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Didn't care for the brief half kiss (i mean we didn't see contact they were already done by the time the camera swung around) but that's my own issue for how annoying it is that they're having fun and the time of their life. No matter what the fact Callum isn't miserable even slightly pisses me off. That's my big obsession with getting Ben back. It's not even about seeing Ballum come back. It's about seeing Callum suffer for once for his horrible choices. I want Lexi desperately to choose Ben over him and make it clear it's because of Johnny. I want them to stop having fun in the background and just show him being bored. Like what does Wadey even think people want. The least he could do is just not show them interacting but they're starting to get slightly more touchy and that pisses me off.

Ugh. I wish Max's hair would grow back faster. Goddamn it, he couldn't have gotten this treatment after the play was over?

His cameo to Ballum Official felt like a slight positive towards him coming back but who knows. Maybe this "fictitious future" as he calls it will be fictitious in every sense of the word.

This literally is just Ben and Lewis but with no stakes, no pacing, and there is no consequences. I don't care that the little brat was put off that his mom didn't understand briefly. I should be madder at Linda but I really hate this fucking dick. She apologized immediately and he's just been dragging this shit. If he suffered even 1 percent of what Ben regularly suffers he'd be catatonic.

Look I don't wanna underplay the awfulness of coercive sex. It's a bad thing.

But dear god do I not care.

I think cause it's just the Ben story again but like drastically minimized to fucking nothing. Ben had like a months long arc with lots of screentime dedicated to how horrible his trauma was and how badly it affected his life and a gripping performance from a way too talented actor.

And Johnny has no screentime, he got yelled at by Callum for 2 seconds before it was resolved, he got mad at his mom more than he was at Tim for weeks but all it amounts to is like 20 second cameos of them being slightly awkward around each other. He literally is losing nothing, if anything he's forced himself into a happier situation by coopting into Callum's life and apartment and even declaring Lexi a part of his life (without her consent).

Aww he's slightly gloomy while seeing Callum dance with another guy for five seconds but then immediately dances with the other dude with no change and only gets affected when the guy holds his hip. Ben had to take party drugs just to self medicate, broke down constantly, lost everyone he cared about, got kicked out on the street and wasn't able to have sex with Callum for months (the only confirmed sex was the overnight visit when he was already in prison). The man OD'd while a woman stared at him and did nothing, meanwhile Johnny is still pissy at his mommy despite her immediately owning up to her faults and apologizing profusely. Hell he seems more mad at her for allowing Tim to test Callum than he is that she was insensitive to his plight.

This is so worthless of a story arc and I don't care about this douchebag. Ben could be hatable but it was something where you understood why he was being purposely idiotic or self destructive.

At this point I'm not convinced that he actually did have sex with Tim without Tim coercing him (like Tim gave him the evidence without sex and then Johnny went through with it anyway cause he was still mad Callum did still "betray" him for Ben) and this whole shit has been Johnny lying to everyone and feeling incredibly guilty about pushing everyone away and being a fake victim. That would be horrendous writing and horrible for the show to go in but I believe it more than this bullcrap.

Also the acting is just subpar. No offense to Suff, you can't do shit with what he's given.

Like why should I care?

Did he feel jealous? I don't even know anymore.

It is interesting that dancing guy Callum was dancing with was the guy in the spoiler pic holding Johnny and not the drunk guy. I assumed the "gallantry" (from the spoilers) would be Callum saving Johnny from a drunk come on but I guess it's just gallantry towards Linda? I'll accept that.

Still weird why he's looking at Callum like that. We know by the end of the week they're both happy at Elaine's party. Not a big fan of them holding each other by their hands on each other's back. It's not cuddly like Ben and Callum were but it's just awkward.

The way this show goes I'll be surprised if Johnny doesn't propose next week on their "anniversary". Fucking bullshit that they made it on Pride. Ben Wadey you're an extra huge asshole for that. Then again if they count that, Ben and Callum might as well consider their hookup in the park their anniversary and they never did that.

It's either Pride or the day Jonno died or the day Jonno was buried.

I feel like it's been more than enough time to see how badly Jollum was presented to the audience. So why doesn't the writing try to compensate? I'm reminded of things like Ruby Rose's character cameo in the season after her character left of OITNB where the writers more or less acknowledged that the audience hated them and had her told off by Piper. Or Che being called out as some unfunny and unlikable "Woke Queer parody" in AJLT. Like writers hear the response to their writing, and decide to address it. I don't feel like we've gotten that with Jollum. I'm not expecting them to throw out Jollum (although I'd love it), but like present them as somewhat sympathetic in some manner. At least Callum should be.

