DRW50

From the June 3, 1980 Digest.

April 27 Digest.

What stories would you come up with for Paddy and for Bob? I couldn't think of any. I would probably write Bob out, or at least send him away for six months. They could have some of his other kids come in, and he could be a supporting figure to them. Otherwise he's dead weight, and unlike some of those who have been dumped, like Viv and Terry, I don't think he's interesting or strong enough to work as just background. It's kind of sad that I have no real idea, or any real interest, in any story for Aaron. In about six months the show took away most of the possibilities the character ever had, and Danny Miller's recent interview made it clear that he is a big part of this decision. If I want to watch emotionally shut down people constantly suffering for no reason other than suffering, I can find that anywhere. It's a waste of airtime. I don't know if there's much purpose for Brenda either. They've ruined her character in the last year.

April 13, 1982 Digest.

There was a line, back when I actually paid attention to the Bartons, where Moira implied that John had been pretty wild, or they'd both been wild, when they were young. They also both admitted to using drugs, and the implication was that got heavy at times. I think they are both very passionate and out of control people who have reined themselves in. For me the only way these characters will be interesting is if they become out of control. I guess I see this as where the show wanted to go anyway, as in the last few years they have gone out of their way to cast very attractive, very charismatic actors, and often does little to capitalize on this. Moira, John, David, Leyla, Nikhil, Faye, they are all very beautiful people. You can have David in only a hardhat and Nikhil in tight white boxers and Moira spilling out of her blouses and yet nothing seems to come of that. They can still have dramatic and serious stories, but why not use what they have? I'd love to see Zoe again, for a story with Faye (I can also see Faye becoming like Kim Tate over time) but also because I don't see a point in Home Farm these days. I think we've talked about this before but I still feel like they might as well just give the place up. Nothing is done with it now, there's no glamour, nothing. I would convert it into flats or something. The writing for Ella so far, or non-writing, doesn't help, but I think the actress is poor and I don't think she can do very much with the role. I hope I'm wrong though - I would eventually like to see why they brought her and boring Mia and the annoying father in. I took the DVD stuff as David worrying about his political career, and also not enjoying being in such a weak position, and he was trying to be a "good" person. When David first came on the show he had much more of an edge. Alicia is OK but I think most of her stories have been weak, and the decision to give her a child hampers both her and Leyla. If the kid weren't around then I would be interested in a story which explores the differences and also the similarities between David and Alicia's husband/Leyla's ex - they look and act so much alike - and between Leyla and Alicia. Would Alicia fall for David, is Leyla with David because of the ex, does David feel something for Alicia. As for Victoria, I did forget about her. It's also tough to write for her. I would bring back Daz, as I thought that story had potential. Other than that I don't know. I also wish she'd explore more about her mother. We never knew anything about Sarah, did we, other than running a library on wheels and marrying Jack?

March 30, 1982 Digest.

That was part of my point - that they were basically just sleeping around with people and not thinking much of the consequences. I don't think of Scarlett or Mia as children though - I thought they were about 20-21. I mostly included them because they did/are dating Adam. He has a much longer history with Chas and she was a big part of his life throughout the deaths of Paul Marsden and Tom. Lexi wasn't. The show was even going to have him tell her about killing Tom the day he married Lexi, but the actors vetoed it. I think it would add a lot to his relationship with Chas at this point if she knew. The David story is weird but then so are the characters. I just get that sense from David and Leyla and always have, that they would be more suited to somewhat odd stories about sex and so on than about most of what the show has given them. I can also see Leyla doing that type of thing, since she has run up debts before. She slept with Nathan, or almost slept with him, for money, I believe. Jai would sort of fit Debbie's pattern - distant, older men. They kept in contact but were not overly close. Even when Emily helped Debbie give birth and was an unpaid sitter for months, Debbie wasn't that crazy about her.

Was Katy the character Hillary Bailey played, or was that Kit? I wonder if it was a good idea to have father/son conflict over MJ when no actor had managed to make a strong impression as Mike. So the Writer's Strike stuff was all that with the woman who killed her brother because he loved Nola, and she wanted revenge on Nola, and so on? It does sound off, although I like the part where Mona and Nola reluctantly help each other. Thanks again. I will have more of 1982 up in the next few days.

