Does it bother anyone else when backburnered characters suddenly get a story when they're on their way out the door? I am, of course, referring to David Hayward, who may have been on screen more this week than he has been in the past six months. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see him, but it means a little less knowing that Vincent Irizarry will be gone soon. I'm still really nervous about how that exit will happen, especially with David all wrapped up in another Tad/Dixie-centered storyline. It's going to be way too easy to make him the fall guy.
I was thinking about how I want to see David leave - of course, I'd prefer that he stayed, but that probably won't happen. If I had my way, I think I'd want David to fake his own death. He could be involved in some sort of accident, wherein he's very badly injured. Everyone, including the audience, would think he died. We'd get a funeral -Anna and Greenlee would have to come back for it, of course - and a tribute fitting the character we love (or love to hate). As the service closed, we'd cut to a shot of David at his cabin, his bags packed, sitting at his laptop, reading his email. We'd get to see the message on-screen, from a private investigator - Dr. Hayward, please find attached the photos you requested. After so many years, I think we've found him. Look forward to meeting you in Paris tomorrow. David clicks on the attachment and up pops a picture of Leo. David smiles, closes the laptop, and leaves to track down his brother. A gal can dream, can't she?
But in the real Pine Valley, David is pushing Dixie to go after Annie's daughter Emma, who he says is actually Kate. I don't know about any of you, but Dixie scared the you-know-what out of me when she accosted Annie, Emma and Ryan at BJ's. Then, at the Miranda Center, she kind of creeped me out when she was sitting there talking with her would-be daughter. I understand that Dixie's desperate, and I don't begrudge her the chance to find her daughter. But she's got to be smart about it. You don't see Tad stalking the poor girl, though he did ask Ryan for his help in finding out the real truth about Annie's daughter.
Ryan, for his part, has been very supportive of Annie, and says he believes that Emma is her biological daughter. Even though most of us assume Emma and Kate are one in the same, I'm starting to have my doubts. Maybe I've just been sitting with the assumption too long and I'm looking for twists that aren't there. But when David suggested that he'd help Dixie kidnap Emma and run away, it seemed a little too suspicious. If he has the DNA results, why would that be necessary? Plus, David's conversation with Krystal about him being the one to give Dixie her child back got me to thinking. Whatever the truth turns out to be, I just hope that David won't fall victim to Edmund Grey Syndrome, and be completely butchered before he leaves the Valley.
Enough is Enough
Now we go from a character I want to keep, to one I would die to get rid of - the always annoying Colby Chandler. This week, she took a pregnancy test and was relieved to find out she was without child, but Adam and JR demanded to know who the potential father was anyway. Sensing an opportunity to stick it to Babe, Colby accused Josh of seducing her and he was charged with statutory rape. Colby told Babe the only to get her to 'fess up and get Madden off the hook was to confess to the affair.
I'm all for sticking it to Babe, but having Colby do it is a little infuriating. If the youngest Chandler sibling was doing all of this out of actual love for her brother, as she claims, I might feel differently. But this all comes off as a whiny little brat trying to eliminate the competition. Babe was infuriating as usual, especially on Friday, when she got all high and mighty on JR about going after Josh. The woman's got some brass ones, I'll give her that. To ask JR not to ruin their marriage by being "Evil JR", all the while knowing that she stomped on their vows by sleeping with the guy JR hates, is sickening. Thankfully, by the end of the week, Babe looked ready to confess. Please let this end!
On to a happier subject - the scenes between Di, Aidan and Erin. As a fan of the Di/Aidan pairing, I was a little nervous about Erin's longing looks whenever the two were around. And when she interrupted their date at ConFusion this week, I was ready for an "uh-oh" moment. Fortunately, it seems that all Erin was interested in doing was burying the hatchet and apologizing again for the way she screwed up their brief relationship. Now all they have to do is find a storyline for Di and Aidan and pump up their screen time, and I'll be a happy camper.
Kanes to the Left of Me, Kanes to Right of Me
Another happy moment for me was the return of Bianca, who interrupted her sister and newfound brother during a fight on the Fusion rooftop. Kendall and Josh were arguing about Babe, of course. Kendall was threatening to tell JR everything (she overheard Babe and Josh discussing their affair on the Fusion rooftop) and Josh was demanding that she keep her mouth shut (he wanted Babe to confess only if it meant she wanted t be with, not Junior). Bianca, as always, played peacemaker, and got Kendall to relent. An impressed Josh then asked for Bianca's help in breaking up JR and Babe's marriage. Binks refused, but I'm still worried about the possibility of her playing matchmaker with these two.
Binks was just a little too laid back about the fact that her brother was hot for the woman who stole Miranda not so long ago. She did make it clear that she and Babe weren't going to be best buds, but it still concerns me that she wasn't more adamant about Josh backing (someplace other than the Valley Inn, since they've been banned) with Babe on his arm? Does Bianca really want that? I certainly hope not.
That said, I did like the Kane sibling dynamic. I know some people may have been angry at Josh, who was mouthing off left and right about Kendall's supposed vengeance and constant put-downs to the sisters for trying to make him part of the family. Yes, he was out of line. He commented on things he knows nothing about and he pushed away two people who want to love him, only softening when he thought Bianca could help him get what he wants. But you know who he reminded me of? Kendall. The original version - bitter, angry, and often cruel, who wanted a family but still pushed them away. I'm not giving up on Josh yet. I like him and I think he'll make a good Kane, given time. Something good has to come out of this stolen fetus fiasco, doesn't it?
And Last, But Certainly Not Least...
I saved the best (at least in my humble opinion) for last - Zach and Kendall. This week, they were still apart facing an uncertain future. Kendall got a little jealous seeing Ryan with Annie, and Zach brooded over the papers he never wanted to sign, ones that would end his marriage. He was even haunted by his father, Alex Sr., in some excellent scenes. I so wish that we could learn more about this, and see Zach deal with his family demons (you know, in a mature way, not by joining a fight club or something).
But we did get to see Myrtle again - Zach even proposed to her! Well, she's the only other woman I'd want to see Zach with, that's for sure. Myrt tried her best to play matchmaker, as did Bianca, who tried to remind Kendall of how much Zach loves her. Plus, we were treated to a series of flashbacks, going back to the first time the two met in Las Vegas (you know you're a fan when you hear two lines of dialogue - no visuals - and think 'That's from the hotel room scene in June 2004!').
The bad news is that at the end of Friday's show, a messenger delivered signed divorce papers to Mrs. Hart-Slater. The good news is... well, to protect the spoiler-free, all I'll say is the latest cover of Soap Opera Weekly gives me a whole lot of hope for the future of this pairing. At last, indeed.
That's all for me! Have a great week!
-- Kristine
