I know Margo is a cop, not a party planner, but I feel compelled to give her a few tips for planning her next soiree, since her engagement party for Katie and Brad was such a bust. Don't worry. She'll thank me. Next time, she won't end up with enough leftover cheese and beer to feed and pickle a small nation.

First, don't just decide to have the party and call people to come over on the same day. It's simply too short notice. Hence, Lily and Holden had a babysitter problem and Kim, Bob, Nancy, Meg, Emma and none of the rest of the Snyder/Hughes clan could make it. Second, as a rule, it's a good idea NOT to invite the ex-husbands and ex-wives to the party. But since previous spouses Jack, Carly and Mike all showed up at the door, then I pose the question, why didn't Margo invite Brad and Katie's closest friends in town: Henry (another former ex) and Vienna? Yes, he's an ex-husband, too. But unlike the rest of the town, he and Vienna actually seem to support Katie and Brad.

Finally, even putting on music won't save a party with the stench of death on it. Margo's heart may have been in the right place, but I think she would have been better off simply making a nice dinner and inviting the couple over for board games to celebrate. Next time, Margo should consult Kim or Lisa on how to throw a rocking event, and Margo should stick to chasing the bad guys.

Meanwhile:
--Luke, it's no wonder you feel like "900 other people" live at the farm with you. They do!

--I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but I laughed out loud when Carly explained to Katie that she'd brought Australian wine to the party, a possible nod at their former lover Simon. The strange look Katie and Carly shared made me chuckle. Then, when Tom added that the wine would go well with the cheese that Katie and Brad bought, I busted up again. Did Tom pull off a fun joke and imply that Katie and Brad were "cheesy," or was I just being silly?

--Brad Snyder, I know you're walking on cloud nine right now, but I fear this engagement is not going to end well for you. It's never a good sign when both ex-husbands of your fiancée seem to make her more emotional than you do. The question is, who is Brad going to console himself with when it all blows up? Since he seems to have a thing for plucky blondes, I think Carly may be his rebound, especially now that she's had it with Jack.

--Is it any wonder Emma wants to sell the farm and build some housing? The woman runs a boarding house for most of Oakdale. Perhaps she thinks if there are other houses nearby, then she'll be able to get rid of all the moochers living in her space.

--What's with all the teens having no respect for their elders? Both Parker and Casey wanted to ditch the engagement party. Parker should have been falling all over himself to attend, considering Katie put up the cash to try to save him from jail.

--Holden's jealousy this week had me saying, "huh?" The box of mementos Lily was going through that Dusty had kept of her was sweet. For Holden to feel threatened by a dead man is just silly. Now, if Dusty were still kicking, that's another story. On a related note, was anyone else hoping Lily would pop in that '80s mix tape Dusty made for her? I think it would have been a sweet ride down memory lane.

--My apologies to Luke and Noah fans, but wow this storyline is suddenly hard to watch. (And before you jump on me for being a homophobe, that's not what I was implying.) Noah seems to have more chemistry these days with Ameera than with Luke, not a good thing when the show is trying to tell a well-crafted gay love story. Watching Luke and Noah jump up and down on the bed, shirtless, like three-year-olds killed any romantic spark they had going for that moment. Then, add in the fact that Luke has been changed from a confident, fun young man to a whiny, clingy boyfriend, and I can't wait to hit the fast forward button.

--Why did Ali channel Morticia Adams and dye her hair black? Is it because the show has too many blondes already? Or is she trying to get away from looking like the girl in the porn video? Ali is gorgeous and can wear any hairstyle, but she looked better blonde. Change it back, please.

--Brad is seriously challenging Henry's role as the resident ATWT funny man. He had some hilarious lines this week (See my Best Lines of the Week section later in this column.) And he gets extra points for knowing his classic TV commercials, when he popped of his one liner about Katie being so happy "that she wants to buy the world a soft drink and share the love." Brilliant.

--CarJack fans had a brief moment of happiness this week, when Jack and Carly reunited for some steamy mattress thrashing. But it was short lived, as Jack quickly called it a mistake and blamed it on the booze. That was low, even for Jack, to use Carly physically, and make her feel like a one-night-stand. Shame on you Jack Snyder. He had sex with Carly and then told her nothing had changed, and they still had the "same old problems." Um, yeah, he should have made that declaration before the booty call. His actions just served to lead on an already desperate Carly.