Besides the tension between Braeden and Bergman, what were the other backstage issues at Y&R in the early 90s? Do you think more should have been done to step on them?

Thanks. I really appreciate your help in figuring out dates. I thought this was at least February or late January 1982 so this was a surprise. I have a few more from March and April but then there's a gap. Do you think they were right to have Maggie miscarry? What did you think of the MJ/Matt stuff, from what you've read about it?

The show can't be bothered to remember most of Frankie's kids, or Charlie whom she saw as a grandson, but can invent a granddaughter for her.

More of the story with Brian and Steve's sister. Is it me or is Brian a little scary here. Steve's sister reminds me of Cousin Geri from Facts of Life.

This must have been very close to the end for Terry Lester's Jack, right? Was it Terry or Peter who played the story of losing Jabot?

Thank you for getting through all that and responding. I always look forward to your posts. I know it's a bit ridiculous that Robert would have been with both Debbie and Nikhil. I just wanted Robert back and thought that would be a dramatic story. You're right though. I probably would have John and Moira reunite, but only after a long road. Initially I was going to have Moira/Faye get together but I don't think Faye would be with Moira after she was with Ryan. But I do think that Faye should explore her sexuality and I could see her in a lesbian storyline, as a real story, not just a tease -- I don't know about you but I have always gotten that vibe from her. The reason I mentioned Lizzie was because I thought the show was starting to hint at it, and also because Lizzie seems to have no purpose. A story about a blind woman struggling to overcome a rape would be interesting and I think it would be a test of the woman who plays her. I see the current Zak, who seems very detached, as possibly leaving, especially if he feels emasculated, but you have a good point, as you also do about another murder. I guess I was trying to recreate some past dramatic stories, most of which I enjoyed on Emmerdale, about covered up murders.

I never knew Sid Owen did this. How...interesting.

March 16 1982.

From the March 2, 1982 Digest.

I found this - it's a clip of Rita's first scene, which also involved Dennis. It starts at about 6:20.

I had forgotten about his ties to Rita. I would like to see more of that. Relations to Eileen and Jason would be great too. Even something with Graeme. Or a return to his days as a talent agent. I really would like to hear them mention what's happened to Jed, so that would be nice. I just hope this isn't some type of "help me die" story for Ken. If anyone needs to be put out of their misery lately, it's Deirdre, Tracy, and Peter, not poor Dennis Tanner.

One of my all time favorite Corrie characters is coming back. http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a299987/dennis-tanner-to-make-corrie-comeback.html I am very wary over this because a) I think Phil Collinson has turned Corrie into a hollow and depressing plotfest and his characterization is often shocking, b ) the description only mentions him as a criminal and ignores that he was a very popular comedy character, and c) he has ties to almost no one. But it will be nice to see Dennis again, as long as the story works. He was a brilliant character, and, although I know that was a long time ago, I think he was one of the most handsome men to ever be on the show. I hope this works out. I also hope that they won't bring him back just so he can die. Unfortunately his comic relief moments do not seem to be on Youtube. Here is his 1968 wedding, his exit story. Phillip Lowrie had casting approval for his bride. He chose a woman he thought could deal with Pat Phoenix. This was also the goodbye for a while of one of my all time favorites, Jerry Booth, who could barely cope with the strain of being best man when his own marriage had been a huge disaster. Sadly about four years after Dennis left, happily, the show decided to ruin him and say that he had been conning old people out of their money and was put in prison. Awful stuff.

I thought she had a lot of presence, which was about all you could have in a non-role like Roxanne in 1970PT. I just cringed at her bad line readings. Besides the vampire story, which was good but a blur for me because I was deafened by Kathy Cody yelling all her lines, I enjoyed her brief run in 1840. She looked stunning and I enjoyed her relationship with her sister Samantha, and I liked seeing this woman who constantly put down pathetic undertaker Trask, refusing to accept society's idea that she had to get married. She had a lot of potential before they had her become Barnabas' fangpiece and then killed her off.

