DRW50

Inside Soap turns 20. Sharon was on their first cover, and for their anniversary... http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5373/screenshot20120625at104.png Sharon and a corpse.

I don't watch this show but I I watched a clip of some Tami fight from, apparently, 2010 or 2011. I remember being fascinated by her on Real World, although she was a big mess there too, but wow, she seems completely lost now. I can't believe I've been watching her have meltdowns for 20 years. Is that a record in reality TV? http://hellobeautifu...mi-roman-fight/

After seeing those gifs I finally know who Ashley from Hardcore Pawn Stars reminds me of, facially. Does anyone else think she looks a little like Jacqueline?

This episode is a classic for out of control Jill, in one of her last good storylines. This clip we can call Jill Gone WIld. The tongue action will change your life http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZgpDv151ek

The characters aren't real, it's just the actors.

Was this a recast Dr. Michaels? I don't remember her. Lily's game of erotic confessions is...bewildering. I guess they really were trying to change the character. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MZsALGeci8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdNm3e08XaE&feature=channel&list=UL

When I first started watching I had the worst time figuring out Bianca. One day I finally did. It was like cracking the code, and ever since then I've been able to understand just about every dialect on UK TV.

In an earlier EE era Derek probably would have become like Barry by now. I suck at scanning Weeklys but if I ever get a chance I will post a Weekly article from 1989 or 1990 which talks about Eastenders popularity, and Corrie's, and Corrie's day to day realism (boy is that gone for good), and opens with bizarre "Cockney slang" which I never, ever remember hearing on Eastenders.

The whole idea of everyone needing to be the new ____ is what kills these soaps. No one is going to be the new Sharon.

They are working now, aside from Jacqueline, the one I probably know the least of. Yes, your dialogue reminded me a lot of Erica. When I think of Erica I always end up wanting to focus on tragedy, which isn't really the most rounded portrayal. You have the tragedy, but also some of the self-absorption which is endearing. I love Erica going along with the cost-cutting. I wonder how she would have reacted to going to Canada.

I think Ben believed Heather had gotten him in trouble (which she hadn't) and he lashed out at her. She died, and then he, Phil, and Jay covered up the crime. Peter and Lucy each left Walford because they were sick of Ian. Lucy came back a few months ago.

That's Billy's granddaughter, Lola. Janine's grandmother on her mother's side died and left Janine all her money. Janine is married to Alfie's cousin, Michael.

Great start. A lot of the photos didn't come up for me. I like the idea of Viki getting out of Llanview, as it's what I kept hoping would happen for her (too bad she is stuck with Clint, who probably fled due to criminal charges...). Your dialogue for Erica and Bianca is right on the nose. Great to see Blair on her own, with Jack in juvie...er...boarding school. And I love that Tina is in the background somewhere.

What a bad case of poison ivy that must have been.

Just wanted to say John Aprea is starting a recurring role on DAYS, as the Dimera family lawyer. He started today.

Going back to Marco Rubio, a lot of the hoopla over him is that he was found by the media. They want to prove they were right, and that he's a superstar. Does it matter if he actually says or does anything of importance? No. It never matters when "T-Paw" does, or when Michael Steele does, but the media loved them, so they still get time (even after Steele was essentially booted out of any GOP role a few years ago, Howard Kurtz still gave him a glowing profile as he and equally disliked Dem consultant Lanny Davis formed their own "no labels" PAC group). Rubio is also the chief token for the GOP. Do you want to have someone sort of, kind of, give a view on immigration that is supposed to make liberals swoon and get all Hispanic voters to flock to the party? Then have Marco Rubio speak, because he's a minority, so that means he's going to get those dumb Dem voters right in line. Even when he basically goes on TV and says the Arizona law is just fine with him. Meanwhile, more Republicans being honest about the reason for voter ID laws. http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/pennsylvania_gop_leader_voter_id_will_help_romney.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

You packed a lot of scenes and characters into this. I can see you put so much time and effort in. A very satisfying read. I like the way you eased Kim and Bob back in, so many great scenes with the veterans, like Bob and John. You really have that feeling of community and history which ATWT excelled at. I just hope that eventually Julie might be in your story not just as the constantly sick mother, which I hated on ATWT.

I really enjoyed reading the quick banter between Lisa/Barbara/Carly. You do a great job with Carly's reactions and comments. I wish the show had done something like this, especially since they never bothered to reconcile Carly and Lisa.

Great. I like all the bitching between Lucinda and Lisa, with John enjoying the show. The last line by Carly is a classic.

It's Christmas in June! Complete 1990 episodes, which are very tough to find on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h3wyHi5H0E&feature=channel&list=UL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwocXGlUwlA

I think this time period was Bobbie at her most real, as she always had to put on a little during and after her marriage to Tony.

I see what you mean, but at times I think standalone episodes offer more insight because they are compressed into a shorter space of time. For instance, Ginger's abortion episode was probably the most insight we got into her character. I think this was a nice episode because it was a break from a season where Abby was probably at her hardest, starting with the killer revenge she got on her ex, ending with her stealing Gary from Val. I think a good standalone episode can offer more than an arc whic is just plot and plot. I learned more about Abby in that episode than I did in that Nurekama arc, or whatever it was called. If not for the comedy moments they threw in with Abby I would call that the worst story Abby ever had (that honor goes to her affair with Michael York).

I didn't see the episode that way. I mostly saw it as Abby, on the surface, being very ruthless - becoming close to this old man, since she resembled his old love. This was heartless, but for me it was the definitive Abby episode, because underneath, she had a heart. The scene after she learns he had signed his love's name, not her name, and that she wouldn't be getting any money. Instead of kicking his corpse, or making a nasty remark, she went over to a mirror, put on one of the hats she'd worn for him, and just had a wistful smile on her face. The layering in that scene alone is something I've never forgotten.

I don't remember any bad standalone episodes in that season, although it's been a while. One stand-alone, Silver Shadows, is one of my very favorite episodes. The only episode I remember disliking was when Gary and Val had to go rescue Lillimae when she was arrested for shoplifting or whatever. Oh, I'd forgotten about Cricket. Not great, but I thought it was kind of sweet, and nice to see Val in protective mama mode, while ultimately trying to do her best to help the girl. She never really got to do that with her own kids. For me the worst stand-alone episode, mostly because it was just too overwrought, not because it was a horrible piece of garbage, was the one where Val had cancer, and Gary went on a rampage.

The Jake/Bobbie scenes in this are very good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYgPm3fKWCg&feature=channel&list=UL