DRW50

I think it's less noticeable with UK soaps if they have larger casts. Neighbours has such a small cast. I know some is also just down to budget and filming limitations, but I don't think they have adjusted well with the writing choices. For instance the choices they made with the Roswell breaks took away most of what made them a good family to me - the whole story with Quinn went off the rails and then you had Sadie blaming Andrew and leaving him home alone until he went away camping on his own for a month or two. It was a world away from the loving family they were intended to be. I am surprised Karl was in that many episodes because I feel like even when he's there they are sort of writing around him.

Sometimes I lie to myself that they are around but just not going up on Youtube for copyright reasons. Probably not the case. So many had a total lack of interest in soaps. I know back then VCRs were very expensive so you can't tape everything but I really wish there was someone around like that lady who taped all the news programs in these years. Always the most underrated soap fashion doyenne.

That makes sense.

With his recent media tour claiming he was guilted to vote for Kamala and shaming anyone who criticizes Snoop Dogg or Nelly, I have even less interest than before. He's not a bad screen presence but I'm not sure what the point is. Between this and the football story is Frank or ABC trying to get more male viewers? If it's an attempt at getting more black viewers, then the best way to do that would be not having such clear contempt for your black cast.

That's a good video - it's on the channel too.

We got another '70s promo! An extremely rare glimpse of '70s Kim and Kim/Dan. @Paul Raven @jam6242 @slick jones @FrenchFan @DramatistDreamer @Vee @Reverend Ruthledge @soapfan770 @P.J. @Contessa Donatella @Maxim @Soapsuds @Mitch64 @Khan @Bright Eyes @MarlandFan @VelekaCarruthers @blueberrywaffle @Soaplovers @chrisml @All My Shadows @kalbir @Dax7000 @adrnyc @wonderwoman1951 @vetsoapfan @Franko Apologies to anyone I forgot.

I wouldn't write them out of the show. I would just have them leave Ramsay Street if they are only going to be part-time characters. I'm sure they could find a way to have them just stay at the hotel or even find a house to rent out for part of the year. It's just odd to me having Holly there all alone with the house for months.

There's a line about halfway through this where Tracy says, "I don't enjoy being right, Paul. It's a burden I've had to bear my whole life." In the hands of many, that line would be played for high camp, or uber-dramatically, and I imagine all the people out there who just see soaps as a big joke or clawfest would eat that up. Instead, Jane plays the pain of Tracy, very matter of fact, deeply sad. It's a beautiful moment. And of course you could say how deluded is she, but even if you say that, you understand her in that moment. You look at her point of view, all the carnage and chaos of the Quartermaines that she probably thinks she could have stopped if she'd had the respect. You watch through her eyes. That's something soaps have lost when either making everything about plot or just trying to get us to root for TPTB pets. We don't have to agree with Tracy...we just have to understand her. I laughed when Paul had the guitar. I guess that explains Dillon's musical career. I wish the show had done more to have some serious moments between Tracy and Larry Ashton (were there ever any? and was there anything of value in his '10s returns?) as he was clearly such a horrible betrayal of her trust that she then spent many years going for "respectable" guys like Mitch Williams and Paul who under the generic face were real sleazebags. I love the music cue at the end when Tracy finds the earring.

Their channel puts up a lot of content from that area.

I think Judith would have had a much stronger position than Susan Harney, but I know Susan's primetime success was probably the reason they asked her back.

I agree with you. The whole point of Susan and Karl in recent years was their home was for waifs and strays, a backbone of the community. You can't really say that when they are gone half the time. It's especially noticeable now because Karl's brain-dead daughter is constantly in turmoil, and they aren't around most of the time. And when they are around, they still don't have enough involvement with her, aside from brief moments like Holly's therapist saying her parents are why she is the way she is. I can't argue Home & Away treats its older characters the way they could be treated, but John Palmer is the character I wish Karl could be. Instead, when Karl is around, he's wasted on nonsense like "Dr. Pooper," one of the worst stories the show did last year. The Holly issue gets worse because Izzy is never around either, so Holly just constantly whines, cries, curls up in a ball, sobs on the living room floor, and other than her "friends" (who never seem like that close of friends, to be honest), nobody reacts. I would either have Karl and Susan move off Ramsay Street or write Holly out immediately. I would write her out anyway.

I see what you mean, but Susan herself had been gone almost 15 years, and the story that sent Lenore out of town was started by Judith. I think it could have worked.

I thought you would have enjoyed him punching Lucky. (is that the biggest part JJ has had since his return?) I have said it before but I think a downward spiral story for Cody should be interesting, but they aren't really doing a great job with the execution...and I'm not sure what the end result is going to be, unless it's some kind of bad boy competition for Dante over Lulu.

There's a fun little interview with Eileen Fulton at the start of this. There's a short clip of Lisa in court, presumably for a custody trial over Tom. I've never seen it before. Is this new to any of you or is it just an episode I missed? I don't remember most of the special episode they did in 2000 for her and Don Hastings so maybe it was in there, I don't know.

I think she was, yes.

That's a very lovely thought. I'm glad they are doing this for fans.

Very appropriate the last few days.

The media keep telling us how popular he is, but he isn't. Many don't want to see him and don't want to hear any more about him, even though he won. That won't be mentioned because Trump and his tech bros own all the press.

That's how I saw it too. I can imagine anyone would find the experience degrading. I think AWHP had Susan Sullivan listed as someone the show asked to return for the anniversary, but she didn't. I wish they'd considered asking Judith to reprise Lenore. It would have been interesting seeing her with Robert.

From that same channel. I don't think I ever saw this before. I wonder if this is the first 4th of July celebration on a soap. We'll never know, but it must be an early one.

She mentioned in her WLS interview how degrading the experience was. https://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/02/catching-up-with-judith-barcroft-part-1.html I didn't really mind the story. The worst I could say was I found it somewhat dull. Given how much P&G had let ATWT rot away in this time period I wonder if they would have been as upset if JFP had not eviscerated so much of the budget. Heartbreaking to hear this - I knew she had had cancer but didn't know her current status. I hope all the best for her.

Thanks. Never knew that. I'm glad to get to see it.

Thanks @MissPalmer that is a wonderful surprise! I see they have a number of episodes. I assume many of those were already available (I see the saynotoursoap watermark on at least one of them) but I definitely never saw a 1972 episode. Maybe it was from the WOST days. @soapfan770 or anyone else who was more active on there - do you remember? @vetsoapfan @slick jones @jam6242 @Paul Raven @Vee @Khan @Bright Eyes @FrenchFan @dc11786 @Soaplovers @All My Shadows @Franko @Maxim @Contessa Donatella Sorry for anyone I'm forgetting, just typing up quickly.

I think Cameron comes across pleasantly enough in his personal interviews, and maybe in his TV-movies, but I notice the same comments about Drew that I often did about Ryan - abusive, cold, nasty. And both when they were written as "good." Cameron saying Drew and Willow are the new L&L is why I'm not sure he is going anywhere, but you're right that money may be the big factor.

One of the problems with Mathison is just a general cold, unpleasant vibe onscreen. That's one of the reasons the character seemed so hated by fans even when he was written as exclusively "good." It's also one of the reasons I'm not sure how well he can work long-term as a villain because he can't really do balance. I do think Frank would be reluctant to let him go, which is why I doubt he's going anywhere. It's up to ABC, as I imagine Frank never wanted to let Michael Easton go.