You wouldn’t think that a heartbreaking event like the death of a legacy character would be the most exciting news to hit the soap in a while, but I get it.

Days of Our Lives‘ Doug sendoff included several legacy characters whose stays were all too short, and the way so many Salemites bonded together was a throwback to the show’s glory days.

Doug’s Sendoff And Its Aftermath Were All About Family

Days of Our Lives has suffered the same problem as the rest of the television landscape: there is less focus on families and their issues in favor of crime and medical drama.

But during Doug’s funeral week, everything changed, and even now, there are some remnants of the show that once was.

Characters like Steven, Marie, and Liz fit right back in even though they hadn’t visited Salem in many years, and with few exceptions, their presence gave Juile comfort in the hours and days after Doug’s sudden death.

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These scenes were a treat for long-time viewers, but their significance went far beyond resurrecting characters who once had a central spot on the show.

There was a whole different vibe during Doug’s funeral week.

Even though the circumstances were sad, there were plenty of opportunities for humor, drama between people who had held grudges for many years, and families coming together to celebrate the life of one who had been a beacon of light for them for many years.

My favorite was a 60-something Steven continuing to go in and out through windows like he’s one of the teenagers on Girl Meets World.

Julie’s exasperation with him doing that provided some much-needed laughter during these otherwise sad scenes.

The family moments were so strong that I hated that the Days of Our Lives sendoff for Doug was over so quickly and that most of the family went home after only a few episodes.

Still, some of the family is still here, and Doug’s legacy continues. Julie’s loved ones are concerned about how she will get through her first Christmas without her husband by her side.

Fan Reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug Sendoff Shows The Importance of Building On Legacy

Doug’s sendoff during the first week of December wasn’t just about him.

It was timed with a celebration of Days of Our Lives’ 15,000th episode, and if Bill Hayes was still with us, those legacy characters who returned for his funeral probably would have been invited back for another reason.

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The time capsule story — and the subsequent theft of Alice’s diamond necklace — would have gone on regardless, and we might have had the same family vibes that we felt around Doug’s funeral.

There’s a reason the reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is far more positive than anything else on the show, and it has to do with legacy.

When this soap began, it was about the Horton family. Alice and Tom were adjusting to an empty nest while worrying about their wayward granddaughter.

(This whole thing where everyone assumed Steven took the necklace because people can’t change is silly, considering that Julie was a shoplifter in the pilot episode and Doug was a con artist hired later to trick her!)

The Horton family has not been central enough to Days of Our Lives recently.

While it’s important to establish new characters and families as time passes, the show doesn’t work as well without the Horton family and its descendants being the main characters.

The town of Salem itself is supposed to be the legacy of Tom and Alice Horton. Yet, the Hortons themselves have virtually been erased, with many of them off-screen and newer families becoming more prominent.

I don’t want the Hortons to be the ONLY family in town. I’m thrilled there are diverse families now, such as the Carvers and Hernandezes.

But eliminating most of the Hortons was never a good idea. We have a scant few in town now, which is why I hope JJ, Jack, and Jennifer stay and that Sarah and Maggie embrace their connection to the Hortons at some point.

Can Days of Our Lives Chart A New Path Forward?

After only a few days, Marie and Steven left town and life slowly got back to normal… normal for Salem, anyway.

Days of Our Lives must ensure its veteran characters get strong stories.

Julie’s story with “Doug III” is a good start, though I’m burned out on relatives moving in who turn out to be evil.

Plus, we just had this stupid Fake Abigail story, so we don’t need Doug’s grandson to follow in Doug’s original con artist footsteps.

But we need to continue having people support Julie now that Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is over.

Additionally, Days of Our Lives must return to the other foundational elements that made it so popular for many years, especially romances.

Get rid of the race to the bedroom and the endless love triangles. Johnny has never had a story that doesn’t involve one, and this latest one is stupid.

We need to fix the Johnson family while we’re at it.

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Steve and Jack are brothers but virtually never spend any time together. Steve and Kayla are one of the last remaining classic couples but seem to get siloed into individual storylines more often than not.

Finally, younger characters should turn to older ones for advice and support.

It’s beautiful that the last scene Drake Hogestyn filmed was John supporting Tate; we should have more scenes like that so that new characters don’t feel so disconnected from everything that came before.

Days of Our Lives has had a writing regime change, with new material beginning to air in April. Hopefully, the new head writers will consider some of these ideas.

Days of Our Lives has lasted for 60 years because the family connections and romantic storylines resonated with viewers. It shouldn’t take a heartbreaking event like a real-life death for the soap to go back to basics.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics. Do you agree that Days of Our Lives’ Doug sendoff was so successful because it had everything that once made this show must-see TV?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

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The post Days of Our Lives’ Doug Sendoff Reminds Viewers How Good This Soap Used To Be…And Can Be Again appeared first on TV Fanatic.

I have to keep reminding myself that laws in Salem aren’t the same as in the real world to accept the idea that a letter (forged or not) saying that Victor was sorry he didn’t leave Philip his company is a viable reason to contest him not doing so.

Still, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 suggest that there MIGHT be a twist in this storyline, though whether that’s true remains to be seen.

As The Court Battle Looms, Will Justin Get Anyone To Support Xander?

For some reason, the court case seems to depend on witnesses discussing who they would prefer as CEO, which is not how these things should work.

Take those recommendations to the Titan board! The judge should only consider whether that letter proves Victor intended to leave the company to Philip rather than Xander.

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Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 have Justin asking Maggie to testify.

Maggie may not want to get involved between Victor’s two sons, but she certainly has insight into what Victor most wanted, so she might be willing to testify to that.

As an aside, It’s a good thing Victor didn’t also debate leaving the company to Bo despite his coma because Bo will be back on-screen in May, and his story needs to be about him and Hope, not any side nonsense about these company wars.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24 Say That Philip and Xander Learn Who Titan’s True Heir Is

Here it is: an ambiguous spoiler that could point to a twist.

I’m probably reading the spoiler too literally. Since the court battle is coming up, chances are that the judge will make their ruling and someone will be feeling like throwing a tantrum over it.

Still, it would be an awesome plot twist if it turned out that neither Xander nor Philip is the rightful heir and that Maggie is given the 50% of the company that’s supposed to go to one of them so that she has 100% control over Titan.

I don’t know how that could be when the will says that 50% goes to Victor’s secret son, but I’d love it anyway.

It would be the equivalent of a parent deciding no one gets the toy that the kids are fighting over, and I’d be here for that.

Belle Presses Sarah To Tell The Truth… About What?

This is one of the more intriguing Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 because it’s unclear what it’s about.

Belle is set to be Philip’s new lawyer, but it’s unlikely that Sarah will testify against her husband’s interests to help Philip be victorious in court. That would be a ridiculous expectation.

However, Sarah is aware of what Xander did to Brady when he thought Brady was responsible for Sarah’s accident, and Sarah isn’t likely to want to admit to those criminal activities in court. (I’d think she could invoke her right not to testify against her spouse here, but again, this is Salem.)

Thus, this is the most likely candidate for what Belle is pressuring Sarah about.

Love Triangle Alert: Days of Our Lives Spoilers for The Week of 12-16-24 Say That Stephanie Hides Her True Feelings

Stephanie’s been hiding her true feelings about Alex for a while, so if that’s what this spoiler is about, it’s not much of one at all.