Even small things like showing Callum look at the wedding picture with sadness or having someone bring Ben up briefly so that Callum looks somewhat guilty, all of this is easy to implement. A moment where he outright admits that he did something very wrong and Ben is right to be angry.

Instead they just have Callum acting as if Ben never existed, as if the last 6 years of his life didn't revolve around that man. Maybe it's their attempt to distance Callum from being just "Ben's Love Interest" but it just makes Callum come off like some stepford smiler who's able to push people that matter to him to the back of his mind like it's no big deal? Also it just makes him "Johnny's Love Interest". He didn't gain any autonomy.

I feel we all think he's compartmentalizing and lying to himself cause that's the only answer that makes any kind of sense. But that doesn't mean the show can't imply that's true. They could have someone bring up Ben and Callum moves quickly out of the room because he knows if he thinks about Ben too much he'll start to remember how badly he treated him. If they're worried that will make it too obvious that Jollum is temporary until Ben returns.......well shit EE you're out of luck, we all think that already. Even people who hate Ballum.

Then you're contrasted with the fact Jollum barely has any "romantic" scenes between them. Even a scene of Callum reassuring Johnny of his "feelings" for him after he revealed the affair to Lexi is shockingly devoid of any love. Ends with a chaste kiss and Lexi glaring at them from the hallway as Johnny feels bad for himself like a tempestuous child. I can't tell if the lack of chemistry is intentional or not.

At this rate I do think Johnny might cheat on Callum, but I'm wondering if Ben will be brought up at all. Will Callum just be mad like he regularly would be if he never met Ben and Johnny was his first boyfriend? Or would they take the very obvious and easily sympathetic option of having him reflect on this karma for cheating on the man he promised to be Together Forever?

Idk. The writings so disjointed it's confusing.

Tony's interview reminded me that whatever they asked him to say was very calculated. He justified why Callum would have chosen to pursue the affair and why he would feel the Mitchells were hypocrites but he also reassured that Callum would always love Ben and that Callum "thinks" this is what a relationship should be like. He didn't really bring up Johnny as a romantic prospect seriously, like Johnny was Callum's real soulmate, just the literal only person on the square left who cared to ask about his feelings. Which btw is the writers fault for not giving him a fucking friend.

If you're gonna make Callum this sociopathic in ignoring Ben and Lexi's feelings then do us a favor and have Johnny and him fight and Callum to have a full psychotic rage moment where the penny drops.

Can't tell if it's going in a good direction or bad direction.

No mention of Ben tonight because god forbid someone bring up how forcing Johnny onto Lexi is incredibly disrespectful of him. I'm gonna have to accept this is soap opera rapid storyline shit where we just have to accept that instead of a realistic period of time before Johnny can just come over for movie nights they gotta rush the Lexi acceptance thing just so they can either come to the good conclusion (she never accepts him and he's dead to her) or bad conclusion (she accepts him and I kill Ben Wadey).

I'm also just gonna ignore how easily Lexi was able to be bought. She's a 13 year old girl, it's not unrealistic for her to be distracted by shiny and expensive stuff. Plus there's always the chance she's just trying to fleece him for everything he's worth. It did feel weird to one up his offer for the Mean Girls Musical by going "I'd rather see this artist instead" and then be surprised when Johnny offers to pay for it. Like that's an easy grift I think most people who aren't desperate for their boyfriend's kid not to hate them wouldn't fall for. Her mentioning that Callum thought it was too expensive might also be a way to cement in Callum's mind that Johnny is paying his way into her heart.

Unfortunately I don't trust the writers so I'm gonna have to be prepared she's just a teen girl being bought and might have to go spoiled brat before Callum gets some balls and puts a stop to it.

It would have been nice to bring up Ben not wanting her to be spoiled too, but I can let it go cause Ben kind of always spoiled her. He was that kind of Girl Dad TM. Still it'd be nice to bring him up so I can see Callum's face show an ounce of guilt. He's too happy right now for my taste. This dipshit needs to show fucking regret cause if Ben comes back next year and Callum doesn't feel an ounce of regret until then I'm gonna be pissed cause then I won't be given a chance to see Callum grovel for Ben's forgiveness.