It's story idea time! Feel free to add your own. Or tell me how awful this is. Or...ignore this. Jackson and Hazel leave the village for treatment at a first-rate clinic, paid for by Declan. Aaron begins to realize that he is asexual, and never has any desire for anyone of either gender. Aaron moves away to try to reconcile with his father Gordon. Jai begins a secret affair with Debbie, sure to infuriate Cain if he ever finds out. A spiteful Ella, who wants to get back at Jai after he exposes her long history of mental illness to everyone in the Woolpack, tells Cain, who beats Jai bloody. Cain, afraid that this will get him sent down for a long time considering his lengthy record, goes on the run. Debbie stays away from Jai out of some misguided sense of loyalty, instead taking up with Nikhil. Charity has no such qualms, as she is sick of Cain, and she begins a casual affair with both Declan and Jai, which slowly poisons their friendship. Debbie is furious with her mother. Nikhil, meanwhile, is the perfect boyfriend to Debbie and father figure to Sarah, but is never fully there. He freezes out when Debbie goes to visit Jasmine after Jasmine is assaulted in prison. Finally he admits to Debbie that he used to be in love with another man, and they were lovers, and like how she feels with Jasmine, he has tried to move on but never entirely does. Debbie is fine with this, and they move on to an even happier relationship together, but then one day, Jai announces the new business partner in the company...a VERY familiar face to both Debbie and Nikhil...it's Robert Sugden. Ella, with her tricks only leaving her further isolated, decides to attempt suicide, knowing she will be found in time, as Declan's father is supposed to be home as its her birthday meal. Unfortunately for her, he decides to stay at the Woolie for one more round...then another...then another. By the time he returns home, Ella is dead. He is devastated, and leaves the village forever, but not before telling Declan that his biological father is actually a man named Matt Skilbeck! Declan is very disturbed by this, although now he understands why his father has always had little time for him. He tracks Matt down to an increasingly poor existence on a rundown farm Matt can barely keep going, and asks him to return to Emmerdale. Matt does not want to face the past, either with his son or with the village he once called home, but he finally changes his mind, and tries to adjust to an Emmerdale he barely recognizes. Edna and Pearl are more than happy to help him smooth the transition, but he still carries a torch for Dolly Skilbeck, who returns to the village with son Sam Skilbeck (her son with Matt), a rough around the edges type who has no real relationship with his father. After DC Henshall's crimes are revealed, a guilt-ridden Katie leaves the village forever. Holly is quietly fading away and her family are too afraid to talk to her, as they don't want to damage her "recovery." Holly is inspired by Ella and, as her family plan a big surprise party for her recovery, she takes a fatal overdose. Her body is found along the roadside. When the doctors reveal that Holly must have known she was taking enough to kill herself, Moira is furious, and blames everyone but herself, verbally abusing John, Adam, and Hannah, saying words she cannot take back. Hannah disowns her mother immediately goes to live with her grandmother. Adam, embittered by his sister's suicide, tries to use it to make a clumsy pass at his dream woman, Eve. She sees through him, but is genuinely attracted to him, and they begin an affair which slowly becomes something more. Moira and John divorce. John sells the farm to Declan, who lets Matt and Sam, along with Andy, run the place. Sam is tough and angry, similar to Andy, and as Andy tries to keep him on track, he finally begins to face his disgusting abuse of Jo. He tracks Jo down and, after convincing her he does not want to harm her, they have a long and painful conversation in which they finally say goodbye, and Jo puts Andy in touch with people who will genuinely help him. Rhona gives birth, but decides that her job at the vets is too demanding and potentially dangerous to help her raise a child with special needs. She leaves town. Moira and John, now divorced, revert to their wild teenage years. She has a one night stand with Marlon, not particularly noticing or caring that he assumes it will be much more. A crushed Marlon leaves town to be platonic co-parents with Rhona. After flings with Carl and Andy, Moira begins an affair with Ryan, which infuriates his mother Faye, who sees Moira as using her son for a midlife crisis. Ryan dumps Moira after she calls him "John" during sex. Ryan finally notices a starry-eyed Gennie's interest in him, and having a nice guy who genuinely cares about her and accepts her causes her to pursue