DRW50

I think this aspect of GH mostly faded by the late '90s, as I don't remember Juan, Hannah, Chloe, etc. ever standing out (although Hannah and Chloe were OK, I guess, just, like Dex, fodder for the main characters), but I agree the show still cared a little more at the time.

I wonder if this is the last mention of Peggy on GL. Clearly someone at the show had a fondness for the Stapleton sisters. Poor Joe Bradley didn't even get a photo. I assume this is from 1987. They did a good job with using various stories for headlines, although the Sara/Lee Gantry and Kit/Charlotte messes should have been here.

If that was ever a plan at least it would make more sense of the incredibly dull long lost love story she had with Michael York.

Thanks @Dion . Not as fun as his Ros na run cameo but still enjoyable. I like the way Michael Galvin plays learning the doctor's nickname, like his, is Dr. Love. I'm a bit behind on watching but anything with Nicole, Harper/Drew, or a Madonna/Viliami reunion annoys and exhausts me. I am not sure why a show with so much cast turnover feels so stagnant.

I think they did manage to have some good moments (although it takes a while - other than the Jill story I think things don't really pick up again until somewhere in season 11), but the heart and the reality Laura brought never returns. From then on everyone is just a two-dimensional (or one-dimensional) figure. I agree with you. We just started getting "live" episodes in the '90s instead of the risks you mention. (KL actually would have been a good show for a live episode, given the cul-de-sac sets)

This made me try to find a few clips of the explosion, which led to a promo with a hilarious line reading from Maurice.

I wouldn't care about them as a romantic pairing, if that's where the show planned to go. I think he looks kind of stunted and leathered no matter who he shares scenes with. They'd have to bring back Lesley if they wanted a pairing with a woman who might look a bit older than he does.

I read this too quickly and thought it said Jason and Isaiah share a steamy moment. That would be one way to very briefly make me interested in Jason. You're right, although even though I should find that type of writing extremely clunky, the thought of him possibly covering for her or lying that he's the father of her child when the father is the same person that he lied about being the father of - it would be a neat twist.

This is all very compelling - the show seemed to go through so much turmoil in this period it's a miracle they stayed on the air. And so many of the stories just sound demoralizing, so reliant on death and on breakdowns and bursts of melodrama to keep the plot going. The whole treatment of Brooke returning with a new face only to be killed off again not long after would have truly pissed me off if I had been watching at the time. I remember Chris Schemering mentioning that of all the new characters, Liz Chandler was the only one who had a following. That was one of the reasons I'm glad she made a brief return this year, sort of a bridge to another time the show is moving away (hopefully) from backstage hell to some new era.

Richard definitely felt in character. Other moments came across to me as melodrama for the sake of melodrama. I would file Val's tantrum under the same issue. And like the Pollyana speech from Karen years later, it was the show being overly self-aware, which is typical of many shows (especially as they age), but can become dangerous. Even the best use of overly self-aware writing - the "poor Val" speech - ended up being incredibly humbling and damaging for Val as a character because they just doubled down on all those aspects in the show's final years.

Not sure where to put this but it seems the final episode of Douglas Fairbanks Jr Presents has been found. The male lead is Lee Paterson (OLTL, Texas). Hopefully we will get to see it someday. 1950s TV Show Recovered | Film is Fabulous

I enjoy some parts of Noises Everywhere, but I also find parts overly stagey and false, a break away from what Knots was at its best, to the point of ruining my experience. I never got past Mack's behavior in particular. The lack of emphasis on Laura herself also reminds me of how little respect the show had for the character.

I think that nuance could have made the funeral more interesting, especially as this was around the time Vanessa's illness story would have been starting.

I do wonder if they might consider writing Jason out next year if something doesn't improve. He did nothing for the ratings and Steve has no real connections now, unless they try Jason/Liz again. OLTL took the lighter route for Alex. I don't know if GH ever has for Ava (I don't think it's possible), but if they did want to try some sort of discount Keith and Gina from Santa Barbara route with Ava and Ric, it might work. (I know Mulcahey wrote a lot of that era...maybe they should watch some of the episodes before they are taken from Youtube again)

Those types of characters taking up oxygen are usually clear signs of budget crunching.

I wish we knew which characters Mulcahey would have gotten rid of compared to who is going now. I know you've speculated on Sasha. I still think Ava too, especially as the show seems to have no real plans for her and are for now riding the wave of Ric's return and the Kristina mess. I'm not sure if that was planned under Mulcahey or not. I suppose Ric Hearst and Alexa Havins cost a bit, at least compared to a Dex. Ric probably won't last much longer, but Lulu is probably staying, so hopefully that means a few more exits, like Drew.

Well, they just did. You have to laugh that after they degraded Cameron for yet another ab machine, he's gone the next year. I wonder if this was another decision pushed onto Frank.

Feels like Dex is one of those characters who was lost in the shuffle this year. They seemed to have Gio mooning over the knockoff Carly and then went to Trina so I have no idea what their plans are, but any attempt to make Joss a central heroine will fail. She's just not compelling or sympathetic.

Rick Hearst is on Locher Room right now. He mentioned that he and Maura West changed the romantic scenes with Ric and Ava yesterday as on the page they were too heavy-handed for where they were in their lives.

Not sure if this was ever around before or not but the UCLA put this up for Dick Van Dyke's birthday.

That's true, although I suppose giving her psychic powers was a cheat anyway, as she only got them for that storyline, unlike, say, Frankie on AW.

Mimi Torchin chided her in SPW around the mid '90s for saying she wasn't known for other work, or for her stage plays like Hedda, etc. pointing out that Mulgrew hadn't done enough memorable work post-Mary to be recognized for those roles. But I always assumed Kate reacting that way was her knowing those roles just hadn't registered.

Interesting to hear Kate talk about why she came back to RH.

The show seemed to be going down that path in the mid '90s but they had already poisoned the well with Malcolm raping Dru. I also didn't think Olivia and Neil had much chemistry. I always thought Neil looked down on Dru. One of many examples of self-righteous men on Y&R who just put me off. Ryan was another in that age group.

I think his name was Carroll. IIRC he left town before McTavish arrived, but I'm not sure. Thanks. There was something, but not good enough. I did like Nadine predicting her own murder, and the pitiful, "It was me," as the candlestick or whatever it was came crashing down. They did a good job getting the thriller stakes right with the deaths of Nadine and Cutter. They were genuinely disturbing. One of the few stories on soaps along these lines that I found to be chilling.