As the World Turns - NEWS ROOM

Welcome to Kristi's weekly blog, "As The Week Turned", for the week ending September 5, 2008.

Can you believe that another Friday is here and it's time to dish and discuss our favorite and least favorite storylines? It seems like Monday was just yesterday but I guess that is what happens on short weeks! Only three show days this week, but still a lot to talk about so grab your discussion cap and let's chat!

First, let's talk Tennis! I know, I know, it's a popular sport. I actually enjoy watching it. But will all of the other options for running the matches - like ESPN! - why are our shows interrupted? I thought I'd give you guys my take, which comes from years working in the news business before coming to work here.

It's all about money. We may not like it, but sports sponsorships pay biiiiig bucks. Which means that anytime a network can capitalize on those extra revenue dollars, they will. The viewership may not be huge because of people being at work, but many will tune in online or Tivo to watch later. As long as the advertisers sign up, networks will run sports. Nothing we can do about it.

On the bright side? I think As The World Turns did the absolute best they could with only three days to work with. And, another bonus, at least these aren't local pre-emptions so we'll pick up right where the show left off on Monday. No weird scene changes or missing part of a storyline. We'll know exactly what is going on. Plus, at least this isn't the two-week-long Olympics! We're actually only missing two days, compared to the many, many days that were lost to NBC's primetime programming.

Okay, on to the show.

Is there a more boring storyline than Aaron/Alison/Chris? I know I'm kind of changing my tune a little bit because all the way through last week I was in support of the Allie/Aaron repairing. This story just feels like it's already been told. Plus, I'm sorry, but Holden trying to be the buttinsky who foils things just doesn't work. I don't buy him as the concerned parent at this point. If he were a concerned parent he wouldn't have had sex with Carly in an unlocked camp cabin - or on her couch with the door unlocked! - where anyone, including children, could have walked in on them. I think Holden is miserable and is trying to make everyone else miserable. But that is another paragraph. Back to Aaron/Alison.

To make this storyline work, the two of them need to spend time together. Not time with family, not superficial talk about what kind of a wedding they want to have. Have we even seen a hot kiss between the two of them? Has Aaron tried to seduce Alison? Has Alison even held Aaron's hand? Nope. They did have ice cream in Old Town, but a love story is not made out of ice cream. Unless the ice cream … wait, this is a family blog, I'll tone it down! There was more chemistry between Allie and the puppy this week than between Allie and Aaron, which spells disaster from the get-go. I'm not rooting for this wedding to take place. I'm not rooting for Chris to break things up. I'm rooting for it all to go away.

Soon.

The romance that is working for me? Lily and Mike. Ooooh! Hawt!!

That one is hot and even though I know it's short-lived because Mike's portrayer Jon Prescott is headed out of Oakdale in the near future, I still want it to work. Lily deserves a little happiness. She deserves a man who is going to stand beside her, stand up for her and help her learn to stand up for herself. Strong women, that is what daytime television needs. Not more wimpy women who need a man to tell them what to do.

Which brings me to Holden and the ignorance that is his character of late. We all know he wants what is best for the kids, we all know he wants Carly. What we don't know is why the heck he keeps waffling all the time. Newsflash, Holden! the kids aren't being hurt by Mike. The kids aren't being hurt by Lily. The kids are being hurt because you're with them, but then you leave for Carly, but then you tell them you and Lily are working things out, but then you go back to Carly, but then…Yeah, you guys know what I'm talking about. I actually do like the Holden/Carly pairing. It's something new and the two of them have great chemistry together. But if something - and by something I mean Holden making a flippin' choice! - doesn't happen soon, I'm going to reach through my computer screen and smack him with my Manolo's.

The Luke/Noah pairing. We covered this last week: the writers need to move this along or kill off the relationship. Teenagers and young people in their 20s just don't go around holding hands. So, get on with it already. That's all I've got to say.

Brian and Lucinda, though, have my vote. I'm still not sure what is going on between them but Lucinda is totally attracted and Brian seems to take a little extra care. Could we be seeing a little May/December romance going on? Or is it just a smoke-screen on Brian's behalf? Whichever case comes true, I'm totally into it because both of the characters are fun to watch!

James and Paul have to have the best father/son, love/hate relationship going, though. James knows exactly what buttons to push and Paul is so torn between being the man Meg wants and the man he really is that he isn't sure which way is up. Digging in the dirt for money and screaming at the heavens to open up the earth? Priceless. Absolutely priceless!

There you have it, fans, my take on the week that was in Oakdale. What hit your funny bone this week? Let's chat some more in the comments!