DRW50

Tanja sounds like a chilling character - it's rare to read about someone who has committed so much murder, and not the type of murder which is written as being justified. Did she settle down after her 2004 return or is she still this way? I'm glad VL is going back to their past. I hope it pays off. Is this the same actress who played Clarissa, or a recast?

They're great together. They've been friends off and on for about ten years but it's too rare they have a scene. The stuff last year when they got into a brawl at the R&R with Kat/Stacey/etc. was a hoot.

Thanks for finding all that. I thought that Kitty liked Olli but he didn't, or maybe that was Coco or whoever. I wonder how this return of the two characters from ten years ago will be. Were they very missed by viewers? The whole exit via plane crash sounded exciting. Were they big diva types?

I can't remember if any of them went into as much detail as she did - I think Pam Long may have come closest, as she was unhappy about what was done with the mental breakdown story she planned for Johnny after he was cured of cancer, and she was unhappy about Blake making endless mysterious phone calls (the scab writers had no idea who the calls were even to) and being so serious all the time. Was that story the end of Cain?

I was reading a post-strike Digest interview with various soap headwriters. One was Anne Howard Bailey (who was soon let go anyway). She talked about how initially the nun character was supposed to be a love interest for Mason, but then while she was gone, they cast a deaf actress (Phyllis Frelich), which made the story impossible. She said perhaps that was for the best, as she only did the story to appease Mary/Mason fans (wouldn't that have just pissed them off?). She also said that the story about Cain's Vietnamese daughter, who would turn out to be an impostor and fall in love with him, was too convoluted, and she had to end it. She also complained about the show doing the Gina/Keith wedding while she was away, and she was not impressed. What do you think of her comments? What did you think of their wedding? videos gone

I always felt like that story was going to end in Viki/Mel, since Mel was yet another man in Dorian's life who felt Viki was superior.

Wow, pretty much none of what she said Labine would do happened.

Those are great. Interesting that a photo of Erica/Travis was used for that book at AMC's 25th, since Travis was a distant memory for Erica by then.

Yay, Gloria! I loved Gloria.

Another installment in you never know what you'll find in a soap magazine letters page...from a 12/1993 Weekly. "Kudos to Loving for continuing to allow Angie to flaunt her 'blackness.' Angie screaming "Whoomp! There it is' (the chorus of Tag Team's hit record) after she got a strike at Pins was priceless."

Thanks for typing this up. I didn't quite realize just how quickly there was cast turnover - when Doris left in 1977 or 1978 that meant there were no more original cast members. That must be a record for such a long-running soap.

At the time I felt this story was too tame, in some ways, but looking back, it was more daring than most of what would be allowed on TV today (of course TV would now say it is too passe or PC and he would just be there to be a psycho or to be laughed at). With some of the country's most prominent politicians calling for gay teachers to be fired, this story's subject matter hasn't dated at all.

Yes, he did. He felt Palmer would not be homophobic.

I always liked that they had Adam and Palmer as accepting of gays - I'm sure some derided that as "PC" but it was a nice step.

Watching that clip, although it was kind of fun, reminded me of how empty the Martins have been in the last 15-20 years...I guess it could be much worse (looking at what became of the Bauers), but I think it's just they lost their homey charm when their numbers dwindled and they became known mostly for covering up crimes. The best part was the start, with Jacob Young doing a spoof of one of those old "serious" quasi-PSA ads.

Wasn't this after McTavish left?

I think many would say Mary Carney was the least offensive. Goulet was OK but she had no chemistry with anyone and was also cold and talked too fast. To me the real problem was the character - Mary was self-righteous, smug, judgmental, and tough for me to take even with Mulgrew in the role. I think the show should have done a Jack/Siobhan/Joe triangle, or just gone with Jack/Siobhan. They said they didn't because they didn't think Jack would go with his wife's sister. Yet the awful Frankenfaith stuff was still foisted on viewers.

Thanks so much to saynotoursoap for uploading this episode! I enjoyed most of this - the actors have a nice chemistry throughout. The only stuff that doesn't quite work for me is the stuff with Nancy Stafford as the stoned out punk club queen, although that is at least good for a laugh. I wonder if I'm biased because I've mostly seen her in good girl roles. Any thoughts on this Mike Powers? video gone

Nice upload from saynotoursoap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN0sxPTFHiA&feature=feedu

Chilling episode. I do wish they'd kept Jeff around, he's very cute. I also like how they use Nancy in this episode - her reactions to Julie.

I couldn't stand her then either (all she did was berate Leo for not taking her to Paris).

This is what fiscal conservatives are doing with your tax money. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/19/house-republicans-500k-defense-marriage-act_n_851035.html

I agree. This isn't new for Patsy - she didn't speak kindly of the show while she was gone, she complained about being paired with Ricky again (not that I can blame her), and then there's this. I think she never would have come back if she hadn't needed to financially, and while that's true of many actors, some bother to hide it a little more. I would miss Bianca, but to me the character wasn't the same after her initial run. I hated some of her writing in 2008 and even in 2009 there was too much of the shrieky stuff. It's only been with Carol's return that the quieter and more human Bianca returned again. I know Carol probably won't be around forever either but as long as she and Pat are there I don't miss Bianca that much.