Chenoweth, O'Malley, and Colfer Do It Again

Ah, Glee night. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous this week. After all, how do you follow up one of the best episodes in TV history? Last week's Madonna episode was pure magic.

Luckily, they were off to a good start tonight with the return of Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes. I still get chills when I listen to the version of 'Maybe This Time' that Kirstin and Lea Michele performed during Chenoweth's first appearance on the show.

Her return visit was just as fantastic, musically speaking, and Cheno also got to demonstrate her excellent comedic timing once again. Still, I have to say that I really enjoyed that they didn't make the whole episode about April. This show should never revolve around the guest stars and I'm glad that the writers seem to get that. April's return was just one of tonight's plots and it didn't eclipse the other stories.

Kristin and Matthew Morrison performed two more duets, Springsteen's 'Fire' and, best of all, a mash up of Burt Bacharach's 'One Less Bell to Answer' and 'A House is Not a Home'. I can't tell you how much I loved the second duet! Those two just sounded so incredible together. I once again had chills.

Kristin, with the glee kids backing her, ended the show with 'Home' from The Wiz, another great performance. Her voice is just so very beautiful, I could listen to her sing all day long and never tire of it.

By the way, if you're a Kristin fan you should check out tomorrow's Live with Regis and Kelly. They're doing Broadway Week on the show and Chenoweth will be there tomorrow doing something from her new Broadway show, the revival of Promises, Promises! It's as close as I'm going to get to seeing her in the show, so I'm looking forward to it.

As I said, April's return was just one of tonight's plots on Glee. There was also a plot about Sue trying to make Mercedes lose weight to stay in the Cheerios, which culminated in Mercedes singing Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful', and there was the Kurt/Finn plot. I was especially looking forward to the latter story because Mike O'Malley was returning as Kurt's dad, Burt, and I've been blown away by every single scene he and Chris Colfer have done together so far.

I absolutely loved Kurt's rendition of 'A House is Not a Home', which he sang directly to Finn in front of the entire glee club. What a moment: sweet, sad, and heart wrenching. I've always wished that we'd seen Kurt sing 'I Honestly Love You' to Finn last fall in the episode entitled Ballad, but tonight more than made up for that.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want or expect a Kurt/Finn pairing at all. I do love the way they're writing this, though, with Finn uncomfortable with Kurt's feelings but not at all hateful towards Kurt about it. I think Kurt has to go through this sort of hopeless crush on an unobtainable straight boy before he can look for someone who is truly interested in him. We've all been there and it's more about us being ready for something than it is about the straight guy we think we love.

I really like Chris Colfer's voice a lot, his solo version of 'Defying Gravity' is my most played song Glee song to date and his rendition of 'A House is Not a Home' was beautiful. I love that Kurt is getting more solos at last!

The same goes for Mercedes. Of course, I'd still like to see Artie, Tina, Puck, Quinn, and Santana get more solo parts, too. One of the best things about this week was that Rachel didn't have any solos! I love Lea Michele, but Rachel and Finn get almost all the solos and it's time to spread the wealth a bit.

Anyway, tonight we found out that Kurt had set up his father with Finn's mother and the two had really hit it off. Kurt was of course envisioning himself and Finn sharing a room together (and was planning to decorate accordingly), but things took a somewhat different turn and Kurt was left hurt by seeing his father bond with Finn over sports.

Once again, O'Malley and Colfer's scene together was some of the best work I've seen, as Kurt expressed his hurt at seeing his dad bond with 'the son he always wanted'. I especially loved the following exchange:

Burt: Look, Kurt, I love you. And I am sympathetic to all your stuff. But come on, buddy, we've got a deal here, right? I don't try to change you, you don't try to change me. You are my son, and a little guy talk with some other kid isn't going to change that.

Kurt: Guy talk? I'm a guy.

Burt: Come on, you know what I mean.

What's great about this story is that it feels so realistic. Kurt has the sort of dad that many gay teens would love to have, someone who is very supportive and who truly loves him no matter what, and yet they're very different people. It makes perfect sense that Kurt would be insecure about their bond as father and son.

I seriously think that Chris Colfer should not only be nominated for an Emmy but take home the statue on the strength of Kurt's scenes with his dad alone. Mike O'Malley should get one as well. These two are doing some amazing work.

Van Hansis Lands His First Film Role

We Love the Soaps has a new interview with Van Hansis in which he talks about his willingness to do a web series if he's ever approached (someone approach him!!) and about landing his very first role in a film, a horror movie called Occupant:

We Love Soaps: How are all your fans still going to be able to find your work?
Van Hansis: I’ve got to get cast in something and then they can watch that [laughs]. But I am a doing a movie, I can talk about it now. It’s called, Occupant. It's a horror film in the vein of [Roman] Polanski, that is, it's a psychological thriller. It's a lot of fun. It's a big departure from Luke.

We Love Soaps: In what way?
Van Hansis: In every way. The character is nothing like Luke at all. I’m excited to try something new and I’ve never done a film before. We’re in pre-production now, and the whole process that comes into play is so exciting.

I've never doubted that Van will have a bright future beyond As the World Turns, but I have worried that it will be completely stage based, and therefore unavailable to fans such as I who can't get to NYC.

Prior to the end of Kish and the announcement of Jean Passanante's ominous hiring, I was really hoping that Van would turn up on One Life to Live after ATWT wrapped. I would have loved to see what sort of character Ron Carlivati might have created for Van!

Now, though, I'd rather not have to tune in and see the destruction of a show that was so incredible these past few years, so it's nice to have a film to look forward to! I can't wait to see Van in a role that is so completely different from Luke.

LuRe Day: The Kiss

Today's episode of As the World Turns was a LuRe day, and it was definitely the best one yet for the hottest new gay couple on daytime.

The duo was still in Dallas, Texas awaiting the verdict of the medical board. Luke called Lily to let her know he wouldn't be back in Oakdale in time to attend an award ceremony for his foundation and after they'd hung up Reid chimed in with some snarky comments about calling mommy and about only pretentious people doing business in tuxedos. (Luke: "You must own several, then.")

Luke told Reid that he was giving him a free pass when it came to his cranky attitude because he knew that waiting for the news wasn't easy. Luke suggested that they go out to take their mind off of the wait and asked Reid what there was to do in the city where he'd lived for several years.

Reid, the consummate workaholic, was unable to supply the name of a single club, bar, restaurant, bowling alley or even of any friends of his that they could call up. Luke teased him about how incredibly sad he was and then, after a quick investigation, told Reid to come with him.

Reid thought Luke had found the location of the nearest gay bar, but instead Luke took him to a western bar, complete with a mechanical bull ring. Reid felt decidedly out of place among the patrons there, but Luke told him to relax, that they were just going to have a drink and listen to music, not make out!

After Reid belittled the intelligence of those who'd bother with riding a mechanical bull, Luke took it upon himself to show Reid that it could actually be fun. I have to say, as an aside, that watching Van Hansis ride a mechanical bull was surprisingly hot! Sadly, the scene was quite brief, and of course the bull was barely moving.

