DRW50

That's the one and only Carrie Nye (Mrs. Dick Cavett) as Susan Piper, a deadly realtor. I don't want to spoil a lot if you ever want to see those episodes. She returns as another character in 2003. I think Grant has aged well and he always did a good job at being ripped without going too far, but he was never entirely my cup of tea either. I did think John Bolger was hot.

I can't remember exactly but I think she lives in or is part of the cottage story with Carrie. Carrie poisons her in this episode. I forgot Teresa was on the show. (I see that AI is insisting she wasn't - well they're wrong) Poor Maeve. I can how even she had her limits.

Thanks. I'm glad we have some fan memories of these years as this is such a typically snide take on the genre. It's also poorly written and reminds me a great deal of the tedious "snark" recaps that became popular in the '90s. The end in particular. The 1979/80 stuff I have seen is much more polished than a number of soaps at the time. It was very easy to watch and not too bogged down in past story. Margo is played by Ann Williams, who was on what seemed like every soap. I think she said Margo was her favorite role. These episodes aren't consecutive, but if you ever have time, they are worth a watch. They are bits and pieces from January and April of 1979 - April in and out of prison, her past calling to her via her psychic powers (and the suicide of Miles' wife Denise, who had murder framing in mind). April 1979 has the end of Winter Austen (such a fantastic soap name). I don't want to drop a ton of links but you can find playlists on Youtube.

I think it may be that the character was brought in for a specific purpose and then became popular with viewers, and the show didn't know how to respond. The choice to pivot away from Simon/India may show that you are right and they didn't care for her...although pairing them up may be another sign they didn't care for her. I don't connect well with this period but it does make me happy seeing some of these characters before the great purge and some of the surprises - I'd forgotten the wonderful Maureen O'Sullivan popped up to be bumped off. So typical of soaps by this point, but it doesn't grate as much as later on when Y&R would bring on any random cast member from Small Wonder. I'm also amazed at this time at just how much money the show must have had. The costumes for the Founder's celebration in summer 1984, or whatever it was, looked gorgeous.

I'd say just the opposite - conflict means they will find out and then be at odds. For the limited amount of time people on this show have conflict (if they aren't named Nina or Ric, I guess).

It was an extremely rare interview even then - I was shocked when I read it (as mentioned I'd forgotten just how far in she went). You could see how hurt and annoyed she was. I'm surprised he thought she came up with the baby story herself. She and Charles Keating did a good job with the material but it was absolute hokum. Even if they loved Carl and Rachel (and clearly they did), I don't see them coming up with stuff that, frankly, read like Geocities fan fic. Malone was clearly hobbled by NBC and P&G, but re-using so many of his old stories and his soap bible instead of actually coming up with material suited to the characters or show did not help. It was also fascinating reading her comments about Rachel being in her, fighting back against the writing, and how she had to try to mediate. Reminds me of Marie Masters talking about how hard it was to say goodbye to Susan when she'd been with her for 40 years. That subject is always compelling, that duality. And it reminds me of Eddie Drueding's comments a year or two earlier about Rachel losing her drive. Clearly Victoria saw her the same way.

It's probably one of the only conflicts the story will have, aside from Dante being upset with Lulu when the truth comes out. They really needed someone else who actually knows Gio is Dante and Brook Lyn's son and kept quiet.

This opening scene is hilarious...it's like someone wrote out the script for Philip with one hand. And Rick...sniffing a scarf over and over. And in their next scene they are still sniffing the [!@#$%^&*] scarf as the camera stays all over Philip's bare chest and armpits as he keeps working out. Insane stuff.

It's a wild story for sure, especially the final conclusion (and fireworks offcamera, like Victoria Wyndham tearing into Michael Logan).

And the most detailed discussion I've seen from an industry figure about some of JFP's worst choices as a producer (steamrolling over writers) was from another woman, Megan McTavish.

Thanks @EricMontreal22 that must be one of the last issues. Probably the best soap magazine.

JFP has had more defense for her decades of terrible producing than many male producers ever had.

You're probably right. They may have just wanted edits of certain characters. Hopefully the rest is around.

Thank you so much @skylark ! @Vee @vetsoapfan @Paul Raven @soapfan770 @All My Shadows @FrenchFan @Contessa Donatella @Maxim @Brent @Forever8 @Khan @MissPalmer @Chris B @SoapDope @jam6242 @slick jones @dc11786 @te. @soapfan61 @Soaplovers@Avatar610 @AMCOLTLLover

Coronation Street had a very good story where one of the characters befriended a man who she later learned had been involved in her husband's death - when told right it can be very powerful (not like AMC trying to make it a romance). ATWT almost had a big fire in mid-1994, so this seemed to be a "thing" with P&G at the time. I guess it fits the disaster backstage atmosphere.

The blonde drag is also Ivan, I believe. The long straight black wig is Peter Barton when he was playing Eddie on Sunset Beach.

JFP was only as strong as her writers, which is why her output got worse and worse when she decided she was the only writer anyone needed. They could have easily had a decent short-term story with Lando - maybe cast him as a terminal patient at Cedars, or a long-lost Bauer or Reardon who would leave town after his story is done and possibly return at a later date with a recast. He might become close to Ed and Michelle, similar to how Ed had taken Kelly under his wing years earlier. Maybe he could have been tied to Maureen's death, somehow - maybe we'd learn, after he ingratiated himself to everyone in Springfield, that he accidentally ran Maureen off the road during the storm. And when he realizes this he would, in shame, leave town, maybe leaving some Springfield lady devastated if they were about to get married (this could have worked with a better Mindy recast, or maybe a brand new character).

Thanks.

We see the same with GH, where Mark Teschner, the casting director, reportedly has less say since Frank Valentini took over. Some producers want to take over every aspect of their shows. I think Lando may have been a CBS push.

So much on here slips my mind but this is the first I remember hearing of Peterson's passing. Very sad. Nell was a thankless role, clearly set up for a cheating storyline with Frank, but Peterson did her best. Betty Rea Rea was the casting director for the soap opera “Guiding Light” from 1970 to 1996 and simultaneously the casting director for “As the World Turns” from 1979 to 1983.

I can't remember exactly but I think it may be 1995 as Jake was trying to hide from a loan shark.

I was talking about 1986, but the glimpses of 1982 are about the same.

That makes sense. What a messy time for the show. And any changes they made were mostly for the worse.

Brooke did ads before ATWT too. That probably helped get her the job. After ATWT she seemed to branch more into hosting, along with ads. I think I saw Kelley in an ad or two, but you're right she wasn't on as much.