DRW50

From the April 4, 1989 Digest. I didn't know Pat Falken Smith was with the show at this time.

There are two episodes up not long after Duke arrives in Oakdale. Mitch I think mentioned before that he didn't cowtow to Lily, and that's definitely true. It's a bit abrasive but then I think Lily was so coddled, it was probably a good balance. I guess the show was slowly phasing Lily out since they knew Martha was leaving but I kind of like how Lily seems more mature at this time. I wonder if she might have stayed this way if Martha hadn't left. When Martha came back it didn't seem to take long at all for her to return to being a whiny victim type. The best part of these episodes are Andy's anger over the way John told him about Duke (and Duke existing at all), then Kim blowing her top at John because of the whole thing. Kathryn Hays and Larry Bryggman are just fantastic acting partners - you can see why they helped keep ATWT #1 even as so much else was working against the show. The best part is when Kim, in spite of her anger, tries to be cordial to Duke, which is something you don't get on soaps now. This also has Glenn Harrington's brother, who has the awful feathered hair of the era. I do not remember reading about him or anything. Who played him? What did he do? Was he just a spoiler until Duncan/Shannon got back together? I kind of wonder how many viewers were sort of just "eh" by the time they DID get back together, as they'd been separated for so long.

Another Generations ad, from an early April 1989 Digest.

From the March 3, 1981 Digest.

I was reading a soap magazine from March 1971 and they mention someone replacing Rachel Ames as she had to leave early to rest during her pregnancy. Do we know who replaced her? The magazine didn't say.

Beedles run on the show was more about action stuff but there were some emotional moments, like Alice Dingle's euthanasia. I think the female characters were OK, a bit one-note sometimes but not compared to how empty Emmerdale is these days. Sad: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2011/04/01/eastenders-jim-branning-actor-john-bardon-films-last-scenes-in-albert-square-115875-23029209/

Great interview. I didn't know she helped cast Ace. He's so underused on the Sarah Jane Adventures it's nice to see more of him here.

I generally think she looks best with shorter hair, so the early 90s was her peak. I can't get past those high-rise denim jeans she's wearing here. I will check that channel out. I think it must be the person who posted so much Den/Angie stuff before and it was taken down. I love those clips. I still miss Endersfan. That was my gateway back into the real EE.

EE was just so much better at slow-building characterization and character growth. Today you have Shirley, who was supposedly the new Pat, who never really changes at all and they just use her to prop Phil, and pass this off as being about the character. You still have some decent characterization, but nothing like Pat. I do think Pat became a more iconic character when she found Frank again but I have a soft spot for that vile and fast-talking woman of the first few years. I think the show has taken her back to that slightly in the last year, which is probably why some fans were so upset at her behavior, or her being anything beyond just "Nana Pat." This is my favorite two-hander. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40YOW3a13uY

Gideon Emery as Jax. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIGQZuoqFeU&feature=more_related

What was the temple for?

Graham Winton when he filled in for Michael David Morrison.

Anna Stuart as Vanessa. Anna said that she had an awful time figuring out how to play Vanessa and only decided after looking at the wardrobe. The divine Sofia Landon Geier, also seen in this clip, went on to temp for Anna on AW. GET THESE LADIES BACK ON SOAPS NOW!!! EVEN A WEBSOAP ABOUT THE WACKY ADVENTURES OF MANDY BRUNO...I DON'T CARE!

Thanks. That sounds really good! Classic Janine. I hope Pam has been OK. I know that she worked quite a bit last year, it seemed like more than usual - I wonder if she took longer time off because of that.

Amy Carlson as Harley. Aah that Phillip/Harley "theme" still makes me want to stab something.

I'm not sure if she played her during fights with Stephanie. She was mostly there when they had the reveal about Rick shooting Grant. She said she was very lucky because she ended up playing a ton of Brooke's storylines that had been building for a while.

Anthony Abbaddo as Dimitri.

Here's Tom Spackman as Grant Harrison. He starts a little over 2 minutes into the episode. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-9qzlXmfQY

Yeah I know (I think MEK had had a bad accident), it just seems odd, as he has little of MEK's charm. Here's Sandra Ferguson as Brooke: video gone

I don't know why anyone would replace MEK with Terrell Anthony.

I didn't know that. I remember him from the movie. He was blonde right? Alec Baldwin also spoke very negatively about his experiences at The Doctors. It must have been a very tough time those last years.

That's all true - I wondered how it was watching in real time, compared to watching a lot of episodes on Youtube. I'm glad to hear it still flowed. I might have already asked this, but do you remember the story from spring 1985 - most of it isn't available on Youtube - I think it started with Kim or Nancy finding a body. This was tied to Shannon's entrance. I read a few of the summaries from SOD at this time and one of them mentions Kim and Margo being held hostage in Kim's living room and subduing their captors? I'd love to see that.

I wonder if this is a BBC decision, a higher up one. Someone at Walford Web said that the previous woman might have gone because of inconsistency.

I'd love to see Colleen Dion as Cec. I didn't know Jack had a blindness story. How long did that last?