her dream of a wild and ridiculous beauty salon. John works his way in and out of even more beds than Moira, including Alicia, Scarlett, Mia, Chas, Charity, and Bernice, along with many others we don't see. He slowly becomes a sex addict. It's the one woman he doesn't sleep with - Eve - who tries to pull him back from the brink, resulting in much fallout for her relationship with Adam, as John and Eve have very strong chemistry together. Diane finally gets the pub back, and her daughter Bernice returns as manager. Bernice struggles to form a relationship with daughter Gabby, and spends more and more time with Ashley. Laurel becomes convinced they are having an affair, until Ashley reveals to her that after the endless carnage of the village in the last few years, he no longer believes in God and is stepping down as vicar. Emily Kirk returns to replace him. Eric and Val sell the B&B, as Eric buys an interest in a local TV station and producers a boisterous talk show hosted by Val. The new owner of the B&B brings horrors to many of the older residents...it's Steph Stokes, fresh out of prison! Kathy and her teenage niece return from Australia, with surprise guests Paul and Jonny. In spite of his better instincts, he missed his mother and his family, and wanted them to meet the baby girl he adopted with Jonny. Nicola and Paul soon become very competitive about their kids. David's Council seat is thrown into jeopardy when it is revealed that he was once a stripper and escort. Edna, outraged and feeling betrayed since she had once supported his campaign, runs for the seat, and beats him. Leyla, who has recently lost "J-Kup" to his biological father before he left town with Alicia, rakes David over the coals day after day until finally he has enough and tells her he doesn't regret what he did, that he even enjoyed it a lot of the time, and that he's not going to apologize to her ever again. Leyla takes his words to heart, and they reconcile. When her spending runs up big debts, she begins pimping him out to rich clients in order to help pay the bills. A takeover bid on the haulage company roils Jimmy and Carl, especially when they realize it's led by their oldest sister Georgina, who has not spoken to them in decades! Nicola is initially impressed by the sophisticated Georgina, but is furious when Georgina makes a play for Nicola's father Rodney. When Lizzie won't leave her house after a date with Derek, Lisa tries to talk to her, but Lizzie can't face her, or anyone. Lisa realizes Derek raped Lizzie. She confronts him, and in a fit of rage, kills him. She wants to turn herself into the police, but Chastity decides to cover up the crime. Carl, happening upon the scene, helps Chas, and, his past guilts and grief returning, confesses to her in a drunken moment that he accidentally killed Paul Marsden and murdered his father. Chas is unsure of how to use this information but ultimately her love for Carl wins out, and they finally marry, with some ambivalence over whether he genuinely wants her or is just plotting to keep her quiet. When Zak learns about all of this, he falls into a depression, as he no longer feels like the head of the family. When he tries to make Lisa feel guilty for leaving him out of it, she berates him for his selfishness, saying that nothing ever happens to him or involves him because he's a selfish and lazy man who has watched the world pass by. A shamed Zak quietly leaves the village for good, leading Lisa to become a single mother to a resentful Belle.

http://www.collinwood.net/cast/wandrey.htm I can't imagine anyone but Colleen as Barbara either. It seems Donna was there for about a year, then Barbara was gone until Colleen came in at the end of the decade. Donna also said that Barbara was a painter at this time - I guess that was forgotten later on? But Barbara did become a fashion designer. If you are interested, I posted a 1972 interview with Donna in the ATWT thread. He played a rough character on DAYS, although not psycho. I think Reilly is very hammy, so Quinn might have been better, although what can you do with a character whose main purpose became raping young women?

It does seem like DIandra became a lesser figure as the show went on. Is it me or do they also seem to give Tom the victim scenes they often give a female (being drugged, kidnapped, poisoned)? Who did Marissa poison at work? I wonder if Patti Reagan was any good? I guess we'll never know, and it was only two episodes. It was probably a smart decision to bring her in even if she quit very early - this was at the time her father was running for re-election and that must have garnered some publicity. Thanks for all the insights. You got to read the last few above this right? That probably already just said stuff already out there. I have the one from April 85's Digest somewhere, I will post when I can find it again.