Last week I took a break from recaps to talk about how well the death of Safe fit into the storyline.

Unfortunately, the powers that be didn't take the road less traveled to follow that up with something refreshing for Sharon.

As everyone in town suffered at the shocking loss of Sage, Sharon had the opportunity to share the truth about Sully. It would have been one of the most difficult things she ever did, but it would have been cleansing, and I think ultimately would have brought a lot of people closer together, even if they were thrown apart first.

It didn't happen, but she came oh so close to spilling the truth.

Considering the crimes that Paul allows to go uninvestigated, it was a little surprising he was browbeating Sharon about Sage's final minutes. It was as if he wanted to blame her for Sage's death.

Sharon was going through enough turmoil of her own. She had witnessed something pretty traumatic. She was also practically in shock after learning her son wasn't hers, after all. Although everyone wants to say she loves a good lie, Sharon was used in this instance just as much as Sage.

Learning later in the week that Sage had been lying through her dying breath took some of the pressure off of this Sharon fan. While I would have given anything for Sharon to admit to Nick during the memorial that Sully was Christian, now I'm very happy she didn't do that.

That's the last thing Nick needs to know. Let's be honest here. If anyone finds out that Sully is Christian, Adam will get involved. Nick will have the briefest period of euphoria only to be thrust back into agony. Can you even imagine?

What's crazy is that as Sage was calling Sharon a monster just before her death, and repeatedly telling Sharon she was going to take Christian to his real father, she knew all along she was keeping a humongous lie of her own. Nick wasn't Christian's real father. It was Adam.

For those of you who were angry about how things went down for Sage's death, does that knowledge on her part, keeping a lie while pointing fingers at Sharon for doing the same, make you feel any differently?

I'm trying to figure out how Ben became so incapable of seeing things fairly when it comes to his son and his wife.

Abby has been amazing in this storyline of grief and the understanding her step-son is not right in the head. She's not trying to out him because he's a monster, but because he needs help before he kills someone.

She even thinks Ben might be on Max's list.

Abby has been all alone as she tries to bring to light that her own step-son killed her unborn child. Her husband refused to listen to her. Her own mother sided with Max, even using Abby's past behavior as an example. 

That Abby has held so firm and determined has been difficult to watch, but has shown great character development. She has come such a long way from the young woman was just trying to get attention. 

Melissa Ordway has also been knocking her scenes out of the park, especially because she has just had a baby of her own. The story she was playing was a difficult one for an expectant mother. Really impressive work on her part.

Dylan didn't let his personal feelings get in the way, and investigated Max. In the meantime, Lily and Cane questioned Charlie, who admitted he gave Max the tools he needed to set fire to the server room. 

How many times do they need to be informed Max is a sociopath before they cut off Charlie's play dates? Why would they take the chance (other the obvious answer that there are no other children around)?

Billy bought Brash and Sassy out from under Victoria, and Jack and Victoria actually had the nerve to be surprised about it. When they made a pact to kick Billy out of his family business, what did they think he was going to do? 

And frankly, if I was Victoria, I would be happy my ex-husband had it, because it's so ridiculously obvious that he did it to get under "my" skin (as Vic), and I'd know it was only a matter of time before he and I were running it together.

Instead, they're all acting like it's the end of the world and a concerted effort to anger them. But Phyllis is right. It's just Billy being Billy. He wants something to do, he wants to annoy the people who shut him out, it was available, he knows it will make money, so win/win/win/win.

And the more Jack acts like everything Billy does is an affront to him personally, the move it pushes Billy to want Phyllis and Phyllis to want Billy. 

Really, though, how hot are Billy and Phyllis? It's hard not to root for them. Jack has become such a whiner lately. 

I'm not really sure where the story is going with Victor and the prison doctor, but she had no right to insert herself into their family business. It's already hard enough listening to Nikki say Victor will never forgive her. She forgets Victor is in prison for a reason. 

The fact the writers are still trying to make Victor's prison sentence somehow relate to the fact his family testified against him is concerning. Stick to the issues.

Finally, Hillary. Gah. She is certainly brash. And annoying. She landed an interview with 60 Minutes about the program that was only shut down last week. I find it very sad that she feels she needs to humiliate and talk down to people in order to get ahead.

She had such promise at one time, and instead they've taken her to a disappointing place. Why?

So where do you stand this week? Let's here from you!

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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.