As summer comes to a close, I find myself looking forward to fall. It is my favorite season, and a lot of things begin in the fall. I think One Life to Live will be in good shape for the fall. There are storylines poised to begin in the fall and others that will continue to develop at a faster pace than during the summer. While the show definitely had its slow and dull moments during the summer, there is potential for great things to come.
While I missed the episode where Kelly and Kevin decided to get back together last week, I am happy they made that decision. This couple has been through a lot in the last few years, and there was a time where I couldn't even imagine them getting back together. When the baby switch fiasco occurred, I didn't even want them to reunite. They were treating each other with such hostility, that watching their scenes was hard to do. Now, however, they seem to have gotten past all of that. What I like most about Kevin and Kelly's reunion is that it wasn't rushed or beyond a reasonable level of belief. They both acknowledged that they had major issues and didn't act like it never happened. They actually discussed what happened to them and gave each other space before trying to get back together. The icing on the cake with this scenario is that Kelly isn't dating Spencer anymore. Spencer gets creepier by the day, and we still don't know anything about him. I am glad that Kelly came to her senses and decided that Spencer wasn't for her. It was hard to watch her be duped by Spencer's "charm" everyday. Now that she is back with Kevin, I won't want to fast forward through her scenes. Kelly and Kevin have the potential of being the best couple in Llanview, and I hope they achieve that status. It's amazing how time (and different writers) can change the future for a couple like Kevin and Kelly. I hope that they stay on the path to reuniting and don't encounter more obstacles along the way. Maybe if they find happiness, other people in Llanview will do the same thing. There has been so much gloom and doom on this show, and I think some happiness and romance are both long overdue.
On the subject of couples, I must comment on Bo and Rex. No, they aren't really a couple, but the relationship they have formed since the ordeal with Daniel Colson has been great to watch. Rex didn't have a true father figure, and Bo misses his late son Drew. Pairing these 2 characters together was a stroke of genius on Dena Higley's part. Bo understand Rex's need to rebel and go against the grain, and Rex actually trusts Bo and listens to what he says. I think all of this is foreshadowing Rex becoming a cop in the near future. He seems to be smarter than everyone at the Llanview Police Department combined, so this is a good idea. He might even steal Bo's job before it's over! I think giving Rex a purpose on the show and connecting him to other characters is one of the victories of Dena Higley's time with One Life to Live. Rex was brought on the show in conjunction with Natalie's arrival and got involved with Jen. After his relationship with Jen fizzled, Rex was on the show but didn't have much to do. I was afraid that his character would be written out completely, since he didn't have a purpose. However, this character has been brought to the forefront and has won over more fans. Getting new writers for a show often means introducing several new characters instead of tending to the old ones. While we have plenty of new characters, I am pleased that an established character has been developed more and given a reason to be on the show under the direction of a new writer. Rex's relationship with Bo has also been good for Bo's character. We've seen a lighter side of Bo that doesn't take everything so seriously. It's also a nice change of pace to see Bo interact with someone besides Paige. I will never understand the appeal of Bo and Paige's relationship. It's boring and pointless, and we still know very little about Paige (in the form of either actress portraying her). However, we do know things about Rex and his past, and I can why Bo and Rex have the father/son bond they share. Bo is trying to keep Rex out of trouble, and I think Rex likes the fact that someone is looking out for him. It's true that Bo already has Matthew, but I think Rex reminds of him of Drew. For these reasons, I don't question why Bo and Rex have formed a relationship. On the flipside, Bo's relationship with Paige doesn't make sense. They were just thrown together one day, and suddenly the viewers are supposed to believe that they make a great couple. When Paige wasn't around for a month (due to Kimberlin Brown's exit), I didn't miss her at all. If this happened with Rex, I would notice and wonder why he isn't there. One of the keys to good writing is to give the viewers a reason to care about a character and/or a couple. That has been accomplished with Bo and Rex, and I can't wait to see what happens with them next.
In my last column, I discussed how I didn't like how Jessica/Tess was in New York for so long without contact with anyone in her family or anyone in Llanview. Jessica finally returned to L,lanview with Nash following her, and suddenly, the story became more interesting. Nash met Antonio but doesn't realize that he and Antonio are involved with the same woman. They almost discovered this, but in true soap fashion, their conversation ended right before that crucial information was revealed. Jessica was also going to tell Viki about her DID, but she ran into Nash and Tess took over before that could happen. Until Viki returns to Llanview, we will watch Jessica try to deal with Tess. So far, Tess is winning their battle, as she and Nash are planning on moving to California. Will Jessica reappear? Will Jessica meet Nash? Will Antonio discover that Nash is the "other guy?" These are all questions that will be answered now that Tess and Nash have made a connection with Llanview. The storyline is moving forward and is holding my interest once again. The best part of this story will be when Viki finds out that Jessica is battling the same illness that Viki dealt with for so many years. Even though that won't happen for several weeks, the events leading up to that revelation should be interesting. I think this storyline is leaving the "summer slump' mode and is picking up momentum. I wasn't sure if I liked the idea of Jessica having DID when I first heard about it, but if it's done right, the rest of this storyline could be quite intriguing!
Finally, I really enjoyed watching Natalie's party. It was wonderful to see her families, the Balsoms and the Buchanans, come together to celebrate her return. It marked the end of the Killing Club and also brought characters together that usually don't interact at all. It was great to see Renee show that she cares about Natalie and visibly be a part of the family. We hardly ever see Renee, and it's easy to forget her connection to other characters on the show. I also liked seeing Roxy and Viki celebrate Natalie's safe return, both as Natalie's mother. They've come a long way since Roxy first appeared in Llanview, and while they will probably never be great friends, they have formed a bond because of Natalie. It's moments like this that make the show interesting. The party would have been better had Clint and Joey been there, but it was still a nice family celebration. Nothing of monumental importance occurred during this party, hut it wasn't necessary. We don't always need shocking events to make a show worth watching. Just seeing the characters we know (and perhaps like) can be enough. Of course, things are going to get more complicated with Cristian's return and the news that Jessica has DID. It will most likely be a long time before the Viki and her family have anything to celebrate again. However, I am glad we got this one day to see people in Llanview have a reason to celebrate. With so many gloomy storylines, happiness in Llanview comes at a premium!
Feel free to share your thoughts about the show with me. Have a pleasant week!
Until next time,
Dawn