After Luke finished his ride he managed to use a bit of schoolyard psychology of the 'What are you, chicken?' variety to get Reid on the bull as well. Reid seemed to enjoy the experience, but when he'd finished Luke told him that he'd missed a call from the review board.

The guys went back to the hotel and Reid admitted that he was nervous to make the call, that it was everything: his career and his life. What would he do if he couldn't operate again? Luke told him that what they'd do was fight the decision, that Reid was too obnoxious to just lie down and die.

Reid: I've worked my whole life to become what I am. I need my work. I need to experience those highs and lows every day. Without that-

Luke: Without it, you're going to be fine. You're more than a doctor.

Reid: What else am I?

Luke: You're an urban cowboy! (they both laugh, breaking the tension)

Reid made the call, which was short and to the point. As soon as it was over, he turned around and, without saying a word, pulled Luke into a very hot kiss!

Luke was speechless and seemed a bit dazed (who wouldn't be, after such a passionate kiss?!) as Reid began to tell him that he'd been reinstated and that he couldn't wait to get back in the operating room and make the first incision. He told Luke that none of it would have happened without him.

Luke: Um, Doctor Oliver, you do realize that you kissed me, right? And I mean, that's okay, it's nothing to be embarrassed by. I mean, you're excited, you just got some really good news, but I think it would be kind of weird if we pretended that it didn't happen.

Reid: I know what I did. It had nothing to do with the phone call. I wanted to kiss you. I've been wanting to kiss you for a long time, Luke.

Oh, man! He finally used Luke's first name and it was somehow such a sexy moment, just hearing him say it! I also loved how direct and confident Reid was about the kiss. That just seems to be exactly how the egotistical doctor would pursue someone he wanted.

Fantastic scenes all around today. The lighthearted bar scenes were great, and the kiss itself (and the "Luke"!) were everything I'd hoped for. Best of all, though, is the banter back and forth between Luke and Reid. They're so great together, they just keep each other on their toes at all times, but I love that they can also get very serious with each other. Reid has opened up to Luke in ways that I doubt he ever has with anyone else.

I'm just left wondering how any fan could ever possibly want to see Luke back with Noah again. Who'd want to see him trapped in what had long since become a dull and very tortured relationship when the chemistry between Luke and Reid sizzles?

To me, it seems like Luke and Reid are already pretty close to being everything I always hoped Luke and Noah would become eventually, only Nuke never quite made it there.

The Power of Glee

Could I ever express just how much I loved last night's episode of Glee? It might quite possibly have been the most perfect hour of television I've ever experienced.

Now, I'm not a Madonna fanatic. I like Madonna's music but I've never been one of those gay guys who completely worship her. Even so, I've been looking forward to this episode of Glee since I read that it was in the works and last week's sneak peek of Sue Sylvester doing 'Vogue' just left me in even greater anticipation.

It turned out to be far better than I'd hoped it would be. All of the musical numbers were fantastic this week, so much so that it's hard to pick a clear favorite! I guess if I had to choose just one I'd say 'Like A Virgin'. I really loved the mix of all the voices on that and it was great to see Santana getting a chance to sing! Plus, it just worked so well with the story and those scenes were very well done. After watching that, I think I have to take back what I said last week about Will and Emma being more sweet than sexy!

Then again, I might have to pick '4 Minutes' as the number I enjoyed most because I loved, loved, loved seeing Kurt and Mercedes get a chance to shine and I'm thrilled with this Cheerios storyline for them! Chris Colfer and Amber Riley sounded incredible together and there was just something so right about seeing them both in Cheerios uniforms! It should be interesting to see how this all plays out. I think the conflict is even better than the whole football team/glee club set up from last fall.

This was just a brilliant episode all around, the humor was there in full force ("When I pulled my hamstring, I went to a misogynist."; and Rachel's little "No!" when Jesse challenged Finn to a sing off in the parking lot after school totally killed me!) the stories all moved forward, and I'm intrigued by Jesse joining New Directions.

I'm totally falling for Jonathan Groff in a big way! He's one of those guys who is both sexy and adorable all at the same time, and he's so funny! I love how smarmy and conceited Jesse is!

As if I wasn't already in Gleek heaven by the end of the hour, the previews for next week show that Kristin Chenoweth is back as April Rhodes! I knew she was returning, I just didn't realize it would be this soon.

I love this show so much! It won a much deserved GLAAD award this week for best TV Comedy, by the way, and I loved what Ryan Murphy had to say:

Out writer/co-creator Ryan Murphy accepted the award with cast members including Jane Lynch, whom he thanked for using the show's "national platform" to talk about her engagement to her longtime partner Lara Embry -- "they're registered at Tiffany's," he joked -- and tipped his hat to her fellow out cast member Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt.

"We have so much love for our own Chris Colfer, who at age 19 when the media came calling, Chris was true to who he is instead of waiting to announce (that he's gay) at 40 when it doesn't matter," Murphy said. "This show is about arts education and inclusion, and we are using the show in a great way.

"Chris' character will never be the victim," said Murphy, who noted that next year the out character "will have a boyfriend, and they are going to be prom kings and be popular."

I may not have mentioned this yet, but I love Glee. No, really, I LOVE Glee. If you could marry a TV show, I'd be down on one knee with a ring. I also love everyone involved with it. It's one of those perfect combinations of talent that are so rare that they just create magic.

Kish: Such Sweet Sorrow

Space issues on my Tivo finally forced me to watch the final Kish episodes of One Life to Live during this past week. I hadn't watched a single episode since just before they announced that Scott Evans and Brett Claywell had been let go, so nearly 30 shows had piled up.

Catching up with that many episodes would have been incredibly daunting in the past, since OLTL was the only American soap that I refrained from fast forwarding. I watched every story on the show. How could I not when they were so perfectly interconnected? It wasn't like the other soaps, with their isolated storyline bubbles.

I'd already decided that I wouldn't be watching the show anymore after I'd seen the end of Kish, though, so I just skipped everything that wasn't connected to them or to their story.

When I'd last written about the guys Kyle had done a sneaky DNA test on Fish and baby Sierra Rose and Oliver had blown his top and stormed out. At the end of that episode, though, he'd returned and stopped Kyle from destroying the unopened results.

As it turned out, Fish still wasn't ready to know the truth, but he asked Kyle to keep the results until he was. Meanwhile, a custody battle raged between Gigi and Schuyler over the baby. Kim and new husband Clint were contenders, too, for awhile, but that didn't really go anywhere. In fact, it seems like the show decided to drop several characters in this story at once- Kim, Kyle, Fish, and Schuyler- so everything wrapped up a bit quicker that I'd expected.

The catalyst for bringing about the conclusion of this whole story turned out to be Mitch Lawrence's number one disciple and all around lunatic, Allison Perkins. Perkins has come and gone over the years, most recently showing up a few years back to stir up trouble before she wound up in a coma.

