All My Shadows

Okay, Paul, watch it with the Susan crack, kiddo.

AMC, still on fire! I've always been fascinated by the Margo character, but that fascination just keeps growing. Obviously by this point, Erica was fast becoming soaps' most well-known schemer and conniver, but Margo and Claudette seemed to be much more malicious, and I finally see now why they didn't build more around the two characters in the long run. The Phoebe/Charles/Mona story - I've always thought of it as lightweight comic relief that cropped up in the late 70s, and I never realized just how long and spread out the development of Charles and Mona's relationship was. Charles and Phoebe were still together when Erica married Tom over three years later. I'm curious as to how the child abuse storyline really played out onscreen. The Doctors had done a child abuse story a few years earlier, and AMC had just introduced Tad two years earlier as a victim of child abuse and neglect. Were the Coles meant to be long-term or were they just shoe-horned in for the purpose of the abuse story and to facilitate couple drama for the main characters.

That Tony/Katie clip is fire! Greg Beecroft is one of the sexiest men in soap history on the strength of charisma alone. I felt tears well up when Charita announced GL as a nominee! She was and always will be Ms. Guiding Light.

There was not a goddamn thing groundbreaking about Hogan's ATWT. Was he still around for Luke's coming out or was that all Jean? I seem to recall Hogan was there, then he wasn't, then he went back to work under Jean? And this is the problem. No one in the room respected ATWT enough to say "You can't do that" nor did Hogan respect the show he was tasked to write enough to say "I shouldn't do that." I can't herald someone like that as a soap hero. I'm sorry for the struggles he faced in his post-soap life, though, and I hope he was able to find some kind of peace before his death.

Maura is most definitely playing Carly in the clip above (wtf at him throwing her out of the ambulance), and it illustrates precisely the problem with Carly Tenney Snyder. She was bitter and angry for a solid 5 (maybe 10?) years. Half of her lines were said through gritted teeth and the other half were yelled from one end of Oakdale to the other. At one point, there was a compilation video of her angrily uttering Jack's name, weirdly referred to as "Carly's KKK."

Some interesting tidbits. I've read in the past about her thoughts in regards to wanting more story, and of course, she's right. I'm not sure if Hazel, as a character, could have added anything different from what was already going on with the show, but there was no real reason to not give her more to do anyway. I remember seeing photos of the cast partying together back in the day, and Christina was absolutely much more outgoing than her character Terri ever was lol I wonder how far in advance TPTB knew where they would be going with the Rick story. Did they write Terri out knowing that he'd come back the following season for the school shooting story? Both women are so fun and look fantastic. I'm glad they're being real about both the highs and lows of doing the show.

What are everyone's general thoughts on Cecily? I'm seeing her a lot for the first time, and I didn't expect to enjoy her as much as I am. She's a nice plucky breath of fresh air in a younger set of teens and twentysomethings that was filled with very "good" and "earnest" characters (not just ragging on ol' Julie this time - also thinking about David, Melanie, and Will). I know that she and Nico end up together, and I'm liking the beginnings of their attraction, which really hasn't been spoken of yet, as Julie prepares to leave for Washington (bye, girl). Her scenes with Myrtle also highlight how perfect and important Myrtle's role on the show was through all these years. I mostly like David and Melanie. They're a classic AMC "young love" couple in the tradition of Phil and Tara, so it fits and it makes sense. And honestly, I'm not gonna lie, Trent Bushey was hot as fck.

Oh, Ms. Betty! My heart is aching! Rest In Peace, sweet legend! I’m so thankful this was produced and aired while she was still with us. I don’t know what the last month of her life was like, but I hope she was able to see all of the praise and respect this episode revived for her. It’s gonna take me a while to get over this one.

Crying REAL TEARS because this is the AMC I want to see more than any other era at all. These are the stories that placed the show as ABC's top-rated soap and would eventually help propel it to #1 across the networks in 1978-1979. THIS is the Erica I'm so desperate to see - before she blew up and became a local celebrity, when she was still a young, immature, petulant, opportunistic little bitch who just shat on everything and everyone that stood in her way. In fact, in this synopsis, the ONLY truly wealthy, well-off family is the Tylers. Everyone else were upper middle class or lower, and it made a huge difference. Phoebe still had an actual family to play off of, not a merry-go-round of surrogate children living with her and Langley. The classic AMC leading characters of Nick, Paul Anne, Kitty, and Linc were still the stars of the show, and the younger set of Erica, Chuck, Tara, Phil, Jeff, and Mary were growing up into adult storylines. The delicious Margo and hot mess Claudette were important players. It's just crazy how much of that foundation was chipped away once the show went to the hour, the Cortlandts and Chandlers came to town, the high school became a major setting, Erica became larger-than-life, etc. Still classic AMC, but not the same. I would kill to see more of the mid-70s.

I hear Mark was in the first few episodes of Netflix's Never Have I Ever, which just released last week. He was one of the unsung heroes of ATWT's last decade. He was good at romance with Jen Ferrin and TC, but I forget how funny he was any time he had to play "straight man" to Henry (I know, the jokes write themselves). And nothing made me appreciate MC and his portrayal of Mike Kasnoff more than when that atrocious, sweaty cousin of his with the gross hair showed up and was pining over Carly.

