Say it isn't over! OLTL ended this historic first season of online broadcasting with a pair of episodes that left me dying to know what happens next. Judging from some of the feedback I read online, some viewers were disappointed that so many loose ends were left hanging. But from where I sit, Clint's very public fall from grace and the surprising return of resident psycho Allison Perkins was a great way to wrap up the season and leave us clamoring for more. Most of the action surrounded the Man of the Year ceremony, and it certainly didn't disappoint. We were treated to major blowouts involving three separate stories:
Téa immediately confronted Arturo, demanding that he get his hands off her daughter and screaming at Dani to shut up when Dani tried to intervene. Téa then let loose one of her trademark Spanish curses, prompting Arturo to whisper something in her ear that shut her up -- at least for the time being.
Later, Téa followed Dani and Arturo out of the club and demanded to know why Dani would lie to her about Arturo if they weren't sleeping together. Arturo tried to explain that people jump to the wrong conclusion when they see an older man out with a younger woman, but Téa wasn't having any of what Arturo was peddling.
"What I believe is that a man who pays young girls to have sex with him is a predator," Téa said, emotionally pleading with Dani to stay away from Arturo or risk ending up like Briana.
"Briana wasn't a hooker, and neither am I!" Dani shouted back before telling her mother to go home and cry about Victor.
Of course, Téa's overwrought protestations ended up backfiring. Dani went back to Arturo's hotel room, where she tried to make sense of everything that had happened as Arturo moved in for a kiss. He stopped, but Dani kissed him back. They disrobed and Arturo carried Dani to the bed, where Arturo broke out the Italian to tell Dani how beautiful she is.
Seeing Dani and Arturo in bed together didn't seem as creepy as I thought it would, even though the background music and lighting were darkly ominous. So, is Arturo a predator? Will Dani end up becoming his kept woman? Or does Arturo genuinely care for Dani and want what's best for her? Only time will tell.
Cutter tried to peg Nikki as a liar, but Natalie knew better. Then Nikki walked over with the red beet martini Natalie had ordered and promptly spilled it all over Natalie's white dress. "I guess this one's on her," Nikki remarked.
Later, Nikki told Cutter she had spilled the beans to Natalie because she didn't like being used. Cutter thought he and Nikki were nothing more than casual lovers. He wants to make things work with Natalie, but Nikki tells him that it will never work between them because Natalie is never going to be enough for him. Nikki apologies for her behavior, and they kiss.
At least, that's the sanitized version we saw on our screen. The real conversation was muted with a series of poorly executed edits. Prospect Park scrubbed the racy dialogue from the show after some viewers complained, but obviously, the entire season was filmed before this decision was made.
It's a shame, since the final scene between Nikki and Cutter would have played better if the conversation hadn't been sanitized. Cutter really is a "pussy hunter," as Nikki was scripted to say, and I wish the producers had let viewers hear it.
My other problem with this story is that it sort of came out of left field. Nikki had been serving little more than drinks and snappy one-liners before she came clean with Natalie. It would have been much more powerful if we had witnessed Cutter stepping out on Natalie with Nikki and seen Nikki growing jealous of Cutter's attraction to Natalie before she spilled the beans.
"Ladies and gentlemen, from the bottom of my heart, screw all of ya," Clint pronounced after pushing Bo off the stage and snatching that trophy out of Viki's hands.
Please tell me someone has created a gif of that moment. I could watch that over and over again and never get bored.
The tirade continued in the next episode, with Clint overturning tables and making a complete fool of himself until the paramedics arrived in record time to strap him down. I'll tell you what -- if I ever have a medical crisis, I want to be in Llanview. Blair had barely left to call the EMS when they arrived.
Kudos to Natalie and Matt for looking out for Clint and rushing to the hospital, even though their parents couldn't care less. Viki, in fact, seemed more interested in publishing an embarrassing story in the Banner.
From the outset of this story, Viki has come across as sanctimonious and self-righteous. Clint was only trying to save her the embarrassment of having lost all her money. Yet Queen Victoria is too judgmental to forgive Clint for lying to her. Of course, she had no trouble accepting his money to keep the Banner afloat and keep her from losing Llanfair.
Once everyone learns that Clint's behavior is due in large part to his being drugged unknowingly, I hope Viki realizes what a fool she's been for dumping Clint. And part of me hopes that Clint doesn't take her back -- at least right away.
Of course, it's not clear whether Clint will come out of this crisis unscathed, not now that Allison Perkins is back on the scene. What a hoot to see her hovering over Clint's bed, armed with a needle containing God knows what.
But what was up with Natalie's over the top reaction? Judging from the screams of holy terror, you would have thought she had seen Mitch Laurence raised from the dead. (Of course, I'm so very glad that the producers didn't go there. I've had quite enough of Mitch and other characters being killed before our very eyes, only to come back with no plausible explanation.) A more realistic reaction from Natalie would have been to call Allison a bitch and rush after her to knock that needle from her hand. But I guess that would have made for a less dramatic cliffhanger.
• Dorian was in rare form throughout the Man of the Year gala. I loved the audacity of her thinking anyone would want to buy her portrait, followed by her fawning over Carl Peterson -- "Bravo! Bravo!" -- after he saved her from embarrassment by bidding $100,000 for the painting. Then there was her delicious putdown to Rama after rejecting the champagne she was offering: "I've always found that champagne, when served by a slut, loses its bubbles." And after Viki apologized to the gala organizer for Clint's behavior, Dorian delivered this subtle dig: "I've always held to the belief that if you feel guilty, you probably are." Whoever is writing Dorian's dialogue, keep it up next season!
• Michelle showed her true colors when she put on a pity party routine to Matthew after Dani accused her of being jealous of her and anyone else in Matthew's life. Later, Matthew caught Michelle in a lie when she discussed how her drunk father was found passed out in their back yard when she was 14, even though she had previously told Matthew she grew up in an apartment. We didn't get to see Michelle try to explain away the inconsistency in her story, but hopefully this means Matthew is beginning to realize that Michelle has been playing him from the start.
• Blair got all emotional and weepy thinking of Todd leaving town to protect her and the kids from this tattoo organization. Although I enjoyed the ensuing conversation with Viki, I really hate this side of Blair and could have done without the waterworks.
• Jack, meanwhile, got busy with Kate in her classroom after assuring her that he was no longer being followed by Shaun. Like Dani's romance with Arturo, the real dramatic payoff will be when Blair finds out about Jack's extra credit assignments.
Are Michelle and Kate somehow connected to this organization? How much does Cutter know about the drug-dealing operation, and how is it connected to the tattoo group?
Will we ever see Todd and Victor again? Will Blair ever stop crying? Will Téa ever get through an argument without yelling in incomprehensible Spanish? Guess we'll just have to tune in next season to find out.
Well, that's it for this week! Thanks for taking the time to read the column. I'd love to hear your thoughts, too, so please send me an email, leave your thoughts below in the comments section, or call our 24/7 feedback hotline at 267.341.7627.