However, it seems like she could be falling for Philip again. If not, what was with the overused trope of Philip coming to the door in nothing but a towel?

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Stephanie will probably try to keep things professional with Philip while also being jealous if she finds out about the rumors that Alex slept with Joy.

Philip will be working with Belle, so we might also have a love triangle between two of Philip’s exes. At least Stephanie hasn’t blown up her marriage several times over by sleeping with Philip!

Belle and Shawn will eventually find their way back to each other now that both are staying in Salem, so we don’t need it complicated with another Belle/Philip romp in the hay.

According To Days Of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24, Felicity Will Finally Learn About Her Big Sister

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 promise that Felicity will learn the truth about Cat.

While I don’t have much use for most of this story, I’m interested in Felicity’s reaction. Felicity is the first character with Downs Syndrome to appear on Days of Our Lives, so I always enjoy it when she’s on.

I’m curious how Felicity will respond to this news and whether anyone will try to act as if she’s too fragile to receive or understand it because of her condition.

How Soon Will JJ And Gabi Become A Couple Again?

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 suggest that all the pieces are being put into place for JJ and Gabi to move back toward romance.

I was never a fan of this couple before.

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JJ was moved quickly into a romance with Gabi after Paige died, which irked me, and Gabi called Lani having sex with him when he was too drunk to be able to legally consent “cheating” and “blackout sex.”

Gross.

Sadly, there don’t seem to be any plans to resurrect Paige, and the writing was already on the wall that these two would be pushed back together when Clyde assumed that JJ was Gabi’s “new hubby.”

Gabi can be comforting when she wants to be, and she saved JJ’s life when he was suicidal.

Additionally, Cherie Jimenez’s Gabi seems to be somewhat softer and less unbalanced than Camila Banus’ was, and we have new writers coming soon who might change the character’s direction.

So maybe this will work out better this time.

Meanwhile, this week, Gabi will realize she’s been insensitive to JJ’s true feelings, setting the stage for a reconciliation.

Of course, there’s one person who won’t like it: Julie.

JJ Gets An Earful From Julie About Gabi

Julie just buried her husband and is busy believing that her alleged grandson is exactly who he says he is, but Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 say she’ll have time to lecture JJ about Gabi.

One of many reasons Doug’s death is so heartbreaking is that he knew how to get Julie to calm down when she went too far — without him, she’s liable to go too far, and it’ll be hard for anyone to reason with her.

JJ has never put up with anyone telling him how to live his life.

He and Jennifer still butt heads to this day when he’s in his early 30s, the same as they did when he was a teenager because she tries too hard to keep him safe, so he won’t be likely to listen to Julie even if he is more patient because she’s grieving Doug’s death.

Ava and Brady’s Date Does Not Go As Planned

To nobody’s surprise, Ava and Brady’s first date will be a disaster.

First dates in Salem usually are, especially when Kristen is eager to throw a monkey wrench into things.

Ava is not afraid of Kristen, unlike Brady’s previous girlfriends, and that aggravates Kristen to no end, so she’ll be determined to make her afraid.

She also wants Brady for herself and will stop at nothing to get him, so the only question here is what Kristen will do to mess things up.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What do you think of these Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24?

Vote for your favorite spoiler in our poll and then hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24: Could There Be ANOTHER Twist In The Philip/Xander War? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 was an intense episode that somehow felt like every other story in this beautiful series.

If it had to end, this was how to do it, and the final scene came close to my dream ending. But it also made the point that there COULD have been many more stories to tell if only CBS had found a way to keep it on the air.

Losing Badillo Was Expected, Yet Sad

Rumors swirled for months about Badillo’s death in Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18, and by last week, it was clear it had to be Badillo.

No one else made any sense once the photos of the funeral sequence were released. All the Reagans were in attendance and so was Mayor Chase.

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If we had to lose someone, I’d rather it be a secondary character like Badillo. It would have been a horrible ending if any of the Reagans had died or been severely injured.

This story also gave Eddie one last chance to shine. She was fierce both in trying to save Badillo and her reaction after learning he was gone.

Eddie: Can you do something for me?

Danny: Anything.

Eddie: Then you don’t baby me and you don’t sideline me and you don’t tell me it’s too hard or that it’s too personal and you let me help.

Danny: Why would I baby one of the toughest cops I’ve ever known?

The opening scene started like any other episode, but as soon as Eddie and Badillo got that call, my heart jumped into my throat, and I KNEW, without a shadow of a doubt, that Badillo’s fate was sealed.

That almost made these scenes worse because I was waiting for the exact moment of his death, and when Eddie called for him, and he didn’t answer, it broke my heart even more than if it had been a surprise.

Despite The Danger, The Reagans Were Mostly Unafraid On Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18

Erin was afraid she would lose another brother, and Frank mentioned Joe’s death, but for the most part, it was business as usual for the Reagans.

I wasn’t sure whether to admire their bravery or whether it cheapened the threat to all cops that Danny, Jamie, and Joe didn’t seem to have much concern about their own safety, even after visiting Eddie in the hospital.

In some ways, though, it added to the suspense of this final hour.

Although I knew it wasn’t going to end with a terrible tragedy for the Reagans, I kept expecting someone to come around a corner with a gun, especially when Jamie and Joe were walking out to their cars after interrogating Emilio’s girlfriend.

I didn’t like how Emilio looked at Frank as he was being led away near the end of the episode.

That was one of the things that made this feel more like a season finale than a series finale. That scene seemed like a set-up for a future episode that will never come.

Frank’s Confrontation Of An Elderly Gangster Was The Most Chilling Part Of The Hour

After Mayor Chase gave Frank the keys to the city, Frank used his newfound power to try to convince a lifer to give up the location of his son, who was the gangster guilty of shooting the mayor, leading to some scenes that made a shiver go up my spine.

These scenes included just Frank and the prisoner (special guest Edward James Olmo) in a room. They were reminiscent of Frank’s confrontation with Sonny Malevsky after learning he was responsible for Joe Reagan’s death on Blue Bloods Season 1 Episode 22.

This confrontation was quieter but no less intense.

At first, it seemed like a waste of Frank’s time. The prisoner wasn’t going to budge and was convinced that he was the true hero, protecting his son from the evil cops who wanted him to ruin the relationship by ratting him out.

But boy, did Frank have an ace up his sleeve. The way he used his feelings about his own son’s death to get Lorenzo to budge was nothing short of masterful.

Frank: I had a son who was killed, by the police actually. And if before it happened, someone said to me, here’s your choice: we kill him now or he spends the rest of his life in prison. You know what? I wouldn’t blink. I would be at that prison every chance I got with hamburgers for us and a deck of cards so we could spend some time together. And I’d be thrilled to be there. Cause I know the cold dark of the other choice. I live with it every single day.

What a beautiful tribute to the 14 years of missing Joe that we’ve all lived through with Frank and the rest of the Reagan family.

That was the perfect way to wrap up that tragic storyline.

Throughout the entire series, the family has never lost their sense of grief that Joe cannot join them at any more Reagan family dinners, and meeting Joe Hill made it worse in some ways.

They will never fully recover from that death. As Frank’s beautiful speech on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 points out, he will always miss his son.

But Joe would probably be proud that in some way, he helped save the city from the gang’s violent rampage.

