DRW50

The end says 1975.

I took it as her arranging a relationship between him and someone else, maybe a young lady she wanted out of the way. (like Clarice)

I think he still would have had a hard time getting over due to Tony (and to a lesser degree Genie as she was gone for most of the '00s) and nostalgia. Unfortunately, as shown (in my opinion) in both of JJ's returns, nostalgia is just that and provides little benefit to present day.

Thanks @watson71 !

That would be a great idea. I could see Lucy fitting into the Sumner era - light material, one-liners. And probably sleeping with Greg... That's what they should have done. I did not watch the last years of ER but from what I've read they brought back many of the former cast for the final season. If they couldn't afford them I'm sure a few people could have been cut for budget (was there any reason for Claudia to be there in the final season?).

The show did a good job maturing Bridget without seeming forced. I remember the moment where Maureen berated her for bringing danger into their home, as they stood in the kitchen (what a contrast to a decade later when a mob shootout in the kitchen was no big deal). A great moment from Ellen Parker. Of course, JFP would likely tell you she put that in and no one gave a damn about Maureen until her.

I think Greg did show some talent in those moments when he was on DAYS, even if he wasn't as good as Jackson was in his first few years as Lucky. Greg just never had a chance.

@NothinButAttitude Thanks. That is fascinating. I would love seeing Iris in that type of story, especially as she was likely one of the few in Bay City who had ever even known someone who was out. The ending is fitting for the time yet probably more progressive than a soap at the time was going to give. And similar to Lemay the focus is ultimately on the parents.

It's tough for me to choose between bad stories on a higher budget and nonexistent stories on a lower budget, but if some enjoyed that time more I'm glad for them.

I did appreciate Erika hustling, but similar to Barbara Mandrell, you always wonder how they felt about those scripts. This one in particular makes me glad Erika stopped doing these before Baby Got Back took off:

I would agree there. AMC's isn't that bad. OLTL is just generic, and GH could inspire a serial killer. (maybe that's how we got Franco)

Thanks @dragonflies Most of that was just telling us what we already know, but the Rocco spoiler at the end is interesting.

I would do that too. (and to be honest I prefer the ambulance opening to FotH, although I do understand how much care was put into that opening). Sometimes I forget about just how wretched everything about the mid/late '00s opening was - it is so damn cheap looking, and has the blaring horn music, the seizure-inducing strobe lighting, the shots of Geary trying to look badass (oh he's walking away while all the men [no girls allowed!] stay seated). The early '10s visuals are better, but it looks like a failed European soap. The late '10 visuals and song seem like something from a CW show. The current opening reminds me of an opening ATWT might have done in its last years, only worse.

Thanks @Maxim . Lindsay's story is one I know almost nothing about so I was surprised and happy to read from your summary (and watch the great clip) that she and Dorian do meet. Lindsay would be an interesting character to follow as she clearly thinks she is superior to Dorian, likely viewing her as a muckraker. Anna Holbrook always played a heroine on AW but she is believably showing a much colder side here. I'm sorry we're likely near the end. I love the banner too. I wonder if the Tina and Cord name moment was meant to be the inverse of this infamous Tina moment (it's at around 15 minutes). Sorry if you've already seen this tape. If not, it's a fun way to get caught up on OLTL through the '80s. It's where I first saw a lot of OLTL content, along with A Daytime to Remember. Erika Slezak does her best lady of the manor/prune-selling as hostess. One Life to Live - Daytime's Greatest Weddings (1993)

You may have a point. The Karen story was insane and they did carry it on for a few episodes. The Claudia story I'm less sure on because they seemed to try to backtrack almost immediately, taking her from a cold bitch to a suicidal victim.

I've always had very mixed feelings about Linda. She is often a construct things happen to rather than a character in her own right. The relationship with Mick was incredibly toxic. The alcoholism story was a mistake, and the revival a year or two ago was a disaster. Yet Kellie Bright always tries, and the character has a large fanbase, so I can see why they are torn (there are many characters this is the case for - Denise, for instance, often gets scraps, aside from the Six story). I am just sorry they chose such a bad route after Mick "died," in the drinking and in bringing in a camp gorgon mother who barely even seems to tolerate her daughter at times. If Sharon was around, I'd say recast Michelle and bring back Michelle's son Mark. For the time being, I might wait, but I'd be tempted. I think if they had brought Chrissie back for a longer period and made some flashbacks of her hatred for Zoe festering again, the story could have worked, but that isn't what we got. As it is, you're right, they were clearly just trying everything for another big EE Christmas, but those days are gone. Time to accept it and move on.

