Is the joke over yet? Adam Munson, the sweet boy we adored as a child, turned out to be a brutal (attempted) rapist this week. At first I was shocked that the beloved son of cops Hal and Margo could do anything so despicable, especially since his mother was once a rape victim. Then, I remembered that this week is April Fools' Day and this must be a prank on all ATWT viewers. It's the only plausible explanation for this craziness.

OK, the joke is over. Honestly, can anyone else understand how Adam Munson turned into a violent criminal and self-centered jackass within a few years? It's a sad day when the characters we watched grow up on the show suddenly exhibit odd behavior. What's next, Alison becomes a porn star?

Wait. Bad example.

I get that the show needs to have bad guys. What I don't get is why they destroyed a core character like Adam? Or why they've made Alison a porn star or Emily a hooker? The next thing we know, Parker will be dealing drugs, Faith will be on a stripper pole, and Sage will be robbing banks. It seems Los Angeles was the turning point for Adam and Alison. So kids of Oakdale, you've been warned; stay away from L.A. It's the Devil's den. As for Adam, I guess his violent streak is no joke.

Meanwhile:
--Never let Paul Ryan babysit. His idea of fun games for kids is a Ouija board and contacting the spirit world. May I suggest a nice game of Battleship or Boggle instead?

--Thank you, Faith, for finally being nice to your mommy. I was happy to see Faith give Lily a hug this week, when Lily's world was falling apart. It's about time she gave her momma some love and respect.

--Lucinda was so fantastic this week when she realized she'd lost her company to Craig. I loved her scenes with Craig and Lily. Lucinda needs to be front and center in the business dealings of Oakdale again. She's fierce. And I can't wait to see her go after Craig. It's gonna get ugly.

--If Lucinda wants to start a new business venture, I'd like to suggest that she team with Emma. Their talk this week was enjoyable, and how great would it be if these two teamed up for some business antics? It's clear that Emma wants to do more than bake pies. These gals would make one heck of a duo.

--Is Adam going to have to face his mother and admit what he tried to do to Gwen? Because those are scenes I'd actually be interested in seeing. Imagine Margo trying to grapple with the realization that her son almost raped a woman. That would be some heavy drama.

--Do diet pills really make you irrational and stupid? I know they make you nervous and irritable, but I'm not sure they're responsible for wiping out brain cells. Are we supposed to believe that Lily's poor business decisions about Valley's Best can be blamed on her diet pills? I think Lily was so desperate for success and control at something in her life that she rushed into that business deal without doing her homework. I'm not blaming her pill stash for it.

--I completely understood Katie's sadness when Brad picked up that guitar. I immediately thought of Simon, and kudos to the writers for remembering that Simon used to play for Katie and making her remember it, too.

--I like the Katie/Jack friendship, but I don't want to see it go any further. The same with Brad. I think he and the "blonde killjoy" have a good thing going with their friendly bantering, and I don't want it to become more. I think Katie should try being single. It's new territory for her and could result in some fun dates. How about Dusty? Or Chaz? She could even do a dating segment for her show. Paging the single men of Oakdale.

--Casey and Maddie are sweet together, but these two teens have had more drama than most grown ups on the show. I'd just like to see them have some fun for a change. And I don't mean the kind of fun that involves condoms.

--We see Barbara Ryan so little these days that I forget how much I miss her until she pops up to steal a scene. This woman needs to be doing more than just fretting about Will and Gwen. Why can't she get a front-burner storyline? Please, whom do I have to bribe here? I'll even give you a suggestion: How about a Barbara and Brad coupling? They couldn't be more opposite, and I think Barbara would enjoy giving him a makeover. The woman needs some loving, and Brad is a sucker for beautiful women. It's clear Brad is going to be getting a big chunk of screen time, so why not have him share it with someone who never fails to please viewers.

--I agree with Iris' taste in handbags. When Barbara walked by with that gorgeous bag, I was drooling, too.

