Things are changing in Llanview. New storylines are beginning, and relationships between characters are changing. I see a theme of dissonance forming on the show, both between One Life to Live and me (as a viewer) and between certain characters. Here are the examples I find most noteworthy. I admit I have not purchased "The Killing Club" yet. I've heard from other people it is a good book and has an engaging plot. I do plan to read this book (after I finish the one I am reading now), but I have to wonder if this murder mystery will work on the show. After all, it's only been a year since the conclusion of the mediocre Music Box Killer storyline. At the time, people wrote in and complained that they weren't invested in the storyline because they didn't know the victims (excluding Gabrielle). and the killer turned out to be a complete stranger. Will this storyline follow the same path to disaster? I hope not, but it's hard to be optimistic. Why do I say this? If you read my columns last summer, you know I wasn't a fan of the "Love Shack" storyline. We were forced to meet several new characters that basically filled air time and served no other purpose. Now, these characters have returned, and one of them is the first murder victim. Are all of these characters going to be killed off? If so, it is going to be a long spring. Don't get me wrong; I have no problem with OLTL having college aged characters. A good soap, in my opinion, taps into a wide range of ages. I do, however, have issues with this group of characters returning for the sake of a storyline that will go out with a wimper as their first one did. There are plenty of characters on the show that deserve good storylines, so I am reluctant to accept the return of the Love crew. Marcie and Michael are being given more scenes together, but they just can't get back together. While I am happy to see the return of the old Marcie, I am still not very invested in her and Michael's future. This couple was never given a chance to blossom, and I am not positive that can be repaired. This new plot could be the catalyst of their reunion, but I have to wonder if it's worth it. However, I will wait to see what happens before condemning the storyline. I could end up being pleasantly surprised. I hope I am.
The saga involving Todd and Blair keeps growing, as Todd, the Buchanans, and the Cramers all tried to find her. Asa shocked everyone by offering a million dollars for Blair's return, only to hide Blair when he did find her. While I am dismayed that Blair still isn't back, there have been some interesting developments as a result of this storyline. First of all, Kevin and Todd have formed some type of alliance. They are both trying to find Blair, and Kevin knows about Todd's secret regarding Margaret. Will this truce last, or will they pick up their feud once Blair returns home? We've seen enough of Kevin and Todd hating each other, so it would be interesting to see them get along, or at least tolerate each other for a while. I am interested to see where this goes, if anywhere. Even if it is temporary, it has been a nice change of pace to see these two characters put aside their differences to help find Blair and to help their families. On the flipside, we have Viki and Dorian. These two women have been through a lot over the years, and to call their relationship complex, would be a vast understatement. We have seen them fight, we have seen them merely tolerate each other, and we have seen them be friends. In times of crisis, Viki and Dorian have put aside their differences to work together. This time of crisis, however, is not one of them. Over the past few weeks, Dorian has become increasingly mean spirited regarding and to Todd. It is a well known fact that Dorian has never liked Todd, but she seems to have taken it to a whole new level recently. She knows that saying bad things about Todd upsets Viki, but that hasn't deterred her from conntuing to do it. After putting up with a lot, Viki finally called Dorian on it and told her that Dorian had changed and lost her nerve. While Dorian is not one to concede anything, it seemed as if Viki's words really affected her, if only for a brief moment. Dorian has been angry at Viki for months, ever since she lost her job at the hospital. However, even though Dorian is in her "dislike Viki" phase, she still considered Viki's accusations. In true Dorian form, she was back to plotting revenge shortly after, but it will be interesting to see if Viki's words affect her in the future. I am curious to see where Dorian and Viki's relationship heads next. Can they make amends after their latest fight, or will their feud be taken to a while new level? Todd and Kevin and Dorian and Viki's situations have changed as a result of Todd and Blair's storyline, and it will be interesting to see if these changes are temporary or permanent. No matter what else happens, bring Blair home now!
Speaking of feuds, R.J. and Antonio have ignited a new fight over Jamie. As a side note, if there is ever a child on a soap opera that isn't involved in a custody battle or that stays with his/her biological parents for his/her entire childhood, I will be shocked. Jamie has already been at the center of a custody dispute between Antonio and R.J., and now she has to go through another round. She is still young enough to not really know what is happening, but Jamie has really been through enough in her short life! Antonio and R.J. had previously managed to function under a custody agreement, with little discourse. However, now the fight resumes, as R.J. believes that Antonio abandoned Jamie to "go be a Santi," as R.J. puts it. Antonio believes he left Jamie behind to protect her. I recently visited some message boards, and some interesting discussion has been generated over this topic. I can understand both sides of the issue and could see either man being awarded custody. Antonio felt he couldn't protect Jamie from the danger that the Santis were known for producing, and R.J. felt Antonio shirked his parenting responsibilities. The question is, who should have custody of Jamie? Since it looks like R.J. isn't going to back down from his desire to be Jamie's legal guardian, there will more than likely be a custody hearing. Who do you think should have custody of Jamie?
Finally, the ultimate example of dissonance between One Life to Live is the fact that I have to watch Nora and Daniel and Bo and Paige week after week, as if they are the best couples ever. Nora and Daniel are boring, and Paige and Bo are annoying. While Matthew walking in on Nora and Daniel with the infamous whipped cream led to some cute scenes with Matthew and Nora, I fail to see Nora and Daniel's appeal as a couple I have heard from fans of Nora and Daniel in the past, but I have yet to hear from any fans ofBo and Paige. If you like Bo and Paige as a couple, please let me know! I always welcome opposing opinions! I still think Daniel and Paige should become a couple and leave Llanview together, but I know not everyone agrees with me. Speak up!
Have a pleasant week!
Until next time, Dawn
