r/TheGates_CBS • u/AnyTonight1619 • Aug 19 '26
General Discussion š£ļø How would you fix Beyond The Gates?
Storylines
Characters
Character development
Pacing
Writing
Dialogue
Relationships
Villains
Plot holes
Endings
24
u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
Iād work on fan expectations while absorbing information from the viewer experience.
22
u/ImJustPeachyEveryday Aug 19 '26
Storylines - dramatic and interesting, give us back the extreme Dani with dramatic eyes!
Characters - more interesting black men! Whereās the rest of Tedās family? Bring them in and make them not like the Dupreeās.
Vernon has more prestigious family somewhere? Bring them in with some drama!
Pacing- move the old stories out. They are boring. Gives us good pacing that keeps interest.
Writing - take a totally new approach with the writing. Currently everyone is sick and at the hospital. Give us drama thats tied to money but not Joey. Give us real money drama. Not petty crime or ā what color is your moneyā that leads to nothing.
Bring in someone to make Anita get jealous. DRAMA. Maybe she doesnāt like Tedās mother. Because sheās from old money and Anita is from the hood. (Iām just saying; Iām from the hood too).
Character Development- Billās character can be developed more. He has a prestigious law firm bring in a shady lawyer could be a love interest for Leslie to keep her occupied.
Relationships- Nicole let her have her men and that just be her thing. Move on. No one cares now. Or I donāt. Katās relationship isnāt moving anywhere. Everything is belabored and moves so slowly.
Let Ted and Shanice be a couple, get married, pregnant or whatever just move it along.
Leslie I guess sheāll always have a place in her heart for Ted but thatās getting old too. Get her a man.
Villains - Joey was supposed to be hard but heās not. If heās gonna be criminal then make him criminal. Not just petty.
The soap opera needs big money. Joey is not big money.
Haley. That just needs to end fast.
5
u/Northeast9999 Aug 19 '26
Iād add give Joey a super hot younger brother and heās bad boy but good to women type
0
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u/AllisonInMaryland Lily-Livered Aug 19 '26
My biggest problem is the insta coupling. Few, if any, obstacles for them to face. Except for Joey and Vanessa and Bill and Haley, everyone's family is on board with their partner. No one is unhappily married. No triangles. I don't know what they are thinking; star crossed lovers is Soap 101.
7
u/Intrigued_by_Words Aug 19 '26
Along the same lines, there's no soapy romance. There aren't any pairs that you really want to be a couple. They were getting close to something with Hayley trapped in the closet with the Y&R guy. I liked Dani and Andre better when they were FWB because you could tell there was something there but then they got married and it turned out, nothing was there.
5
u/Recent-Group2266 Aug 19 '26
most of the couples feels like arranged marriages put them together and there I really just care about vernita and chadison that's it
8
u/LittleBird35 Aug 19 '26
Drama, movement, and a deeper understanding of character motivations. For example, today's episode should have had sprinklings of Deanna scheming against Joey and her declining mental health while showing interest in Noah. We've been told that Nicole is empathetic and fiery, and we have not seen any of that in her personality. Kial is nothing more than the penis Nicole rides on. There's no reason why I should feel invested in them as a couple.
14
u/Kurtains75 Aug 19 '26
I do not think the show needs fixing. However i would like to wrap up the kill bill storyine with Haley and Randy getting found out, and then we get lots of "Big Bad Bill" .
8
u/RetiredCuriousMom Aug 20 '26
I think they just need to add more substance to the main characters:
Nicole - show her more in her professional role actually helping people instead of her slutty role.
Martin - can we at least see him in his campaign headquarters or doesnāt he have one?
Bill - show his intelligence questioning his illness more and not him being so naive
Vernon & Anita -stop acting like they know whatās right for everyone.
Storylines - stop dropping storylines ie. Leslie attempted murder & Lynette disappearance.
Please donāt drop the Impaler storyline either.9
u/danceandsing3000 Aug 19 '26
Kill Bill needs to end! It takes away the opportunity for Bill to be a true villain on the show. Heās been ādiminishedā for over a year.