I wouldn't know where to begin but I think you are right. I'd cut the self-awareness down, I'd go back to the early years of the show with the pub as a meeting place rather than a slaughterhouse, I'd cut the forced camp down, I'd stop making stories so confusing, I'd stop with stories where so much took place offcamera before the characters arrived in Walford (one current character had a child with another character years earlier AND killed her other son's pregnant girlfriend). I'd try to tell challenging stories in an everyday way rather than "issue-based," I'd increase the show's diversity (which Clenshaw did to a degree but other than Yolande's sexual assault plotline most of those were very poor), I'd bring in new families, and, as you said, stop trying to top the past with another plot-driven bing bang boom moment. The show in its best years also focused more on smaller, everyday moments, which had a big payoff down the line.

BTS of As the World Turns - (Helen Wagner’s Birthday Party)(1988?) Not sure I've seen so much of the actors as "themselves" outside of interviews. Helen gives a speech about halfway through. Beyond the cast, you get a glimpse of Doug Marland a few minutes after her speech.

BTS of Guiding Light - (Christmas 1988) A number of backstage pieces uploaded on that channel tonight. @P.J. This one starts with a few minutes of Jerry doing a reading.

Most of the relationship was with John Bolger. Here's a heart-to-heart with Grant's Philip (the volume is low). Guiding Light - Phillip and India - Sept./Oct. 1984 Here are their last scenes in his first run. GL India & Phillip Christmas 1984 Grant has never really been my type either. Bolger is a little goofy but I would be more drawn to his Philip if I had to choose. There's a sexy office scene with India and his Philip around 3 minutes into this. (you also get a glimpse of the infamous fur coat scene with Vanessa and Ross) 1992 GL 40th Anniversary Prime Time Special Part 1 Philip never really loved or even liked India, he was still in love with Beth, but she loved him, even if she tried to put up a strong front. Here's a clip from her 1990 return where she says as much. GUIDING LIGHT-- Hide and Seek, part 6 India is an odd character as on paper she doesn't really seem that fantastic, but Mary Kay Adams is such a unique, compelling presence, wry, warm, campy, what have you. It's one of the reasons she lasted as long as she did in her first run (and also caused ATWT problems as she was more popular with viewers than the show had likely anticipated as she was only cast to be killed off). I am not sure what happens in this 98-99 run, what plans they had and why it didn't work out (my guess is Rauch or someone at P&G or CBS decided she wasn't hot enough, I don't know), but I did like having her back again. I don't really remember if she has much involvement with Philip in this stint.

It was the same trash then as it is now.

Dateline - (December 1992?) (Agnes Nixon) (Clip) I don't think I'd seen this before. Some nice moments. I was amused when the reporter was on a set bed with her and asked how far they would go in a sex scene and she flutters her eyes and says, "I didn't know you cared."

I've thought about it. I like your idea here. The main problem is my interest is more in older soap material which they don't have as much access to. I don't know if GPT has story ideas for Michael Randolph's bisexual life on AW, although if it does, I'm sure I'd enjoy them.

Thanks for the detailed review and clip @Maxim . I'm glad you've been enjoying the show so much lately and even the Alex portions are working. It's nice to see Andrew and Cassie having fun with Dorian before the inevitable. The Viki and Dorian spat is again a highlight. It seems like other than Wortham Kimmer, everyone is ramping up the ACTING with Robin's return, especially Roy Thinnes. This is mild behavior by Dorian standards, but I guess they want viewers to be prepared because much worse is on the way. It's just...a lot. I'm also reminded of how little patience I have for Cassie in moments like these. She reminds me of Mr. Bill. Mr. Bill: Los Angeles - Saturday Night Live

Thanks for sharing with us.