That doesn’t make it any better that he’s gone, but Frank certainly honored his memory during this story.

The Amelia Story Was The Weakest Part Of Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18

I’m loathe to criticize any part of the finale. I’m so grateful we had this final episode and that CBS gave Blue Bloods this final half-season to wrap things up that I don’t want to admit it was less than perfect.

However, the Amelia story confused me.

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Amelia was terrified when she called Eddie, but by the time Danny finally tracked her down, she didn’t seem scared of anybody but the cops.

I guess she could have had a bit of Stockholm Syndrome, but it came off as weird.

This was a kid who was so traumatized after witnessing her father kill her mother that she didn’t speak for three days, and this was the second time her dad had attempted to kidnap her.

Yet after that initial phone call, she took it all in stride.

Additionally, it felt like Carlos Ramirez gave up too quickly.

A few words from Danny about how fathers should lead by example did it. Ramirez sent Amelia upstairs with Baez, made a half-hearted attempt at suicide, and then surrendered peacefully.

Considering he blamed Danny for his not being in Amelia’s life and had kidnapped her while his gang was shooting public servants all over the city, that solution seemed all too easy.

This is why Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 should have been two hours.

There was too much to fit into the final hour, so this story was shortchanged so that they could get to the final wrap-up.

Blue Bloods’ Happy Ending Was Perfect, Yet It Didn’t Feel Different Than Any Other Episode

After all the cases were resolved, Badillo’s funeral and the final family dinner were the only remaining events.

These scenes could just as easily have been part of a season finale as a series finale.

I’m thrilled that Eddie and Jamie are having a baby, but I wish we could have the chance to get to know them. And I LOVE the tacit acknowledgment that Joe Hill is a full-fledged family member now.

But if Blue Bloods were returning, Season 15 could begin after Eddie’s baby was born so that she has to adjust to a new partner and to being a mother who is working as a cop, and nothing else would fundamentally change.

The final family dinner wasn’t much different from any other family dinner, either. Danny is always in a hurry to get to the food while everyone catches up with each other and expresses gratitude for the time they spend together.

Although that doesn’t sound exciting or final, the family all together — including a returning Jack Reagan and Nicky — was the absolute perfect way to end this series.

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The family dinners were the heart of this series, so a huge one was the right note to end on.

I had hoped the final lines would be a toast to the entire Reagan family, and while that didn’t happen, Frank’s expression of gratitude and pride in his family came pretty damn close.

After the credits rolled, I didn’t cry because of the episode’s events (even though Badillo’s death was sad). I cried because that was the last family dinner I’d get to share with the Reagans, not counting reruns streaming on Paramount+.

And now, I turn it over to you so that I can hear your thoughts on a new episode of Blue Bloods for the very last time, fellow Blue Bloods fanatics.

I’d love your takes on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18, especially your thoughts on how the series wrapped up (or didn’t).

Maybe someday we will all get to discuss a reunion movie or spinoff, but for now, vote in our poll to rate the episode and then post your thoughts in the comments.

Every episode of Blue Bloods is currently available to stream on Paramount+

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The post Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 Wrapped Up A 14-Year Run With A Reminder Of Everything That Makes This Cancelation Hurt appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Sometimes, the iconic dinner scenes were in a hotel, hospital, or diner, but there was guaranteed to be a scene where the Reagans got together, put all their problems aside, and spent time together as a family.

These Blue Bloods family dinners were as important to the cast and writers as they were to the audience, and they were a true labor of love, considering how much work went into them.

The Iconic Blue Bloods Family Dinners Were The Intentional Centerpiece Of The Series

The family dinner scenes are more associated with Blue Bloods than any other aspect of the police/family drama, and that was on purpose.

From the beginning, late producer Leonard Goldberg wanted the dinners to be central because he intended the show to be about a family of cops, not just a police procedural.

It’s a sentiment that Tom Selleck so heartily endorsed that when the series drifted away from family scenes in the first few episodes, he put his foot down about what needed to happen if he was to continue with the project.

Thus, it makes sense that the first scene the actors filmed was the debut of the Reagan family dinner. Amazingly, the cast didn’t know each other well then; other than Bridget Moynahan and Donnie Wahlberg, they had all just met.

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The fact that they were able to make the Reagans seem like a real family at that early juncture speaks not only to the actors’ talents but also to how dedicated they all were to making family front and center in their new show.

That first dinner took several hours to film, and the producers weren’t even sure what the final structure of the show would be, but everyone jumped in and did it, and the results were nothing short of brilliant.

The Blue Bloods Family Dinners Were The Longest Scenes To Film

Although it’s hard to tell from the finished product, the iconic dinner scenes were a huge commitment.

CBS’ special, Blue Bloods: Celebrating A Family Legacy, went behind the scenes at the dinner table. I knew that these scenes were long because I’d read about them elsewhere, but some of the other facts about them showed what a labor of love they were.

These scenes took at least three hours to shoot, with multiple takes where the Reagans had to appear to be eating the same food on their plates the same way.

It’s a joke among the crew that Donnie Wahlberg is the only one who eats all the food during each scene.

When Danny said on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 17 that he couldn’t wait for that pork chop, it didn’t seem that far off from how Wahlberg is in real life, judging from the anecdotes about him and food!

I was impressed by several things about how hard everyone works to make those Blue Bloods family dinners come alive.

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The actors sit on soft cushions to ensure they’re high enough for the cameras and comfortable after sitting for long periods.

A chef is employed behind the scenes to ensure the food is edible (for those who choose to eat during multiple takes), and everyone stays for hours, doing the scene over and over so that there are enough different takes to edit into a polished, fun, and love-filled Reagan family dinner.

The actors have to find inventive ways to make it look like they’re eating, while behind the scenes, a prop person must refill each plate between takes and put food items in exactly the same location so nothing looks weird when they edit multiple takes together.

Talk about dedication!

Considering how much work went into them, these scenes were truly a labor of love.

It’s not surprising that they are usually the first thing people discuss when they’re asked why they love Blue Bloods. The family love shines through, and it’s hard to believe that it took so much work to get them on the air.

The Blue Bloods Family Dinner Scenes Allowed The Cast To Bond

In some ways, the family dinner scenes didn’t involve acting at all, at least not by Blue Bloods Season 14.

The cast got to know each other at these dinners, especially once Eddie (Vanessa Ray) became part of the family. According to multiple interviews, Ray and Donnie Wahlberg constantly joke around and crack everyone else up during the dinner scenes.

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This is an amazing testimonial to how life imitates art. The fictional Reagans became like a real family off-screen the more time they spent together on these Blue Bloods family dinner scenes, and doubly so when you consider that they were all strangers when they filmed their first one.

Everyone on set embraced the family values at the center of the series, and it shows on-screen and off, which you can see in more detail below when Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg joined The Talk Today.

Despite the effort required for the Blue Bloods family dinner scenes, Tom Selleck mentioned on the special that there was never a bad one.

We have done many articles about the cancelation of Blue Bloods, but nothing hits home as much as seeing the stars weep, knowing they will never be a part of the Reagan family dinners again.

When Selleck and Wahlberg joined The Talk today on CBS, they discussed filming their last dinner scene and what 14 years of friendship and on-set camaraderie have meant to them.

