Eli was a busy man last week. He advised Kelly to stop searching for Bennett Thompson (because HE is Bennett Thompson), he told Evangeline's mom that she couldn't fight Evangeline being removed from life support, and he managed to follow Rex to Boston with a bottle of mystery liquid that would make Rex pass out. Apparently Eli is the new catchall villain. The only problem is, we don't know why he is a villain. It seems like Eli will be inserted into every single story on the show, and I'm not sure why. I hope we find out Eli's backstory soon because otherwise, he might turn into a cartoonish villain, despite Matt Walton's good acting. Villains that lack clear motivation usually become hard to watch.
I am still disappointed that Eli is a bad guy because he and Blair were one of the best things about the show. Now, we have to watch Blair be duped and wait until she discovers the truth, and I'm sure she'll be the very last person in Llanview to know who Elis is. Hasn't she been through this enough times? As I said before, I hope Eli's story is compelling and worthwhile because it is leading to the destruction of what was once a good couple.
Meanwhile, Jessica and Natalie both found out that they are pregnant. Their individual reactions to the news were funny, but now, we are left with TWO unexpected pregnancies, and neither Jessica nor Natalie definitively knows the identity of their baby's father. Great! I guess twins really do share experiences, but this is taking that concept too far. I hope that Jessica doesn't end up having a baby with Ford and that Brody isn't the father of Natalie's baby. I am sure that the story won't end in such an uncomplicated way, but I can hope! In true soap opera fashion, there will be at least one big reveal for at least one pregnancy, if Natalie goes through with hers, and I am sure we will have to wait for months for it all to play out. It might be a very long nine months!
I am happy that Viki and Charlie went on vacation, not because I don't want to see them but because their vacation rescued them from the awful material they've been given this summer. I can understand that Viki and Charlie would want Dorian and David to reunite, but their scheme was immature, unfunny, and way beneath them. Dorian and David are both immature when it comes to each other, but Charlie and Viki shouldn't have stooped to their level to make their point!
I am glad that Destiny finally got David to go confront Dorian in person. Dorian and David aren't cut out for having arguments on "MyFace," and who knows what would have happened if it had continued! I hope Dorian doesn't toss David out and continue to deny that she loves him. We've seen that before, and it never works.
By the way, I really like David and Destiny's friendship. It is kind of weird for David to take advice from a teenage girl, but it works. I hope we get to see more scenes with the two of them. Someone needs to keep David in line, and I guess Destiny is the right person for the job!
I am glad that Langston didn't take Dorian's advice to try to get Markko back. She finally came to her senses when she realized he needed to go UCLA for himself, and it was mature of her to let him go. I don't think she actually wanted him back anyway, and it would have been selfish of her to convince him otherwise.
Markko got a nice send-off, even if it was the result of Starr trying to avoid talking to Cole about James. The montage was a nice touch, and I like that the three of them shared a nice moment before saying goodbye. I wonder if Markko will ever return to Llanview. Now that he and Langston are broken up, and I don't see them getting back together, it doesn't seem like Markko would have much of a purpose to return.
I don't think the Ford/Salinger families have a purpose either. Starr and James might have romantic potential, and Ford is showing interest in Langston, but I don't know if they need an entire family on the show. I don't like Nate or Inez so far, and I don't care that Inez is Ford and James' mother. It's clear that I am expected to care about all of these new characters, but so far, I don't see a reason why I should. It's especially hard to accept all of these new characters, when there are characters that we know that are rarely seen these days. I hope all of these characters have a connection to someone in Llanview or more of a purpose than I can see so far because right now, they aren't holding my interest.
Téa's story is holding my interest, however. I am still sure that she won't die, and even if she does, it won't be permanent. That being said, it was fun to see her fulfill her personal "bucket list" with Todd and Dani last week. Who knew that Téa always wanted to make a prank call or jump on a trampoline? After months of serious material and intense emotion, it was a nice change to see Téa let loose and spend time with those who matter most to her.
It was also nice to see Dani give Todd and Téa her blessing on their engagement. I am sure she still has reservations about Todd deep down, but now she seems concerned about Téa being happy and well more than anything. That's a lot of character growth, especially when she couldn't even be in the same room with Todd not that long ago. Todd should like Nate a lot more, since Nate is indirectly the reason that Dani even acknowledges Todd's existence after he went to rescue Nate from Bull!
Another story that is holding my interest is the situation surrounding Evangeline's declining health. I think it's a well-constructed story so far because I can understand each character's motivation. Lisa has been taking care of Evangeline for years and doesn't want to let her go. She feels that she has been there and should have the authority regarding Evangeline's treatment. Meanwhile, Layla is compelled to honor what she believes to be Evangeline's wishes, and Cristian is caught up in his own emotions and feelings about Evangeline.
This is a situation that many people go through when a loved one is on life support. It's hard to know what the right decision is, and I am sure people question themselves even if they think they know what a person would want. I can understand why both Layla and Lisa changed their minds about the right course of action by the end of the week. This story is full of intense emotion and anguish, and all three actors have been doing a terrific job with the material!
It will be interesting to see what happens now that Layla is unsure of what Evangeline wanted, and conversely, Lisa is ready to honor the living will. No matter what they ultimately decide, I am glad that Lisa has stopped accusing Layla of wanting to kill Evangeline and is calmer overall. I understood why she was so worked-up and hostile towards Layla, given the situation, but I would like to see them have a better relationship after all of this.
I know that people are upset that Nora, John, and Todd aren't a part of this story. I agree that their presence would make the story even more intense and emotional than it already is. Right now, it's like Cristian and Layla are in a vacuum, while no one in Llanview even knows what is happening. However, I think it's also realistic that people become consumed in their own lives. At the same time, Layla and Cristian have been consumed with the dilemma of what is the right thing to do for Evangeline. I can see why they haven't reached out to Evangeline's friends in Llanview. I hope that we get to see Nora, John, and Todd react to the news about Evangeline's worsened condition, though. I am sure that they would all want to know.
Finally, where exactly are Bo and Nora? They've been back from their honeymoon for weeks, and we've only gotten to see them individually a couple of times. I was afraid that Bo and Nora would disappear after their wedding, and sadly, I have been right so far. Bo and Nora don't need big events or drama to have a story. They are their own story, and we need to see them a lot more than we have. It's not right to reunite Bo and Nora after a decade apart just to have them become the invisible, happily married couple. They need a story!
Until next time,
Dawn