Allison woke up just in time to try and help The Messenger get out of prison. Her plan involved kidnapping baby Sierra Rose from Schuyler and then holding her and Roxy hostage, first at the hair salon Roxy owns and then in Kyle's room at the Angel Square Hotel.

Allison ordered Schuyler to volunteer for medical duty at the prison so he could break Mitch out in exchange for Sierra Rose's safe return. Kyle happened to be the volunteer on duty that Schuyler replaced, though, so he ended up returning home early and walking in on a bound and gagged Roxy and loony Allison, who tied him up as well.

In the end, Schuyler turned the tables on Mitch and Allison by giving The Messenger a drug that would kill him unless Allison brought Sierra Rose to him in the prison in exchange for Mitch getting the antidote he needed.

After Allison left with Sierra Rose, Fish showed up and saved Roxy and Kyle, who told him that Allison had the baby. I loved the way that Scott Evans played Fish's reaction to this news, it just seemed very believable, the way he stopped trying to untie Kyle and moved to the window (through which Allison had departed), in a sort of quiet panic.

Before leaving for the prison to try and save Sierra, Oliver stopped to open the envelope containing the DNA results and learned that he was, in fact, Sierra Rose's father. At the prison, he told Bo and Brody that he wanted to lead the team that was going in to get Sierra and that he was her father. Bo congratulated him on his fatherhood but had him step aside so that someone emotionally uninvolved could do the job.

Meanwhile, Schuyler's world had fallen apart as Allison revealed that he, and not Rex, was Mitch and Roxy's son. Allison, who has made baby switching her specialty, had switched Roxy's sickly baby (Schuyler) with a healthy, abandoned baby (Rex) the night of his birth, and had then given Schuyler to her sister to raise.

Schuyler still refused to save his newly found father until Allison had handed over his daughter. Once he had Sierra Rose he tried to head home with her, but Oliver stopped him and showed him the DNA results. Schuyler realized that he'd lost everything, which naturally lead to him holding Gigi at gunpoint and trying to shoot Rex, but we won't go into that.

Oliver was finally reunited with his child, and the look on his face was something like awe, love, and hint of fear, just like any new parent would have. Fish and Kyle took Sierra to the hospital to be checked out (her heart surgery had gone well, by the way) and then took her back to Fish's apartment and shared the happy news with Layla and Cristian.

The guys were so cute as they realized how much stuff they needed to buy. Just seeing the two of them interact with the baby made me completely love where the story had taken them and and also really made me sad that we wouldn't get to see them actually raising Sierra together.

Once Gigi had been rescued from Schuyler she headed for Fish's apartment to see the baby. After a visit with the new little family, Gigi was clearly torn about whether or not to continue her custody suit, but in the end she decided to move forward with it.

The final Kish scenes all took place in and around the courtroom the next day. Oliver had a great scene where he stood up and declared himself Sierra's biological father and told the judge that he was ready to raise her but that he hadn't been able to hire a lawyer yet because he'd been too busy buying all the stuff they needed for her.

The Judge asked if Oliver was married and he told her that he was gay but that he that he was committed to his partner, Kyle, and that they were ready to be the baby's parents. The Judge had a few more questions and raised the point that Kyle was a med student and Oliver a full time cop, which wasn't going to make raising a baby easy, but the guys said that they were going to make it work. I thought Scott Evans, especially, did a great job in these scenes. I'd have given Oliver and Kyle my own child to raise, if I had one!

Gigi's lawyer tried to use the fact that they both had busy work schedules to discredit the guys' ability to parent Sierra, and pointed out that his client was already successfully raising a child, but Gigi interrupted with a speech about how her own child hadn't been planned (she was a teenage mother) and that she'd had to work full time while being a single parent, and she was ending her fight for custody because Oliver and Kyle were going to be loving parents to her niece.

It would have been a great little scene, I think, except that Farah Fath (who plays Gigi) was just phoning it in. It was like Gigi was announcing that she'd decided to have pizza for dinner, there was no emotional weight to the scene at all.

At any rate, the Judge then declared that Oliver and Kyle had full custody of Sierra Rose. Gigi asked if she could hold her niece to say goodbye but Oliver told her that there was no need because he wanted his daughter to have her Aunt Gigi, Uncle Rex, and her cousin Shane in her life.

That was pretty much it for the guys. I was hoping we'd get a final scene where they returned to Kyle's place with the baby and had a really nice final moment together onscreen, but the last we saw of Kish was the two of them walking out of the courtroom hallway while Gig and Rex yammered on about their own storyline. Kyle did pop up one final time a few days later to have a few scenes at the hospital with Gigi and Rex, but we've now seen the last of both guys.

There's so much I'm going to miss, even beyond just the amazing Kish pairing itself. For instance, Kyle and Roxy's friendship! I loved that so much and thanks to the whole Rex/Schuyler thing Roxy is in a place where she needs a friend now more than ever. There's also Fish's working relationships with John McBain and Bo, his sort of hero worship of the two of them, which I always enjoyed seeing, not to mention my dashed hopes at seeing him and Brody as partners on the force!

I won't even go into the now forever unresolved relationship between Fish and his parents or the chance to ever see Nick Chavez again.

I'm so sad about the missed opportunity to feature two gay men raising a child together on daytime TV! There would have been so much important story to tell there!

Still, however it ended, One Life to Live did deliver the most incredible love scene between two men ever show on network TV, and that's certainly something. They also just told an incredibly well written and acted gay love story. I wouldn't trade that for anything, no matter how abruptly it ended.

I'll always look back on the past few years of One Life to Live, the Ron Carlivati era, as a final golden age in daytime soaps. That's not to say that the show was perfect (no show ever has been!), but this was truly soap writing at its best: interconnected, well told, socially relevant, character based stories.

With Kish gone and Passanante on her way in to sound the death knell for the whole show, that era has come to an end. I'm glad that daytime soaps got to have one final period of greatness before the inevitable conclusion of the genre (at least as it currently exists on network TV) arrives.

I'm now a lifelong fan of Scott Evans and Brett Claywell. I can't wait to see what they do next! Whatever it is, I'll be tuning in.

Aaron's Story: Big Developments

In the week or so since I last wrote about Aaron's story on the British soap Emmerdale, there have been some pretty big developments for the character.

If you'll recall, the last time I mentioned Aaron he'd just had an argument with Jackson, the man he'd met at the gay pub who was the first person who ever truly understood what Aaron was going through. Aaron had tearfully phoned Jackson and left a message, saying that he needed someone to talk to.

In the days after that, Aaron attempted to call Jackson again but his messages were going unanswered. Finally, Aaron returned to the pub where he'd first met Jackson and found him there having a drink with a group of friends.

It was clearly a huge step for Aaron to not only return to a gay pub in the first place, but then to actually approach Jackson in front of all his friends and ask to talk to him. Danny Miller played that scene quite well, you could practically feel Aaron's nervousness radiating off of him.

At first, Jackson was cold but he quickly relented and bought Aaron a drink. I loved the ensuing conversation between them. Aaron was still very uncomfortable being surrounded by gay guys and asked Jackson if it ever bothered him. Jackson said he had his moments, like everyone else, but joked that Aaron was different: no one had suffered like him! That, at least, brought a gorgeous and all too rare smile to Aaron's face.