Selleck feels that the last dinner scene, whether it was the final scene filmed or not, was truly the last for them all. He said of filming the scene, “You know, we’re trying to stay professional and stay focused on the scene and ignore the fact that we’re all going to feel emotional.

“And when they said cut on the final take of the final dinner scene, it was silence…We all knew as soon as somebody spoke, we’re all going to lose it.”

Tonight, we will be in the same boat. Grab those tissues; we’re going to need them.

Over to you, Blue Bloods fanatics.

Did you love the Blue Bloods family dinners? Were you aware of how much effort went into them?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Blue Bloods’ series finale will air on CBS on December 13, 2024, at 10/9c and on Paramount+ on December 14.

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The post The Blue Bloods Family Dinners: A Labor Of Love for Viewers and the Cast; Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg In Tears on The Talk appeared first on TV Fanatic.

I love neuroscience, and I’m a huge fan of Jesse L Martin, so I was thrilled that this series about a behavioral science professor and detective got a second season.

While it hasn’t been perfect (what show ever is?), it’s been highly entertaining. Let’s dive right into The Irrational Season 2 Midseason report card and discuss what’s so brilliant about this series.

The Irrational burst onto the scene during the writers’ and actors’ strikes when it was one of the only shows that filmed episodes prior to the beginning of the work stoppage, which meant that Season 1’s schedule was super wonky.

NBC broadcast what it had and then waited months for the rest.

Fortunately, The Irrational Season 2 follows a similar schedule to other NBC shows, so we won’t have to wait until March or April for the second half of the season!

Best Episode – “Anatomy of A Fall” (The Irrational Season 2 Episode 5)

In some ways, the “best episode” category for this show is meaningless.

There were no bad episodes of The Irrational. Even my least favorites were highly enjoyable, even if they had so many plot holes they felt like they were made out of Swiss cheese or weren’t as exciting as some other stories.

That said, The Irrational Season 2 Episode 5 spoke to me more than any other story this season.

I’m a sucker for mysteries set on college campuses. I write them, read them, and love them on TV.

I especially love it when detectives have to navigate the politics of the institution, which Alec did to a degree during “Anatomy of A Fall.”

The episode was about a girl who supposedly jumped to her death from a college building but was actually pushed, and Alec had to work with a college administrator who was reluctant to push too hard for answers because she didn’t want the school to look bad.

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She also didn’t want her son involved in the investigation even though he was Alec’s newest research assistant, which made things more interesting.

This episode gets high marks on our The Irrational Season 2 Midseason Report Card because of that fantastic setup. Strangely, Simon’s mother had no reaction when she found out her son was continuing to investigate despite her instructions to the contrary.

That was the only blip in an otherwise perfect episode, though.

I loved that this story exposed the dark side of (some) sororities, the way academic pressure can affect some students, and other serious issues related to college life in 2024.

It also used Wylton University, where Alec works, instead of the fictional Hudson University, which has the highest crime rate of any college ever because it has been used in every crime drama involving a college campus.

Best of all, “Anatomy Of A Fall” ended with Phoebe back in Alex’s lab, where she belonged, instead of trying to work for an unethical professor, and we finally learned her last name.

Now we just need Rizwan’s!

For all these reasons, this story got exceptionally high marks on our The Irrational Season 2 Midseason Report Card.

Worst Episode – “Stan By Me” (The Irrational Season 2 Episode 7)

Although I love The Irrational, the final episode of the fall season didn’t make a great impression.

The Irrational Season 2 Episode 7 broke from the usual format by having Alec work with Rose instead of with the FBI, for the most part.

There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, and Alec and Rose’s paths had already crossed on a previous case. Still, something about this episode didn’t work as well.

There wasn’t a class lecture at the beginning that played into the solution to the mystery, and the case of the week wasn’t all that exciting.

The ending was as inspirational as always, with the falsely accused K-pop star realizing she could be successful by being herself instead of listening to her manager, but something felt off about this episode.

It didn’t help that Marisa had a silly subplot revolving around a new boss who was overly eager to prevent burnout by cutting her hours and forcing her to socialize.

That story was (thankfully) wrapped up by the end of the episode, but it was a waste of time, leading to surprisingly low marks on our The Irrational Season 2 Midseason Report Card.

Best Story – Phoebe Finding Her Way Back To Alec

Before the season began, there was a lot of speculation about what was going to happen with Phoebe.

She had quit her job as a research assistant for Alec because she felt his constant need to get into dangerous situations to solve the case of the week was bad for her mental health, yet Molly Kunz promised she was not leaving the show and that there was more to come for her character.

Phoebe’s journey back to Alec wasn’t dragged out past the point of ridiculousness and was an engaging story in its own right.

At first, Phoebe was merely bored at her new job. Her new boss wanted her to relax and, therefore, gave her nothing to do.

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That was odd, but it seemed to make sense in the world of The Irrational, so okay.

However, the second half of this story was much stronger. Phoebe discovered that this professor was having research assistants do all the work while she took all the credit.

Sadly, that’s so common in academia that it wasn’t clear the professor was doing anything wrong. The student involved, Ava, didn’t care that she was being used as a ghostwriter, but it bothered Phoebe, and it got to the point where she wasn’t any less anxious than she was while working for Alec.

The short version of the story was that Phoebe became a whistleblower, got her boss fired, and then couldn’t find a new job because the plagiarizing professor made sure no one would hire her. Thus, she ended up returning to Alec’s department.

However, this story gets such high marks on our The Irrational Season 2 Midseason report card because it gives Phoebe a new best friend and ally: Kylie.

Alec’s sister has a much bigger role this season, which is a good thing. Her relationship with Phoebe is one of the most fun parts of the show.

Kylie helped Phoebe to understand the cost of becoming a whistleblower and later, convinced her that she couldn’t outrun her anxiety and that it might be best for her to ask Alec for her old job back.

These two have become close this season, and I hope there’s more of that to come in the second half!

Worst Storyline – Alec Tries To Stop A Train Collision By Standing On The Tracks

I enjoyed most of the story on The Irrational Season 2 Episode 6, but the climax needed some work.

The case was VERY different but fun. A woman who used datasets to predict disasters and other major events was worried that there was a high probability of a train collision due to a hack into a system that was supposed to keep trains safe.

Alec was able to get online and subtly warn people to evacuate commuter trains, but the problem still remained because freight trains were still moving, and an engineer the FBI spoke to refused to slow down or stop no matter what Alec said.

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Exciting, right?

However, the climax gets a D at best on The Irrational Season 2 midseason report card because of Alec’s ridiculous solution.

He played a high-stakes game of chicken with the engineer, getting on the tracks at the point where the train needed to stop and hoping the engineer blinked first.

This felt as unrealistic as it was dangerous.

It was hard to believe that a train going at an extremely high speed could stop on a dime, especially since the engineer wouldn’t even slow down until it was clear he would kill Alec if he didn’t.

The episode redeemed itself by having Kylie yell at Alec about taking unnecessary risks and get him to see this dangerous behavior was the wrong way to deal with his leftover trauma from surviving that bombing years ago.

The ending was strong, too, as Alec decided he’d rather keep his scars than get them surgically removed after his conversation with Kylie.

Still, that train chicken scene felt like danger for the sake of danger. There had to have been another solution!