--Someone cue the "Welcome Back, Kotter" music because Mike Kasnoff is back in town. I've always loved the character of Mike. I enjoyed all the previous actors in the role. And I like the new guy, too, so far. He seems to have instant chemistry with Katie. (Yeah, I know, like Katie needs another guy chasing after her!) This Mike is different than the last two, though, and by different I mean, he looks MUCH younger. At first, it threw me, but I've gotten used to him. He's a good actor, so I'm not going to dismiss him simply because he's young. This Mike seems a little more metrosexual than the last two incarnations, too. I'm not sure we'll see him shirtless with a hammer and his toolbelt fixing things anytime soon. Mike 3.0 seems a little more cerebral. I mean, the guy made wily Paul Ryan look like an idiot, and that rarely happens.

--I'm suddenly loving Ali again. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm enjoying her flirtation with Chris. I'm really enjoying the fact that it's bugging Emily to no end. This Chris never was a good fit for Emily, but he seems like he might be just perfect for another try at love with Ali.

--Margo gets points this week for trying to prevent Katie's sixth marriage. Sure, she was butting in, but when she sees her sister consistently being a serial bride, I agree it's time to step in. Why can't Katie just date these men, instead of marrying them?

--It seems Sofie is becoming integral in Barbara's cancer storyline. I'm waiting any minute for it to turn out that Sofie is actually Barbara's long-lost daughter or perhaps even the spawn of James Stenbeck.

--I'm begging here, please stop Paul and Meg from another round of googly-eyed romance. I could barely get through it the first time.

--By now you've heard that the role of Lily Snyder has been recast with Noelle Beck. I'm not familiar with Beck's work, but I'm pleased that she's a soap vet. I was hoping for either soap vets Lisa Peluso or Jensen Buchanan for the role, but I'm not worried. From what I've heard, Beck is a fine actress.

--Way to know your ATWT history, Katie. In defending her engagement to her former husband's brother, Katie pointed out that even Dr. Bob was married to a pair of sisters once. Nice!

--Margo was being way too hard on Brad this week. From what I've seen, he's treated Katie like a queen. Margo argued that Brad has a "a huge ego: and would never put Katie first." Note to Margo: He's been putting he first for a long time now! But, Margo is right about the ego. That's one reason we love him.

--Thank you, Ameera, for taking off your scarf this week. Noah was right, you should leave it off more often. You do have lovely hair. And is there any doubt that Ameera was raped or tortured during her time in Iraq? Something is haunting her, and it's just a matter of time before it comes out. Best Lines of the Week:
(Katie gets upset when Margo tells her she won't support her wedding to Brad.)
Katie: "I just don't want us to start off our life with a big jinx hanging over us. Margo's been at all my weddings."
Brad: "Maybe Margo's the curse."

(Brad and Katie arrive at what they think will be a crowded rocking engagement party, only to find a few guests attending. Even Parker skipped the celebration.)
Brad: "This party might be a little boring for someone Parker's age... My age...Bob Hughes' age."
Margo: "I'll put music on."

(Brad invites his brother Jack to his engagement party, but Jack declines since he was once married to Brad's fiancée.)
Brad: "What do you mean you're gonna pass?"
Jack: "Let me Google that for you. It means thanks for the invite, but I can't make it."
Brad: "You wanna Google sore loser?"

Reader Spotlight:
(From Two Scoops Anne.)
"I have to admit when I am wrong. The new Casey just needed a hair cut. The haircut was a big improvement and I loved the scene with him and Ameera at the coffee shop. I love the way the writers are moving with that storyline. I was also thrilled to see that Jack and Katie are over. I almost jumped off the couch and did a little dance. Who am I kidding? I actually did do a dance when I saw the previews of Jack and Carly kissing!!!! I even like the new Chris with Allison. Did the writers actually take a look back at the last 25 years? The old As the World Turns I love is slowly coming back!"

(From Two Scoops Jan.)
"I think that Henry and Vienna should purchase Fashions from Lisa. That would be a more appropriate career move as well as much more believable."

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