Still, Aaron remained on edge. Jackson said that since he was handling being in the gay pub, he might be ready to move on to phase two, acceptance. Aaron didn't think he could handle any of his friends knowing, but Jackson pointed out that it would be a great way of finding out who his mates truly were.

When Aaron asked if Jackson wanted another drink, Jackson said no, that it was time to go home. Aaron misread the moment as Jackson asking him back to his place and nervously asked if Jackson lived far.

Jackson hastily explained that he'd meant that he had to get home because he had an early day on the job site. Poor Aaron looked like he wanted a hole to open up in the Earth and swallow him as he grabbed his coat and headed for the door with Jackson in pursuit.

Outside the club, Jackson caught up with Aaron and assured him that he wasn't trying to blow him off, that he really did just have to be up early.

Aaron: I know. I just thought....

Jackson: What? That I'm sleeping with a different guy every night? Look, I know some gay guys that are like that, and some straight ones, but I'm not one of them.

Aaron: I know, I'm sorry.

Jackson: Look, I don't sleep with anybody on the first date. That doesn't mean I don't like you. See you soon.

Fantastic scene! It made perfect sense that Aaron, who only has a very skewed, stereotypical idea of what gay guys are like in spite of being one himself, would think that Jackson would expect sex right away. It also dovetailed well with a scene earlier in the episode, where Aaron's co-worker Ryan had wondered why Aaron hadn't wanted to sleep with the hot woman he'd only just met (Briony), as if that would be the natural thing to do.

I loved the way Danny Miller played this scene with Jackson because Aaron was so completely vulnerable with him and that's a side he rarely shows anyone.

I also think that Marc Silcock is doing a fantastic job of bringing Jackson to life. I wasn't really sure about the character at first but his humor and sincerity, not to mention the twinkle in Silcock's eye, has completely won me over.

In the episodes that followed, Paddy noticed a distinct change in Aaron's attitude that provided him with some relief from his worries about the situation. Paddy and Marlon even talked about Aaron finding a 'parallel universe' in which to be open about being gay.

Paddy wasn't the only one who noticed that Aaron was suddenly in a good mood. His friends and co-workers didn't quite know what to think about this change in the moody young mechanic.

Aaron and Jackson exchanged more phone calls and agreed to meet up at the gay pub again. The two of them had a nice night of it, having drinks and playing pool. Aaron, who was still uncomfortable being around so many other gay men, remarked that everything was still new to him and he'd expected something different.

Aaron: I just mean, like you, you're not... all that....

Jackson: Homosexual?

Aaron: Well, yeah, and you're a builder.

Jackson: So? You're a mechanic.

Aaron: I know. I just thought...

Jackson: You were the only one with a man's job?

I love that they're taking the time to show Aaron coming up against all his preconceptions about gay life and having to slowly readjust his thinking.

Jackson pointed out another couple at the pub and told Aaron that they were a florist and an interior designer, if that made him feel any better!

Jackson asked if Aaron wanted to 'make a move' (as in, to another bar or club) but Aaron declined, saying that he had to get up early for work the next morning. Aaron suggested that they meet up again the next night, though, and Jackson agreed.

Paddy and Aaron had a nice scene before Aaron left for his date the next day. Paddy was asking questions about the mate that Aaron was going into town to meet and trying to let Aaron know that he wasn't interfering, that he just cared and wanted things to be all right for him.

Aaron: Fine, if you must know, I'm meeting Jackson.

Paddy: Jackson! Really? How is he? I'm really pleased for you!

Aaron: It's only a drink!

Paddy: I know, but it's great that you're moving on with your life. Everyone deserves to be happy. Everyone! And happy's... good! There's no harm in grabbing the horn by the.. uh.. the (awkward rambling)

I loved Paddy's earnest but bumbling attempt to show interest in Aaron's love life and I also really enjoyed Aaron's amused but slightly horrified reaction, which seemed exactly the way an 18 year old would react. The scene ended perfectly with Aaron saying that they didn't have to make a big deal out of this and Paddy agreeing and punching him on the arm, telling him to have a good night.

Most of all, I just love Paddy and Aaron's relationship. I know Paddy isn't actually Aaron's father, but he really is the sort of dad that any gay son just coming out would want.

Aaron and Jackson's date started off with some great banter, which also tellingly showed how far Aaron still has to go: when Jackson showed up late he made the comment that he was surprised that Aaron hadn't 'pulled' (i.e. been picked up, in American terms) while he was there alone. Aaron's reply was a rather disgusted "What, with this lot?" that showed his continued low opinion of gay guys in general.

Since it was Friday night, the pub was busier than it had been on Aaron's previous visits and his face continued to show his disgust at some of the people surrounding him. Still, it was a date like any other, with the guys discussing their taste in music and their plans for the future.

Later, the two of them headed outside.

Jackson: That guy was well cruising you.

Aaron: Yeah, right!

Jackson: Why not? I mean, you're not that bad looking, are you?

At that point, Jackson gave Aaron his very first kiss from another man. It looked something like this:
(pics are borrowed from Sexy Males Celeb Gallery; be warned, some of the ads there are for adult gay sites and are NOT safe for work)

As soon as they broke away from the kiss, Jackson said he'd see Aaron next week and Aaron said he'd call. Jackson walked away and Aaron turned in the other direction with this incredibly happy look on his face. What a great moment for Aaron, right?

Only, it wasn't. Aaron's best friend Adam and his girlfriend Scarlett had come into town for a night out, and when Aaron turned around he saw Adam standing there staring at him, having witnessed the kiss! Aaron turned and quickly fled in another direction.

The good thing about this story is that they've shown quite clearly that even though Aaron is happy to be seeing Jackson, he's still nowhere near comfortable with his sexuality, so the bad reaction I fear he's going to have to Adam finding out the truth is going to make perfect sense story wise.

This continues to be an incredibly well told story and Danny Miller deserves every possible award they give to British soap stars for his portrayal of Aaron.

LuRe/Nuke Day: Towel Boy

Last Thursday's episode of As the World Turns was a LuRe day (or a Nuke day, if you're so inclined, since Noah did have one scene) and even though there wasn't a lot going on for the guys, it was the first time we've seen Van Hansis showing some skin as Luke in a very long while.

Now, I don't mean to sound completely superficial here. You know by now, I hope, that I love soaps primarily for the storytelling (at least when it's good), but I'd be lying if I said that all the beautiful guys showing off their bodies wasn't some part of the appeal!

In fact, when the shows are as awful as almost all of the American soaps are right now, the hot guys can quickly become the primary reason for watching. There's a fine line to be tread, of course. Take, for instance, the late, not-so-great Passions, which was chock full of incredibly hot guys to distract from the worst plots ever seen on Daytime TV. The writing was so bad, in fact, that the guys hardly ever wore shirts at all and eventually you just became completely immune to how hot the actors were!

