DRW50

Thanks. James was simultaneously recurring on ATWT in a very ugly role (although the true ugliness had not ramped up yet) so it must have been confusing for viewers.

@DeeVee Didn't they try to quasi-redeem Bradley in 1989? Something about him trying to help Beth and she hits him with a shovel? I think someone at P&G just liked James Rehborn, which I can respect, but Bradley probably should have been left to the past, even if they may have wanted to try to use him to connect BC's Beth with Judi's. @P.J. I think Vanessa and Lillian also interacted during that random scene where they were with Annie bitching about Reva (which led to some GL fans writing letters to SPW trashing Lillian as a hypocrite). I'd forgotten that they interacted at this time. I'd also forgotten about Billy's role here. It is delicious that Billy was the one who helped Vanessa see some sense - I wonder if Rauch was trolling a certain fanbase. @alwaysAMC Thanks for your wonderful recaps, as always. I watched this era daily, even if I skipped some scenes, but so much has slipped my mind even with the basics still there. I remember Hart's boxing scenes well. They were panned by some of the soap magazines, but I thought they fit Grillo's Hart. I am not sure if Hart should have died, but Hart was never really a character anyway. The only time I was invested in him was his early years as the sweet young man played by Jeff Philips. I am going to preface this by saying I don't think Matt is a horrible person, I think he is just very immature, but [!@#$%^&*] hell does it annoy me to read Matt reacting to any slight with Vanessa by shoving his tongue down Beth's throat and Beth repeatedly being the one to stop things from going further. I think you had to write that out about six times! He clearly wanted to cheat, and he likely would have gone all the way if not for the show's wariness about that fan base. I'm not saying I wanted Vanessa to be cheated on, but...is this really any better? Matt is lucky that Billy was older and more worn out with life by this time as about a decade earlier he probably would have kicked Matt's perky little ass all over Springfield. @GL95 I didn't remember a great deal with Michelle and Jesse either. They had so many obstacle stories and not much time to be a proper couple. I didn't think the relationship was bad, per se, but it seemed like one of those pairings the show didn't have a great deal of investment in. I liked him more with Drew.

