As the show moves closer towards its 50th year on the air, I have to admit that the year has started off quite well. If they can keep the show at this level then 2006 will be a year of exceptional drama in Oakdale.
Jennifer and Dusty
Dusty used to be a guy who would keep his feelings deep inside; I think things changed for him so now he has no problem telling Jennifer that he loves her. I like these two together very much and there was a lot of time wasted with him and Meg. I just have to wonder what last name Jennifer is going to give Johnny or JD - it should not be Kasnoff as Mike has been totally out of the picture; it could be Munson or should she marry Dusty then his name could be John Dustin Donovan. The bond that Dusty has for JD is similar to the bond that Holden has with his non-biological son, Luke because just like Dusty he helped bring him into the world.
Holden/Lily/Luke/Keith
This is a leftover from 2005 that with all hope will end very soon like in the coming week.
I like Lily finally admitting that the only reason she is marrying Keith is because of her superstitious nature - if she made a promise on Luke's life and if she breaks the promise then Luke will die. Well she won't have anything to do with Luke dying as Luke is quickly becoming his own worst enemy by drinking too much. Are the problems with his parents causing him to drink or does he have something else bothering him? By the way, the nuLuke is doing as good of a job as the previous Luke, Jake Weary. Nevertheless, Keith needs to be gone so the Snyders can move on with their lives - Lily and Holden have been apart long enough.
Emily/Paul/Meg
What a way to start the New Year with the shooting of a character that many of us viewers wanted to shoot ourselves. Paul deserved something bad after what he had done to Jennifer for all those months. He finally takes someone's advice so he tells the woman who had stood by him throughout all of this that he does not love in order to spare her any further hurt - she shoots him in the back. Now he has to depend on Meg of all people to help him now. As many enemies as Paul has made, the only way to get someone to help you is to offer them a million dollars for their assistance: what does that say about him?
Has anyone noticed how much time Hal is spending with Susan lately? Wouldn't it be a hoot if Hal got involved with Susan and Emily is left all alone?
The New Guy - Nick Kasnoff
BJ is gone so we now get this new cop, Nick Kasnoff, Mike's cousin who they were like brothers growing up. Nick immediately has his eye on Carly Snyder and Carly seems intrigued. Let's just hope that the writers are not going to let Carly get involved with Nick. Carly and Jack do not need to be separated because of another person again. I just hope the plan is for something more interesting and less predictable. Let's just see where this goes.
Final Word of the Week
Please, please stop playing the flashbacks of Emily after the shooting because her tears and screams are so very irritating. I have always hated to hear her cry because it always seems so staged. So all week, there have been flashbacks of the shooting and her throwing Paul over the cliff - I cannot stand to hear that! It really takes away from the impact of the story.
A reader, Sandy, agrees by saying, "Could somebody PLEASE stop Emily from crying anymore is there any one out there that agrees with me that she has the most annoying and ugliest cry going STOP PLEASE."
That's all I have for now.
Reggie Jackson