I think Van Hansis is an amazing actor, as I've said many times. I also happen to think he's incredibly sexy and the fact that he's only had a small number of shirtless scenes during his time on ATWT makes me appreciate them all the more!
Thursday's episode featured Luke and Reid sequestered in Luke's hotel room in Dallas, where they'd been rehearsing Dr. Oliver's testimony for the hearing before the medical board. Luke told Reid that while he had all the facts down perfectly, he needed to show a more human side as well, especially considering that this case revolved around the death of a child.

Reid argued a bit about not letting his feelings become involved in his work, but after Luke told him that he came across as cold Reid opened up about how the little girl had been the only one of his patients who, no matter how awful the treatment he'd had to put her through, always greeted him with a smile. He told Luke that he missed that smile.

I thought this was a great scene for Eric Sheffer Stevens. Luke was clearly moved by the way Reid opened up to him, but when he tried to reach out in return Dr. Oliver instantly became his snarky self again.

Luke pointed out that after all this time Reid still hadn't called him by his first name, always referring to him instead as 'Mr. Snyder', (I think that is awesome, by the way, because you know that first use of "Luke" is going to come at a pivotal moment for the couple and be a huge deal!) and noted that he called Noah by his given name.

Reid explained that this was because he and Noah had a clearly defined doctor/patient relationship. What, Luke wondered aloud, did that make him and Reid? An awkward silence followed before Reid thanked Luke for his help and excused himself for the night. Once they'd parted, each man paused for a moment of solitary thought, no doubt considering exactly what they wanted their relationship to the other to be.

The next morning, Reid knocked on Luke's door and Mr. Snyder, expecting room service, answered it wearing nothing but a towel. Oh, to be the bellboy he was expecting! (pics borrowed from Superherofan)
Reid played it remarkably calm and handed Luke some coffee with a comment about getting his butt in gear so they wouldn't be late for the hearing. As Luke headed towards the bathroom and dropped the towel (just as he was barely out of Reid's sight, of course) Dr. Oliver did look a bit hot under the collar.

When Luke was dressed and they were ready to head to the hearing, the two shared another nice moment when Reid mentioned that he appreciated Luke's help, even if he wasn't doing it because he cared about Dr. Oliver's career. Luke said that he did care, but before they could discuss it any further they were interrupted by a call from Noah, who was worried about where things stood with the hearing.

Reid assured him that it was just a formality and Noah said that he shouldn't have to go through the hearing alone. Dr. Oliver told him that he wouldn't be alone and promptly handed the phone to Luke. Noah expressed surprise that Luke & Reid hadn't killed each other on the flight and Luke, sounding more like he was trying to justify his reasons to himself than anything else, told Noah that if Reid lost his license, he wouldn't be able to perform Noah's surgery.

Noah thought that sounded just like Luke: putting aside his personal feelings about Dr. Oliver to help Noah. Yeah, because we'd all want to dump a guy like that, right Noah?

Luke told his ex that it wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be and then got off the phone, saying that it was almost time for the hearing. After hanging up, Luke told Reid that he was going to be great and the two shared another smile packed with barely concealed longing.

I can't wait to see things progress between these two! The pairing of Luke and Reid has ignited in a way that I thought ATWT was no longer capable of.

I can understand why Noah fans are upset, of course. As a few of the people who left comments have pointed out, the writers have gone out of their way to truly create an interesting, dynamic character in Reid, whereas the character of Noah never got anywhere near that much effort.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride, though, and hope they'll go all out with the LuRe pairing and end on a high note in September.

Let There Be Glee

I didn't think it was possible that four months could go by so very slowly, but at long last the wait is over: Glee is finally back!

Tonight's episode was everything I'd been missing since last December: hilarious, heartfelt, and boasting some great musical performances. My personal favorite from tonight was Finn's version of The Doors 'Hello, I Love You'. I think it's my favorite Finn song ever, actually. There was just so much energy to the performance.

A close second, though, was Rachel & Jesse's version of Lionel Richie's 'Hello'. They sounded fantastic together, and Jonathan Groff is, to use a phrase that totally fits my new found crush on him, so dreamy!

After four months, I'd forgotten what scene stealers both Brittany and Kurt are! They're each masters at one liners that catch you completely off guard and make you laugh out loud. Chris Colfer is also fantastic at conveying what Kurt is feeling without saying a word, as in the scene tonight where Finn was performing the above mentioned song for the rest of the glee club and Kurt just had this "God, I want you!" look about him.

Tonight also saw the debut of two new characters: Jesse, the male lead of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, and Shelby, the coach of said rival. Jesse is being played by openly gay actor Jonathan Groff, whose voice I'd already completely fallen in love with thanks to the Spring Awakening cast album, and it took about three seconds for me to fall in love with the rest of him tonight!

Idina Menzel, original Broadway cast member of both Rent and Wicked, is playing Shelby, and she had a seriously sexy scene with Mr. Schuester tonight. Now don't get me wrong, I love Will & Emma together, but they're more sweet than sexy, and it was very hot to see Will getting so passionate with someone!

I think things are going to get very interesting with Vocal Adrenaline coming into play more, and next week's Madonna themed episode definitely looks exciting!

Speaking of which, the Sue Sylvester 'Vogue' video was awesome! I completely loved it. I especially liked that they tweaked it a bit to fit Sue ("Will Schuester, I hate you"). I've been looking forward to Sue finally singing and it didn't disappoint!

Oh, Glee. Don't ever leave us again!

The Lights Have Gone Out in Georgia

Around the time I was 13 or 14 years old, I discovered a television show in reruns that, for a few years anyway, I seemed to watch all the time. In the years since I haven't watched a single episode and yet I can still quote, nearly verbatim, several of the speeches of my favorite character from the series.

I'm talking, of course, about a show called Designing Women and a character named Julia Surgarbaker. I liked the entire cast (at least, the entire original cast; the station I watched it on never seemed to rerun the post-Delta Burke years, which was fine with me!), but I lived for the moments when Julia, an elegant, strong, intelligent, liberal woman, would get riled up and launch into a passionate tirade. Her co-workers called her 'The Terminator'.

My personal favorites were the famous 'Night the Lights Went out in Georgia' speech (watch it here) and when she let a narrow minded client, a woman who said that AIDS had one thing going for it, that it was killing all the right people, truly have it. I could only find a very blurry clip of that, but it's certainly worth listening to! The episode was from 1987, when there was still a lot of fear and ignorance among the general public about the disease.

Julia was an iconic character, and the actress who brought her to life, Dixie Carter, passed away yesterday at the age of 70. I think one of the most disappointing celebrity moments I ever had was when I found out that Dixie was a Republican in real life! It's not that her politics really mattered, of course, it's just that on some level I wanted her to be Julia in real life, too!

But then, I guess that's actually a tribute to how perfectly she played the role. Rest in peace, Dixie. Thank you for some of my favorite television moments.

