LANGFORD'S PICKS AND PANS
Hollyoaks
So... Brendan’s back. Can’t say I really missed him, especially with the way the character has been written these days. I know we’re supposed to feel sorry for Brendan, and that he suffers so, the writing is certainly slanted that way. But having watched the show since Brendan arrived some two years ago and seen all the horrible and horrific things he’s done, sympathy is the last thing he gets from me. I guess I still have those visions of Brendan murdering his grandmother still in my head (not to mention dismembering a body!). I keep asking myself how the show and fans of this character reconcile that murder, but it seems that they all simply pretend it never happened.
As for Cheryl’s anger towards Brendan, she has every reason to be. She did witness him cutting up a body after all. That’s not exactly something someone gets over. She may not be willing to turn him into the police because he is still her brother, but that doesn’t mean she has to be part of his life or want to have anything to do with him. I know he purportedly did it to protect Joel, but none of that would have happened if Brendan and Joel hadn’t kidnapped Mick and dangled him from that balcony or parapet or whatever it was in the first place. That caused Mick to fall and get seriously injured. My feeling is that there are no victims here, especially Brendan and Joel, only people who bring all their own miseries on themselves. And no matter how many times the show tries to tell me otherwise, reality keeps intruding.
Speaking of Joel, why is he shoplifting and scrambling around for a place to live? Doesn’t he own half a club with Brendan? Brendan never seems to be hurting for cash and Cheryl, who owns 2% of the club is able to take care of herself, so why is Joel acting and living like he doesn’t have a job? I must be missing something or maybe it’s just more of Hollyoaks dumb plotting.
Secret Lives
While this storyline has kind of bored me as of late, I actually enjoyed this week's scenes. There was a lot of nice drama and some forward development in the ongoing triangle between Lari, Elias and Eva. While Lari’s back and forth still annoys me and I hate how he shoves Elias around when other people come into the room as they are about to make out or what have you, I do think he truly cares about Elias and it’s obvious that his feelings for Elias are growing. I’m also starting to see some really nice chemistry between the boys. And frankly, Eva is such a downer, drip of a character, I can’t wait until the affair is out in the open and we can see where the boys can actually have a real relationship.
I really liked the confrontation scene between Tale and Elias where the affair was nearly exposed to the entire school and I loved the looks on the boys’ faces when they realized the microphone was on. It was a neat twist. However, I felt cheated that we didn’t see the immediate aftereffects of that plot point. After all, Elias had been outed in front of the entire school. It would have been interesting to see the following scenes with Lari and Eva after they learned the truth.
But, I’m not surprised that Eva doesn’t suspect that there’s something going on between Elias and Lari even though it’s obvious there’s major sexual tension between them. She’s the kind of girl who deludes herself and only sees what she wants to see. However, I’m kind of bothered that Tale knows what is going and doesn’t tell his sister (she is his sister, right?). Doesn’t say much for sibling loyalty in my opinion.
If I were her brother, I’d tell Lari to tell Eva the truth or I would. I really thought the final scene with Elias and Lari was very nice and showed that their bond is more than just a fling. Though for something they want to keep secret, they certainly are on the verge of going at it where and when someone can see them.
Hotel Cæsar
Poor Måne. I feel sorry for him. I totally understand why he couldn’t come out to his grandmother under those circumstances, right after she said all those homophobic things about Stellan. However, I found that scenario kind of contrived. First off, I think Juni’s behavior seemed out of character given she’s always been so understanding and sympathetic about other people in the past, not to mention she was not happy with Måne when he told her that Stellan was gay and said some less than kind things in order to cover up his sexuality. So I just didn’t buy the setup for that scene. Besides, these people work in the hotel industry and having done the same myself, I know there are plenty of gay men in that business so they’d be used to dealing with them on a daily basis. They acted like Stellan was the first gay man they’d ever seen and that is just hard for me to believe.
I think though when it finally does come out, Juni will be okay with Måne being gay and she’ll feel ashamed for her bigoted behavior, as she should be. As for Stellan, as much as I understand why he wants Måne to come out, I don’t like him pressuring Måne to do it. And I really don’t think it was fair of him to expect Måne to do it at what was essentially a business dinner. He should have let Måne wait to tell his grandmother alone, like he planned to do at first. Yet, I understand why Stellan broke up with Mane. He’s been promising to do this for awhile now and he keeps putting it off and putting it off. At some point, enough is enough.