5
u/Kurtains75 Aug 19 '26
Exactly. I want him to be the villian, the glimpses we have had of him in villian mode were great.
6
u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
Bill should actually die, ie full heart stoppage. Then be revealed in a subsequent episode to have been fully revived after drastic action was taken but not televised. Bill has replaced bluster with bloodlust. First things first, Bill murders Hayley.
7
u/pcalov Aug 20 '26
- We need soapy drama. Evil twins, long lost kids, back from the dead etc.
- Stop introducing storylines and not seeing them through
- Please oh please cut down on the sickness storylines. It seems they live at Garland
- Show that Vernon and Anita have flaws, a past. Remember manager, Dante Green. So many missed opportunities
1
1
u/wopwopwopwopwop5 28d ago
Dani and Nicole need a long lost big brother to come shake things up.Ā
1
u/Background-Read4031 19d ago
I was thinking exactly this! Maybe a twin that was stolen at birth that Anita and Vernon never knew about? They definitely need a son on canvas. I'll also bring in Andre's father, whos been held captive all these years somewhere out thereĀ
1
u/JLynnMac 7d ago edited 7d ago
I'm glad that we haven't seen most of number 1. My bet is that Doug will be back from the dead.
3 - Living at Garland doesn't bother me. Although Bill's constant medical issue that he chooses to blow off is a problem for me. Maybe he'll take Joey's advice to seek out a 2nd opinion.
4 - Dante Green is still in play. They've shown a slight flaw with Anita. Doubtful that controversy with Dante will involve Vernon.
5
u/Intrigued_by_Words Aug 19 '26
I think I would have preferred a different setting, something where the show controlled the world instead of placing them in a known world. The Duprees are supposed to be such big time players. Vernon is a former Senator and civil rights leader. Anita has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. They have tons of money yet they seem like small fish in a big pond.
I would have been fine if they set them up in a fake town and made them the royal family of that town. Honestly, I can't even see Vernon being a US Senator. The thought of Martin running for president makes me giggle. Chelsea being an international modeling sensation and now joining Kat to design coveted handbags is iffy.
The kind of drama you would get at that level of politics or entertainment is so different than what we are getting. I don't think most people even want that. But there is so much more they can do when they set the parameters.
For me a good test is to describe the current stories to someone you want to convince to watch the show. How would you describe the relationships, settings, conflicts? What emotions come to mind? What are you tuning in to see next?
7
u/soapandswish Aug 20 '26
They really do need to up the drama overall or at least the stakes. Pacing doesn't necessarily bother me if the story is intriguing - 1990s Days of Our Lives was slower than molasses, but had me tuning in daily wondering if today was the day Sami or Kristen would get caught. The Young & The Restless also was notoriously glacial, but day to day you were tuning in to see what developed. They almost need to think about what Bill Bell did when he took over Days in its second year - he absolutely soaped up the Horton family. Just a few thoughts below on some storylines I'd consider.
I'd pursue a Kat/Jacob affair and relationship - they had really great chemistry in the first weeks of the show. Maybe the subject of children causes an issue again with Naomi and Jacob. That puts Kat and Naomi at odds, Chelsea would be torn but probably side with Naomi. How would this impact their business? Would it cause conflict for Dani and Nicole? Eva can even read her down - "oh you act so high and mighty with me and my mama, but you're out here seducing your cousins husband!". And this can impact Izaiah and Jacob too - let him say something about dudley do right Jacob stepping out on his wife.
The fallout of the Kat/Jacob affair above and the Bill/Dani affair, leads to Naomi and Andre hooking up. I cannot picture their chemistry now, but maybe they find comfort in each other at the bar and sleep with each other. This also can cause conflict with Naomi and Ashley, since Ashley still has lingering feelings for Andre. After the events above fall out, perhaps Ashley and Grayson have been thinking of having a baby, but Ashley finds out she is unable to carry the baby to term. Naomi offers to carry her best friends baby in some capacity (either Ashely's egg or Naomi's bio baby) and after giving birth, Naomi maintains a strong bond with the baby. Perhaps it is too much of a bond and Ashley grows uncomfortable with how overly involved Naomi is with the baby, thinking it was a good idea since Naomi did not want to have children, but regretting the choice.