LuRe/Nuke Day: Moving On

Yesterday's As the World Turns picked up where the previous episode left off, with Reid looking in through the window of Al's Diner as Luke and Noah held hands. Reid took a call from the hospital and fled the scene before he could see things take a turn for the worse in Nuke's little reunion.

Luke was thrilled that Noah was making progress towards getting his sight back and suggested that the two of them go out to celebrate. Noah told Luke that he couldn't because he already had dinner plans. Luke quickly ran through the list of Noah's friends before Mr. Mayer admitted that he was dining with a guy he'd met.

Poor Luke! Is there anything worse than finding out that the person you still love is moving on? Luke asked Noah what the guy's name was and how they'd met (Richard; at physical therapy) and Noah insisted that it wasn't a date, they were just having dinner together. Luke asked if Richard was gay, and Noah admitted that he was.

Luke asked Noah if he liked this guy, and Noah said that Richard was funny and nice and that he was easy to be with because there was no pressure from him to be 'the old Noah' from before his accident, and that since Richard doesn't love him, he didn't try to 'fix' him.

Noah seemed to think that Luke should just be okay with all of this, especially since it was Luke himself who'd wanted 'all or nothing' in regards to their relationship. Yes, because hearing your boyfriend say that he just wants to be friends for now until he's ready to be more again- if he ever is- doesn't count as breaking up, but saying you're not okay with that does.

I guess Luke should have just happily agreed to let Noah put their relationship on hold indefinitely. I really, really hate how they're writing Noah now.

Noah told Luke that he was meeting Richard 'soon', and Luke decided to leave, telling Noah that he wanted him to get what he needed, but that he wasn't going to sit there and watch it happen.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Reid had been given the bad news that he was being put on suspension while his malpractice suit was under review by the medical licencing board. Reid was going off on Bob and Kim when Luke showed up and pulled him away just in time to stop things from going too far.

Luke took Reid into the on call room and tried to calm him down. Reid told Luke that if he lost his career they might as well just shoot him, that being in the operating room was everything to him, was all that he had.

Luke suggested that Reid get a lawyer and focus on making the lawsuit go away, but Reid said that he couldn't focus on anything if he wasn't working, that he had nothing else to hold on to. That, Reid said, was why he needed Luke.

Don't get too excited, now. Reid didn't mean that he wanted to hold Luke all night long or anything like that. Instead he explained that he needed Luke's name, his money, and his power. He asked Luke to do whatever it took- bribery, blackmail, whatever- to get him back into his operating room, if only for Noah's sake.

Luke apparently left for awhile, because the next scene saw him returning to the on call room to tell Reid that he wasn't going to do anything immoral or illegal, that when he'd done so in the past it had never worked out and it would just make him feel like he was Damian Grimaldi's son.

Reid said that he was out of luck, then, since a plea from a lovesick boyfriend to the medical board wasn't going to get him back in his operating room. Luke told Reid that his Grandmother might, though, and explained that Lucinda knew a lot of influential people. After a call from Luke, Lucinda had arranged to have the medical licensing review board in Texas schedule an emergency hearing on Reid's case.

Reid thanked Luke, but Mr. Snyder told him not to book any surgeries just yet, that they had a lot of work to do. When Reid questioned the use of 'we', Luke explained that he wasn't going to let Reid do this alone: he was going with him to Texas.

Later, in Old Town, Reid was back to his snarky self, wondering just how many private planes Luke's family owned as they headed to Al's to pick up some take out for the flight. Reid went to buy some magazines while Luke went in to grab their food.

Noah was still there, of course, and sharing a hearty laugh with Richard. Luke, who looked like he was attempting to shoot laser beams from his eye's in Richard's direction, got the food and made a hasty exit from Al's before Noah knew he was there.

He stopped outside to stare in the window just as Richard placed a hand on Noah's shoulder. Reid walked up in time to see the same thing and suggested that they go, and Luke was more than ready to get away.

Well, with Noah having made the first move towards life after Nuke, I think our Luciano is now free and clear to explore his feelings for Reid.

Aaron's Story: Breakthrough?

I continue to be incredibly impressed with Aaron's story on the British soap Emmerdale, and especially with Danny Miller, the actor who plays Aaron Livesy.

During the week or so since I last wrote about this story, Aaron attempted to overcome his sexuality once more by showing a renewed interest in his ex-girlfriend Victoria, but when she began to show signs of reciprocating, Aaron backed off.

The one time that Aaron had ventured into that gay pub in the nearby town he'd met Jackson, a guy who'd not only caught his attention, but who'd also seemed interested in Aaron. When Aaron ran out of the pub, he left his phone behind and Jackson ended up returning it to Paddy, thereby inadvertently setting off the chain of events that lead to Paddy thinking Aaron was dealing drugs and, ultimately, to finding out he was gay.

This week, Jackson showed up at the garage where Aaron works, explaining that he was doing a job nearby (he's got his own construction business). Aaron was too nervous to be seen talking with Jackson in the village, but he agreed to meet him for a drink in town later. In the end, though, Aaron stood Jackson up to hang out with Victoria instead.
That brings us up to yesterday's emotionally charged episodes. They started off with Aaron's best friend, Adam, inviting him for a 'lads only' night out at the pub. Aaron agreed (and I loved the quick glance he gave Adam a he was walking away; even though Aaron knows nothing will ever happen between the two of them, I think he still has some pretty strong feelings for his best friend), but in the end Adam's girlfriend Scarlett crashed their evening with a female friend in tow who was very interested in our Mr. Livesy.

In fact, it turned in to an uncomfortable evening for Aaron all around as he tried to ignore the blatant flirtations of Briony, only to have Adam wonder why he wasn't going for a woman whom 'any guy' would want. To top it all off, Jackson showed up at the pub with another guy.
Aaron pulled Jackson outside to ask what he was doing there, and Jackson explained that he was just having a drink with a co-worker. Aaron was too nervous to even be seen talking with Jackson and went back inside, where Paddy soon arrived and noticed Aaron's predicament.

In the end, Aaron took Briony back to his place, but she soon picked up on the fact that he wasn't all that interested and stormed off. She'd barely gone before Jackson knocked on the door, explaining that he'd been on his way to the bus stop and had seen her leave.
Jackson told Aaron that he just didn't get him- he was sending out all these signals, and yet he'd brought home a woman. What was his problem? Aaron asked what Jackson wanted him to say and Jackson told him to be honest- did he want Jackson to stay or to go?

Aaron: Yeah, because it's that easy.

Jackson: It's easier than thinking that no one can like you, or help you.

Aaron: I don't need any help.
Jackson: That's what I was like before I told anybody! I mean, I was just sick all the time, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I was that scared that I could get found out at any minute!

Aaron: What?

Jackson: Even telling some of my friends, and my mum and dad, I thought 'if they found out tomorrow, they're not going to want anything to do with me'. It just makes your life sad and it kills you.
Aaron: What happened? When you told them?

Jackson: Nothing. They just want me to be happy. Because you can be.