Honorable Mention: Rizwan’s Growth

During The Irrational Season 1, Rizwan had major stage fright. He enjoyed doing research behind the scenes and helping Alec solve cases, but he was terrified of teaching students himself.

When asked to take over one of Alec’s lessons, he froze, stammered, and rambled, and his underwhelming performance put the students to sleep.

That’s not the case anymore. Rizwan now regularly demonstrates Alec’s points to the class, even playacting sometimes to help with a demonstration.

His increased confidence makes him a much more enjoyable character. I’m loving Rizwan this season. A+!

Over to you, The Irrational fanatics.

What grade would you put on The Irrational Season 2 midseason report card?

Vote in our poll, and then hit the comments with your thoughts!

The Irrational airs on NBC on Tuesdays at 10/9c and on Peacock on Wednesdays. New episodes will return on January 7, 2025.

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The post The Irrational Season 2 Midseason Report Card: This Show Deserves More Attention Despite Some Hiccups appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 had a lot of heart. It perfectly blended comedy and drama while telling an emotional and relatable story.

Even better, it gave Connor something more to do than pass through the kitchen, making quirky demands that everyone rolled their eyes at. He’s not the butt of jokes anymore — he’s finally a full-fledged character with hopes, dreams, and frustrations with his relationships with his parents.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 Featured A Random Road Trip, But It Worked

I’m not exactly sure why Georgie and Jim decided to take a road trip.

It had something to do with that Mustang they were trying to fix, but I missed what it was.

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Whatever their mission was, they didn’t accomplish it on-screen, but that’s okay. The point of the road trip was for Connor to discover an ally in Georgie.

I could relate to Connor’s frustration with his parents.

Jim hadn’t tried to steer Connor toward a job or career path that might interest him; he just assumed that because Connor is different (aka neurodivergent in the 1990s), he’d never be able to support himself.

The good news for Connor is that the Internet revolution is just around the corner, which will lead to all sorts of jobs that weren’t possible before, so he may be able to carve out a career path by the time he’s in his mid-30s.

Of course, if he’s working from home online, his parents might not have any idea what he’s doing and continue to worry about what will happen to him after they’re gone, but at least he’ll have options that he doesn’t have now.

I totally get where they’re coming from, but I also strongly relate to how Connor felt.

I’ve been on the receiving end of conversations like that.

Even though the people who are worried are well-meaning, the inadvertent message is that you’re broken in some unnameable way because you aren’t able to do things the way you’re “supposed” to.

In the 1990s, Connor’s parents may have been aware he was different in some ways, but it’s unlikely they’d realize he was autistic or otherwise neurodivergent.

That makes it even more frustrating. When you’re expected to understand things that you just don’t understand because your brain is wired differently, you feel like there’s a code to success that you can’t crack and begin to wonder what the hell is wrong with you.

(This is also likely why Young Sheldon had Sheldon be evaluated and determined to be neurotypical when he very clearly is not — there wasn’t nearly as much awareness about autism then, and anyone who was able to communicate verbally was assumed to be neurotypical even if they were “weird.”)

Connor wanted so badly for his father to be proud of him or at least happy with him that he took his instructions to get a job literally and tried to become the busboy in the diner they stopped to eat at. Then, he was confused about why that wasn’t an acceptable solution.

Georgie’s Acceptance Of Connor Came From Growing Up With Sheldon

Georgie had a rough time growing up with Sheldon. He was pegged as the “stupid brother” while everyone made a big deal out of Sheldon’s intelligence, so it’s natural that he didn’t try to understand what it was like for Sheldon to be so different than most people.

He told Mandy he regretted not trying to understand, and though he didn’t want to pick up the phone and rectify that situation, it made him try harder with Connor.

That was why Connor shocked Audrey by saying that Georgie was a “great person.”

Georgie didn’t think Connor wearing headphones to block out the world while on the road trip was weird or unacceptable. While Jim saw that as yet another reason Connor was impossible to relate to, Georgie saw that was just Connor being Connor.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 Made It Clear What Audrey’s Real Problem Is

The scenes with Audrey and Mandy helped humanize Audrey.

She doesn’t like Georgie for the same reason that All In The Family‘s Archie Bunker didn’t like his son-in-law: she sees Georgie as an obstacle to her child having the life she deserves and a loser who can’t support his family on his own.

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Audrey’s surprising dream of getting involved in politics never came true, so she wants Mandy to have the freedom to make her own dreams into realities. Having a baby young and being tied to an even younger father wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan.

Ironically, Audrey didn’t understand why Mandy wanted gender-neutral decorations for CeeCee’s nursery even though Mandy only wanted CeeCee to grow up to realize she could become whoever and whatever she wanted to become.

Audrey and Mandy have this in common, but Mandy is so busy resisting Audrey’s ideas about what her life should be like, and Audrey is so busy imposing her opinions that neither one of them realizes it.

Despite Heavy Themes, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 Was Hilarious

The best thing about “An Old Mustang” was that it had heart and substance without losing sight of the fact that it’s supposed to be a comedy.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 had several hilarious moments.

Audrey: The first night you slept in your own room, I cried.

Mandy: You did no.

Audrey: Of course I did. You were my sweet little angel and I loved you. Then you learned to talk and ruined everything.

There were some great one-liners and jokey conversations, but my favorite was the sequence in which Georgie negotiates a higher price for the water pump than Jim had planned on paying, unaware that the “other guy” he is competing with is Jim.

The two of them screwed themselves out of the original, low price with all that unnecessary negotiation, and I couldn’t stop laughing about it.

Random Thoughts

• It really is a shame that Georgie and Mandy will eventually break up. Georgie seems such an important part of the McAllister family that I feel Jim and Connor should get him in the eventual divorce.
• No Ruben on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7. I didn’t miss him.
• The laugh track/studio audience seemed muted today, which made it much more tolerable.
• I almost forgot this takes place in the 1990s and was confused by Audrey’s description of Friends until I remembered.

Over to you, Georgie & Mandy fanatics!

What did you think of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7?

Vote in our poll to rank the episode, and then hit the comments with your thoughts.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage airs on CBS on Thursdays at 8/7c and on Paramount+ on Fridays. It returns with all new episodes on January 30, 2025.

Watch Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Online

The post Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 7 Finally Delivered The Connor Story I’ve Been Waiting For appeared first on TV Fanatic.

While there were rumors for a while that they would be heading a proposed sixth season of Yellowstone, Deadline is reporting that they will instead be the leads in a new Yellowstone spinoff.

Six months ago, I’d have been ecstatic about this news, but now I’m not so sure, given how lackluster Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has been.

Beth and Rip Have Had Better Writing Than The Rest of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2

While Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has been all over the place, to say the least, Rip and Beth have had better writing than most.

In retrospect, could the entire meandering final part of the fifth season have been a backdoor pilot for Rip and Beth’s new Yellowstone spinoff?

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Many of the flashback scenes involved Beth’s difficulty functioning while Rip was in Texas overseeing the movement of cattle who had been exposed to a deadly disease on the Yellowstone Ranch.

Before John’s death, Beth made the surprising announcement that she didn’t care that much for her father’s ranch and would rather be in Texas with Rip, and after she came home to find out her father had been murdered, Rip rushed back to support her.

These scenes, along with Beth’s support of RIp after Colby’s death, were among the strongest scenes in the new season.

