Langford on Soaps: Wounded Soldiers and Broken Hearts on "Downton Abbey"

LANGFORDS PICKS AND PANS

EastEnders

I mostly liked this past week’s scenes. I wish I could have enjoyed them more, but as usual, the soap botched things with horrible pacing and illogical character behavior. For example, I thought the kiss that Ben and Duncan shared was sweet and awkward, just like many real life first kisses. But in terms of story, it just didn’t make much sense for it to have happened when it did.

Save for a few glances, in which it was obvious they were attracted to one another, Ben and Duncan are strangers. In fact, since Ben came back to town a couple of weeks ago, the teens haven’t shared a scene in which they said more than two words to one another. So I just find it hard to believe that Ben would kiss a guy he barely knows that he has no idea is gay.

Ben has been victimized enough in his life that I can’t buy he would risk being beaten up if Duncan wasn’t gay. It would have been nice to have some buildup, at least a scene or two before the kiss. Still, I did love the cocky grin on Duncan’s face after the smooch and how Ben just sat there stunned as Duncan left. And I enjoyed the satisfied smile on Ben’s face when he went home, obviously thinking about his moment with Duncan.

But it’s pretty clear that Ben and Duncan have no future. This is more of just a catalyst for Ben’s conflict with his father over his being gay, which is where the real story is. I understand that, but it would be nice if Ben and Duncan had a little romance. I think a sweet love story between the geek and the jock could be quite endearing.

It’s too bad though that some of my readers don’t feel the same. I was rather disappointed, but not surprised to see commentary that Ben wasn’t ‘hot’ enough for Duncan. Sigh.

Emmerdale

You know, I expected Hazel to be back at some point, but I never thought it would be so soon. And to my mind, it shows me that she really has no place in Emmerdale any more. Granted, I like the character, but I think she sticks out like a sore thumb. Jackson’s gone, she has no other family, she and Aaron aren’t speaking, and she doesn’t even have a job. So exactly why is she staying in town? If she has a reason, I don’t think the show is doing a very good job of articulating it.

Days of Our Lives

Because this show has become, frankly unwatchable, I nearly didn’t bother with a review of this past week’s DOOL. But I just couldn’t ignore the goings on of the only U.S. daytime soap with a gay character,. The website storyline isn't just boring, it's ridiculous. These kids have no experience in any of these matters, so I find it hard to believe that the school would give them the time of day, much less enter into some sort of legal agreement with them. I think the show did it to group the teens together in one storyline, but they could have come up with a better plot device.

Sonny has become nothing more than a background character...

Speaking of legal matters, what happened to Sonny’s job with the DA? I guess that must’ve been a story idea from the previous regime because it hasn’t been mentioned since Sonny’s first day on the job months ago. And I continue to grow more and more troubled by the lack of any chemistry or connection between Will and Sonny. Also whatever happened to T and his feud with Sonny? That seems to be another dropped storyline.

On the positive side, we are seeing some of the charm and appeal of Freddie Smith, even in this underwritten role. I do enjoy his scenes and banter with his parents and Chad and everyone around him. It’s just such a waste that so little is being done with him.

So far though, the new writers haven’t done much to impress me. I thought that Melanie and Dario’s goodbye slow dance while a happy pop tune played in the background was hilarious, but I don’t think that’s what the writers intended. I did notice Will and Gabi dancing in the background, with Will looking like he’d rather be anyplace else but in Gabi’s arms. So at least his storyline is going somewhere, if ever so slowly.