I loved Aaron's reaction during this conversation so much. He started off as defensive as ever, pushing Jackson away, but then his body language completely changed as he realized that this was someone who understood exactly what he was going through. As Jackson talked, the two began to slowly move closer, inching towards their first kiss.
Meanwhile, there are only a few people who know that Aaron was the person who beat up Paddy, and one of them is Paddy's best friend Marlon (who also happens to be a cousin of Aaron's mother; like I said, it's a small village!). Marlon has been deeply worried for his friend and confused as to why Paddy continues to not only let Aaron live with him, but also to cover up what he did.

When Paddy saw Aaron leave the pub with Briony, he became visibly upset and Marlon misread his worry over Aaron as Paddy being afraid of Aaron. Marlon tried to confront Paddy about the situation once again and wouldn't drop it. Paddy headed for home, with Marlon in hot pursuit, and the two walked in just in time to interrupt what would have been a hot kiss between Jackson and Aaron.

Paddy was mortified at having come in at the wrong time and tried to get Marlon to leave with him, but Marlon once again misread the situation and thought Paddy was acting 'like a battered wife' who was afraid to get in Aaron's way.

Jackson ended up walking out when Aaron wouldn't tell Marlon who he was, and I loved that Paddy urged Aaron to go after him and that Aaron actually listened. Aaron caught up with Jackson and apologized, saying that things were just coming a bit 'too close to home'. Jackson corrected him, telling him that he meant things were becoming a bit too real.

When the guys spotted Adam walking towards them, Jackson told Aaron that he wouldn't stay around and embarrass him and this time Aaron let him walk away.

Paddy, meanwhile, told Marlon that he had to back off and that if he didn't, they couldn't be friends any more. Marlon left, but later that night Paddy showed up at his door, apologizing and telling him that he needed someone to talk to.

Paddy explained that he'd given Aaron his word, but that he didn't know what to do and was so worried that he couldn't sleep at night. He explained to Marlon that he wasn't afraid of Aaron, but afraid for him.

Marlon was stunned when Paddy told him that Aaron was gay, saying that if it was anyone other than Aaron, he could believe it more easily. Marlon told his friend that Aaron's sexuality was no excuse for what he'd done to Paddy, though, pointing out that they knew other gay guys who didn't behave that way.

Paddy broke my heart when he summed up Aaron perfectly, telling Marlon how much Aaron hated himself for being gay and pointing out to Marlon that the boy had never had anyone to love him and that the reason he pushed away everyone who tried was because he was testing their limits. Aaron was convinced, Paddy said, that being gay was the thing that would make him lose everyone just when he was starting to believe that he could be loved.

Marlon thought that they should tell Aaron's mother, Chastity, and that together they could talk the rest of the family around (including their Uncle Zak, the head of the family, who isn't likely to be supportive) and show Aaron that he was accepted, but Paddy told Marlon they couldn't say anything or Aaron would never trust him again.

Later, Aaron returned home and confronted Paddy about whether or not Marlon had figured out the truth from what they'd walked in on that evening. Paddy insisted that he hadn't, but Aaron didn't believe him and smashed a vase while saying that this was exactly what he never wanted, people looking at him like he was pervert, like someone who would "do that with other men".

Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy, was great in this scene as he was able to convey through body language that Paddy was obviously scared, especially when Aaron got right in his face, but was at the same time determined to trust that Aaron wasn't going to hurt him again.

Aaron demanded to know who Marlon was going to tell- his mother? his uncle Cain?- and said that they'd think he was sick and want nothing more to do with him. Aaron broke down (and broke my heart) as he tearfully asked Paddy what he was going to do.

Paddy told him that he had to be honest with his mother, that he thought she'd support him, but when Aaron said that he couldn't, Paddy said that he didn't know what to do, that he'd tried everything he could and it just seemed to make things worse. Only Aaron could decide what to do now.

The final scene had me in tears myself as Aaron, unsuccessfully fighting back tears of his own, and having difficulty speaking, called Jackson's phone and left him a message, apologizing for what had happened and saying that no one else gets what he's going through except for Jackson and that he really needs someone to talk to.

Fantastic scenes! Danny Miller just completely blows me away, but Dominic Brunt has also been amazing in this story. I love Paddy and Aaron's relationship, and I love that Aaron finally seems to be realizing that he doesn't want to even pretend to be interested in women anymore and is struggling to reach out for someone to talk to.

As great as the emotional final scenes were, I think I was actually more impressed with Danny's work in the earlier scene with Jackson, where you could see Aaron visibly realizing for the first time in his life that he wasn't alone, that someone really did understand. A truly great actor can convey so much without saying a word, and we really saw that demonstrated during that scene.

LuRe/Nuke Day: Lovesick

Today was a Luke, Reid, and Noah day on As the World Turns. I had to do a bit of research to find out if Luke & Reid had an official fandom nickname yet, and it turns out that they're being called LuRe.

Not surprisingly, many fans still seem to be focused on Nuke as the endgame for the show, but I myself am now officially all about the LuRe. I can't help it, I just love the chemistry between Luke and Reid and I hate what Luke & Noah ended up becoming.

Today's show started with Luke showing up at the hospital and asking Reid if he had a moment to talk. Dr Oliver, who must have been replaying their previous conversation over and over in his head, told Luke that there was nothing to talk about, that he knew that Luke had tried to make the lawsuit go away for Noah's sake, not Reid's.

Luke told Reid that he actually wanted to speak with him about the new wing and pulled out some blueprints to show Reid where he'd found the perfect spot for some overnight rooms for the loved ones of patients being operated on.

Reid started to be his sarcastic, snarky self, but then stopped and told Luke that it wasn't actually a bad idea that he'd had. Luke was playfully shocked and rather adorably said that this was the nicest thing that Dr. Oliver had ever said to him.

The two were sharing a laugh over this when Noah ambled up, cane in hand, and expressed amazement at hearing Luke and Reid actually getting along. The guys explained what was going on and then had a quiet moment where they were just staring at each other, smiling and generally looking like they wanted to jump each others bones, until Noah picked up on the silence and asked what was happening now.

Luke got a call from Lily and had to go, but he wished Noah good luck with his appointment. Reid seemed to be paying special attention to each touch and interaction between the guys. Once they were alone in the exam room, Noah expressed his amusement that Reid and Luke were able to work together, given Reid's oft stated dislike of Mr. Snyder and the fact that they both 'had control issues'.

Reid asked Noah if Luke's control issues were why he and Luke had broken up, and Noah explained that he'd wanted to learn to be independent after he lost his sight and Luke had just needed to be there, helping him too much.

Reid wondered aloud if that wasn't what a relationship was supposed to be about, but dropped the subject when Noah asked if he was trying to make him feel guilty.

The exam proceeded and Noah flinched when Reid used the penlight on his eyes, noting that while he didn't actually see the light, things hadn't been completely dark any more either. Reid told him that this was a very encouraging sign for moving forward with the surgery and asked if there was anyone he wanted to call with the good news. Noah picked up on the fact that Reid was hinting that he should call Luke, but told the doctor that he didn't think that was the right message to send his ex boyfriend at the moment.

