It seems like One Life to Live reached a major turning point last week. Viki left Paris, Todd got physical custody of his son, Marcie finally surrendered from her lengthy stint as a fugitive, Lindsay learned her fate, and Clint and Nora rendered Bo speechless with the announcement of their budding relationship. Oh, and Jared is in the hot seat as Asa's ex-wife declares that Asa couldn't have fathered a child with another woman. I remember when a week of episodes wouldn't move the show forward at all, and now it is becoming a show that I don't want to miss!
I peruse the message boards, and I have seen countless threads discussing the fact that Marcie has been on the run for too long, and that people are tired of it. I agree! Marcie certainly had more than her fair share of luck, and I grew tired of seeing her various silly disguises. However, this story captured people's attention. Viewers took very distinct sides regarding who should have custody of Tommy/Sam. I can't remember the last time people were so invested in a story that they engaged in lively debates on the message boards. So while the story went on for too long, it had a captive audience. I think Kathy Brier has been doing a wonderful job with this story. I could see Marcie's angst, doubts, and fears during the past few months. I also must commend Chris Stack for taking over a role at a difficult time and working wonders with it. His scenes in diner when he was talking Marcie into surrendering made me believe that he had been part of the story since it began. It's not easy to take over a role, especially in the given circumstances, but he was up for the challenge. I knew how the hostage situation in the Bon Jour Café was going to end, but I could feel the tension and the agony that went into Marcie's decision to surrender and the pain of her and Michael saying goodbye to Tommy. Now the next part of their story begins as Marcie faces the legal system, and Todd starts a new life with his son. I must admit I wasn't thrilled to see Margaret reappear. While Tari Signor does an outstanding job playing a psycho, I felt like Margaret wore out her welcome long ago. It makes sense that Blair would be haunted by Margaret, given the situation with Tommy/Sam, and her own personal encounters with Margaret. I am sure Blair's feelings will enter into how she takes on this new responsibility. I really liked that Addie was able to clarify Blair's feelings about raising Margaret's child. Their talk was very clear and to the point. Addie didn't let Blair dance around her questions and help her through them. Addie might be exhibiting some odd behavior, but she still has the ability to see a situation for what it is. I like that she is around more often, even if I can't believe some of the things she does! Blair needs her right now, and I am glad someone had the foresight to bring her back on a regular basis. Todd and Blair can both benefit from Addie's insight and clarity. While I don't call myself a fan of Todd and Blair anymore, I think this will be an interesting new chapter for them. For once, they aren't lying to each other or hurting each other. Instead, they are facing the challenge of raising a child they barely know while their own relationship remains somewhat ambiguous.
Viki is also starting a new chapter as she bid farewell to the Bon Jour Café. We knew that her life in Paris was temporary, but I felt sad to see it end. Viki was so happy being away from all of the stressful people in Llanview, and we got to meet some fun characters along the way. When Viki was saying goodbye to Moe, he said she didn't seem like the woman in the pictures from the newspaper. I hope this remains true as she returns to Llanview to face her family....and Dorian. Viki wasn't a doormat in Paris, and I have a feeling that will transfer back to Llanview. Once Viki finds out that Dorian has befriended Charlie, I think we'll see the fight in Viki return tenfold. Dorian has been very methodical with sinking her claws into Charlie, and Charlie has no idea what he has gotten himself into by getting to know both Viki and Dorian. He has no clue that he has unwittingly put himself in the middle of the longest rivalry in Llanview's history. To make things even more interesting, Charlie has just discovered that Viki isn't quite the person he thought she was. How can he go along with Jared's scheme to fake Buchananism when Viki is so closely linked to the Buchanans? Can he accept that Viki kept her real life a secret, and how will Dorian manipulate the situation so that she looks like a saint? The possibilities of all of these developments are endless. I must confess, however, that I find Jared's constant presence to be tiresome. He is on the show almost daily, and I just don't like him. He hasn't completely taken over the show like Spencer Truman, but I think less Jared would be a good thing. Although, his presence might be worth hearing Jessica say "It sucks when you find out a guy is your uncle." Once Jared's lie is exposed, he will have to deal with many people in Llanview, and Charlie will have to answer to Viki. The drama will unfold now that everyone will be back in Llanview. It will be fun to watch everyone realize that they all have a connection because of Viki.
Finally, Nora and Lindsay are ready to start round 918 of their feud. When Clint and Nora told Bo that they were seeing each other, I could see Lindsay scheming. She knows that her relationship with Bo bothers Nora, and she will use that to her advantage. Lindsay and Nora's "chat" on Friday summed up their relationship perfectly as they demanded that they stop going after each other's ex-husbands. These two women want to be free of each other, but they end up being connected at every turn. Lindsay might have been judged in a court of law over killing Spencer, but she will have to deal with Nora's judgment for a long time. Nora has already made a few jokes about Lindsay with scissors, and she's just warming up. Does it get better than this? It seemed like Nora and Lindsay's relationship had been pushed to the background, but now they are back and ready to fight. Now that Nora and Clint have announced that they are seeing each other, and Lindsay and Bo are roommates, there are sure to be some awkward situations and tense moments between these four characters. I am so glad that Lindsay and Nora are finally getting stories and that their stories intersect. Friday's fight was just the beginning of Lindsay and Nora's renewed feud, so it's time for everyone to pick a side and watch the sparks fly!
Dawn