I guess overall I understood and sympathized with everyone’s actions, even I didn’t agree with them and found some of the characterizations to be flawed. And I do want to see what happens next, which is a good thing.
Winners and Losers
Winners and Losers was its usual charming self last week, though I can’t help but have a few gripes. Rhys and Jonathan continue to be a fun and engaging couple. The scenes where they competed to find men for Jenny were a treat and I got a chuckle as Jonathan tried to talk his way out of admitting he’d been with a lot of men before he and Rhys got together. And I also liked how Jonathan later admitted that he got into the whole competition situation just to distract Rhys from being upset about how badly coming out to his parents went. That was very sweet and a nice moment between the two men. But this leads into my gripe.
Couldn’t we have seen Rhys coming out to his parents or at least have a tiny bit more time devoted to it? I just would have liked more insight into how it all played out. Furthermore, I wish we’d get to see more of the guys’ relationship developing on screen as well. For example, Rhys talked about moving into Frances’ place with Jonathan, which left me to wonder when did they decide to move in together? I thought Jonathan moving in was only temporary until he got his own place. I didn’t know that not only was he staying, Rhys was moving in too. Oh well…
And as much as I love Jonathan’s relationship with Frances, I just thought it was strange that he would quit his current position to take a job as Frances’ assistant at her new job. I mean, would he really be making the same salary at a larger and established legal firm than he would at the smaller one with Frances and Flynn? I know the show was simply returning things to the status quo and I shouldn’t nitpick about such things, but I couldn’t help wondering about it.
I do love this show, but I’d love it more of their incredibly entertaining gay characters got a little more time in the sun. But I guess it’s unlikely as they are supporting players and are probably seen more than the rest of the supporting cast, but that doesn’t mean I can’t keep wishing and hoping.
Days of Our Lives
I won’t lie, I had to watch the Will/Sonny scenes on Days last week twice. No, it wasn’t because they were so entertaining I had to see them again. It’s that when I sat down to write the critique of the show, I couldn’t remember what had actually happened. And that’s not a good thing. But then, neither is Days. The show is pretty boring these days, so much so that I’m starting to think the previous writing team’s material was better. I didn’t love what they were doing, especially with the endless flirtation scenes between Will and EJ that went nowhere, but at least I never wanted to turn off the television.
I thought the scenes between Sonny and John were terribly awkward. These are two characters who have never really had anything to do with each other and for them to suddenly share scenes and add to that whole discussion about the speaker series or whatever Sonny was on about was totally random and jarring. Of course, it’s all a set up for Kristen DiMera’s return to the show, but there had to be another way to do it. It just seemed designed, in part, to give Sonny something to do in lieu of an actual storyline.
Then we had the later scenes between Will and Sonny that were supposed to be sexually suggestive. And well, they just didn’t read that way to me. Don’t get me wrong, the scenes were written that way and the dialogue was certainly leading, but the acting didn’t quite reach the level of steam and heat that it should have. I don’t know if the actors were told to play it straight as it were because Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey are certainly talented enough to handle spicier material, but the lines were too blandly read, almost by rote to have any passion or desire behind them.
And I tell you, I don’t much care for Gabi and Nick as a couple. I don’t think they have much chemistry and they seem kind of forced to me, that they are together because the writers have a clumsy story to tell, come hell or high water, chemistry be damned. I’m slightly interested in Nick’s issues about Will and Sonny or rather Will being gay cause I want to know where it comes from. But, and I’ll say this again, I think the endless public PDA between Will and Sonny is a bit much. I know it’s to elicit reaction from the show’s other characters, but it seems sometimes unrealistic and out of place, IMO.
EastEnders
EastEnders was terrific for the most part, with a reminder of how good this show can be when it wants to, but there were some major flaws and well as some character behavior that seemed rather puzzling to me. First off, I loved the stag party. It was a lot of fun and there were some really nice moments, especially between Christian and Zainab where she apologized to Christian for how badly she treated him and genuinely welcomed him into the family. References to Syed’s last wedding was a reminder of just how far all of these characters have come and we’ve watched them grow and develop and mature. It was some strong writing, well acted by Nina Wadia and John Partridge.
Danny showing up at the party to stir things up with Syed made for some juicy soapy drama and the scenes between Danny and Syed where he tried to convince Syed to leave Christian and take up with him were electric. Gary Pennant and Marc Eliot have serious chemistry and those moments were red hot.
