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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ClassyCo" data-source="post: 350011" data-attributes="member: 7">As promised, I'm back today to talk about my recent FALCON CREST viewing. I just finished episode 17 of Season 5, so I'm past the halfway mark of the season. Chase has really been pushing my buttons this season. At the start, he wasn't the least bit sympathetic to Maggie's amnesia, making her feel bad because she didn't want to hop right back in the bed with him. He hid, although somewhat understandably so, the romantic feelings Connie and for him, but Maggie knew something was up. In fact, seeing Connie sitting at her table was what triggered Maggie and brought her memory back. On the flip side, I've grown more fonder of Maggie. She's easily one of my favorite soap opera heroines. She's beautiful and intelligent, and when she's had enough --- she's had enough. She doesn't take any mess from any of the men or women in her life. But she's also very sympathetic and has a good heart. She's trying her hardest to reach out to Melissa's troubled cousin Robin, and she's always been supportive of Emma and her love life and other ambitions. I like that Maggie's achieving some widespread success as a writer. All the soaps have had stories where someone becomes a big writing success, which opens doors for juicy family secrets to be spread across the minds of millions of people as they sit by their night lamps and read them in book form. Angela is still up to her tricks, although some of her own secrets have peeked their heads. She stowed away her illegitimate grandson Christopher, who was raised by priests and grew into being one himself. Christopher is the son of Julia and Dominic Rossini, an old-time vineyard owner that died in a fire. The whole Rossini arc came back to haunt Angela via the entrance of Anna Rossini and her manipulative daughter Cassandra, who first appeared back in Season 4. Anna had an old vendetta to settle with Angela, but the poor woman lied herself into a false reality and she was ultimately put in a mental asylum. Angela also has a brush of romance when she gets involved with her old sweetheart Peter Stavros. The two cooked up a scheme where Peter bought the shares of Falcon Crest that Anna and Cassandra had swindled away from Angela. Peter held the shares over Angela's head until she agreed to marry him, although he was abducted by his own children. He's away somewhere being hidden by his daughter and son-in-law, who are petrified that Angela will take their spot in Peter's will and therefore obtain his millions. Christopher wasn't sure what to do with his heritage once he learned he's a member of a wealthy wine family. He struggled with his faith, gets tangled up with Melissa (who he was counseling because of her and Cole's marital issues), and he wrestled the ideas of returning to the priesthood or taking his hand at a normal life. He's attempted to bond with Julia (whose been back in a couple of episodes) and his relationship with his half-brother Lance has been shaky at best (although they share a mutual respect, eventually at least). One thing is certain: Christopher doesn't like the way Angela conducts her business "in the name of Falcon Crest" and he has assured her one day it'll all come home to her. In the end, Christopher has decided that his true calling was the priesthood and he decides to return to the flock where he had been raised as a boy. I'm sure he will be another character that will fade into the background, never to be mentioned or thought of again. FALCON CREST is the most religious of the soaps I've seen thus far. I don't ever recall DALLAS or DYNASTY having any serious religious leanings or story lines, but the citizens of the Tuscany Valley are shining their Catholic faith strong this season. KNOTS LANDING had Joshua Rush as their TV evangelist, but he wasn't Catholic, was he? I remember actor Alec Baldwin saying Joshua tried to "push is fundamental religious views" into his own career path. So maybe just basic evangelical? Anyway....Let's get to Lance. He's fallen in love with would-be pop star Apollonia, and he challenged himself to make her a star. He traded the New Globe for KRDC with Richard, and refashioned the radio station as a rock-n-roll outlet and showcase for his new arm candy. Apollonia is pretty in that generic '80s TV kind-of-way, and, well, she's not much of a singer. As one would guess, Angela isn't happy with Lance taking a fancy to Apollonia (who she originally calls "Babylonia") and she tries to cause havoc in their fling, but to no avail. All the soaps tried their hand at ushering out their own singing divas. KNOTS LANDING had Ciji, who was later reincarnated as Cathy; DALLAS had Afton; and DYNASTY had