Is anyone else getting whiplash from Meg's ping-ponging between Craig and Paul? I remember the days when I used to like Meg. What happened? Oh yeah, Paul happened. She needs to rekindle her friendship with Dusty, pronto. Those two were so good together.

--Dusty Donovan has become an uptight businessman. When was the last time we saw this guy smile? Yes, his wife died, and he's grieving, but the poor guy needs to get out a little. Maybe Katie could lighten him up? Or Barbara? I'm worried that all he does is brood. We need an intervention, Scoopers.

--Henry and Vienna are a cute couple, but they're already proclaiming they're "in love" and that's not good news. It's too soon, folks. I'm concerned. It's clear that Henry is always going to love Katie, but I'd like to see Vienna truly get under his skin, too. And I'd like to see it take more than two shows to happen.

--Have I mentioned that I love Katie's new haircut and new look? She looks chic and classy. Eat your heart out Simon and Mike.

--Craig was so cruel to Lily in his underhanded business dealings. I do get that he's just trying to get his kids back, but ouch. Using his only friend to do it was cold.

--I wanted to smack Paul this week when he told Faith he felt fat. Nice, Paul. It's not enough that Faith has to hear her mother constantly complaining about her own weight, now a healthy, physically-fit man tells her he feels fat, too. Gee, it's no wonder the kid has an eating disorder. Faith should make room on her shrink's couch for Paul. It's clear he's got more issues than she does.

Best Lines of the Week:
(Katie discusses the fan mail she and Brad are getting for their new talk show.)
"I think letters can be very helpful actually. Someone does need to do something about his hair."

(Paul rattles off a long list of synonyms for the word "prognosticate" to his new best friends Parker and Faith.)
Parker: "You've been reading the dictionary again, Paul. You've really got to get out more."

(Dusty discovers that Craig is taking over World Wide and confronts him about it.)
Craig: "You're not as dumb as you look."

Reader Spotlight:
(From Two Scoops Kathy.)
"I've been reading some comments about the return of Scott Bryce as Craig Montgomery and am anxiously awaiting his return. Craig's character of thirteen years ago is definitely not the same as the Craig Montgomery of today, but let's face it, storylines have come a long way since then, too. Scott Bryce is an excellent actor, and as far as him playing the "bad guy" that Craig has become, I have no doubt it is definitely within his ability as an actor. Although I loved Hunt Block - and in my opinion he was the "turning point" of Craig's paradoxal character - and have grown to really enjoy Jeffrey Meek's manipulating portrayal of Craig, there is nothing like the original actor portraying the character he created and we watched grow. I would love to see the Stewart family expand; the return of "Betsy" or "Dani" would really be a catalyst in Craig's world. My best to Jeffrey Meek, you did a wonderful job as Craig Montgomery (and so did Hunt Block) and have definitely raised the bar for Scott Bryce, which will only enrich the character of Craig Montgomery even further."

(From Two Scoops Anne.)
"Thank you! You hit the nail on the head (regarding the Gwen/Maddie story.) Did they hire Wes Craven onto the writing team? I am so sick of Maddie and Gwen that I refuse to watch until Scott Bryce returns and even then I will fast forward through all their scenes. There has never been another Craig in my book. I can't wait for some Lucinda and Craig scenes."

(From Two Scoops Lisa.) "Regarding Bryce's return, personally I would have preferred Hunt Block. Nobody did Craig better. I like Meek, but Block had better chemistry with all the women in Oakdale, especially Carly. And we need someone for Carly to focus on besides Jack, when she returns to town. Block's one-liners were legendary. As for the original Craig, I hope there will be some flashbacks. Meg mentioned 'the wheelchair story' this week. This was when Craig was faking it to hang on to Betsy, his first wife. While I know we won't see scenes containing Meg Ryan, there are plenty with Lucinda, Lily, Emma, Holden, and perhaps some other vets that would make good viewing."

That's all for now Scoopers! See ya next time.
Jennifer Biller