After seeing Noah, Reid went home for a quick lunch with Katie and told her all about how perplexed he was by the fact that Noah seemed to have dumped Luke for loving him too much. Why, Reid wondered aloud, would someone choose to go through what Noah was going through alone when they had someone like Luke who loved them? Good question. Writers?

Katie, who has been playing matchmaker quite a bit lately, wondered why Reid, who prided himself on not caring about his patient's personal lives in the least, was suddenly interested in Luke & Noah's relationship.

Reid claimed that it was just because it was the first time he'd ever worked with both halves of a couple before, but Katie quickly realized the truth and confronted Reid about having 'a thing for Luke'. Reid went into denial mode, of course, and pointed out that Luke was someone who thought he could buy his way out of anything. Katie told Reid that it seemed like he found that more appealing than he was willing to admit.

Dr. Oliver told Katie that even if he did have feelings for Luke, it wouldn't matter. Luke and Noah would get back together as soon as Noah had his sight back. They belonged together, were in fact 'the gay Bob & Kim', as Reid put it. Ha! I love it. Only, I'd rather see Luke & Noah as the gay Bob & Lisa (Bob's first wife, with whom he remains friends) and Luke & Reid as the gay Bob & Kim.

After his conversation with Katie, Reid called Luke and told him that there had been good news during Noah's exam that afternoon and that he should ask Noah to tell him about it. Luke quickly found Noah at Al's and before long Reid was walking by, staring in the window and nodding his head in sad resignation as he spotted Luke & Noah inside, holding hands.

Maybe longing for someone from afar just appeals to the romantic in me, but today's episode just made me root for LuRe even more. I especially loved that Reid wasn't trying to keep Luke & Noah apart at all. It's as if Luke's happiness means more to him than his own! Imagine that.

Catching up with Luke

Well, I've at long last caught up with my backlog of As the World Turns episodes. I have to admit that I came away not only pleasantly surprised, but actually looking forward to watching future (Luke related) episodes! I can't even remember how long it has been since I felt that way about ATWT.

The last time I'd tuned in to the show, I was annoyed that they were sending Dr. Reid Oliver, with whom Luke had such great chemistry, into Katie's orbit. Katie is pretty much the Bermuda Triangle when it comes to straight, single men who aren't related to her. If they get anywhere near her storyline, they won't escape again until they've been married to her.

Since the show seemed to be throwing away the incredible chemistry between Van Hansis and Eric Sheffer Stevens, I tuned out and let the episodes pile up on my Tivo.

I'm sure you can imagine, then, how happy I was to discover that Reid is in fact a gay character and that the show does seem to be proceeding with a pairing between him and Luke. Luke himself discovered that Dr. Oliver was gay after he'd accused him of homophobia for not treating him, as Noah's boyfriend, the same way he'd treat a straight patient's loved one.

As you'll recall, Reid was ordered to stick around Oakdale and work at the hospital while awaiting a court case for taking Luke's car and getting into a fender bender with Kim Hughes. He took on Noah's case to while away the time.

Eventually, Reid had his day in court (and Luke even spoke on his behalf, after Reid had helped him by proving to the police that Holden couldn't have murdered Damian, but let's not bother with all that!) and was free to leave town. He was taking Noah back to Dallas with him, to do the surgery there.

Thanks to his new roommate Katie's connections, Memorial got a hefty donation to build a state of the art Neurosurgery wing that would make them the go to place for brain surgery, and Reid agreed to stay on and run it.

Luke was thrilled that Noah wasn't leaving town, but Noah made it clear that even though he was staying in Oakdale, he still needed to be independent and wanted to be 'just friends' with Luke for now. When Noah couldn't give him any guarantees about their future, Luke ended things between them.

Luke and Noah, thanks to endlessly awful writing, had become so unrecognizable as the couple they once were that it was almost hard to remember why I had ever rooted for them, especially when compared to the way that every scene between Luke & Reid crackles with sexual tension. Those are just the normal scenes, by the way. Don't even get me started on how hot the scenes were where Luke got a bit physical with the egotistical doctor after losing his patience!

Still, watching Luke & Noah actually break up did bring a tear to my eye, mostly because of the way Van Hansis played the scene. I could feel Luke's heart breaking!

After Reid had agreed to stay on and run the new wing, Dr. Bob Hughes informed him of several cuts that would have to be made from Dr. Oliver's list of requirements, for budgetary reasons. The egotistical Reid tried to humble himself (which was very funny to watch!) and ask the richest person he knew for a grant to further fund the wing. That, of course, was our very own Luciano, who couldn't resist pointing out how Reid had snarked at him from day one for being a poor little rich boy, until he needed some money himself!

In the end, Luke had his foundation supply the necessary funds, in exchange for a seat on the board. He & Reid are now working on the planning of the new wing together, which lead to that pivotal moment in their relationship where they were stuck in an elevator together and Luke finally saw another, more vulnerable, side of Reid.

That brings us up to today's show, where Luke ran into the man who is suing Dr. Oliver for malpractice over his daughter's death, and tried to use his fortune to make the lawsuit disappear. Luke expected Reid to be angry with him when he happened upon the scene, but instead Dr. Oliver was actually impressed (and, I would say, moved, not that he wanted to show it!) that Luke would go to bat for him like that.

Reid seemed pretty disappointed when Luke told him that he'd actually done it for Noah, so that Reid could focus on his surgery instead of a lawsuit. But how honest is Luke being with himself about that, I wonder?

That's where things stand at the moment, and as I said, I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow's scenes. Part of me wonders why, of course, since Luke & Noah never got, in years of dating, the sort of love scene they deserved (the sort that Oliver & Kyle did get on One Life to Live), so what chances are there of Luke & Reid getting one between now and September, when the show ends?

Even knowing that there isn't much chance for a big payoff, I find myself feeling foolishly hopeful, yet again! I blame Van Hansis for this, since watching him as Luke somehow manages to get me invested in a way that the writing rarely deserves!

Take Cover, Llanview!

I've finally found a small silver lining to Oliver & Kyle being written out of One Life to Live: they'll be gone before Jean Passanante can get her hands on them!

Yes, the Head Writer who drove As the World Turns into the ground, quite literally killing it with terrible writing, is headed for One Life to Live as an 'associate-Head Writer' once ATWT has finished production.

One Life to Live already has a very talented head writer in Ron Carlivati, so one can only assume that this decision comes from a network that is familiar with Passanante's resume and may be hoping to kill off OLTL for good. If that's the case, they're certainly on the right track!

I am so glad that Passanante never got a chance to do to Kish what she did to Nuke, but I'm sad about what this means for a show that truly was the best soap on daytime TV over the past few years. Hopefully, Carlivati will remain in charge and Passanante's impact will be minimal.

Luckily, I'd already decided to exit along with Kish, so if the worst does happen, I won't have to see the show descend to the sort of God awful stories that have plagued As the World Turns during Passanante's reign.

This just further confirms my new belief that, thanks to moronic network executives, the future of soaps won't be on daytime TV.