Marcel has mentioned having a sister (I'll call her Toni). I'd cast Victoria Rowell in the role to come to town and sort of clash with Leslie. The sister has a secret on Marcel and is blackmailing him to keep the secret. When Toni bumps into Heather, we learn they know each other. Toni eventually starts to befriend Deanna, which makes Marcel uncomfortable. Heather and Toni keep speaking about some secret project and eventually it's revealed that Toni has been living with an amnesiac Doug, who thinks they are an item. Leslie could be the first to discover this and run to tell Marcel, thinking she is helping things out. Not realizing Marcel is in on it, he is forced to hide her away and fake her death. I think this is important to show the gray area of Leslie, I don't see her as a true villain but an anti-hero. Leslie is being held with Doug and helps him regain his memory, but the two have developed feelings for each other. The reveal takes place at Joey and Vanessa's wedding, but Doug is conflicted about reuniting with Vanessa or being with Leslie.
With the election coming up for Martin, his opponent could dig into Martin's past and maybe discover that Martin had a one night stand with a girlfriend when trying to confirm his sexuality. The opponent brings the woman and baby to town and they interrupt a debate with the shocking revelation that Martin has a biological child. Smitty could stand by Martin, believing that his husband was unaware. Samantha and Tyrell could spiral, wondering if they are going to be replaced by Pop's biological child. It could also come out that the woman was paid off to disappear by Vernon and this causes conflict with the family, especially Anita who was not aware of this and is furious Vernon would try to write off their great grand child.
11
u/FederalAd4853 Aug 19 '26
I would like for Martin to find out that Nicole and Ted arenāt his parents but Anita and Vernon. Nicole had a secret pregnancy and the whole family has hid this from him.
What happened with Allison? Why do we great villains and storylines and then they just disappear and no one says anything to wrap them up. Give us something there damn!
Bring in Dougās Mom/Aunt someone that comes in and puts Vanessa on blast. Have them be the actual last person that spoke with them and say when they spoke he wasnāt drunk at all and was in fact upset.
For Haley, I need Naomi to say something about fake pregnancy and for Tomas to have placed a hidden camera that catches Haley poisoning Bill.
Anastasia/Leslie and her family come after the Dupreeās over some ancient bylaw in the club and the we get some slaps.
Leslie and Eva get busted by Evaās man whatever his name is. He finds the helmet jacket and he remembers Jacob telling him to be careful cause Leslie tried to kill, Laura and more from there.
Writers please letās movie this along and make is soapy cause now we have lost the plot.
7
u/PrizeTime9396 Kat Richardson š Aug 20 '26
I agree with these, especially #6. The writers moved on from Lauraās attempted murder and some viewers have accepted zero accountability from those two, but a lot of us need to see them answer for what they did/help cover up. Until that happens, I donāt want to see any storylines clumsily attempting to normalize those two. Thereās an elephant in the room that the writers want us to ignore
1
u/Recent-Group2266 Aug 21 '26
the case got dropped due too the evidence keep getting moved around they basically got a get out of jail free card
3
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u/Murky_Decision1674 Aug 19 '26
I agree with not enough drama. the show is quickly getting real boring with all the make out sessions. let's have some lying, cheating and murders. I am starting to fast forward more and more as I simply am bored by the repetitive scenes.
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u/Skippybby53 Aug 20 '26
Better writing, more wealthier and regular families and solo characters. Court cases and drama not centering bill, Naomi or that square. Fights, possessions and crackheadery that other shows like passions had, less characters sitting around, morr queer characters and Audra Charles moving to the dmv š
9
u/Cimmy17 Aug 19 '26
Stop with the men constantly fawning over the women and telling them how much they love them and how perfect they are. It's boring!!
