We had a spooky, bobbing for apples, portrait destroying, grave digging week celebrating All Hallow’s Eve in soapland last week. Some of the standouts were;
Quinn and Pam’s emotional confrontations over Stephanie’s portrait and the venue for Charlie and Pam’s wedding. Rena and Alley drew you in as Pam struggled to keep Stephanie’s legacy and position alive in the Forrester’s house and family while Quinn fought to ensure everyone, especially Eric, acknowledged and respected that she is the woman of the manor now.
Brady’s self-actualization might have been the biggest surprise. It was refreshing to see Brady take responsibility for how his anger and the need for revenge set up a chain of events that left Nicole dead and Holly an orphan. For once Brady actually took responsibility for something instead of taking a drink. And your heart broke for Eve when her stop came to get off of Brady’s merry go around of women. Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Kassie DePaiva (Eve) were brilliant, taking you up, up, up to the top of their reunion euphoria just to feel that knot in the pit of your stomach when it all came crashing down when Brady admitted he slept with Kristen.
The final two choices were from Genoa City, Jack and Ashley. The last couple of weeks the Abbotts have reminded us why they are soap royalty and should be front burner. I wasn’t in love with the flashbacks until it occurred to me that there are some viewers who weren’t fortunate to have witnessed Jack and Ashley’s layered, complicated, sometimes stormy but always loving (even when it was hard to understand that love) sibling history played flawlessly on screen for decades. So, the flashbacks got a pass (even though they weren’t all factually correct.)
Ashley has been defined by;
She’s not a blood Abbott
The thought that Dina, her momma, didn’t love her
Being a second class citizen to “Jackie”
The recently discovered (retcon) document leaving Ashley ownership to the patents and products she created was Dina’s gift to Ashley and proof that Dina did love Ashley after all! Jack, who knew the depth of Ashley’s distress and how the thought that Dina didn’t love her had tormented her so, had no problem shredding the document (per Jack it was for Jabot and the family) which left no doubt that John and Dina were right that Ashley needed protection from Jack and his ambitions.
Thankfully, Traci who isn’t ruthless like Jack and Kyle found the million pieces of paper and she put the Humpty Dumpty document back together again. She gave Ashley the gift that was rightfully hers. The Abbott clan was willing to make Ashley wealthy beyond her wildest dreams for the rights to sell “her’ products. But Ashley wasn’t interested in money. She wanted what money couldn’t buy, “respect” and to be “acknowledged for working her butt off” all these years. She wanted to be reinstated as the CEO of Jabot.
The Abbott women (Traci and Abby) were inclined to give it to her. But the men (Jack, Kyle and Billy) closed ranks and said it was the money or bust (still not in favor of the writing that in the end Abby and Traci caved in favor of a unanimous decision but moving on.) Ashley said well, it’s a bust. She was taking her patents and products to Paris and starting her own company; My Beauty.
No doubt Eileen and Beth were crying real tears when Ashley and Traci said good-bye. I know many of us were. When Ashley told Jack she had nothing to say to him before she walked out of the Abbott mansion for good, Peter Bergman’s distress mirrored our own. Jack and Ashley couldn’t part that way!
In Ashley and Jack’s final scene, Jack finally admitted that the Blood Abbott Clause was partially birthed from Jack’s dark side. He didn’t want to have to compete with Ashley. He feared (most likely rightfully so) that Ashley would outshine him. He would secure his position at all costs, no matter the cost. The relief, pain and even joy Ashley displayed in those few seconds that Jack admitted what she had known so long to be true; was nothing short of masterful.
Peter and Eileen were captivating and mesmerizing as they gave us a satisfying and fitting end to one of the best sibling relationships ever on daytime. Peter Bergman is a solid Honorable Mention. But the Performer of the Week was Eileen Davidson!
Eileen took us on Ashley’s final ride in Salem. We experienced each emotion right along with Ashley. We felt her anger, disappointment, sadness, pain, relief, joy, strength and empowerment. Eileen gave us a fulfilling and full circle ending for Ashley Abbott. Yet wanting more. Eileen left us all in awe as she took her final bow (hopefully not). Bravo!!
****As a side note even though Eric Braeden wasn’t on set, we did miss having a Victor and Ashley good-bye scene.****
Who did you enjoy most? Who was your performer of the week?
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