My thoughts on the final episodes: I think Holly's miscarriage was a copout, especially after Jason Herbison suggested she would have had the baby if the show had continued. I also think it was a copout to have Holly told that she was going to lose the baby no matter what. There was more dramatic irony for Holly and Andrew if she had lost her baby while trying to do the right thing and save his nephew. I can understand why Wendy was sympathetic to her - Wendy isn't a monster - but I think Sadie and Wendy should have still been more distant. I'm very glad that we didn't get any Max and Holly interaction in the final week as I didn't want any hint of a reunion between them. I do wish they'd had a scene with Holly and Felix. The hints for a Wendy and Andrew reunion were very heavy, but they were right to not have them actually reconcile for the finale. The best part of these scenes was the fade between various characters mourning the loss. Finally, a technical choice that goes beyond everyone walking around for two minutes to emo offbrand music. It reminded me of one of my favorite soap intros: Love of Life intro, 1979 I dislike the choice of Krista being pregnant and the soap idea that someone must be pregnant if someone else lost a baby (some soap fans used to call it tick-tock). The scenes didn't take up much time and Majella Davis gave some of her most layered performances in a long time, which helped. Remi's memory was resolved too neatly (remember when they said that she likely had amnesia because of all the stress Cara constantly caused her?), but I know they had limited time. The scenes, for what they were, were fine - the show using Remi's memory returning as a way to flash back to some of the most pivotal times with the family was a clever way of saying goodbye. JJ's kidnapping wasn't worth spending a whole episode on, but I did appreciate the scene with Felix worrying that he was being punished (and Andrew assuring him that he was now the good brother), and the full circle moment of Tania, after being Cara's friend long ago before cruelly betraying her, doing the right thing. I think I would have preferred Felix and Elle as friends with benefits rather than a serious couple, but similar to Zac and Colton, even though I wasn't blown away by chemistry, I was alright with them. The scene with Zac and Colton in the penultimate week where they were in the pool together and Zac was resting in Colton's arms was their most natural. The bare bones mention of Zac's troubles in the final week and the complete lack of Taye beyond standing around with Sadie tells you just how much the show's last stories were immaterial. I can understand why they weren't trying hard when they knew the show was ending, but they didn't exactly make a case for a revival. By far the most I enjoyed Paul in my Neighbours viewing of recent years was when he stopped wearing suits and was hanging around his bar. I'm sorry we didn't get a little more of that before he went back to the usual. I did enjoy his scenes with Jimmy, who, along with Elle, helped end Paul's run with much less suffocating earnestness than he'd had when only around Terese, Leo, Krista, David (RIP). Speaking of Terese, I am glad the "Praise" angst took up much less time at the end than I had feared (it was never-ending in show's previous final year). I didn't need the latest ceremony, but it was short and sweet, and Shane's disgust when Terese said she would be the "queen of Paul's tower" made me smile. I was also impressed at how much trust Rebekah and Stefan must have had together that in one of their last scenes she was letting him massage her feet. I'm glad Jane got a happy ending, as I liked Clint well enough and he and Jane had chemistry. I do wish those last weeks had been a little more about Jane, even just something like Addison getting to see Mrs. Mangel's painting. You have to remind yourself it's a soap (a soap about to end) with Addison's mother getting her back after just leaving rehab. The most interesting part of the story was how much Clint looks like Kit Harington. It was nice to see JJ and Nell get one last scene as friends after their relationship was built up and then dumped. I was hoping they'd have JJ introduce Nell to Addison as I wanted to see if the universe would explode if they met. No such luck. The last two episodes were very loose, to the point of feeling ad-libbed beyond the outline. This may have been for the best with the lack of strong story. I actually do prefer this as an exit story for Ramsay Street to "everyone is moving away - oops they aren't," but that story was buttressed by all the returns and the emotions of 37 years. Going along with the approach of just not thinking too much about the story, Paul and Shane behaving like such brats over who will transplant Ramsay Street was a good way to tie up the whole Ramsay and Robinson feud and didn't go on long enough to get on my nerves. It also felt very timely seeing two millionaires with delusions of grandeur throwing money away (I've said this before but given the state of the crypto industry, I am not sure how Shane is still flush with cash). Kudos to Peter O'Brien for repeatedly returning to the show over the last few years. I realized how much I'd grown to appreciate his visits when I was disappointed that he wasn't in the final scene with Karl, Susan and Paul, even though I knew that wouldn't have been right. Of returns that we could have had, within reason, I would have liked one more appearance from Mal (it doesn't seem right we never had a proper visit from one of the Kennedy kids, especially when Karl went through hell this past year), Clive (who was around a fair amount in Channel 5's final years and deserved a better exit than just being a cheater), and Curtis Perkins (even just standing with Vera - I am not sure why Curtis barely appeared in the revival). Of the returns we had, I thought they were handled the right way. Not too much, mostly there to help add a festive feel. Seeing Byron again reminded me of what a drag his initial story with Mischa Barton was - I had no idea how much I'd grow to care about him. He brought so much warmth here, reminding me how much Jane and Nicolette weren't the same without him. I was pleasantly surprised he had as many lines as he did. I loved his back-and-forth with Roxy where he reminded her that she wasn't a Ramsay or a Robinson, and she asked what he even had to do with it. Roxy was a delight in all of her scenes. This was what the show needed, not whatever her strange return earlier in the year was intended to be. As one of the few fans who didn't mind Kiri, I appreciated seeing her again, even if I'm not sure I want her to reconcile with Nicolette. I was surprised at the lack of mention of Harold, not even an audio flashback of him. I wasn't surprised at his not returning (Lucy and maybe Toadie were more of a surprise), but I did think he'd be mentioned. I suppose Susan took over his role on the show, and the memory book by the end had become important for everyone, instead of just something from Harold. I wish the Waterhole party had been the final sequence. So much happiness, friendship, romance, with a hint of melancholy (the moment where Jane and Terese were looking back at the party was gorgeous). Up to that moment, the final episodes reminded me of the early '70s soap A World Apart, which ended with a mixture of Susan Sarandon contemplating the adoption of her baby and Clifton Davis (who is back on a new show after over 50 years - the power of soaps!) playing his guitar and leading the characters in various songs. The last moments contrast between Susan at the altar, thinking of her future, and everyone else at a small party which plays over the closing credits. I didn't hate the final scene, but it also didn't entirely come off - it felt like they had to check boxes with making sure Paul, Susan and Karl had the goodbye, making sure they gave some hope for a revival. I understand the purpose, but I just don't think that was the right scene to close out on (I also didn't like that music at the end - what a contrast to the remix of the theme in the Waterhole scenes). What did work for me was Jackie Woodburne's performance, She became the audience, clinging to any strand of hope. Her performance was sad, quietly raw, yet with a wryness - we've been here before, right beside her, so how can you take the goodbye too seriously? The show is unique in having official cancelations and finales so close (soaps in similar positions either knew they were ending [Passions] or did not have proper finales when they were revived [All My Children and One Life to Live]), which is something that should be studied, and probably will be someday. What do you do when you've already said goodbye? You do this, I guess.

