Part of the show we once knew included Cristian and the Vega family. Now that Cristian is back, maybe Carlotta, Cristian, and Antonio can become the strong family unit they once were...eventually. They never should have been torn apart, especially to make way for the Santis. Now that Antonio is starting to act like himself again, Carlotta could get both of her sons back. Carlotta still doesn't know that Cristian is alive, and that reunion needs to take place soon. Not only am I anxious to see Carlotta's reaction to seeing Cristian, but I also want to know how Cristian's experiences on the boat will affect his relationships with Carlotta, Antonio, and Natalie. Cristian has definitely changed since he left Llanview, as he has more of an edge and seems very angry, mainly at John McBain. To complicate matters, he doesn't know that John and Natalie formed a bond while he was away, and he still sees John McBain as an enemy. I am not eager to see a triangle with John, Cristian, and Natalie, since I have never really liked the idea of John and Natalie becoming a couple. I know many people will disagree with me, but I think they are better off as friends than as a couple. The more compelling story is to see how Cristian and Natalie's relationship survives the changes that have happened to Cristian without other obstacles, such as John McBain.
Speaking of couples trying to work things out, I couldn't help but notice how Michael and Marcie's relationship was thrown in the middle of the Santi drama. This couple has hardly been seen on screen, since Al became Michael, and now we are supposed to care if they get married? Marcie visiting Jessica in the hospital made sense, and it also was logical that Marcie would talk to Jessica about her relationship with Michael. However, I couldn't figure out why Michael was talking to Jessica while she was sleeping. Michael and Jessica aren't close friends, and the whole scene just seemed like a way for him to discover that Jessica had a fever. By the end of the week, Michael decided to give Marcie space, just as Marcie was ready to accept a marriage proposal. However, I found myself not caring if they got engaged or went their separate ways. We haven't been given much of an opportunity to care about this couple, and when we do see them together, it is usually for short time filler scenes. The problem is, Michael and Marcie are the product of the disastrous "Heaven Can Wait" storyline, and they have never fully recovered from it. I am not sure if there is a future for Marcie and Michael together, but if there is, we need to be given a reason to root for them.
Finally, as the Santis exit, the mystery of who killed Paul continues to drag on with no end in sight. This happens all too often with murder mysteries. The storyline goes on for so long that few people actually care who the murderer is by the end. So far, this murder mystery is following the standard path. There is a list of suspects, people are questioned, someone is arrested, another person comes forward to confess to protect the other person, and we are no closer to knowing who the murderer is than when the storyline began. While both David's "confession" and Nora's comment "Didn't we see this movie?" were both entertaining, David confessing to Paul's murder didn't further shed light on what happened. It seems that this particular storyline has fallen into a rut. Before it is over, everyone will probably be accused of Paul's murder, prolonging the storyline even more. I am not the only who is frustrated with how things are playing out. Sandi writes " Now, doesn't this all seem like a classic game of Clue, only slighly more unrealistic and annoying." I agree that in some ways the murder investigation has become a game. Who will be accused of Paul's murder next? Who will falsely confess to the murder next? Who will implicate themselves next? The fact is, as time carries on, I am less and less invested in the resolution to this storyline. I think the writers haven't decided who the killer is yet, so we have to suffer through weeks of watching Bo try to figure out what happened. In conclusion, here is my message to the writers at OLTL: Get on with it already!
Have a pleasant week!
Until next time, Dawn
