DRW50

1 hour ago, Khan said:

Frank is still butt-hurt that he was forced to give Genie a contract.  That's why he had the writers give her a thankless job (as PC's mayor) and stick her with boring-ass Kevin (whom everyone knows belongs with Lucy!) instead of creating a brand-new love interest for her.

The bad blood between Genie and GH or ABC over her extended maternity leave helped to disenfranchise the character, followed by Guza and Tony Geary's clear contempt for her (and need to turn her rape into her rapist's pity parties and her son berating her) created a hole for her that she never got out of. Then we have Geary's contempt for any Lucky not named JJ, plus JJ's depressing return that pleased no one and kept him away from the show for good, plus JMB's lousy turn as Lulu followed by a poorly received recast, followed by all the tragedies with Tyler Christopher...

Pretty much everything went against Laura and her relevance on the canvas.

I have to admit I've never cared about Laura, and I don't think Genie Francis is that fantastic, and even I would agree she's been disrespected in so many ways when you think of what she did for GH.

The only reason she is there is lip service. 

I won't claim the treatment of Tracy is top-tier (especially the degradation of her when she was married to Luke) and is likely going to decline with Mulcahey's departure, but still, if you were a viewer in 1980 and someone showed you Tracy's relevance vs Laura's in 2024, you'd be shocked. (once you get past the shock of someone from 2024 being in your house to talk to you about a soap)

Tom was just a terrible, bizarre character who never should have lasted as long as he did, although he was OK in his last few months. My main memory of him is when he was jogging in green short-shorts.

1 hour ago, j swift said:

To me, the best Faith recast was Cali Timmons.  Because Maggie felt like the sibling rival that Jill needed as an antagonist all along.  Even as a kid, I knew Frank was never going to pick Faith, but Maggie had a real shot at turning his head because she was a firecracker.  

Jill could at least be more honest with her. One of the reasons the Faith and Jill rivalry is hard for me to watch is because Faith says the vilest things to Jill and Jill mostly just takes it. The whole thing feels dishonest to me in that Faith made so many stupid choices, lashed out when those choices blew up in her face, and was still presented as a victim. 

This features Henrietta Moore (First Love), among others. A neat little use of the 15 minute format (I wish more shows would take this step now) with good leads. I wonder if Joe Mantell meant to play his scenes with as much longing and yeaning as we get in that later scene. Some of that aspect feels very "today."

Thanks @Paul Raven . I don't remember him fumbling his lines very often.

Thanks to @Contessa Donatella

At the Another World 60th, Barbara Rodell mentioned that after she left ATWT for the last time, she was offered, and turned down, a chance to be a temp recast for a pregnant actress on OLTL. 

Presumably, that would be Viki, which was taken over in that period by Christine Jones. 

Thanks to @Contessa Donatella

At the Another World 60th, Barbara Rodell mentioned that after she left ATWT for the last time, she was offered, and turned down, a chance to be a temp recast for a pregnant actress on OLTL. 

Presumably, that would be Viki, which was taken over in that period by Christine Jones. 

19 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I'm not familiar with those threads. Tell me the right one's name & I'll be glad to pop it there, too.

And, yes, the more I think about it I'm getting angry at the very idea of rushing toward Linda!!!! 

I am very sad about DavidF!! 

I'll just mention it and then give you credit.

Thanks @Contessa Donatella for sharing those stories. You'd think people would be more respectful of an 80 year old woman than to run up to her like they're meeting the Beatles. 

Very sad about David Forsyth. 

You may want to add the Barbara Rodell info about OLTL to the Temporary Replacement or They Almost Became threads. If you don't want to I will.

This is a Soapnet backstage piece from 2002.

Just now, Vee said:

Most of those fans were all about her and Sonny. Frankly I don't think Nina has ever been better or more interesting than the last few months. It wasn't just about daily humiliation, but growth.

I think it was easy to overlook because of the optics of her having to sell the hotel to Carly, Willow's latest judgment, etc. but she did have some lovely character beats that Cynthia Watros clearly enjoyed playing. I was always a little hot and cold on Cynthia at GL but she's done good work with the rare shreds of decency she got here. 

I would have Brook Lynn and Chase become foster parents, maybe tie them to Ward House (was that ever brought back - I can't remember) and use that to bring back Keesha or other relatives. And it would fill the house with more characters, as Monica is rarely there and we're lucky to even have Tracy back. Maybe Tracy could form a bond with one of the children who reminds her of herself at that age. 

I'm sure Frank would love to cast more child actors on the show, so it could be a win/win. 

I wonder how all the Nina fans who were upset over the Drew stuff feel. I actually do get why they were upset with her losing and losing and losing, but it did seem like her story was leading somewhere for her. Now that doesn't seem likely.

Thanks @slick jones . I had no idea he wrote for Bright Promise. Or that he was originally meant to do Coach. 

Rest in peace, Barbra Fuller.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/barbra-fuller-dead-republic-pictures-one-mans-family-1235903503/

Rest in peace, Barbra Fuller.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/barbra-fuller-dead-republic-pictures-one-mans-family-1235903503/

49 minutes ago, dc11786 said:

@Sapounopera I think there was a cast cull in early 1976 because the cast size was deemed too large. I don't remember who that was. I think the Bucky / Reenie romance and the Sam Cromwell character were part of the purge. Diana van der Vlis was supposed I'll and asked to be let out of her contract. Frank Latimore wasn't working in the role of Ed, in my opinion.

Kate Mulgrew became pregnant during her time on the show, but I cannot remember when that was or if that was in the first year or the second. I think there were some temporary Marys when Mulgrew was pregnant. 