Dominique. THE COLBYS did it as well, didn't they? But I just don't care for the singing on the soaps. Good thing Apollonia seems to have taken her final bow, as her show biz career has taken off and Lance is slowly moving on with his life. Here's hoping she doesn't come back; well, I suppose I'd welcome it as long as she stays out of the recording studios. I wish Cole and Melissa could just settle their mess. Robin hasn't been anything but trouble for them. She agreed to be a surrogate for them, but now that she's had her baby, she's changed her mind. Maggie was recruited by Robin to help her out of having to give up her baby, but Cole and Melissa are insisting she own up to their agreement. Things would run smoother if Cole and Melissa could get their act together, but they both have wandering eyes. Melissa has the hots for Christopher (the naughty rich girl eyeing a priest gives me serious SOAP vibes) and I can't help but think Cole has a thing for Robin. However, a little romantic getaway seems to have rekindled Cole and Melissa's love, although Robin's pairing up with Angela to win custody of her baby will definitely throw in some trouble shortly. I was a little disappointed how little was being done with Jordan Roberts when she was first brought on. About all she was originally given character-wise was being a tough as nails, but drop dead gorgeous attorney for Richard. She doesn't take Richard's mess, and she is quite an independent --- in a typical '80s TV way --- kind of lady. As the episodes have trickled on, however, Jordan has gotten more layers. She has a disastrous relationship with her parents, two wealthy socialites, the result of a years-long molestation she suffered at the hands of father, politician J.J. Roberts. Jordan has found comfort in Greg, although she's having trouble entirely opening up. She has serious grief and night terrors after her father takes his own life, and her latest scene has her out on the town, saddling up to a stranger, and calling herself Monica. Some MPD is coming into play, I'm sure. Richard and Terry have gotten married, although the union is basically one of convenience and power. Terry wants to be married to Richard to obtain status and respectability, while Richard covets Terry's vineyards so he can get back into the wine business and knock Angela off her high horse. He's most recently wrangled Chase as his "reluctant partner" so they can work to overthrow Angela, which isn't going to go as easily as they think. I mean, they know Angela and they know she's always got another trick in her hat. Richard's also ran into some issues with side fling with Cassandra. Apparently the vasectomy Richard had some time back didn't go through properly, and he's gotten Cassandra pregnant. He was very ugly to her, though, and she's fled town. What's to become of this story, I haven't any idea, but I'm unsure whether or not the story will give Richard another child after Lorraine. I guess this brings me to Emma and her new hunk of man Dewayne. They are the breeziest couple on the show. They're a mismatch (as Angela would readily agree) because of Emma's privileged upbringing and Dewayne being a working class trucker, but they seem to fit together effortlessly. I like how Dewayne is devoted to Emma and he hasn't any care towards or wealth. He also doesn't buckle under Angela's tampering to break he and Emma up. Emma, as usual, is head over heels, and she slides right by Angela's commands not to see Dewayne anymore. Most recently, Emma has been in an accident when Dewayne's big rig was hijacked by men Angela had hired to stop Chase and Cole's wine delivery (to Angela's defense, she hadn't any idea that Dewayne, let alone Emma, would be driving). I just keep waiting for something to happen to rip Emma and Dewayne because I just know it's not to last.I'm readily approaching the conclusion of Season 5. This season, while still enjoyable, is a little drab and slow-moving in comparison to the earlier seasons. There's a lot going on, so many stories and characters, but yet a true focus doesn't seem to be at the helm, and among all the drama there just seems to be something lacking. I know that might sound like a strong criticism, but I'm still binging this show like crazy. It's still addictive and I'm liking that I'm passing through so many episodes at record speed (at least for me). I'll come back as I get some more episodes in the can. My viewing will likely be detailed in the coming weeks due to personal matters, but I shall return. As always, don't forget to ask my any questions if there's anything I haven't mentioned or if there's something you'd like for me to discuss further. I encourage and thrive in healthy discussions. Until then.... Happy viewing!</blockquote>

Verification: Who played JR Ewing?