Welcome back, readers!

WOW, WHAT A WEEK! We readers have been graced with more of Tea this week, and it was certainly heartening. And surprisingly, there were much less trips to into the survival kits this week. Is it possible the writers have been paying attention? Get ready to get on board this week’s Loonview Express Tour and judge for yourself. All aboard! First stop, Teentown.

Loonview Teen Beat-Pt.1—One Flew Over the Cuckoos

That would be Cole Thornhart, ladies and gentlemen.

I had a few mild survival kit episodes when he dealt with Starr about her involvement with James in Danni’s escape, then, in his ever so mature fashion, makes a beeline for Hannah. Yeah, really productive resolution, Cole! It wasn’t like we viewers didn’t notice his burning itch for an excuse to high-tail it out and go see Hannah. Starr explained the situation over and over, and there certainly was nothing she could have done...(this time), to avoid James. Frankly, if Cole cared more about his family than his libido, he would approve of anything that saved Danni’s life as long as it wasn’t dangerous.

Oh, and good job trying to redeem yourself by telling Hannah that you’re still in love and always will be in love with Starr right after kissing her! Not to mention the insult added to injury when you said you’re jerking her around! Good one, Cole! THAT will certainly keep her mentally stable! I guess we know that Brandon Buddy hasn’t changed his mind about leaving the show, hmm?

While we’re on the subject of cuckoos, can anyone say Hannah Banana?

It would be a logical deduction to make by saying that anyone who experienced:

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a near death experience and blackmail by a madman

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sexual exploitation by a con man

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criminal charges

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society snubbing by quite a few people

would find it in their own best interest to stay on Marty Saybrooke’s GOOD list and away from the things that got them in trouble in the first place. In Hannah’s case, things that would be bad for you are A) Robert Ford, B) Cole Thornhart, C) Illegally browsing through confidential medical files, ESPECIALLY about Robert Ford, and slipping things into other people’s drinks might be up there as well. But, as has been the case with Loonview residents lately, Hannah decides that all of those things are not a problem once she survived the mess they made the first time. Great! Could it be that we’re possibly in for another force-feeding of characters gone mad before their contracts are about to go wrong? That seems to be the pattern these days.

Teen Beat- Pt 2: The Search For Danielle

I am just getting a complete thrill out of this storyline! I think the teens showed intense creativity and innovation with the Escape from Ross Rayburn Caper! I wouldn’t have stayed around for a life with Ross Rayburn either, and even if I would have been caught, the delay would have been worth it. I have to admit that while Robert and James Ford are as pleasant for me as swallowing broken glass, I have to admit that I was quite pleased with both their storyline content and their respective performances. The fact that Danni and Nate were heavily intertwined in the storyline may be the softening agent in my anti-Ford brothers crusade, but again, I was actually enjoying them this week.

I make no secret of my blatant favoritism toward Nate. He is the more grounded, respectable and realistic of the three Fords. He makes no qualms about being afraid of Todd, or the wrath of Todd, while equally standing his ground about protecting and loving Danielle. Granted, Nate being raised from the start by their mother and his brothers having their mother walk out on them would no doubt generate two completely different sets of results. On the other hand, Robert Ford becoming sincerely paternal toward his little brother when he feared that it was Starr Manning in James’ room was an enjoyable and refreshing change from the soap opera norm. I was further pleased to see how he subsequently handled both the truth about Danielle and Brody’s sudden appearance at his door.

Teen Beat Pt. 3/Loonview General Hospital

Dr. Evans is trying to recover from receiving a lethal dose of his own pathetic medicine. Bravo to Destiny for her heart-wrenching performance at her brother’s bedside. The more I watched her, the more I wanted to slap Greg for even having the privilege of family who wants him to recover. It almost seems anticlimactic to have him recover when Téa is about to put everything in order anyway. However, every little bit helps if it means Danni and Todd get to reunite with Téa and Florencia Lozano sticks around a bit longer. Please fasten your seatbelts, passengers; we are off to the next station.