ATWT Bores, B&S Improves

Luke was back on As The World Turns today, but overall it was a pretty dull episode. Luke sought out Brian's ex-wife to find out why they'd divorced and she told him it was none of his business, even after Luke explained about Lucinda and strongly hinted at his own interactions with Brian. She later called Brian to tell him all about Luke's questions.

Meanwhile, Lucinda made it clear to her new husband that she expects them to have a full sex life and he put her off by promising that they will as soon as she's up for it health wise. Lucinda seems to be starting to suspect that something isn't quite right.

After failing to get answers from the former Mrs. Wheatley, Luke went to see Noah at Java, since Noah is apparently the only one he can talk to about this, no matter how little support Noah shows him. Brian barged in in the middle of their conversation and pulled the whole "Who they hell do you think you are!" outraged trip on Luke, denied being gay once again, and told Luke to think about whose life exactly he might be ruining the next time he 'outs' him to somebody.

Luke later told Noah that Brian is probably the reason his Grandmother is recovering so well from her cancer recurrence and he doesn't want to hurt her, but that he just can't let her live a lie.

On a positive note, Luke was sober for the entire episode.

I'm starting to think that this whole thing with Brian is going to turn out to be little more than another excuse to keep Luke & Noah from being together. Since it started, Noah has barely been on and has not been written as a very good boyfriend when he is on.

Of course, it could be worse. They could be as unwatchable as the rest of this show. As the World Turns has a very strong cast overall, probably one of the strongest on daytime, and they're wasted on some of the worst writing in a medium that specializes in bad writing these days.

When a soap is well written- as One Life to Live has been for the past year or so, for instance- it can be pure magic. There's nothing else like it on television. But because the networks and producers seem to insist on recycling the same tired Head Writers from soap to soap long after their pool of ideas has dried up, getting good soap on the air is very rare indeed.

Primetime TV has never been better than it is now at hiring writers who can work magic with continuing stories, which were once mostly the domain of the soaps. I wish daytime would wake up and find some fresh writing talent with new ideas before it's too late, but quite honestly I wouldn't bet on that happening.

Speaking of improved writing, I've been pretty hard on Brothers & Sisters this season and it has deserved it. Last night's episode, though, was fantastic. Suddenly, so much of that magic that was present in the first two seasons was there onscreen again. It was funny, there was some very good character driven drama, Scotty & Kevin had some excellent scenes that really established them as a married couple, and it set up the story for future episodes. Best of all, Rob Lowe's character was barely in the episode!

I'm hoping that when the show returns in January this episode will prove to be a turning point, rather than a fluke.

Below, borrowed from Superherofan, is a picture of my favorite moment in the episode, when Kevin & Scotty comforted each other in Kevin's hospital bed. This is a strong, loving gay couple that is every bit an equal part of a larger family unit. It's very impressive.