time together. Oh….Chester is a bad boy, for sure, but I’d still pay money to run my fingers through his hair.
Sorry – not sure what happened to the end of my post there. Not sure how to edit it either.
Robert tied Aaron to a radiator, pointed a gun at him and threatened to shoot him. How on earth can Aaron EVER trust the guy again?
Robron was nothing more than a squalid dirty secret affair that erupted into violence murder & mayhem.
The ONLY reason the show has continued with it is because they got greedy about the social media attention the show was getting and the endless multi voting from the m/m shipping fandom that goes along with it.
Using the childhood rape by Aaron’s father as a means to re-unite Aaron with his abusive boyfriend was beyond being narratively sick.
The current narrative for Robert & Aaron is all over the place – because the show still wants to feed off the attention from the shippers, but is also aware that there is feedback & negativity surrounding the “fanfiction” direction this pairing has taken from a general audience.
There has NEVER been any character depth or definition brought to these characters – the show has been as vague as they can – but always left enough room for shippers to see what they want to see.
Its laughable that in almost all the show rhetoric and Cast interviews, they continually repeat the mantra the Robert makes Aaron happy.
??????
Did I blink and miss that scene – during this “love-story” Aaron has been an accessory to manslaughter, lied to his closest family, self-harmed, spent time in prison and threatened to pull the plug on Robert’s life-support <<<<<<<and THIS is what makes Aaron happy????
Robron is a seriously toxic relationship – and there's NO amount of dialogue between them can repair the storyline as its already been told (at least, not if you want to remain in the realms of integrity rather than fly off into gay fanfiction land)
Robert now has to be completely neutered as a character if the show wants to continue with this storyline.
How can they possibly tell a huge storyline about how Aaron has been affected for his entire life at the hands of an abuser father – and yet still peddle a relationship with an abusive boyfriend as a love-story and claim this makes him happy?
Re: Eastenders. The actress who plays Peggy apparently wanted to retire for good (she’s made a few pop-in appearances since she left the show) and she’s the one who requested the door be permanently closed on Peggy.
Also, Anthony, have you seen the RUMORS that “General Hospital” is gearing up to kill off Lucas?
I don’t get what’s going on with Aaron and Robert. Robert wants Aaron to trust him and for Aaron to do what Robert thinks is best, and Aaron is wary of Robert given his history of schemes and manipulations. I guess they could be a couple that wants to get back together because they had good times and it feels familiar but ultimately either cannot or do not want to put in the effort to fix what went wrong between them. In any case, I hope that they don’t go through an endless cycle of fights the way Ste and JP did on Hollyoaks.