I've been hankering for someone's corona version of The Decameron, but I guess this will do.

That ending with the tight shot of Nikki’s two tears and the swelling music! Soap opera at its best!

The theme weeks are just a means to an end for me, so I’m not at all bothered. Scott’s and Lauren’s hair colliding for that kiss was like watching a bad car accident.

Lauren is a hot ass mess in this episode, and I love it. Once again, Victor and Nikki are the smallest part of the episode lol TLW is one of the most beautiful soap actresses of all time.

That whole episode might be available in full on HamiltonBernique's channel. I can look later on and see. I started March 1989 last night, venturing into AMC territory I've never really seen before at all. I had no idea how "religious" Will and Dixie were supposed to be in the beginning, but it's a nuance that I like. It doesn't feel out of place in an era where characters were allowed to have background stories that colored who they were. In later years, it would have been a plot point and nothing else. Julie, damn Julie. She's been a flop for me. Once upon a time, Maurice Benard really had sex appeal and could be a warm romantic lead. Even in that Lucy/Desi biopic he did around the time he left AMC, there was some charisma.

Lord, I know that, and I've known for as long as I've watched soaps, I have no idea why/how I forgot lol

I agree. There was too much time between when a story would leave off and then pick back up again. You could tell there was something missing. Nicki's fantasy was funny. It's crazy to see EB and (especially) MTS both completely involved in their scenes. Time and crappy repetitive writing really do take a toll on actors. The Danny/Phillip stuff was lame, but I did like the tension building as their scenes ended. Michael Damian seemed stronger than Thom Bierdz.

I was going to say the same thing but didn't want to sound thirsty He's sexy as hell in this episode. Ellen needs to get over John's crusty ass and hop on Ron. My hot take on Terry Lester's Jack is that he's that cocky [!@#$%^&*] that you hate yourself for being completely in lust with.

Someone asked a few days ago if they were preserving the original music, and they definitely are. Today's episode includes one of the original cues from the very first soundtrack album. Also, they didn't swap out the original arrangement of the opening theme for the 1988 remix like they did for Victor and Nicki's wedding. They keep choosing these episodes based on a "theme," but then the characters that are supposed to be featured for the "theme" are barely shown lol This is a Victor/Nicki episode, but we've only seen Victor in one scene and no Nicki yet. Not complaining in the least as I'm loving seeing all of these characters and/or performers I've only heard about. First time ever seeing Terry Lester's Jack, and the difference is immediately noticeable.

Have you seen the retro-styled ads for The CBS Sunday Night Movies? There’s your acid trip. I’m with you, though. Once they phased out bringing out the nostalgic reruns for the holidays in the mid-2000s, I figured that was the end of ever seeing old episodes of soaps on TV (besides SOAPnet). My outrageous wish is that they realize how terrible a full hour of The Talk hosts FaceTiming each other really is and say “Y’all want some of this ATWT from 1978?” Back to Y&R - so much of the early stuff I see has a slight blue collar element that I love, especially when paired with the show’s glam production values. Barbara’s adopted dad today was so unlike any regulars you’d see on the show from the mid-80s on. Did the move away from less wealthy characters coincide with the phasing out of the Brooks and Fosters? Was there always a strong working class thread during the first decade (I know the Fosters were meant to represent that, but even Snapper and Greg were professionals)?

"Jesus, be a fence...be a fence...be a fence...bc I want to tell this whack ass bitch something so bad, Jesus..." Ahem. I will be in attendance for the full program. An afternoon with the Looch will be heavenly!

I know some of y’all said that Victor and Nicki are the lowlight of this episode, but I’m loving them. The scene where Victor is describing “Victor Newman” to Nicki plays so well on the meticulous game he’s playing with her, complete with the great “Love is Gone” underscoring it and adding that extra sense of suspense. The twins story is also so compelling! I just want to keep watching from this episode on!

Ten minutes in, and I don’t understand how any of the show’s PTB today can look at this and A, not notice the massive differences between their show and what the show was 40 years ago, or B, think that what they’re putting out today is better. It just looks and sounds positively beautiful. And nice, long scenes that pull you in! The average viewer today can go into a scene not knowing anyone or anything but eventually know the gist of the story after just one scene of decent length. Can’t do that if you’re switching back and forth every thirty seconds.

Easily one of the greatest set of soap scenes of all time, so representative of everything that this genre can do correctly. My personal favorite part is the slamming of the phone with no regard as to who was on the other end. The hurt, frustration, betrayal, etc. EP played it all pitch perfect, and Tina and Peter were no slouches either. I know it's well established that Maureen carried on a torch from Bert, but these scenes are such an evolution. This is the type of stuff Bert would have said to Bill had they gone through their marriage woes during a different time.

I was going to say that there is one, but I was only thinking of this snapshot from Phil and Tara's ceremony. There used to be bigger photos from their wedding online, but this is all I could find plus another small image.