He thought he might be her father for a few months after she was born, IIRC. Either way it was a horrible story.

The ratings did rise in late 1995. Reva had some effect, presumably, but I give a lot of credit to the Brent/Marian story, as ratings trailed off again once it was over. I tend to agree with those who think the reprieves were less about having faith in GL and more about other options not showing up. The show finally ended when CBS seemingly gave up on any new soaps (for about 15 years anyway). A part of me never wanted GL to go off the air, but I was very checked out of the show around this time so I wouldn't have been shocked at a cancelation. Mid/late 1996 was even worse - that cancelation would have been well earned. I was in the same position around early 2001 and then in 2003. Then around the time Jonathan came in, tearing strips off the scenery, was when I quit until around early 2009. If not for the classicGL blog I probably wouldn't have even come back (that and this place).

GENERAL HOSPITAL - JULY 14 1981 W/ Original ABC COMMERCIALS Sharon Wyatt's debut as Tiffany (happy birthday, Sharon). This also has the end of July 13th.

Thanks so much @slick jones always appreciate these. I enjoyed Orlagh on GL. I think you posted her info twice.

There's a lot going on with Tyler, including abuse of power allegations.

I think that Erica and Jack were never a couple who would stay together. I think Erica would ultimately be alone and eventually learn to be happy that she's alone. One of the only episodes of Phyllis I liked was about this topic (not romantically per se but Phyllis was all alone in the house and had to learn to enjoy the experience).

What a waste. The show loves doing Jeremy and through him Mike Horton dirty. It was obvious that this story with Alex and Stephanie was a flop, but the show won't let them go, can seemingly never let tedious RSW go, so Jeremy pays the price.

I wish he'd been asked more about this over the years - I would have loved hearing his thoughts on the earlier times. (I'd be surprised if he was still watching long past 1994)

I wasn't sure if Sidwell was classified as a mobster, but if he's not, this is very funny. And we're not far off the episode where Sonny was just herding dogs. I do get why people prefer the mob era to the show now, but I'm glad they at least know those stories wouldn't work with the current cast, writers, producers, etc.

Likely just as a way to put Portia and Curtis back together down the line...my guess is he will cheat on Jordan with her. As others have said, the whole thing does feel like filling time and justifying going around and around in circles.

And she is doing such a great job with it too... I'd say Ron still cares about the family too, even if he never got Ryan and Kathleen onto DAYS as Leo's bedwarmer and a demented recast of Sandy Horton.

GENERAL HOSPITAL FEBRUARY 13 1984 W/VINTAGE COMMERCIALS Valentines Day

Thank you. It's not too likely but I hope some might buy and that leads to more content which eventually leads to a new soap format. They should probably offer extra content or maybe cast a few influencers (as soaps do these days - Neighbours cast a few in its dying years) who will have fanbases that pony up.

Thanks. Hopefully one more will turn up in our lifetimes.

This is all plot, no character. Like all of Corrie now. I'm very fond of Gareth Pearce's work as Todd but I have a feeling he won't be on much longer.

Ricky also bolted to AMC, I guess seeing the writing on the wall. I didn't recognize Harley in that last decade. I think it's more down to what became of Beth Ehlers.

AMC did get story out of a Claudette...I hope the Claudette fans in the audience dig up those episodes in spiritual hopes it will bring Bree Williamson back to Port Charles.

Thanks. I wonder how long he was with AMC. IMDB just has a few 1984 credits with him.

Social media is probably the last place I'd use for research, due to the stan element. Maybe that isn't as bad with DAYS as with, say, GH, I don't know.

@soapfan770 Neither did I. Thanks. This must have been near the end for him. I guess they were thinking of the Love Boat remake on UPN, although that only ran for a year or two.

I think that's true in some cases, but I'd guess Steve really did want an extended break.

It must be very high up there (Ryan's Hope may be another but I think Santa Barbara would top it - the Dobsons in particular churned away). So many stalwarts of P&G soaps seemed to just vanish in this period.