*a tale told of love and angst*

I never thought I'd be writing another essay on Passions so soon, but now I'm convinced that Luis and Sheridan will be the next, greatest supercouple to hit the world of soap operas. So, I've got to gossip about last Friday's episode regarding the repercussions of their first dinner together--alone. But there are a few precursors before I launch into the main issue at hand.

Last Thursday's episode, Luis asked Sheridan to go out to dinner with him. When she said yes, I thought they were going to get somewhere at last. After all, Luis has been fantasizing about Sheridan and watching her painfully try to cultivate a relationship with Hank. And who could miss that fantasy Sheridan had the morning of the "Martin Imposter's" funeral? She was dreaming about getting hot and heavy with Luis…until Ethan wakes her up to get ready for the sad occasion. So, the dinner was to be the end to justify the means. At this point I thought, Okay. He's going to finally tell her his feelings. Finally this story-line is going to take off. But no. Luis (after confessing to his mother Pilar about his intentions) ends up being a jerk to Sheridan while they dined tête à tête. Luis could never be faulted about being honest. He told Sheridan exactly what was on his mind about the meaning of the dinner.

Believe me, it hurt watching Sheridan who went into this idea of finally dating Luis with high hopes. It is a crushing blow to finally get the courage to go out with a guy you like only to be let down by his utter disregard. But then again, that was to be expected. Before she embarked upon this latest adventure, her father Alistair spoiled her feelings about the entire dinner. He--via a speaker phone--fed Sheridan cruel lies that shaded her perceptions about men. Those words clouded the entire evening with Luis--especially when he admitted his reason for asking her out. Sheridan was so troubled by Luis' actions that she told him to his face about what she thought about men and their ilk. Too bad for Luis. Instead of getting egg on his face… he is showered by a glass of wine. But I'm not getting to the good part yet. Thursday's show ended with this point of high drama. Sheridan stalks off like a woman scorned and returns back to her place. What was really surprising is the fact that in the heat of anger she walked off without her purse (Well, I guess that could happen but then again, what woman would leave without her purse? Unthinkable.). Which leads (*gasp*) Luis knocking on the door of her "cottage" to apologize. Well, here was the sigh of relief. After all, he did try to quell Sheridan's fears regarding the intentions of men. But just when you think that all would be well…there's yet another thing that comes up: the secret tying their two families together regarding the "disappearance" of Luis' father Martin Fitzgerald. This is where last Friday's episode comes into play. It was a show filled with traumatic angst.

On Friday's episode, Sheridan tries to convince Luis that her family had no intentions of killing Martin (thus trying to hide her childhood memory of supposedly "offing" the Lopez-Fitzgerald patriarch). She even offers to help him. Luis says no. Being as erstwhile as he always is, Luis tries prove that he isn't out to use Sheridan. This realization leads to some understanding. Sigh… I thought that then they would sort progress in their relationship together. But no. In a move that would only lead one to think that Luis suffers from "Trent-itis" (You know, that disease of obliviousness that seems to fill the heads of guys who know they like someone but are afraid to admit it because they act like clueless jerks…), he tells Sheridan that she deserves a guy who is good for her: Hank. I wanted to shout out a psychic cry. I mean, jeez. I put up for three seasons with Daria dealing with the same parrying game that came out of Trent's utter relationship myopia …and now this same stuff is happening on Passions? Good grief.

Hank, in my opinion, is irritating. His bravado is rather pretentious. Being the good friend that Luis always is, he tells Sheridan that Hank really is a good guy even though he jokes about pursuing a "rich lady". Yuck. Hank is not a good guy. Anyone who's been remotely paying attention knows that his pursuit of Sheridan is all about her money. His advances toward her reek of it. Especially with those suspicious phone calls he's been receiving lately. Can anyone forget his arrogance around New Year's when he practically throws it in Luis' face about dating Sheridan? Not only is he a terrible character, but your skin just crawls when he comes on the screen. And I think in all the scenes between Hank and Sheridan, she cringes as well. Hank has this creepy aura that seems to float around him in every scene that he is featured. I don't know about you. But his intentions seems to be more swarmy than out of a true, romantic motivation to date her. Thus, this leads to my second point.

The show depicts Sheridan as a vunerable character on the verge of finding herself apart from her scandalous clan. I mean, her character consists of frailities. Every step she takes toward gaining her sense of self-worth, there's something that places her back into the box of a victim. . It doesn't even help that Sheridan is caught in the middle within the cross-fire of her father and brother. She is trying to compete for her own independence while carrying the weight of the Crane name on her shoulders. The worst part is that because she is a "Crane", the baggage just seems to follow her until it literally threatens her life. This was especially the case when Martin had taken her hostage during the New Year's episode. However, being in danger affects the entire state of her character. She comes off as being "nice", but in a "victim-like" manner. You just keep on rooting for her to throw off her shackles and just tell Luis the truth about her feelings. With her money and worldly experience, you'd think that she would have already done the deed. But instead, you find yourself tortured by scenes where she walks up to a closet at the Youth Center and shouts out a request for Luis to join her for New Year's Eve. And of course, that was a bust. After all, Hank was in the utility closet of the center instead of Luis. And much to my disgruntledment, he readily answered her in the affirmative. Need I say it again? Yuck.

And so, when Sheridan displays this look of despair when Luis tells her that Hank is good for her, this doesn't go unfounded. Instead, it is yet another agonizing turn for this chemistry-laden, star-crossed couple. Now, I don't use this term lightly. When the events work against them, it ends up being just as torturous for the viewers as well. Oh, how long do we have to wait until these romantic notions are fulfilled? But then again, this is only television. There has to be something to keep you glued. And believe me, this aspect of the soap opera does. In fact, watching how this entire relationship unfolds is a passion in itself.