DRW50

Thanks for all these clips and the commentary, @Maxim The actress who plays Rachel is the wonderful Ellen Bethea. Watching the Blair and Max clip, I come away struggling to feel sympathy for Max. I think it's down to: - his connection with Blair, while very passionate, not being developed enough to make me feel for his sense of betrayal - knowing he'd had this story with Gabrielle for a number of years - my nagging view that James de Paiva had aged out of such material I would love to know what the original plans for Cord and Blair would have been if John Loprieno had stayed. A story where Cord became bored or estranged from Tina and was caught up in the Blair whirlwind, only to slowly realize unlike Tina, she could not be "tamed" (even temporarily) as she did not see her as her world the way Tina often did with Cord - that could have been a compelling departure.

You can definitely see the light in their eyes when they get to go back to the OG Obrecht run - so much effort put into Liesl's histrionics. I'll give Kathleen Gati credit for trying (and I find her dramatics less grating than I did back when she first arrived), but they will always feel like a sideshow, or something that might have ended up on a summer season web spinoff in 2015. It frustrates me because, even though I know you and others have good points about the short-term potential for the Gio story, I still think there was much more they could have done, even with them not wanting to pay to use Olivia or Ned. They have spent so much more airtime on a story that was garbage from day one (Kristina having a baby for Molly and then having an extended breakdown and rampage).

They've really fumbled the aftermath as all of that is going to feel unearned now. I think it's down to Frank, Korte, CVE not being genuinely invested in any of these characters. Not even Gio. It reminds me of NAC's Spencer as there was always a certain apathy there as well even though he was the younger male lead (much more than Gio has been). In that case I know some thought it was because NAC stood up for himself, but I wonder if it's just a resentment for newer faces compared to old crutches. They will always try with, say, Joss (her stories are not good, but they are always around), as she is tied to their favorites or they have more of a connection with Eden McCoy. Having all of this brought back up with Monica soon passing is even more dubious to me as I won't be surprised if we get some excuse for Tracy to get a tongue lashing.

I think they did see Grant as tough to replace, but another factor may be Alan being gone. Philip was so defined by Alan. Maybe they had to wait for Grant to finish with AMC before they got him back, but the character did seem filed away for most of the first half of the '90s. They could have recast Rick, but they probably didn't see a need. Michael O'Leary was seemingly well-liked by viewers and had served well enough as a B-hero. The issue is that without Ed Rick could not serve as a Bauer patriarch...but then Peter Simon's Ed never fit that role either, as he was too haunted and terse. Maureen did a lot of heavy lifting, and then Meta did when Labine focused on her in that aspect in her 00-01 stint. (one of the few things I'll praise Labine's GL for) She did have a few nice moments with Harley, although JFP took most of that away, as always. I do think Beth should have been there for Nick's return.

That's interesting. If it does well I wish there was a way they could make some new content.

Thanks for finding all those @dc11786 I'd forgotten the show went off for a bit. Glad they could return to close on a better note.

Sorry to hear this. I thought she'd passed a year or two ago. I liked her work as Mary, even if the character never went beyond a dimension and a half.

I'd guess this is something from ABC/Disney. I doubt Frank would be that invested. Stephen must enjoy his visits as he never seems like someone who doesn't do what he wants to do.

They were clearly referencing nurse Kelly from the late 00s.

Thanks for finding that @Franko

https://deadline.com/2025/09/golden-girls-emmy-tribute-reba-mcentire-little-big-town-1236530549/

Many that are around are in poor quality so I'm glad to see one in nice shape. I think the Mitch S channel also put up a number this year.

I never knew that. I'll have to look for that clip.

Thanks for your detailed response. I didn't realize just how complex the narrative had grown.

Andrea Evans, between her Y&R stint and OLTL return presumably, pops up at the end of Out of Control, a Dave Coulier show that I used to enjoy as a kid. She's not playing her usual type of character.

I'm surprised they brought back Barbara at all, to be honest, although I'm still glad they did. I suppose this must be down to Michael Laibson, as he had produced AW in the late '80s and had worked with Barbara Berjer. Berjer fit in well in her few appearances. Rauch likely never wanted to go near another older woman (it must have mainly been down to P&G respect for Mary Stuart that she stayed a part of GL even while sick with cancer), but her not being ther when Ken returned and when Holly went crazy was just wrong.

@Maxim Thanks again for all your clips and your thoughts on the show. Your views on the homophobia story - 30 years later - show the importance of the story. I often criticize "issue-based" stories on soap operas because I find them crass, exploitative, cowardly in many cases, hiding behind "awareness" for the sake of all kinds of horrors that do more harm than good (a recent Emmerdale story had a gay man who was thinking of coming out get severely beaten by another man he tried to meet - what a lovely message). Yet these stories, when told properly, can have a real impact. This one has a heart-wrenching impact, and the lessons taught about ignorance, fear, and trying to suppress the past feel more important than ever today.

As I watch some of the later years of the show in clip form I get why - the experience is formal and nightmarish with the latter winning out. I notice Tabitha seems to be one of the tamer parts of the show by the end. Another I enjoyed was Luis choking Spike out until Sheridan finally convinced him to stop... Do you wish they'd killed Alastair off earlier than they did or do you think he was still effective as a villain?

The OLTL story was much more heartbreaking, but I think the AMC story was risque in its own ways - namely in that the Andrew/Billy dynamics were now repeated with two gay men instead of just one. There was also the trash talk show aspect. If it got more awards love it may be down to happening 3-4 years later and AMC being a more awarded show than OLTL.

The show then got a slew of Emmy nominations, and some wins, a few years later, I suppose once they felt she had gotten the message or learned her place.

I remember all the praise Lenz got, but for some reason I thought Budig had wanted to leave as well, as her contract was up. Wasn't there some claim they briefly considered bringing Roxy back in this period?

Oh I didn't know that.

I can't see her coping any better than Marj but she may have had a bit more restraint (I know Susan can be a little hammy but she wasn't too often at this point).

Thanks @jam6242 I had no idea he co-wrote the DAYS theme, or that he co-wrote so many of the best pop songs of the '60s. "Hurt So Bad" alone is a masterpiece. Eerie this is right around the premiere of The Monkees.

I've forgotten more than I remember but thank you as always. I just learned today that Paulding and Miner were both in the same movie (the very controversial Bully from 2001). Now that we're in late 1997 GL, does anyone else remember the rumors that Ellen Parker (who'd made some brief appearances as Maureen's spirit) was going to appear as Abby's cellmate?