He did seem to grimace a bit at hearing Tim was buying Johnny booze, like his insecurities were being rationalized. Hope that's a good sign. Maybe that's why he did the stupid choice to leave his daughter alone with him. Horrible parenting again Callum. She barely likes him if given a heads up he's coming, I don't think she wants to see him pop up randomly. Also Johnny button up your fucking shirt. The greasy white tank top along with his chest hair and general creepiness makes him look so skeevy as fuck. Like he looks like the kind of guy who sells you a crappy car and pokes holes in condoms.

Callum's been a little more touchy with Johnny but not to the same extent as with Ben. I noticed they don't like....cuddle? Like even when at the Vic that day they were talking about Joel they just sat together without any arm around the other. And when Callum put his arm on the couch at the end I was expecting Johnny to fall to his side like Ben would do, where he'd rest his head on Callum's chest but Johnny just moved to the side. Maybe he's smart enough to know Lexi wouldn't wanna see them cuddle. Maybe the writers want Jollum to be less touchy cause they got a lot of backlash of this couple. Maybe it's Maybeline.

Loved that he ruined a family Christmas gift. Loved that even Honey looked put off about it. Love that Callum was surprised that Johnny wasn't that ecstatic about Billy & Honey coming over, like it's settling in that Johnny isn't exactly prepared for the long haul. Maybe that's why he's overcompensating by spending so much money. Love that Callum's uncomfortable with Johnny's attempts to buy Lexi's love but is too cowardly to do anything about it. Hope this means it blows up in his face. Like he brings it up eventually and Johnny gets pissed cause he was trying so hard and spent so much to get Lexi to like him and Callum maybe "ruined" it by putting his foot down and Lexi does a teen girl tantrum (which I'm not entirely convinced wouldn't be intentionally calculated by Lexi as a way to divide Johnny and Callum). And then Johnny seeks comfort through Tim and cheats.

I do feel part of the reason I can't see them together is that they seem to be two different kinds of gay men. Johnny's the gay guy who's a little more effeminate, has a great relationship with his parents, loves to go out drinking and dancing with sweaty shirtless men (something he mentioned long ago during that first time they were gonna hang out before Callum, who shouldn't be doing that as a married man, cut it off so Lexi wouldn't get confused. Oh how sad how time has gone.) And Callum's a "straight gay", horrible parents that traumatized him, who's always been fine with settling down and being a boring married couple who watch movies every night on the couch and raise a child together. And weirdly Ben should be the same kind of gay as Johnny, but he's perfectly fine being the "boring" gay man too. He even mentioned once to Jack how he likes playing the domestic housewife. Ben still wants to dance every now and then but he loves Lexi and Callum so much that spending the day with them is just as good if not better.

I wonder if maybe that might end up being a divide in their relationship? Again Johnny was prepared to go out and party the night away and then seemed kind of ill prepared to do a boring family dinner.

I feel like the focus could be on Johnny's insecurities causing him to do stupid things. Like he didn't react well when he thought Callum wasn't supporting him, even though Callum was only pointing out that Tim is into him and that could be a motivator here.

Now Johnny's made this business deal to prove something. I sense Johnny's insecurities are going to be the main driver of their probable relationship breakdown.

Like I don't think it even matters whether Tim is actually investing just to get to Johnny or because he genuinely thinks it is a good business idea.

In fact, it might be better if Tim does think the business idea is good because it would feed the conflict between Callum and Johnny, and draw Johnny towards Tim.

I can envision Johnny feeling he's not getting enough support from Callum, regardless of whether Callum is jealous or not, and so going to Tim for comfort, praise, and attention, eventually resulting in an affair.

It would be very karmic for Callum to face the same situation with Johnny that he inflicted upon Ben.

I'd love that especially if someone was able to make it clear to Callum that he was given the same fate he gave Ben. I really need him to make a friend or something.

I'm a little more convinced that Tim is genuine about his business ideas (his instagram seems to prove he's legit rich so it's probably not a grift) and his little put off moment could prove he's flirty with Johnny but not stupid and he outright does want this to be successful. Maybe to some degree his seriousness will be attractive to Johnny, like he's confident and proud of who he is and what he works, unlike Callum who is coward incarnate and is flaky about how crappily Johnny is integrating himself into Lexi's life with false platitudes.

If Johnny does cheat on Callum and Callum gets pissed like he did with the Jonno lie, Elaine comes to Callum and tries to vouch for Johnny's love again.

"He only cheated on you cause that's how he shows love"

And Callum just tells her to fuck off.

I may be looking too much into it. There's obviously only one Carter lawyer. Maybe it's like a sign Timothy wants to imply to their customers that he's the other Carter, as in a partner taking his last name?