That said, this story is fascinating. Sure, it was silly of Julia and Jack to get married without him having regained his memory, but the fallout is brilliant. Carly is never better when she's fighting for something. And watching Jack and Carly fall back in love again will be worth the wait.
What makes this story work is that all the characters are sympathetic. Yes, even Julia. Jack is apparently the first man she's known who isn't an abusive loser. And after Lisa filled her in on Carly's shady past, you can't blame her for not wanting to turn Jack back over to Carly. Even the secondary characters are playing an important role. Mike, J.J., Parker and Jack's old friends add to the drama. And I can't wait for Jack to meet Craig. Who knows, in this version of his life, perhaps the two will be friends?
I'm usually not a fan of trite amnesia storylines. But this one is a winner. Watching Jack rediscover his old life and reconcile it with his new one is messy, complicated and exactly the boost our favorite Milltown couple needed.
In other observations:
--From the looks of things, Aaron Snyder better have hospital insurance. His boxing opponent, Rafael, is twice his size, quick on the bag and has arms like telephone poles. Perhaps by some miracle Aaron will actually win. I don't follow boxing, so I'm not sure that would be realistic, but we all know anything can happen on soaps. I admit I was dreading this storyline, but so far it's been a knockout. Holden, Ali, Lucy, Dusty and Aaron are wonderfully weaved into this tale. Dominic is an intriguing new character, and the story puts old opponents Dusty and Holden at odds once again. As for Rafael, I'm withholding judgment until I see a little more. Meanwhile, if Lucy really is chucking her education to hang out with Dusty, she would make a great ring girl.
--I applaud ATWT for portraying young people struggling in the working world. Too often on soaps, young characters unrealistically land luxurious high-paying jobs in the corporate world, with little or no education or experience. Having Aaron work as a bartender, Ali as a waitress and Will as a farmhand shows the not-so-glamorous side of the working world.
--You've probably all heard by now that Katie will return at the end of November. That should be just enough time for Mike and Jen to have become an item. Katie's return will definitely shake things up in Oakdale. I can't wait to see her reconnect with Henry, Holden, Chris and Mike.
--I know I was probably supposed to feel sorry for Chris this week with his sad eyes and hanging head, but I didn't. He screwed up. He needs to own it and move on. Besides, some of the best characters in daytime are the flawed ones. And even though he's one of the perfect Hughes clan, this bump could give Chris the layers he needs to become an anti-hero. He's already got the new facial hair to go with a new attitude. Even with all that facial hair, Chris is still smoking.
--Did I miss a scene between Aaron and Holden where they discussed their relationship? Aaron is calling him "Dad" now. As I recall, he previously called him Holden and referred to Caleb as his "Dad." I'm enjoy Aaron and Holden's newfound closeness, but it feels like they missed a step somewhere.
--I hope Paul's nightmare of Will poisoning Rosanna was not foreshadowing. I love the new Will. Actor Jesse Soffer is wonderful playing the tortured teen. He could be a real asset to the much-needed teen scene in Oakdale.
--How long before we get to see Craig speaking Spanish again to his old pal Rafael? I could just see the wheels turning in Craig's head as he sized up the lusty Latino as a potential roadblock in the Dusty/Lucy romance. Oh, and Craig's new buzz cut is just caliente!
--Having Lisa spill Carly's secrets to Julia was a nice touch. Lisa's gossip gear kicked into overdrive as she recalled Carly's sordid past. It made perfect sense that Lisa would be the one to fill in Julia. It's too bad though that Eileen Fulton was out and couldn't do the scenes. Her replacement was great, but we've grown accustomed to Fulton's Lisa entertaining us by sticking her nose into everyone's business.
--This show has a way of creating characters that grow on me. It happened with new Mike, new Paul, Lucy and Aaron. When these folks first came to town, I wasn't their biggest fan. Now, I'm enthralled and impressed with the actors and their characters. I don't know if it's the writing that's improved or the performances, but I no longer reach for the fast forward when they hit the screen.
--Why didn't Paul just give Will his backpack when he interrupted the make-out session with Rosanna? If the backpack was in the kitchen, all Paul had to do was get it and make an awkward moment a little less awkward.
--I don't understand why John Dixon isn't being utilized in the Dusty story. It's a shame. Dusty is the perfect opportunity for John to get some screen time, and it's being wasted.
--Rick and Barbara are frightening me. Has Barbara really lost it this time or is it all a ruse to recruit Rick into helping her escape the mental ward? I fear the day these two return to terrorize Oakdale. It won't be pretty Scoopers.
Reader Spotlight:
From Two Scoops reader Darlette:
"I may be the only one, but I don't like Julia Larabee. This Julia is so clingy, I hope Jack realizes soon that he should be with Carly and he should also be getting some help from Dr. Daniels!!!"
From Two Scoops reader Robin:
"I can't believe that they let Benjamin Hendrickson go. Randolph Mantooth does a good job. But, it isn't the same. I would like to see more of Henry and less of Nikki Munson. I wish they had kept Real Andrews. He is a good actor. I can't wait until Katie comes back. I have missed her."
That's all for now. See ya next time Scooopers!
Jennifer Biller
