It's kind of interesting. I never was into the Michelle/Jesse thing; I was fastforwarding through them for years before clone Reva made me boycott Guiding Light altogether. (As a true Mannyac, I must say that the country club scenes got me to watch GL again, and I have reconverted to the light). But I'm going to try to rationalize Jesse's apparent dimness for a moment (you have to admit he is a good person, if as dull as dishwater most of the time).

I think Michelle was the first person who truly believed in him, and I think there's a great part of him that feels that if she stops loving him in that way, as opposed to loving him generally, there won't be any reason to believe in himself anymore, he won't be the sensitive new age guy-artist that she has supported him in becoming. So maybe, there is a totally rational explanation as to why he cannot see that Michelle has grown beyond him, her first love. Then again, he may be as dull as dishwater.

One of the things that bothered me a lot about the Michelle/Jesse relationship was the fact that they never fought (okay, I couldn't fastforward through everything). Many posters have pointed out that all of the Michelle/Jesse obstacles were external (you and me against the world, babe), as opposed to internal. Someone once pointed out to me that it's not the couples that say, "oh, we never fight, we get along all the time" that make it -- they get divorced after a few years -- but the couples that that laugh at the question and reply, "of course we fight. All the time," that do.

After Zachary left, and kind of vacantly said, "there will be another," and Jesse appeared on the scene, and I remember thinking, he cannot have meant this.

Actually, I really cheer for the times when Manny fight (kind of twisted I know). It kind of reminds of a real couple. I love the more tender moments too.

Anyway, onto other random thoughts.

Danny's Sky Masterson wardrobe from the touring production of Guys and Dolls is back. Actually, I decided that perhaps there is a method to the costuming madness. The bit that I saw when I was setting the tape last night, he seemed to be working so hard at shutting down, I thought I heard John Williams playing in the background with the trench coat swirling behind him. I thought, "it's Darth Vader!" Dum-dum-dum, dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum ... GL is hearkening to the work of George Lucas, hearkening to the work of Akira Kurosawa.

Danny Santos is a parallel to Anakin Skywalker, and the Santos storyline is really about the rise and fall and rise again of Danny Santos, the young Jedi, as he battles the evil Emperor/Carmen and woos the Princess Michelle. GL is cashing in on Episode I Aaaaarrrrgh! (Actually, I didn't intend to go down this route, but it's kind of interesting).

But seriously, the costuming is very effective; however, as nice as Versace is, and Paul Anthony Stewart/Danny wears it very well, it's kind of odd that a well-off, fashionable young man, as Danny is seems to be, lives in the same suit and trenchcoat for weeks at a time.

A really random legal thought on the annulment; if Danny goes on trial, depending on whether they are still married, Michelle will or will not be able to exercise the spousal privilege against testifying against her spouse. Hackneyed, but it could be interesting.

Anyway, back to the one scene I did see this week, it was the part when Michelle is leaving the Towers and she keeps turning around to look at Danny after TWV says, "there's no reason for you to see Danny Santos anymore." That is probably the best line TWV has ever uttered, in my opinion, because I kept thinking, Jesse, you're right, there's no reason for them to see each other again, and then, there's every reason. And then, there was Danny, and when I was tuning out the John Williams theme playing in the background, I could see Danny willing himself not to watch her walk away yet again, only this time, he wasn't seeing her keep looking for him, and I was practically shouting at the television, 'Turn around, turn around!'

Anyway, I've noticed that there's a very classic film quality to the Manny storyline: MGM melodrama, Paramount continental feel, Warner Bros. gangster backdrop, etc. There's kind of a Rodgers & Hart, jazzy, unsentimental, sad, but extremely romantic feel to it also.

I have to admit, at the very beginning of the storyline, I was convinced that Danny was going to be killed off at the end of Stewart's contract when he decided to go elsewhere, because what else were they going to do with him? I thought Michelle would go off to med school off screen, come back, recast in her twenties, and start that long awaited relationship with a recast Bill.

elle