Though they didn’t make up for putting Beth’s feud with Jamie on the back burner, they did demonstrate that SOMETIMES the neo-Western could still be what made everyone fall in love with it.

That bodes well for a new Yellowstone spinoff featuring the couple, though it’s not yet clear what they will be doing.

Beth and Rip Could Continue Their Storyline With Carter In A New Yellowstone Spinoff

There is plenty of room for Beth and RIp to focus on their family storyline in a new spinoff.

Yellowstone fans would not be happy with a show that focuses only on the couple’s domestic life (and that wouldn’t fit the franchise’s neo-Western brand, anyway).

However, the backstory of Beth not being able to have children because of the botched abortion when she was a teenager and her conflicted feelings about Carter could still lead to a meaty subplot.

Beth has kept Carter at arm’s length ever since he was young enough to call her Mama, which she didn’t want him to do.

However, after Colby’s death, she showed a softer, more maternal side, reassuring Carter that the accident wasn’t his fault and telling him that she and Rip were his family.

Carter has grown considerably since he first appeared as an about-to-be-orphaned kid at the hospital, but there’s still plenty to be learned about his past, how it affects him, and his dreams for the future.

He’s been a background character in Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, but he could have a bigger role if there were to be a new Yellowstone spinoff.

This subplot might also make it clear why Colby had to die on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 12.

I really hope so because right now, that seemed like a gratuitous death that wasted time in a short season that was already failing to wrap things up effectively.

Beth and Rip’s Story On The New Yellowstone Spinoff Depends On What Happens In The Yellowstone Season 5 Finale

The sheer amount of scenes at Texas’ 6666 Ranch makes me wonder if Rip and Beth will move to Texas in the new Yellowstone spinoff.

That wouldn’t make a lot of sense right now. Rip has been trying to convince Beth to stop selling off all their livestock while Beth and Kayce are fighting to preserve the Yellowstone Ranch.

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However, that could change if things work out the way I suspect they will in the finale.

Kayce’s plan to save the ranch involves giving it away and buying it back cheaply, and if his plan works, there’s no reason he can’t manage the ranch while Beth and Rip leave town.

That would make Beth the happiest since she already said she doesn’t like working on the ranch. It would also let her, Rip, and possibly Carter have a fresh start.

Beth has been supporting Teeter since Colby’s death, so maybe she could come with them and they could all make a success out of the 6666.

Of course, Beth and RIp might not have a choice if the promised war with Jamie actually materializes during the Yellowstone Season 5 finale.

Supposedly, the siblings were going to fight to the death. There’s been no evidence of that so far, but I guess it could happen.

If Beth doesn’t kill Jamie, he could spill secrets that force her and Rip to go on the run, though this is a less likely outcome.

That would mean Jamie lives, and I don’t expect Beth to give him the opportunity to ruin the Duttons’ lives any more than he already has.

Plus, Beth doesn’t seem the type to go on the run, even if that would fit perfectly with the traditional Western trope of the hero(ine) who lives by their own moral code and exists outside the law.

Rip and Beth’s Relationship Could Be Tested In Original Ways On The New Yellowstone Spinoff

Rip and Beth are a solid couple, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that could threaten to tear them apart temporarily.

During Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, Beth wasn’t happy with how much time Rip needed to spend on the Texas ranch. She kept begging him to take time off to focus on her.

That problem won’t go away if they move to Texas together (or decide to keep running the Yellowstone).

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Additionally, Rip still doesn’t know the truth about why Beth can’t have children, and if that comes out someday, it could create a rift between them.

The new Yellowstone spinoff doesn’t need to go the route of a break-up/make-up merry-go-round.

All that nonsense with Kayce and Monica’s Yellowstone relationship was bad enough!

Still, whatever conflicts there are on the ranch should spill over into conflicts in their marriage. There’s plenty of drama to be had there!

The one thing I’ll miss if they do move to Texas is the frenemy relationship between the Duttons and the local Indigenous population. Lines such as Rainwater’s, “We’ve been at war for 160 years,” sent chills down my spine each and every time.

Yellowstone gave Indigenous people the respect and meaty storylines that the Western genre originally denied them, and I hope that continues in the new Yellowstone spinoff.

If Beth and Rip move to Texas, they will need a new supporting cast, and there are several Indigenous tribes in Texas, so this aspect could continue in a different form.

Alternatively, the new Yellowstone spinoff could split its time between the 6666 Ranch and whatever Kayce is dealing with at the Dutton ranch, assuming that Beth goes and he stays — and if Luke Grimes remains with the franchise.

Over to you, Yellowstone fanatics!

What are your thoughts on the new Yellowstone spinoff? Are you ready to get back in the saddle with this new series?

What should Beth and Rip be doing during it? And where should they live?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Yellowstone Season 5’s finale will air on the Paramount Network on December 15, 2024 at 8/7c.

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The post It’s Hard To Be Excited About Beth and Rip’s New Yellowstone Spinoff, But There Are Causes For Optimism appeared first on TV Fanatic.

It’s been easy to pretend that this isn’t the final season since nothing fundamentally changed throughout the final episodes — they were the same solid stories as always, even if the Reagans were making some changes in their personal lives that were quickly mentioned and then forgotten about.

Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 spoilers suggest that it will be an intense final hour as the Reagans band together to try to stop the chaos caused by angry gang members who want their associates out of jail.

Yes, Someone Dies… But Not A Reagan

For months, there have been rumors swirling around that a Reagan would die during the series finale.

That would be a terrible ending, leaving the audience even more heartbroken than they are about this wonderful show ending.

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Thankfully, Blue Bloods Season 15 Episode 18 spoilers prove that that’s not the case. There are several photos of a funeral, but all the Reagans are in attendance.

I’m glad not to have to use the rant I had ready if they killed off one of our beloved Reagan family members.

It makes more sense for the Reagans to mourn the loss of someone else than for the series to end with a dying Reagan. Sure, that would have bookended things somewhat since the series began soon after Joe Reagan’s death, but that would have just made people mad.

Now, the Reagans can rethink their life choices because of what happens and make some changes that make this episode truly the end of the series.

The violence in the city will hit just close enough to home to spur the Reagans into action and maybe later to rethink things.

Gang violence will land Eddie and Mayor Chase in the hospital. New rumors suggest that Eddie’s partner, Luis Badillo, will be the one who doesn’t make it, which makes sense considering Eddie’s injuries.

That trauma will have a significant effect on Jamie and Eddie.

I doubt the series will end with anyone quitting police work — that would contradict what Blue Bloods has always stood for — but it will give Eddie and Jamie a meaty final storyline that could spur them to make changes.

Eddie mentioned earlier in the season that she’d love to move to the suburbs, and she and Jamie had discussed family planning during Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11, so their perfect ending could involve taking some time off to make that move and focus on starting their family.

Eddie might also have some survivor’s guilt now that she lives and Badillo doesn’t, but that isn’t something that can be tackled in one episode so that probably won’t be a big part of the story.

Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 spoilers don’t confirm that Badillo dies, but it’s likely, considering he’s not in any of the photos of the funeral scenes.

If he does die, that could also lead to Jamie and Eddie taking over caring for Kyle, the son of Badillo’s previous partner, who also died on the job.

This would be an especially satisfying ending if Eddie’s injuries mean she can’t bear children, as she and Jamie should be able to have the family they dreamed of, even if it’s not exactly how they planned it.

