Soaps in General: Down with Proximity Pairings

If you are reading this you may wonder what is a “proximity pairing” and why someone is railing against this kind of coupling. I define a “proximity pairing” as a couple that is put in proximity of one another and we are supposed to accept the duo is right for each other even if they barely are focused upon as a couple. Sometimes there is no bias and the only reason for the couple is they are both free and in the same story. Other times, it is based on factors such as age or race. In this entry, I am going to focus on stories where the pairings made sense, and overcame the label so they don't exist only in a bubble. I’m not saying all couples that are put together for this reason are poor or that soaps need not do this, just that I find they can be extremely frustrating. If there were terminology, for what I am describing, I’d love to hear it. Hopefully this post isn’t too preachy.

GH: The Hospital Shoot Out

This past week, bullets rang out in Port Charles. Unlike most shoot outs on General Hospital this one involved people who were not members of the mob.

Y&R: Christine's Back, but why?

On "The Young & the Restless" Christine aka Cricket Blair has returned to Genoa City. She came home with a secret, and it looks like we already know what it is. Hopefully there is a twist and this isn't all to the story.

ATWT & B&B: Friday CBS Soap Madness

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was able to catch part of Bold and the Beautiful and all of As the World Turns on Friday. Here are some of my thoughts on these two shows that I once watched regularly and now see a lot less often.

OLTL: Happy Birthday One Life to Live!

On this day in 1968, One Life to Live premiered on ABC daytime. The show created by Agnes Nixon was originally called Between Heaven and Hell. In honor of this anniversary I want to write about my early impressions and memories of the show in a non-linear style. If anything is inaccurate, I apologize as I am writing solely from memory.

Days: Chloe is Pregnant

On Days of our Lives, Chloe Lane discovered she was pregnant after her elevator crashed. While engaged and living with her fiancé Daniel, Chloe cheated on him with her ex-flame Philip, who happens to be married to Daniel’s daughter Melanie. Chloe had been set up by Vivian to believe her intended was unfaithful with Carly, who is Melanie’s mother.

GH: Just Boom

General Hospital’s Sonny Corinthos had a brilliant plan to eliminate his enemy Johnny Zacchara – a car bomb. Unfortunately as tactics go this one failed, as his daughter Kristina was the only one who got hurt, though she was out of the hospital within two days.

Days: Kim and Shane Reunite

After many years apart, Shane Donovan and Kimberly Brady have decided to work on their relationship. This Days of Our Lives duo fell in love about 25 years ago, and has not been on screen together since the early 1990s.

ATWT: Henry and Vienna Marry

On Monday, July 5, 2010, Henry and Vienna got married on As the World Turns. The nuptials won’t last for a long term even if ATWT wasn’t going off the air in September. Since I was home from work, I took this opportunity to check into the lives of the people of Oakdale and write about this particular episode.

GL: Remembering Guiding Light's 1994 BBQ

Today there is weirdness due to the lack of Guiding Light for some of us who watched it. I didn’t really feel it at other holidays, as I was busy with other activities. The Fourth of July is different this year, as it fell on a Sunday, and consequently I’m off work on Monday.