AW: The longest transition in history?

[MarkH]

Reading this thread is interesting to me. My adoration for AW was very brief, and limited from the date of Cecile's big wedding to Peter Love, until shortly after the introduction of Sharon Gabet and Taylor Miller. So, we're talking maybe a year or two, right? During this period, Jackie Courtney briefly came back, and the two big stories that hooked me were Catlin and Sally, and the big Tony-the-Tuna mob stuff with Cecile's disappearance, which brought Cass, Kathleen, Felicia, Wallingford all together on their grand adventure. When the whole group travelled to Mallorca, I was in bliss. (Sharon Gabet's character was, for me, the biggest wet blanket ever thrown on this show...and I am even hearing impaired! The Catlin-Sally supercouple also couldn't survive the loss of the incredible Mary Page Keller.)

Now, in retrospect, this was all silly. I can barely remember all the plot details, but I just remember the show being regularly fun.

I remember that Charles Keating was short-haired then, and had the most incredible scenes with the young man who played his son, Perry. I remember Keating's amazing grieving after Perry died (I think after being the first to see Victoria?).

During this era, Jake and Victoria were introduced, Kathleen was introduced, Jackee Harry moved to front burner in terms of comic relief, Ada was given non-stop bon mots. There was a serial killer I seem to remember (with all the young characters in New York). It is funny to me that the plot is hazy (which suggests to me that this was NOT the strength of the show then), but the dialogue and casting and production values were terrific.

Anyway, what motivates this post for me is Kathleen. I can't imagine that Kathleen wasn't better with Cass than anyone else . (Remember, I only ever monitored Frankie from a distance, since I wasn't watching, so I have no basis for comparison). Having Kathleen introduced and impersonating Cecile ended up being brilliant, because it really established Kathleen as the heir to that trouble-maker role. Hooking her into the MacKinnon clan (there wasn't a ONE of them I didn't like in the early days...although that changed for me with all the recasts and stupid stories that followed, IMO). Anyway, Osburn was so delightful to me, I could have accepted her with anyone.

(She reminds me, now in retrospect, of Cynthia Nixon...I wonder if I'd still see that if I actually watched again).

I know this is rambling, but it makes me wonder if Frankie's loss was more devasting for later viewers than it would have been for me. Or, instead, if it was the horrific nature of her death that made it so impactful.

[Paul Raven]

On paper,DePriest's ideas seemed good,but the execution didn't always come off.

Jamie came back,played by Laurence Lau. think he was miscast.AW was trying to capitalise on his success on AMC,but he would've been better as another character(Mike Randolph?).Richjard Bekins was a hard act to follow.I wonder whether he should have returned to the role.Also,Jamie was made a doctor,which took him away from working at Cory,which was a big part of the character previously.

Jamie had past relationships with MJ and Nicole,but these were ignored.I thought it would have been a good triangle,as they were two very different types of women.There would also be some continuity,instead of constantly going in new directions.

Nicole returned(good move)but was given nothing to do and dropped.I thought Philece Sempler would have been a better Nicole than a Donna recast.

The Reg/Mary story gave the show a sweeping story that involved many characters.John Considine had the presence to make Reg an Alan Spaulding/Victor Newman type chracter but he became a stock villian who was dropped after a couple of years.

Had Iris been reintroduced earlier a Reg/Iris story could have been compelling.

MJ suddenly became an ex prostitute.Sally Spencer was no way convincing -the story would have been a better fit for Nicole.

The show killed off Zane.I think there was still a lot of mileage in the Zane/Felicia marriage.

Cheryl McKinnon was introduced and paired with Scott.This young love story was way too bland.Whereas Ben McKinnon ,who had a history with Marley,was totally ignored.

The Vicky recast,Rhonda Lewin,was given nothing to do,then written out.

The promise that the show would concentrate on core characters was kept to some extent,but as time went on,new characters were introduced that took the show away from those three families.

Mitch/Felicia?

There was talk of Pam,Rachel's half sister coming on,but it never materialised.

by the end of 86,Marley,Jake,Cass,Kathleen,Donna and Sally were all gone along with all the characters DePriest had written off eg Quinn,Maisie,Clarice,Larry,Thom,Grant,Dee,Maisie etc.

Then Philece Sampler was recast(miscast) as Donna.

I think the Matthews family should have been reintroduced.Maybe Russ,his child,Mike Randolph,Ricky(liz's grandson)

So,overall DePriest's stint was a continuation of what had been happening already-another nail in the coffin.