Mary gets pregnant soon after she marries Jack, which was written in due to Kate's real life pregnancy. Sam Cromwell was likely directly affected by this, as he was clearly meant to be in a triangle with Jack and Mary. He wasn't that bad. 

I do wonder about Nell's story as to me it felt like a natural conclusion - if anything I felt like they extended her run a little. 

I think that Ed could have stayed longer with a different actor. Latimore had no real presence.

I definitely think Nick and Reenie were budget purges. And maybe that Latina nurse - or did she want to leave the show? She got more writeups in the soap magazines than in the episodes. 

40 minutes ago, Chris 2 said:

Nancy Barrett is so jarring as Faith. She’s too old for the role, for one thing. And then the whole sunny attitude - “Here am I, all better, and blonde and vivacious.” Weird.

Nancy was one of my favorites on Dark Shadows but I don't think she's worked in any other soap roles I've seen her in (I have not seen her Doctors work). She seems very artificial and fragile, which suited her more on DS.

31 minutes ago, Khan said:

I still can't believe it took so many recasts to make Faith work even a little; and even when they DID have a successful recast with Karen Morris-Gowdy, her Faith was so different from what Faith was originally, she might as well have been an entirely new character.

The only time KMG worked for me was when they wrote Faith as bitter and resentful, which they never fully allowed because I guess they just couldn't accept that level of nuance in the character. Instead, we just had excessive airtime spent on this unpleasant and dull person we were meant to feel sorry for at all times...and of course many reminders of how wicked and rotten Delia was.

I don't think Faith ever worked. It's telling that even Catherine Hicks did not care for the writing, because that was the one time I think Faith connected - mainly because Labine and Mayer just wrote her to Hicks' spunky strengths and threw away any of what they had tried before with the character.

@Ben @Forever8 @LondonScribe

Dabney was such a charismatic actor, so often making it impossible to stop watching the many horrible men he played. There's no one around like him now. 

2 hours ago, TheyStartedOnSoaps said:

Check out The Locher Room new show about Stand Up 2 Cancer - several actors take part - including Erika Slezak - her first interview since her daughter died

Though Erika was appearing on the show to talk about her Breast Cancer Storyline on OLTL - towards the end the host offers his condolences - and Erika cuts him off saying she doesn't want to talk about it

But she does make it a point to thank fans for huge amount of  cards and letters she has received, and to let the public know how she appreciates all the support she has gotten

But it is obvious she is still grieving and the last part of her interview where she briefly talks about it - is devastating. 

I did watch yesterday (there were a number of OLTL alum involved). You could see how much Erika was struggling. Kudos to her for still being willing to appear.

13 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Again, that's fair.  I was a Sonny, Jason, and Carly fan back in 99/00.  In fact, I am pretty sure I enjoy Sonny, Carly, Jason still more than most on this board even though I absolutely see their faults and can realize they are over played.

I still stand by the fact GH was pretty solid for me until 2003.  

Guza was left to his own devices for far too long and I did disagree with a lot of the material he put out.  I still knew he was capable of more if reigned in and I am not sure CVE and EK are.

That's fair. It's very dull to hear someone say, "Oh you were wrong about material you enjoyed," and I definitely don't mean to come across that way. I do remember how in the '00s the show managed a number of very strong scenes.

8 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I really get everyone's criticisms with Guza.  You all make valid points and I don't disagree.  There were serious issues with the show when he was in charge.  But it was more entertaining and more memorable than anything we've had in the last 7 or 8 years.  I am not saying GH should re-hire Guza, but at least the man knew how to write a sweeps event even if the main players were generally Sonny, Carly, Jason.  

I haven't rewatched, but one of the reasons I stopped with GH regularly in the early '00s was because I genuinely thought 1999 and 2000 were two of the dullest years I'd ever seen on a soap. The closest might have been ATWT and GL in their real doldrums around 1994. If I had to see one more person wandering around the docks looking bored or one more slo-mo shootout for Emmy submission or one more "it's my house/I bought it for you" or Ned going on about "gatekeeping" or Emily berating everyone over the glory of Jason I might have lost my mind.

I imagine "Guza unleashed" was more exciting for people, but when the excitement mainly involves which young woman that month is going to be murdered (or raped - or raped and later murdered), in-between mob fantasies, Jason harems, Tony Geary jerkoff material and speed running through vet corpses...I just don't want to see it. 

I do know if people have watched on a daily basis in recent years they might miss those days more. 

7 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

He coasted for me for years after how good his 1996 and most of 1998 were. I just kept waiting to see that guy again. Glimpses during events like Brenda’s first return, the  Metro Court and Scrubs/refocus on the Hospital. But nothing like his earlier runs.

I didn't even care about most of 1998 so that's how I knew he just wasn't for me, but I respect those who did admire his work. 

2 hours ago, titan1978 said:

For all the talk about how boring it has been (and I am not denying that it lacked action), did any of you watch during the latter half of Guza?

It was miserable people being miserable between sweeps months, doing essentially nothing. While being explored nearby daily (look at the episode counts!), Sonny, Jason and Carly had very little evolution during that entire decade. The changes that did come were due to Carly recasts, and eventually the arrival of Dante as a fourth lead with the same counts.

The scripts were better back then, it had more depth. It had entertainment factor during sweeps, but that was it for me. At least some of these people smiled and for once Sonny was being treated like the monster he is. 

I'd say that describes most of Guza's run, which is a reason why I would not ever want him back. He hated soaps and he especially seemed to hate GH as the years passed. His scripting team deserves the credit for any of the better moments.