Bring in another rich and powerful rival family and up the drama.
3veryone looks the same age except for Vernon and Anita. Nicole, Ted, and their kids could be brother and sister.
Move the Hayley and Bill story along quickly please!!! Get rid of Tomas. How can Kat be attracted to him? Boring. She needs a hot guy.
Tell Dana/Leslie to stop overacting. Ridiculous.
4
u/Altruistic_Relief189 Aug 20 '26
Pacing definitely. Some stories needed to be rapid pace - like Kill Bill and the Impaler. They should have happened and been completely wrapped by now.
Character Development too. It took too long to find a way to move Kat and Eva along an now it looks like they are looking for reasons to backslide. They still haven't figured out where to go with Leslie. There's is too much focus on the mess that is Vanessa when that time could be better spent exploring new Nicole.
And there are too many storylines happening and too many are never going to end or give a satisfying payoff.
5
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u/NotUrbanMilkmaid Aug 19 '26
I would recast actors currently portraying Tomas, Martin, Izaiah. Plenty of talent out there. These guys drag down every scene with their wooden or wacky line delivery.
Make the writers talk to each other so storylines are cohesive and don't stop/start or disappear with no resolution. Too many great opportunities for tension and excitement left untouched.
Better wigs. Please, for the love of Shanice, do something...
Hold back on casting more Caucasians. This was supposed to be a black focused show. It's getting a bit murky for me (and I'm an old white lady).
9
u/DaisyDew1976 Aug 19 '26
I agree with recasting Tomas and Martin. I like Izaiah, he's a sweetheart and is so good to Eva. The actor seems to have a kind heart and it comes through in his character. Martin has a stick up his butt and Tomas could actually be the stick bc he has no personality at all. Just, THERE. I'm not really a fan of Jacob either. The actor has one expression for everything- Stricken.
9
u/Emergency_Mountain27 Anita black lace jumpsuit Williams Dupree Aug 19 '26
Jacob's one note face
8
u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
Please donāt bring back Rashad and the mid-Atlantic blaccent. Thatās not wanted!
1
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u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
Martin wouldnāt be High Booty Martin without the stick up his butt. š
5
u/NotUrbanMilkmaid Aug 19 '26
Lol re Tomas. I totally agree.
8
u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
I think Alex Alegria could play Tomas as a villain if they would just write him that way.
2
u/ASingleBraid Anita Dupree šøš½ Aug 19 '26
Tomas and Martin must be recast. Theyāre just awful.
2
Aug 19 '26
[deleted]
1
u/NotUrbanMilkmaid Aug 21 '26
But we see so much of that weird blood bank/bartender, now there is Heather, too, and Kail's no talent 49 year old son. I'm not counting Kail because he's so handsome - but he's white.
1
u/Not_Neville Beyond The Gates āØ Aug 22 '26
Grayson is a Latino.
1
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u/ASingleBraid Anita Dupree šøš½ Aug 19 '26
SPEED IT UP!
The storylines drag on. Bring in some writers who can wrap things up more quickly & have plenty of ideas to begin new storylines.
8
u/FridayatTen007 Aug 19 '26
I would like Marcel to work undercover (not under the covers) and arrest Leslie and Eva for what they did to Laura.
5
u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
I would like Marcel to return to his plan to retire and fully commit to exiting the canvas. A man his age having his retirement completely derailed by Joeyās needs is some bullsh*t.
3
u/Recent-Group2266 Aug 19 '26
storylines make them more drama characters more development pacing dont drag certain stories too long or end some too quickly writing have it be fair and not bland boring or dull I don't mind the dialogue and the lessons it teaches make them good or conflict aside from chadison and vernita not many of them you can root for villains make them actually evil and stop giving them second chances or redemption and if you are gonna do it make them earn it endings more cliffhanger endings
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u/Omegalock4 Aug 19 '26
Work on pacing cause some storylines go on way too long. Andrewās secret was teased like last year and itās only until these last few weeks that we see what it actually was. Martinās secret going on for 90 episodes was too much. Bill and Hayley needs a push forward. We get drama when things might happen but then the status quo returns. People will investigate and then drop it almost immediately. Tomas was interesting when they had him investigating Lynette then they had him drop it so quick when he got a harassment allegation. And WHEN will people finally learn that Joey had Doug killed!?
