It was the second to last week of One Life to Live on ABC and as the scenes swung back and forth between major characters, their stories became more emotional for the viewers who are tuning in to savor every moment of the show. With the prison break, the return of Mitch Laurence, and the whole town in crisis, the week seemed akin to the infamous February sweeps in 2010 in which a Blizzard hit Llanview as practically half the town scrambled up Llantano Mountain in search of Mitch, Stacy and/or Jessica.
There wasn’t a life that wasn’t touched somehow by the consequences of the blackout and the convicts running around with stolen guns.
Best Scenes This Week:
At the conclusion of Thursday’s episode, the show left us with a powerful cliffhanger in a series of overlapping scenes.
At Troy’s hideout in the woods, Bo and Lindsay were explaining to Nora how they had conspired to rescue her, and Lindsay was asking Nora for a pardon when Troy jumped up from the floor and took his gun from Lindsay’s hand. Troy and Bo pointed their guns at each other and from the outside of the house we heard a shot ring out.
In La Boulaie, Cole was trying to convince Hannah that they could leave together but she had to let Sam go before they did. Hannah explained that Cole would never let go of Starr and pushed him out of the way to point her gun at the other female. Sam kicked Hannah in the back of her knees, causing her to fall to the floor, before Todd grabbed Sam and took him out of the room. Hannah scrambled from the floor and took aim as Cole jumped up and James threw his arms around Starr. From outside the front door, a shot was heard.
At Mitch’s church, Jessica had just traded her life for Natalie’s. John held his gun toward Mitch, but Jessica spit on Mitch and Mitch decided that she needed to be put to death for disrespecting her father. Mitch pointed his own gun at Jessica's throat, Natalie protested, Robert Ford rushed in and grabbed Mitch’s arms as they fell to the floor to struggle for the gun. John stepped toward the two, Natalie and Jessica screamed, and from outside the church a shot rang out.
In Llanfair, Allison had a gun, too, and was ranting about her revelation about keeping power for herself, but Clint and Viki’s interruptions as they tried to figure out what she meant and why she was doing what she was doing ticked her off and she decided to shoot them from the other side of the couch. As Clint and Viki faced down Allison and her pointed gun, they grasped hands. Clint told Viki, “I love you,” and she whispered back desperately, “I love you.” Viki flinched, and again from outside, we heard Allison’s gun fire.
Eye Roll of the Week:
First of all, why didn’t Natalie try to bash Mitch over the head with something … like, perhaps, the flashlight? Then, once they were all at the church, how many times did John have a clear shot and yet did not shoot Mitch? Is the villain really that intimidating? Mitch finally had a firm grip on Natalie and told John that he wasn’t a good enough shot to risk shooting him and not hitting Natalie, and when Natalie nodded her confidence in John’s ability, all I could think about was a crowded airport a few years back when John shot a gun out of a hit man’s hand!
Character of the Week:
Nora Buchanan had a tough decision to make on Friday.
She had been kidnapped and told that she had to start a new life with Troy. Troy told her that since she loved Bo, he would wipe her memories so that she could let go. In the nick of time, Nora had been spared that fate by Bo and Lindsay, but as Lindsay left to (supposedly) send backup, Nora discovered that Troy had shot Bo in the abdomen. Nora watched the color drain from her unresponsive husband’s face with no way to send word that they needed help other than to depend on escaped prisoner and once nemesis Lindsay to do as Bo had asked.
Knowing that she was helpless to save Bo’s life alone, Nora desperately realized that Troy – Troy who wanted Bo out of the picture and wanted Nora for himself, Troy who had once kidnapped and once helped Matthew, Troy the doctor – could help Bo. Nora, on her knees, pleaded for Troy to help the man she loved. She promised to do anything – even tell the police she had come there willingly, go to jail, or make any deal Troy wanted – if he would just save her husband.
Troy said that Bo had to die so they could be together and she tearfully clarified that she could not live without Bo. She apologized for not loving Troy and hurting him but said Bo was her life, a part of her, in her bones and everything to her.
Troy explained that Nora would have to untie him, and trust him to cut into Bo with a scalpel. Nora knew it was Bo’s only hope, and at the end of Friday’s episode, she untied Troy and handed him his medical kit.
Quote of the Week:
“Ice. Can you get some ice? You held a gun on my nephew, who is just a little boy. You held a gun on my daughter, who will always be my little girl. You shot my granddaughter’s father. No. No, you can’t have any ice, psychopath. No ice for you.” – Todd, to Hannah
Questions This Week:
Will Lindsay send help for Bo and Nora?
For all Dorian’s effort, La Boulaie has never had very good security, has it?
And why is Sam answering the door by himself?
Who is going to round up all these escaped convicts?
If John could shoot Mitch that easily, why didn’t he do it sooner?
Is Mitch really dead this time?
Who is David’s child and who is the mother?
Fail of the Week:
With precious few days left to watch One Life to Live, and currently no prospects for the future, is the show putting all their eggs in one basket? Are viewers seeing the characters they want to see and is there any hope for those characters in the future?
Success of the Week:
Starr Manning is amazingly more Cramer than she has been in recent years. A mixture of emotion and her own logic drives her decisions; and her will-power and stubbornness have reverted back to her roots and the spunky Starr we knew when she was a child. Her teen pregnancy, her assumed father’s reactions, losing Hope, and Cole’s response to it led her into a haze of confusion and uncertainty, but we are finally seeing Starr make decisions that – while they seem impulsive on the outside – are deeply motivated and certain on the inside. In true Cramer fashion, Starr has been doing what she believes is the right thing to do with no questions and no apologies, despite how it might confuse and concern those who love her. The other “next generation” Cramers are either boys or without children, but the “Cramer Women” legacy lives on through Starr and Hope.
Starr's prayer and the musical montage as she sang "One Life" was beautiful and touching to the viewers who are on an emotional journey of their own.
Follow me on Twitter!
Read recaps or watch full episodes at One Life to Live's website.
One Life to Live airs on weekdays at 2et/1pt/c on ABC and weeknights at 9pm on SOAPnet.
