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One Life To Live Is A Mess
I am officially depressed.
And extremely agitated and upset.
Things have to be pretty dire because I’m writing my second rant blog in the same week about One Life To Live - my fave soap!
The show has gone downhill even further since the beginning of the week (which I didn’t think was possible) and it was so bad after Wednesday’s show that I don’t feel like watching.
And that is serious!
Click here to read my earlier rant.
Here’s my big thing….I watch soaps as an E-S-C-A-P-E from reality.
I like soapy, fun-type drama. That’s why I watch soaps….
I do not, however, tune in to watch violence, torture, pain and suffering and get depressed afterward.
And that’s what’s happening.
Wednesday’s episode was so dark and so depressing that I couldn’t wait until it ended.
Let’s recap.
First you have poor Natalie (Melissa Archer) being held captive in Llanfair’s basement by her sister’s demented alter personality, Tess (Bree Williamson).
The two actresses are really hitting it out of the ball park with their scenes. Absolutely.
That’s probably why I’m so distressed by it all.
Their scenes are so believable that it’s all too scary for me.
Williamson is doing such a great job of playing the malevolent, Tess, that it’s so uncomfortable to watch Natalie come to the horrific realization that there’s no way out.
First of all, this storyline is a rewrite from eons ago when one of Viki’s alters held Dorian captive in the basement.
Just when I thought we were done with all those regurgitated past storylines from the 40th anniversary episodes.
Enough already!
Then there was Tina (Andrea Evans) sniveling and sniffling to Viki’s picture in the living room because she is being blackmailed into silence about Tess holding Natalie captive.
The wonderfully, talented Andrea Evans and this is the only thing the writers can come up for her to do?
Then there’s Christian (David Fumero) being held on a ship by Carlo (Thom Christopher) - been there, done that too.
The last time Carlo held Christian captive on a ship, Carlo wiped away Christian’s memory and brainwashed him into killing Tico Santi.
Personally, I thought that was one of the worst and darkest storylines in OLTL history.
So on Thursday’s episode, that s/l went from bad to worse by throwing Christian into a Columbian prison.
Why is it that OLTL writers just love, love, love torturing the Vega family?
I just don’t get it.
Both Vega boys have had more than their share of pain and suffering.
Then there was Jared (John Brotherton) off in the aforementioned Columbian prison (talk about dark and depressing) trying to strike a deal with Langston’s long-lost Uncle Ray Montez (A. Martinez) and break him out to wreak havoc with Langston’s life, per orders of Clint.
I really like Langston and dread the heartache that she’s about to experience.
Those scenes in the Columbian prison gave me the creeps.
Once again, not something I’m looking for in my soap opera fare.
In between all of this dark drama, you have a few light scenes between Cole (Brandon Buddy) and Matthew (Eddie Alderson) talking about Matthew’s fears about getting beat up in high school. I do like the dynamic between these two young actors and it did offer some light moments in an otherwise dreary hour.
There also were some nice moments with Starr (Kristen Alderson) and Langston (Brittany Underwood).
But, honestly, how uplifting is a seven-month pregnant 16-year-old ready to go back to high school while pregnant?
I like the real friendship that shows through in scenes with Alderson and Underwood. Alderson has done a wonderful job with a tough s/l.
But it’s not exactly a feel-good, happy s/l.
For me, the highlight of Wednesday’s show was when Natalie (I just love how she is so spunky, even in distress) struck out verbally at Tess.
“You’re just an angry bitch with an axe to grind.”
She practically spat those words through the thick, soundproof glass.
Pretty gutsy, eh?
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