But it also shows how badly the show has bungled this storyline. For example, Danny was talking about he and Syed having a life together, but they barely know each other and have only had a kiss and some flirtatious moments since they met. Not exactly a reason to turn your life upside down, even if Danny is enigmatic and smoking hot.
Yet, Danny made some good points that I wish the show had of explored more. Christian is considerably older than Syed and he is ready to settle down and raise a family. Maybe Syed isn’t ready for that, maybe he wants to sow some wild oats or simply be with someone his own age. After all, Syed came out and got involved in a serious relationship instead of exploring other relationships with other men. Those are legitimate angles to look into in terms of long term story, instead of Danny bringing all those valid points up in a conversation.
As for the wedding day itself, I had some major problems here. First of all, why did the show end one episode with Syed saying he didn’t want to get married and instead of picking up on that beat in the next episode, they started with the next morning with Syed and Christian discussing their conversation last night. It was not only awkwardly written and acted, it took a lot of the drama out of it. And as I said last week, I don’t like how Christian is being written and I liked it even less here. When did Christina become such a spineless dupe? After finding out all about Syed’s lies, including ripping off his own family and kissing Danny, Christian still wanted to marry him? I don’t buy it.
Syed is a liar and a cheat. He’s not a good, decent or honest person and this behavior is not an aberration, it’s a pattern. He lies and cheats and betrays the people he loves and then when he gets caught, has the nerve to whine and complain about how everything is not his fault and attack his accusers on their flaws and foibles without truly addressing his.
And don’t get me started on how Syed was ready to abandon his daughter, whose mother has already abandoned her, just so he can avoid his sins, leaving the child with Christian. Then again, Christian has been the child’s primary caregiver so why not? It’s just baffling that Christian wouldn’t take a few steps back before marrying Syed.
Yes, Syed did the right thing in the end and I thought the actual wedding ceremony was very sweet, but Syed’s ugly behavior cast a pall over the entire event for me. I also wondered why Christian and Syed would actually be going on a honeymoon given that the Masood family was imploding and the business was being boarded up around their ears. Could they really go off and enjoy themselves, leaving all that pain and misery in their wake? I would think they’d cancel the honeymoon, it would be the right thing to do.
I did love the knock down drag out fight between Zainab and Masood over her latest betrayal. The scenes were so well written and the acting was wonderful. And I also thought it was so realistic how Roxy was barely able to hide her dislike for Syed and only did it to make Christian happy on his wedding day. Roxy has never liked Syed, with good reason, and in real life, sometimes you never like your friends partners or husbands or loved ones, but simply tolerate them.
Overall, it was an entertaining, if flawed week of EastEnders. But at least I was never bored.
SCOOPS AND SPOILERS
Things get ugly between Brendan and Eoghan…
Hollyoaks — Everyone is in mourning as they prepare for Lynsey’s funeral, including Brendan, Ste and Cheryl. Things get more complicated when Lynsey’s brother Eoghan arrives in town and it becomes quickly obvious that there’s a secret past between Eoghan and Brendan. Naturally Ste wants to know what it is. Eventually, Eoghan and Brendan have a confrontation and it’s revealed the two of them were lovers (of course). But it’s more than their sexual history that has the two men at odds.
At the funeral, Brendan is lost in his grief and Ste gives him a shoulder to cry on. But just as Brendan and Ste are growing closer, Doug returns to the village and Ste is torn between the two men his life again….
River City — Robbie and Will inch closer to their wedding day and it’s time for all the parents to get together to meet for the first time. Given Will’s troubled relationship with his father, Robbie is afraid that Edward won’t like him, but upon meeting, the evening goes smoothly and everyone gets along well. Robbie is delighted, hopeful it’s a good sign for his and Will’s future. But when Robbie and Edward are left alone, Edward lets Robbie know how he really feels about the upcoming marriage. And it’s not pretty.
Will Phil tell his gay son he’s a baby daddy?
EastEnders — Syed and Christian return from their honeymoon and quickly learn that Masood and Zainab have split and Zainab has left with Kamil. Later in the week, Syed, A.J. and Masood get together to celebrate Tamwar’s birthday, but Syed and Masood’s conflict ruins Tamwar’s big day. Despite their differences, however, Masood reaches out to Syed and invites him to a important dinner for the Muslim community and includes Christian in the invitation.
