YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME

...is what Luke should have said to Noah, in person, before pulling him into a swoony kiss. But Noah was such a a-hole today, I don't think that anything could have prevented Nuke meltdown. There were fine performances by Van and Jake, and AS THE WORLD TURNS was very well written today. I liked how the Nuke breakup was a parallel to the Lily/Holden, Brad/Janet and Carjack seperations. I LOVED the scenes where Holden and Lily yelled at Lucinda and Holden called Jack to talk about Ameera and wound up talking to Carly; having everyone involved in the Nuke story makes for a more dramatically interesting show. My personal jury is still out on Noelle Beck, though. She's a good actress, but she's not the insecure, vulnerable Lily we know and love. While today's episode was very good, the set-up for it was inept. It never, ever looked like Winson killed himself. It looked like he just escaped by swimming away. A quick bit of dialogue, such as Lucinda saying "I'm sorry Noah, but it looks like your father is dead." could have made Noah's rage today more believeable.

I watched GOSSIP GIRL as well tonight, and for the first time I was able to enjoy it unironically! As an ex-New Yorker, I was struck by the on-target references to the Angelika, BAM, Limelight and the Tunnel. Chace Crawford looked hot dressed as the Phantom Of The Opera. The introduction of Vanessa finally gives us a character to make snarky comments about the other characters' upper class crap, so the show manages to incorporate a self-critique. (How pomo!) GOSSIP GIRL will probably never move me like my daytime soaps do, but it's diverting nighttime eye candy. Try to catch it on TV in High Def; it's too pretty to watch on ITunes or regular DVD.

Also saw a campy, but interesting film from 1958 called SCREAMING MIMI that starred a young Phil Carey! The future Asa Buchanan plays a hard-boiled reporter who finds himself embroiled in a mystery involving strippers (Gypsy Rose Lee, nonetheless), statues and psychiatry. It's not on DVD or video, so try to catch it on TCM like I did. SCREAMING MIMI was remade as the classic Dario Argento giallo BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, which is on DVD and comes recommended. BIRD...stars Tony Musante, who was Joe D'Angelo (Rose's adopted Dad who had a friendship with Emma) on ATWT! Hooray! My blog comes full circle!

xoxo