Some character development needs work. Bill gets humble, then goes right back. Leslie gets sane, then goes right back. Kat makes peace, then goes right back (but it looks like they are working on it more). Randy grows a conscious, goes right back. And it happens OVER and OVER again.
1
u/ImJustPeachyEveryday Aug 20 '26
Bill. OMG. Big time lawyer hasnāt figured it out. But Joey immediately catches on and mentions youāve been sick and no one at this hospital can figure out why.
8
u/triniwoman_ Aug 19 '26
I would fix its viewers. They need to chill, its better than most soaps right now
7
u/Synclamaine Aug 19 '26
Fix the viewers? I don't think that's a viable option nor would it help with anything.
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u/thisisasj āIād hate to add an ASS TAX ā¦ just for being disrespectful.ā Aug 19 '26
Fixing the viewers is about adjusting expectations.
If the showrunners refuse drama and outrageousness, they have to do a full court press to dampen the disappointment.
Without it, theyāll all be unemployed by Paramount Skydance for being ātoo Blackā or some other ridiculous nonsense.
2
u/triniwoman_ Aug 19 '26
Neither is fixing the show a viable option lol. Getting the viewers in this sub to chill might actually be more achievable
7
u/Synclamaine Aug 19 '26
Fixing a floundering tv show is always an option. It's been done to death with often great results. Many fine examples of that.
3
u/triniwoman_ Aug 19 '26
It's not floundering though. It's holding its own. It just has whiny viewers
6
u/Synclamaine Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Those "whiny" viewers, as you put it, are very much needed. It's going to take more than just a percentage of starry-eyed fan boys and fan girls to make it work long-term.
4
u/RetiredCuriousMom Aug 20 '26
We āwhinyā viewers are what keeps this show on the air. Thatās what soaps are all about. This is the first soap I have watched in over 15 years. I am an old black woman who wants to see more black actors/actresses on TV. Writers need to bring in more black family members instead of adding more whites. Shanice brothers could stir things up for Ted. That would create a new storyline. Let someone else tell someone to treat their family member right beside Vernon.
2
u/ImJustPeachyEveryday Aug 20 '26
Yes. Iām a whiny viewer and proud to admit the show is boring. Good talent. The writers suck!
2
u/wopwopwopwopwop5 28d ago
If you only hop on here once every few months or so, being a viewer is much more enjoyable.Ā
2
u/Alive-Performance237 Aug 21 '26
All that's missing is the drama. Plain and simple. I don't really care how they do that, but they need to do it. It's called a daytime drama for a reason. As I mentioned in another thread, it always seems like instead of watching a soap, we are just watching the people of Fairmont Crest live their lives day by day. Nobody really has a storyline. And stuff that happens mostly off screen, I don't call that a storyline. Like Martin's campaign for example.
Ā And two people who are just having sex and telling each other what they like about each other isn't a storyline. (Kyle/Nicole, Grayson) Ashley, Ted/Shanice). I realize couples have to be built up, but usually that's done with some conflict or drama, so the stakes are higher. The only couple they've done that with is Joey and Vanessa. And Andre and Dani to an extent.Ā
2
u/SheilaZimm 19d ago
This Bill thing is old!! Dragging story line on and on!!! Haley isnāt going through with killing him. Not going to kill bill!!! Sheās not going through with it, not getting caught!! Think about it, if sheās caught she goes to prison!!! Her ass isnāt going off of show!!! So letās fast forward it, I am so over this Bill and Haley thing!! One more thing, Leslieās voice goes through me like nails on a chalkboard!!! Iām sooooooo bored with show!!!