Will Frank’s Final Mission Bring Him Closer To Retirement?

Tom Selleck has said that Frank does not retire at the end of the series, which is weird considering how perfect an ending it would be for his character and the show.

However, Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 spoilers say Frank will go on a “final mission” to catch the people who attempted to assassinate Mayor Chase, and that could get him thinking about planning for the future.

Frank may not retire now, but it will be satisfying if he’s thinking about how and when to close out his career.

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In any case, this final mission serves as a nice bookend to the Blue Bloods Season 1 finale, in which the family worked together to catch Sonny Malevsky and the rest of the corrupt cops who had permanently silenced Joe.

Now, as then, Frank will step out of his administrative role and act as a cop, this time to catch the would-be assassins.

This will be interesting. Not only has Frank been working a desk job for years, but will have to put aside his personal issues with the mayor to ensure justice is done.

Frank will do it, of course. He has stood for integrity and justice all these years and isn’t about to stop now.

However, this incident could finally reduce the animosity between the two men.

Chase always takes it personally when Frank won’t support policy initiatives he disagrees with and has been more openly antagonistic to Frank than most other mayors, often making empty threats to fire Frank despite knowing that would be political suicide.

Maybe once Frank puts his all into catching the people responsible for putting Chase in the hospital, he’ll realize that Frank is on his side when it counts, and the series will end with Frank and Chase having a more amicable relationship.

Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 Spoilers Promise That The Final Episode Will Be An Ensemble Story

The finale will probably most resemble the Season 1 finale, with everyone working to help restore order to the city and catch the people responsible for disrupting it.

I’m especially curious about how this will affect Danny. He’s seemed burned out throughout the second half of Blue Bloods Season 14 — one of the only suggestions that the series is ending that we’ve had.

Half the fanbase will revolt if the story doesn’t end with Danny and Baez together romantically, while the other half will if it does, putting the writers in a tough spot.

It’s likely that after the stress of this case, Danny will reevaluate some things in his life, especially since Sean is now graduating and probably moving away (once he figures out what he wants to do with his life).

While Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 spoilers make no promises one way or the other about that, a clip on the retrospective special showed Danny responding to Henry’s advice not to bring the job home with him, “I don’t have anybody not to bring the job home to.”

Thus, Danny will probably admit that it’s time to get serious about dating again, and the series could end with him and Baez exploring their feelings for each other.

That would make more sense than a firm commitment, especially considering that Jack and Erin seem to have gotten back together.

Blue Bloods doesn’t need to end with everyone partnered up and living happily ever after. That’s not true to life, and some things will likely be left open in case there’s ever a reunion movie or a spinoff series.

The only thing that is guaranteed is that there will be a final family dinner, that Jack Reagan and Nicky will be back for it, and that the finale will leave us all in tears. Everything else is up in the air.

Over to you, Blue Bloods fanatics.

What do you expect and hope happens during the Blue Bloods series finale? And what are your favorite of these Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 spoilers?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Blue Bloods’ series finale will air on CBS on December 13, 2024 at 10/9c and on Paramount+ on December 14.

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Throughout Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 13, the ranch that was supposed to be the Dutton family’s legacy is one step away from being sold to the highest bidder, and Beth seems helpless to stop it.

This should be a heartbreaking and depressing potential end to a series that once had my heart, yet I feel nothing except maybe annoyed by how much time this story wasted.

Beth Should Not Be Going Down Without More Of A Fight

How this entire “losing the ranch because of taxes” story has gone down has been severely disappointing.

In five years, have any of us ever known Beth to back down from a fight, no matter how clear it was to everybody that she’d lost?

Beth seduces rich businessmen and spits them out, and that’s only one of the fights she’s had to save the ranch, to save her father’s legacy, to save her father embarrassment…

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The story this season SHOULD have been Beth unhinged and refusing to give up the fight for the ranch.

We were supposed to have an all-out war between Beth and Jamie, but Yellowstone only seems to remember that for one scene per episode and then tells every story but that one.

It’s a real shame because that phone confrontation between Beth and Jamie was exciting, only to yet again be followed up with nothing important.

If Beth were fighting a losing battle to hold onto the ranch, that would be a compelling story, but that’s not what we’re getting.

Instead, the potential next-to-last episode of the series spent more time on Travis’ ridiculous antics than on the actual fight for the ranch.

Travis’ behavior in Texas was mostly gross, and these scenes did nothing to enhance the final episode.

That time could have been spent actually fighting for the ranch (or trying to) or Beth having the epic fight with Jamie we were promised at the beginning of Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 12, which still hasn’t materialized.

When Jamie and Beth had that fight over the phone, I was thrilled, even though it took five episodes to get to this point.

Then Yellowstone broke my heart all over again by having virtually no follow-up to it. Jamie went to see his ex-girlfriend, who advised him to pretend he didn’t know Sarah was behind John’s murder and investigate it thoroughly, while Beth wasted time with Travis.

The Beth scenes annoyed me more.

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Jamie is an idiot who is in way over his head and needs to get his before the series ends, though I have little hope of that.

People want the war between Jamie and Beth and for John’s death to be avenged, but instead, we get nonsense like 20 minutes of Travis trying to get Beth to play strip poker (or whatever game that was).

Beth’s reaction was again out of character. Since when does she do anything she doesn’t want to, including undressing for scum like Travis?

That nonsense felt self-indulgent. We didn’t need 20 minutes of Taylor Sheridan demonstrating his ability to play an obnoxious character.

Nor did we need that long story Rip told when Beth asked him why he’s friends with Travis.

I wasn’t even listening to half of it; that’s how little I cared about this backstory.

Maybe if this wasn’t so close to the potential end of the series, I would have been more patient, but as it was, it felt like Yellowstone was just spinning its wheels.

There was no need for filler. We have serious stories to get to, ones that have been neglected all season long.

That was more time wasted that could have been used to make a memorable episode of Yellowstone.

There Were A Few Strong Moments During Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 13, But Little Followup

Most of this episode was a giant waste of time. Even the tribute to Colby and John was rushed so the auctioneer could get back to the auction.

(It looks like John will get a real funeral during the season finale, but still. That tiny tribute was almost worse than no tribute at all.)

Still, it wasn’t all bad. There were several moments that could have led somewhere if only some of Travis’ antics had been cut to make room.

I’ve already pointed out that Jamie and Beth’s war should be a much more prominent story than it is, but it bears repeating.

Their argument this time was particularly strong, with Jamie trying to blackmail Beth and Beth reminding him that, unlike her, he doesn’t have the stones to do anything but talk.

That was vintage Jamie and Beth. Why the hell was it the only scene in their “war” this week?

Another scene I’d have liked more followup to: Monica and Kayce’s conversation.

Kayce: All we gotta do is walk away from this place.

Monica: Is that what we’re doing? Walking away from this place?

Kayce: I’ve been trying to do just that my whole life.

Monica has never wanted any part of the ranch or the dirty dealings associated with it. Kayce’s desire for him and Tate to have some sort of relationship with John has been a sore spot throughout their marriage.

Thus, their story deserves more than a couple of lines on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 13, especially considering how little Monica has to do.

She’s mostly stood around offering Beth coffee or asking Beth what SHE is going to do.

