DRW50

This is another episode that used to be on Youtube, I think, but I don't see it now so I reuploaded it. I'm not sure of the exact date as the original title said Thanksgiving 1991. It may be late October as the wedding that wasn't with Ava and Paul was on November 5 - if anyone knows I'd appreciate it. I can't remember who said this was the best opening, but I tend to agree. It's very Lifetime commercial for this period but the images and music fit the show.

Given the response What If got...

I think you and some others have mentioned this before - that makes sense.

I also wonder if they were trying to lay the groundwork for Lucky's return with a few mentions today (without directly mentioning him), from Maxie and Portia - if so they managed to not make it seem too forced.

I wonder if they had issues with each other because they knew they were both on the outside of the show. As others have mentioned, Kenny and Ginger were clearly meant to be the young couple on the show, but they just weren't needed. (Val and Gary seemed to end up playing that part more) They were the most dated part of the show even at that time. as Kenny's whole vibe (sleazy music producer) is very brutally '70s. I do like Constant Companion, but that's more for Ginger and for Priscilla Pointer - Kenny I barely even remember. And it's a very odd story that had no real bearing on her long-term future.

They manage to sum up the appeals of AMC in this period with such restraint. I can't imagine how anyone would bother to sum up a soap in a promo these days.

I wonder what plans Lemay had for Janice. On paper, Janice being thrown into the Mac and Rachel turmoil probably shouldn't have worked, but Christine Jones was so electric to watch and sold the desperation exceedingly well. I wonder if they ever regretted killing her off.

I don't really care for Portia so I'd be fine with her being called out (I suppose the show just wants to move on from Esme, as they have moved on from Spencer as well as Trina). I do wonder if the show is using her in part to try to make viewers feel sorry for Heather. I think they assume viewers are on Heather's side, or they just don't care if viewers are or not.

Pat Colbert Dead, Dora Mae on 'Dallas' — Obituary (tvline.com)

I saw some tweets claiming that the show was trying to make Portia seem irrational or like the crazy black woman in her confrontation with Laura (seeing one scene, the complaints seemed to be Laura's tone with her, including finger-pointing, other characters commenting on her behavior, Liz being so aghast that she held her hand to her chest like Olive Oyl). I don't know what the show has in mind, but it does seem like they struggle to not frame anyone who is unhappy about springing a de-hipped Heather as in the wrong. I wonder if their fondness for Alley Mills overshadows any reality that this character should not have any support beyond whatever killer clowns live in the Port Charles sewers. I also saw a lot of hostility toward Cody. As someone who never got the Josh Kelly hype when he was all over OLTL failing a charisma test while wearing the same ill-fitting (hopefully washed) underpants the Fords were put in every other day, I thought he and John J York did well enough in those reveal scenes. It's nice to see JJY get some meaty material. And it's always fun when a script seemingly has to admit how stupid a previous storyline that led them to this point was.

One of the sons of another longtime member recently passed away too. Rusty Golden, son of The Oak Ridge Boys' William Lee Golden, Dies at 65 (billboard.com) Speaking of music losses: Joe Egan Dead: 'Stuck In The Middle With You' Co-Writer Of Stealers Wheel Was 77 (deadline.com)

I agree with you - the only part I disagree with is Ginger, because I think Kim Lankford's otherworldly qualities and charisma along with her ties to the community helped make her interesting. I would have probably written Kenny off a few years before he actually left. James Houghton was a decent actor and very handsome, but Kenny was a worthless character who was just there to get his cock out. As Kristin was already on borrowed time anyway, I would have had her gun him down - maybe he snaps after she permanently ruins his marriage and she shoots him - before fleeing back to Dallas. Kenny then dies in a tearful hospital room scene, pledging to Ginger that he loved her all along. Then I would have paired Ginger with Karen's brother on a long-term basis (I loved Stephen Macht in the role but if he didn't want to be on more often they should have cast someone who would). Maybe Ginger and Joe could have moved away, but I'd have them as recurring figures. And there would be some inevitable drama if they were raising her child by Kenny. I think they made the right decision in writing Richard out when they did. There was no story left for him and he likely would have just ended up raping or beating Laura, which was the last thing the show needed. I agree he should have returned later on (aside from the brief visit for Laura's death). I like your idea about Anne. He might have made more sense as her sidekick in that iffy poverty storyline she had for about four episodes than the guy we ended up getting. Thanks for sharing. Very sweet words from Joan.

We all have certain memories, and they stay that way as those moments in time stood out for us - not helped by how murky that whole turnover period is.

I had always assumed Lemay was the one who retconned Iris not being Mac's biological daughter, because he brought her back and she revealed this truth in her second episode back. Lemay wrote about his regrets over high melodrama in his last few years of his original AW stint. I figured he might have seen this twist as more pointless melodrama that just distracted from the power of the original Iris-Mac obsession storyline. This happened on October 27, 1988. Lemay is credited as headwriter from September 12-November 10, 1988.

Thanks. I doubt most of that was Hardy's fault but the changeover couldn't have helped. This helps explain why those last few seasons feel so different to me. The best thing about season 13 remains their going back to the old opening credits music and style.

I think in the earlier seasons Dobson was more restrained. Around the late '80s that mostly went away, which is how we got to the DIRTY COP DIRTY COP era. I think Lee could be very hammy, but it worked when the show knew how to focus the right way. Karen in general could be a difficult character to write for, which is one of the reasons I think the show suffers when she and Val are the only long-running women. Other than Constance McCashin and John Pleshette, I don't think acting was a strong suit for most of the early regulars, although most of them had their moments. I didn't care for Lilimae, but I do agree with @Khan that Julie Harris helped kick the acting up a big notch.

Odd that IMDB doesn't mention this. Was that near the end of Knots?

Sorry to hear this. I wonder which show he is seen as having the most impact on. I did not realize he was at RH so long.

@Vee That AOC video helps drive home Biden's strategy of talking about "elites" vs the everyday person who wants him in. Of course, some on the left would say AOC is an elite, but she still probably sees the common person more than Rob Reiner, or Michael Moore, or other celebrities who are calling for him to drop out. If they had wanted him to drop out, they should have pushed this a year ago. Polling isn't good for him now, but it wasn't great then either. Now they are just mostly generating a constant negative feedback cycle that will go nowhere, aside from when they can say we told you so in November.

That would have been great. I saw someone on Twitter saying the old GH fans never stopped wanting him back, which shows his appeal.

Sadly, this is pretty much just me, on a good or bad day. Hopefully we'll make it through, whatever happens.

Thanks. I remember her tormenting Lillian for a bit but not why.

Absolutely. Knots finally course-corrected a little with Mac around the time of the Jacon story, but I hated him for years before that point and it did truly affect my enjoyment of the show and the characters around him. There was still more of a goodness and heart in Ben, in spite of some very very poor stories at the end.

Thanks. That makes more sense as I can imagine Iris being upset and taking a long time to get over her prejudices. Elena/Dennis doesn't ever seem that interesting to me in the few clips of it, but I wish we could see more. It doesn't help that it's so earnest and Dennis doesn't have a lot of personality. Something that remains the case in his later appearances under Chris Bruno.