DRW50

Some 25th anniversary promos I'd never seen before, and some other cool ads. Mac kicking down the door made me laugh. The Sharlene/John promo is gorgeous.

That's just embarrassing. I guess Lifetime deliberately makes these terrible so they can get attention and people can hate watch, but it's cheap and embarrassing. Cute video of Scott and Chris Evans.

I don't think so.

SOD shaded the hell out of Iva throughout her run on the show. It's too bad this new look and new happy life lasted for about a month...

Clive never really got his credit as an actor, likely because he spent his last decade on Emmerdale just reacting to things, but he was great when he got the chance to do more. The standards on Emmerdale these days are very hit-and-miss, but Charlotte Bellamy was again superb today. I voted for her in the TV Choice thing over Natalie Anderson (who is also very good), just as some sign of support. Sometimes it feels like Laurel has been on a show of her own in the last 4-5 months, as her story seems very coherently plotted and rooted in years of painful history, while certain other stories basically involve someone crashing into a wall, getting up and taking a few breaths, and going to crash into another wall.

Definitely agree with Susan. Jennifer - damn. That's crazy. I hope it gets her some good roles somewhere.

I was watching the plane crash episode (I don't think I'd ever watched the full compliation episodes), and I couldn't help noticing how even then, the Sugdens had a relatively small role. Yet in spite of that, Clive Hornby has the most emotional moment of the four episodes, in the last third of it, when he has to identify Mark's body. I was also surprised at how they talked about things like corpses of the dead being scattered around, and Frank finding a dead baby in a tree and being sick. This was implied, not shown, but was all the more powerful for it. This is something soap disasters don't do anymore, because they don't want to offend anyone. The funny thing about it is they "only" killed 4 characters, none of them major (although I think they could have done a lot with Archie if he'd lived). I wonder how many this stunt will kill. One of the DS posters who seems to have ties to the show said it's going to be really big, as big as they're hyping. I don't know. I'm pretty sure of at least 3 people I think will die, but I wonder if they'd take it much higher. The sad part is many of those who need to go, like Lawrence, Jai, I'd say Lisa as well at this point to be honest, probably won't. The other funny thing about it is, intentionally or not, they basically had a story where a woman's bitter homophobia led to a man's death. What an odd, oddly progressive message for 1993 ITV.

You thought he was a good person before now? This is actually one of his "nicer" weeks, as he is at least trying to protect a loved one, at no real benefit to himself. Aaron isn't a good person either, so I don't think that should be the issue. The issue is more storytelling and chemistry. Without Robert, Aaron is basically just sitting around the garage and the upstairs of the Woolpack, and worrying about Adam. He's a great character, at least when properly written. And he keeps a lot of otherwise moribund plots going. As much as I like Victoria (although I think she works best in a supporting role), I don't think I'd have as much interest in the drama this week without Robert, because she and Adam weren't built up enough as a couple to warrant this drama (and Andy is barely involved, and I've never bought Diane as a mother figure for the Sugdens). I'm not sure Robert deserves happiness, but he deserves a major role on the show and a lot of good scenes. And to not just be treated as a plot device, which is too often the case.

Leyla has no real claim beyond biology, so I can see why she doesn't want to push too much, but it does break your heart seeing how much she loves him and how his loss impacts her. Digital Spy confirmed Alicia will be back.

Thanks. 1972 is one of the soap years I wish we could see, as it was the last full year of LIAMS and WTHI.

I don't mind seeing character death, but I just think certain characters don't need to go. If James Barton or Rachel or Jai go, I can't say I'm bothered, but killing off even more viable characters, especially women in a certain age range that is already depleted (with Donna and Katie dead and Alicia leaving). And only if the death has meaning. Looking back at Carl King's murder, it meant nothing and added nothing to the canvas. Emmerdale of all the UK soaps has been the worst at pointless character death. What do you think of the Adam/Victoria relationship?

The only scene from The Following I've ever watched...

Is the Harriet Harris in the credits Harriet Sansom Harris? I can see why the show kept Patricia Hodges on after what was likely a short-term role. She's so believably earthy, unlike many "yokel" characters on soaps over the years.

I'm going to be so angry if Leyla is killed and it wasn't Roxy's choice to leave. If they write out both Robert and Leyla they're begging me to quit watching, as much as I do enjoy some parts of the show (like Laurel's story).

I don't think Benz is too bad as Sally, although she's a little lifeless. She reminds me a lot of Susan Walters. I wonder if they should have saved her for Julia when Kyra Sedwgick left. (Kyra wasn't on much longer was she?) It's too bad they didn't keep Tom Wiggin around. He seems very natural. It's sad to see the Julia/Sally scene, the two Frame women talking and laughing and seeing two very different, strong ladies, and knowing they'd both just become known for being corpses.

Thanks. I've seen bits and pieces of this but the story was always too complicated for me to fully understand. Is it me or were they styling "waitress" Alma like Tootsie?

You probably already know this, but Eddie Drueding has some material available for download for free (although donations are encouraged). He has two files with 1983 footage - hours of each. http://www.anotherworldhomepage.com/awvl.html

There's no real way Alicia will be killed, IMO, especially as she won't be around for the stunt where they're killing off several people. I just wish I could say the same for Leyla.

From what Matt Wolfenden apparently said on This Morning, today was it for Alicia. I do have a feeling she will be back for Leyla's funeral. (no spoilers, just the heavy anvils, especially with Leyla and Alicia leaving on bad terms).

Gordon should have been a perfect fit at GH. Bad timing...

Yes, he played twins on AW - the doctor and a lounge singer. The whole thing has always sounded odd to me. I don't think I've seen much of it so I don't know how it played out. AW had such a talented black cast throughout the '80s that they did so little with.

Leyla and Alicia's first husband, Justin, had a drunken one-night stand. Leyla wanted to have an abortion, but Alicia and the Harding mother convinced Leyla to give the baby to Alicia, who was infertile. Leyla left soon after, although she sent money home for her mother. She heard and saw nothing of them until 2010, when Alicia showed up in the village to warn Leyla to not go to their mother's funeral. Leyla did, which led to a big argument at the church, and eventually, Alicia and Jacob moving to the village when her marriage to Justin busted up. Leyla nearly told Jacob the truth in 2011, but backed out and left town instead, breaking David's heart. Leyla sent him a present in 2013. About six months later, Alicia and David told him the truth, because Alicia was afraid Priya was going to tell him. He sent Leyla a message telling her he hated her. She came back to town to confront David and Alicia. Jacob was disgusted with her, but soon accepted the truth and became close to her, while still seeing Alicia as his mother.