Monica has always been a strong woman who doesn’t want Kayce to drag their son down into a life of questionable morals, but she’s barely visible this season, which is not cool.

Has Yellowstone Lost Its Way Since John’s Death?

It’s tempting to blame all the wrong turns this show has taken since Kevin Costner left solely on Costner’s absence.

However, this season likely would have had the story about losing the ranch regardless, and it might not have been written any differently.

In any case, John Dutton is gone, and Beth is only giving lip service to caring because she’s not doing anything to fight for the ranch or for his legacy.

I was more intrigued by Rainwater’s plans than anything else on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 13, and sadly, there’s no time to build anything around that.

Over to you, Yellowstone fanatics.

What did you think of “Give The World Away?” Vote in our poll and then head to the comments to share your thoughts.

Yellowstone’s series finale will air on the Paramount Network on December 15, 2024 at 8/7c.

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Now that Doug’s memorial is behind us and most of the classic characters have left again, it’s back to dealing with Clyde Weston, not to mention the nonsense surrounding Johnny’s one-night stand with Joy and EJ’s manipulations.

There is a bright spot, though. Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise a trip down memory lane for Steve and Kayla, some more of Hope before she leaves, and a possible reason for Shawn to stay permanently.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-09-24 Promise Predictable Danger For The Couples Taking Down Clyde

It isn’t hard to figure out where the Clyde double-crossing stuff is going.

I’d probably be less annoyed with this storyline if it didn’t involve JJ. My favorite character is finally back, but I can’t enjoy it because he’s in such a ridiculous storyline.

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It’s not as bad as that time that JJ and Eve slept together. There’s no dubious consent here.

Instead, JJ missed Doug’s funeral and almost didn’t learn about his death because he didn’t answer Jennifer’s six calls, and for what?

He and Gabi are sharing a bed “as friends,” so it’s not hard to guess where that’ll go.

They’re pretending to be Chad and Abigail so they can act as decoys for Clyde’s goons, and to the surprise of literally nobody, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 say that JJ will have to save Gabi from danger.

Casey Moss and Cherie Jimenez are bringing their A-game, but the story is far beneath them.

My favorite part of it so far has been JJ’s reaction to learning about Doug’s death and his grief that they won’t get to play music together on Christmas now.

I’m glad JJ finally has his musical spirit back — certain other writers wrote out his passion for guitar for no reason whatsoever the last time they saw fit to give him a character-ruining story — but I’d rather have more grief and less Clyde nonsense.

I have trouble believing Clyde is this supervillain when he seems like a parody of the self-involved idiots that Yellowstone‘s Beth Dutton eats for lunch on a regular basis.

Also, JJ is the only one who ever managed to bring Clyde down, and did it fairly easily as a teenager — have the writers forgotten that?

Meanwhile, in the crappier motel across the street (yes, really!), Cat will turn to Chad for comfort, and the two of them will also be in danger.

Color me non-surprised for a second time.

The two of them hate each other (or, at least, Chad does not want to hang out with Cat ever again!), but there’s only one bed in the room, and Chad insists on sleeping on the floor so she can be comfortable.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 don’t say how soon the two end up sharing a bed, but come on.

There’s no way it doesn’t happen sooner or later, especially if they either get held hostage together or realize how close they both came to dying at the hands of Clyde’s goons.

Meanwhile, Cat will be upset about the possibility that her mother is dead.

Did she ever even have evidence that Clyde was actually holding her mom in the first place?

Also, the whole scheme he forced her into involved Cat supporting his lie that Abigail was alive, so why wouldn’t she think he’s lying about her mother being dead?

It’s hard to have any empathy for Cat when she could have cut this off at the pass by turning to someone for help.

I can understand her not wanting to rely on Salem’s Keystone Cops, but she could have told Chad the truth from the beginning so that they could team up to get rid of Clyde, just like they’re doing now, but with less unnecessary drama.

Days of Our Lives to EJ: You Will NOT Get Your Way!

As much as the Joy/Johnny/Chanel mess is irritating, I am excited that EJ’s plans will probably blow up in his face.

I got a good laugh out of Alex telling Joy, “EJ is the DA. He can’t go around blackmailing and bullying people.”

Oh, how I wish being a district attorney meant someone’s morals were impeccable.

However, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise EJ will get some of what’s coming to him, and I can’t wait!

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 say that Kate will give EJ a hard time about releasing Joy from her contract (and really, did EJ think Kate wouldn’t find any of this suspicious?)

EJ versus Kate should be fun, but I’m really looking forward to EJ eventually being confronted with the fact that he brought this on himself.

If you watched Friday’s show, you know that Chanel walked in on Alex and Johnny screaming at each other, and she’s going to be determined to find out what that’s all about.

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The guys were arguing because Alex doesn’t appreciate Johnny and his father running Joy out of town and wants to replace Johnny as director.

Of course, Chanel walked in as Alex was yelling about how he’ll never tell her what Johnny did but only because he cares about Chanel too much.

Please, please, please let this be how she learns that Johnny slept with Joy.

It’s the perfect time since she just told Lani how grateful she was that their previous issue was a big misunderstanding and how she wouldn’t be able to handle it if Johnny cheated on her during the confusion.

Predictable? Yes. But oh, the karma would be so delicious!

Plus, this annoying storyline would be over. It would be a sweet bonus if Chanel held Johnny more responsible than Joy and maintained her friendship with her, but I don’t dare dream of that.

And Now For The Good Stuff: Hope’s Sticking Around For A Bit

Kristan Alfonso was unable to participate in the funeral scenes because of a scheduling conflict, but at least she’ll be around for a little bit longer.

So far, Hope’s return has been pitch-perfect (except for Bo is still in a coma, but future Days of Our Lives spoilers promise he’ll return in May, so we just have to be patient a little while longer!)

She’s met Julie and “Doug III” (or whoever that jewel thief and con artist really is), said a tearful goodbye to Doug at his gravesite, asked Jennifer to keep an eye out for troublemaking from the mysterious stranger, and shared tears with Ciara and Shawn.

And now, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise that Hope will spend some time with Steve, Kayla, and Roman.

Other than that silly story where Steve and Hope had microchips in their heads that made them think they were Stefano and Princess Gina, I’ve always enjoyed it when these two share scenes.

Remember that Steve is also a private detective, so Hope might also be bringing her concerns about Julie’s supposed new grandson to him for further help unmasking the truth.

Steve and Kayla Will Finally Spend Time Together

Days of Our Lives seems to have forgotten that Steve and Kayla are also a classic couple.

Lately, Kayla’s at the hospital while Steve is off doing his own thing instead of the two spending any time together.

Fortunately, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise that Steve and Kayla will take a trip down memory lane.

They’re also visiting with Hope, so these flashbacks might involve grieving Doug or remembering Bo at his best in order to give Hope hope.

Either way, it’s great to finally have some Steve and Kayla time! It won’t make up for the Clyde nonsense, but it comes close.

Also, while Hope is not staying long-term, Shawn may be.

Jada is ready to offer him his old job back.

That’ll not only give him a reason to stay in Salem but will also force him to interact with Belle regularly if she stays, too, and returns to being one of Salem’s most prominent defense attorneys.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What do you think of these spoilers for Days of Our Lives during the week of 12-09-24?

Vote for your favorite in our poll, then head over to the comments to share your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

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