Reflections by Jill - A Weekly Commentary for OLTL for June 16, 2008

So now we need to talk about Jared. I’d say he has a lot of nerve showing up at the Buchanan mansion. All of a sudden he has this overwhelming need to come clean and apologize, but I’d say that’s not so easy when he has to step over all the rubble of the people he hurt with his deception. At least he had the heart not to let Nigel admit his part in the lie, but we all know that won’t last and it will come out that Nigel was involved. Jared didn’t get a very warm reception from the Bukes and who could blame them? Did he think they would get all warm and fuzzy when he admitted that what started out as a con turned into him feeling it was a privilege to be a part of the family? Nothing was worse than seeing the hurt in Renee’s eyes when she confronted him. He actually tried to tell her how deceiving her was the worst thing he did and he was so proud that she took him in and made him feel welcome. Jared deserved that slap from Renee in response to that little speech. He took terrible advantage of her and in her grief she let him, so Renee feels like a fool because of Jared just like Viki feels like a fool because of Charlie.

The most poignant moment was when Jared had the nerve to ask if there was anything he could do to start to make things right and Clint said, “Can you bring my son-in-law back? Can you bring Nash back?” Jared sure didn’t need to make the comment that as horrible as the result was, Nash’s death was an accident. It doesn’t help to imply that it was an accident when a loved one is dead. All it took was him admitting that he rigged the DNA test and that was enough for the cops to march in an arrest him. And there was Natalie, coming by to make sure her family didn’t kill Jared and she was just in time to see him led away in handcuffs. What a mess! I also don’t think Natalie had the right to get on Roxy’s back for lying to Rex about his father. Roxy shut her up fast when she said, “I did what I did to Rex out of love, just like you did what you did for Jared out of love.”

I was glad to see Michael and Marcie getting along well after all this time and finally getting some intimacy back in their marriage. Marcie has come a long way, even though it is still hard for her to deal with losing Sam. And speaking of Sam that was quite a little experiment Blair set up having Starr and Cole take Sam to the park. Starr has a lot to deal with for a 16-year old and having to deal with the stress of an unhappy baby was just too much for her. She is seriously considering not having the baby and it’s not easy dealing with Cole, who has no worries that they will be able to handle it. Starr is definitely thinking in a more realistic way. I give a lot of credit to Cole for being a real stand-up guy. Starr couldn’t ask for a better partner, but how will Cole react when he hears that Starr is considering giving up the baby for adoption?

Then we have good old Dorian who can’t figure out why “her girls” don’t want any part of her new company. Langston was definitely the sane one in the conversation where she told Dorian that she needs to let people make their own decisions and their own mistakes. Yeah, like that’s ever going to happen. Dorian admitted to Langston what she did to Adriana and Rex and how she worked so hard at trying to prevent them from getting married. I thought Dorian was pretty disgusting when she said, “Rex is a pig and a dog and that’s an insult to pigs and dogs.” Dorian should take a look at herself and realize what everyone thinks of her. Could the pot be calling the kettle black?

Okay, so Todd crashes his way into Dorian’s kitchen in the hopes of seeing and talking to Starr. Did he think that was going to win him any points? I guess Starr put him in his place when she reminded him that she is not a kid anymore and that he never stops doing things that hurt people. That was a nice touch when Todd turned on the tears. Does anyone think anything except “crocodile tears” when he turns on the sad sack routine? Then in true Todd fashion, he shows up at Michael and Marcie’s place and blames them for the restraining order that is keeping him from seeing Sam. I got a few good laughs during that scene. One was when Michael threatened to take down Todd’s bodyguard in three seconds with one touch to his carotid artery. Marcie was funny when she asked Michael, “Can you really kill a man like that in three seconds” and he said, “No.” But I got more of a laugh when Todd knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Michael and said, “Listen, if I don’t get my kid back, you’re going to die.” Oh Todd, just shut up!

OKAY, so Tina and Marty are back and Tina is the Crown Princess of Mendorra. Can I just say for the record that this storyline is already very stupid in my book, but the one thing I did love and died laughing over was that Tina named her dog David Vickers. Every time she used the dog’s name I fell over laughing.

So, John is in the van listening to everything Ramsey is saying and Tina shows up with a boatload of cash to pay for “her country’s” jewels that Ramsey arranged to have stolen. Ramsey and Tina make their exchange and while Tina is in the bathroom, a couple of thugs come in, shoot Ramsey and start to search the place, only to have John burst in and shoot them both.