Hi, tftnt!

Please don't stone me, but I don't hate this season. I've never watched expecting anything and am being patient with how the story is unfolding because I think they're trying to be often very subtle and poetic with Z/W's love story yet very broad (almost septic and mundane) with Z/J. Last night's show was still pretty entertaining to me, but I agree that it has a different feel to it now that, as Steph26 says, Zoe and Joel interact mostly by themselves instead of with the other main characters. I think maybe this is intended to drive the point that Z/J are N.Y. outsiders and have their own lives apart from the others.

What I love about yesterday's episode (even though no Z/W) are: Wade and Tom's singing, Lemonade's friendship, Bananabeth (lol!), Lavon meeting Annabeth's parents, Dash interrupting Z/J (thanks sir, to spare us from extended Z/J bedroom scenes, which are yucky and strange; otherwise, I don't really mind Joel), and the preview for next week's episode! I also find that Zoe's outfits are more beautiful overall this season so far (when compared to previous seasons), and this helps ease some of the sadness that Z/W are apart.

Joel's purpose:
I think his intended role (other than as an obstacle to delay Z/W's reunion) is to encourage Zoe to be more open with her feelings and communicate better in a relationship. Also, Joel might serve as a positive example to Wade on how to remain faithful to one woman, which would be good.

What I'd like to see happen for Z/W:
-Wade writing a song for and singing it to Zoe.
-Z/W make-up scene.
-Z/W having a heartfelt scene to air their feelings, the hurt that exists between them, but also the love.
-Zoe telling Wade that she loves him too.
-Zoe wearing Wade's shirts again.
-Wade wearing Zoe's shirt (hey, that was really funny in a promo photo for a deleted scene! )
-Zoe finding out that Wade made her gumbo.
-Zoe recognizing that Wade renovating her house is somewhat like the sultan who built the Taj Mahal for his wife (equally romantic, except on a smaller scale, yet better since Zoe can see it). I think Wade might have continued to fix other rooms while Zoe was away; hope we'll get to see inside it with Zoe again!
-Their wedding (with Earl alive!)
-Their honeymoon (perhaps N.Y. City or Bora Bora?)
-Their marriage (It would be fun to see how they negotiate everything -- housekeeping, spending habits, childrearing, where they'll live, etc. Will Zoe baby him the way she is babying Joel? )

Did you guys also notice in the Halloween episode, we saw Zoe eating a lollipop and telling Brick there were 42 left? Zoe only eats sweets (like marshmallows or Skittles-like candy) whenever she misses Wade and craves his presence. I think the writers might have been giving a subtle hint that in 42 days or 6 more weeks or in Episode 10, something will happen between Zoe and Wade. What do you guys think?

Thank you all for continuing to watch, for your loyalty to HoD and especially to Z/W!

Oops, sorry that this post is so long! Really excited for next week's new episode!

Yeah now we are just dreading if we will enjoy the non Joel parts(all 5 minutes of them), I really don't even think it is the lack of WZ. It is the lack of ANYTHING except Joel. There is no direction for any of the characters. And JZ are always the same BOOORING!! No chemistry, no conflict, no drama, There is just nothing, Here is to hoping Vivian and the Wilkes clan can add a little spice back into the show

Do you think they keep including those false romantic scenes BECAUSE they are revolting
and through them we should know they know that Zoe and Wade will reunite.

Out of curiousity, how are the ratings doing?

I wonder if LG is going to have to do some damage control soon.