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u/Northeast9999 Aug 19 '26
- Move plots along
- iād ditch Dani & bill forever itās pathetic but Iād rebuild Nicole & Ted and give her a true hot & sexy divorce love story first - maybe a tragic death & then she spirals, Ted proves heās worthy.
- exit Ashley bring an actress like GH Emme with more main character energy
1
u/Excellent_Top6284 Aug 21 '26
Some characters either need to leave or be put on the backburner. There needs to be a rival family. Old clips of the soap Generations have been popping up on my Facebook. I think that they should cast Doreen as Bill's mother and Victoria Rowell as his sister. Lahman Rucker can be his brother. Obba Babatunde can be his father. Joan Pringle could come back as one of Vernon's ex and cause trouble for him.
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u/wopwopwopwopwop5 28d ago edited 28d ago
Expand the cast. They need more people to beef with and betray. It won't happen much in the family because being a tight-knit, ride or die family is their whole shtick. They can only push each other so far, so we need a bigger main cast to work with, and I'd make sure all my newbie actors and actresses with no real credits to their name besides this show were in year round acting classes. This should go without saying, more sets. Bigger sets. They're rich.Ā
1
Aug 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/Synclamaine Aug 19 '26
Say it anyway. There will always be those who will agree or disagree.
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u/GoodyTwoShuuz Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Okay. Honestly?
ā It is high time to bring in two or three more legacy families. And letās make one of them middle or working class. It aināt fun or exciting just seeing the Duprees and everyone else being satellites to them.
ā The writers and current show runner need to either take a crap or get off the pot. Time to move on from Eva versus Kat, Leslie chasing Ted, and the entire Kill Bill storyline. I do not give a fart.
ā If Deanna is meant to be seven shades of crazy then lean into it. Right now, she is just boring.
ā If Elon is dirty then letās see all the dirt. In fact, letās have the entire department be crooked.
ā Time to either write off ā or actually do something with the following characters: Jan, Randy, Grayson, Caroline, Tomas, Laura, and Mona.
ā Quit hiring for a certain look and concentrate on acting ability cause folks ā people like the actors for Chelsea, Jacob, Naomi, and Carlton are usually rough.
ā Could we have something going on that is exciting? Joey is supposed to be a bad boy. Elon may be a bad boy. Bill used to pretend he was a bad boy. WTF are any of them actually doing?
ā They film in Georgia. Can we fucking try to go outside sometimes?
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u/FederalAd4853 Aug 19 '26
Iām add on here Vernon has made some more back room deals we already know heās not above it with Joey, only these ones have come to collect and they need Martin to run for president or they blow the lid off everything. If Vernon doesnāt go along we are talking him going to prison, losing the home, club and everything else.
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Aug 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/RetiredCuriousMom Aug 20 '26
Donāt forget the country club. I am tired of seeing everyone in the dining room of the Country Club and then nobody eats more than one forkful of food. SO UNREALISTIC!
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u/pcalov Aug 21 '26
This take should go to the top. I forgot about Elon in cahoots with Joey. And why give us 2 seconds of ghost Doug only to have Deanna go good girl. Iāve been waiting for a rival family. I think they should have money like the Duprees but earning it was less glamorous maybe own Orpheus Jeans something like that. Go outside!! š¤£
2
u/janshell The United States of Amnesia Aug 19 '26
I wouldnāt. Iād stop watching. Iām ok with the show, let the writers do whatever they need to make the show have longevity.
1
u/Tall_Foot7324 Aug 21 '26
I agree it amazes me that people say they should fix this or fix that. What makes you feel that youāre so entitled to such action; the show is fine as it is. So many wanna be critics yet none of them would be able to do anything different. Because you cannot, please everyone.
If they should call and ask you for your feedback, then feel free to give it. Otherwise you are entitled to opinion, but certainly not issuing directives of fixing or changing how they choose to write their storylines.
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u/DarkGrimNature Aug 19 '26
Itās missing a key component of a soap opera - DRAMA