Elsewhere in town, Phil is delighted to learn that the charges against Ben have been dropped from murder to manslaughter. But he even gets more shocking news when he finds out that Ben is the father of Lola’s baby. The next question is, will Phil tell Ben he’s a gay daddy?
AND ALSO THIS WEEK…
Is Marcus and Maria’s ‘mistake’ kiss about to happen again?
Coronation Street — Maria arranges a double date between she, Jason, Marcus and Aiden. But Maria and Marcus can’t forget the kiss they shared…
Good Times, Bad Times — Lucas’ gossiping creates problems….
Days of Our Lives — Things get steamy between Will and Sonny…
Forbidden Love — Olli is glad to hear his sister Bella has decided to stay in town…
House Husbands — Kane and Tom’s home life is under scrutiny…
Neighbours - Chris tries to convince Sophie not to give up music…
NEWSBEAT
Ste and Doug are getting married, but will they survive the wedding day?
Soap weddings rarely go off with a hitch. Either there’s a shocking secret revealed, someone interrupts the wedding or there’s a tragedy of some sort and it’s no different on Hollyoaks for the nuptials of Ste Hay and Doug Carter. Despite all they’ve been through over the past year, most notably Ste’s lingering feelings for his ex-lover Brendan Brady, Ste and Doug plan to tie the knot, but the big question is if they’ll live long enough to go on a honeymoon.
Many of the village’s residents gather for Ste and Doug’s joint nuptials with couple Cindy Longford and Tony Hutchinson, who are getting married despite the fact that Cindy has been having an affair with another man. While the two couples celebrate their happy day, they are unaware that tragedy is about to strike. Several of the show’s teens are driving around in a bus with faulty brakes. As they pass by the wedding venue, Ste’s little girl Leah runs out in the middle of the road. The kids try to stop to avoid hitting Leah, but wind up careening off the road and right in the middle of the wedding celebration. To top it off, as the bus crashes, it explodes!
A careening bus creates havoc at Ste and Doug’s wedding…
As you would expect, there will be casualties and the show has said that two of the town’s residents will die as a result of the accident, but they are keeping the characters identities under wraps until the scenes actually air. Given Hollyoaks history for killing off major characters, it wouldn’t be a shock to see either Ste or Doug meet their maker, though we can tell you that Keiron Richardson, who plays Ste, was recently spotted filming on location in Dublin with Emmett Scanlan, who plays Brendan so that probably means he’s safe. As for Doug…
This columnist thinks that Doug will probably survive the accident as well, but this tragedy will probably be what splits Doug and Ste for good and sends Ste back to his turbulent and tortured relationship with Brendan, at least until Scanlan leaves the show, which the actor himself has hinted will happen in the near future. But that’s only a guess and it wouldn’t be a shock if Doug was bumped off.
I guess we’ll find out on November 12th when the scenes air.
Will Sonny be attending the wedding of his boyfriend and his baby mama in January?
Doug and Ste aren’t the only gay soap couple to be involved in a wedding. Days of our Lives duo Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis will also play a part in a marriage, but it’s not known who is getting married to whom. The upcoming plot twist was revealed by long time Days actress Susan Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Williams, who was interviewed by the Days Rainbow Connection Facebook Page. Hayes said that on January 14th of next year, her character will arrive late for a wedding, but she declined to say who is getting married.
"A big twist and a big turn coming up.” Hayes said. “One of the best soap opera moments this year. A terrifically exciting situation. A lot of upset and excitement. It's where gay and straight cross, gay and straight cross -- Cross and recross! You're gonna love it!"
The interviewer asked if Will and Gabi (who it’s believed will soon be revealed as being pregnant with Will’s baby) are going to be getting married.
Hayes said, "See what happens, you'll be delighted, I promise!"
Look for Irish drama 6Degrees, featuring gay lovers Justin and Conor to return for a second season soon…
And finally this week, remember 6Degrees? It was a BBC mini-series set in Ireland that focused on a group of college students, one of which was closeted football hunk Conor Martin, played by Cillian O’Sullivan. The show aired 6 episodes earlier this year and last week it was learned that the drama will be back for a second season, which is currently in production.
We don’t know when it’ll be back on air, but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out. When we last left Conor, he was slowly inching his way out of the closet and committing to a relationship with his boyfriend Justin as they chose to spend Christmas together in London with Justin’s family. We can’t wait find out what happens to Conor and Justin in the show’s new year.
And that’s a wrap for this edition of Langford on Soaps. See you next time!
