DRW50

I don't want to spoil too much but the show has a wink at this in 2002, so I guess even then it was infamous. Oh right it was the Southern belle part, not the blonde part. Thanks.

IIRC, Michael Malone envisioned her as a blonde white woman originally, so that probably made the decision easier for him. I may be wrong though.

I don't think I'd keep Chase around forever (it's hard to believe Brook Lynn would ever be in a stable marriage, given her family and this being a soap), but there are places I think they could have taken the character. If Sasha had stayed, I think there was more there too in his white knight syndrome, and more conflict with Michael. As it is they aren't doing enough to warrant him staying, since, as you and others have mentioned, they are afraid to make messy story shakeups. Or when they do it's rushed or much too late. I wouldn't be shocked if Dante and Brook Lynn do hook up but after a point where it works for the story.

July 1996 ABC General Hospital promo

May 1996 NBC Another World promo

Hal was never all that much of a hard-bitten cop either (I think Hendrickson's demeanor made him seem that way), but I know what you mean. I wouldn't want to see Chase doing EON-style investigations. What I was thinking of was a deconstruction of the whole nice guy, plastic image, and how someone like Willow could prey on that to turn him into what she needs, which would be a cultist with a badge.

I'll have to check for those moments. Both Helen and Don seemed to age in that gap, moreso Don. Ginny's whole style is very silly to me for some reason - she seems like she is more suited as a side character on a British kids show. That and the disco set are the antithesis of ATWT. I'm reminded of how the short-lived Australian soap Arcade had a last gasp effort at staying on by introducing a nightclub. Michael does look gorgeous here. That feathered hair works much better on him than you'd expect.

That's very true. At least I can say I think he's attractive, which is not the case with many soap hunks. I agree about Dominic. Jackson always seemed like a kid playing dressup to me and the show hated GV's Lucky too much to let him present any command. I think Swickard is decent as the soapland fantasy cop and while he doesn't project more, better writing could work with that certain unnatural aspect.

If they pull the trigger on a Chase/Willow affair I think it would make him more interesting and is in Swickard's wheelhouse of mostly being pretty and dumb and a sucker for vulnerable women. They have probably missed their moment though with her going back to Drew.

What personality would you say he had earlier on? Did you ever take them seriously since about 1989?

@DeeVee That's such a wonderful rundown of the Ann/Diane dynamics - gives me a lot of insight. I hope the chocolate scene shows up someday. You're right about the women on the canvas lacking any real layers under Marland (there's Nola, but much is down to Lisa Brown). Long is much more hit-and-miss but the characters do have some life to them. I appreciate the rundown of Amanda/Ben at this time. I first saw clips of them via the ClassicGL blog and Youtube channel (that was where I first saw any Dobson era material) but there's so much complexity we're missing out on just with these short moments. I also appreciate them letting us see Stephen Yates stripping off his wet shirt in a way that lets us see just why Amanda is obsessed with him. Kathleen Culleen did a very good job with this Amanda. I think she only loses some of her strengths when Marland arrives.

Another World "It Will Excite You!" 1986 NBC Promo: Brittany and Peter

Thanks for sharing the article @Liberty City Very powerful and honest words from Beth, and something that the people who shill about this or that expensive supplement will prevent illness don't talk about. She looks more and more like Tina Sloan as she ages.

This is the end result of a public that says they hate China yet spend all their money on Trump trinkets made in China.

Thanks @Maxim I wasn't sure how long into 1993 Mia lasts so I'm glad this daily countdown helps. It will probably take a little while to get used to Kassie as Blair - I think it helped me that I had never seen Mia Korf in the part. The scene with Dorian and Viki is entertaining, especially when Viki drops the mask and when she excuses Dorian with a "muscle spasm." The tease at the end does tire me somewhat - they are making Viki a little too tee-hee and the story feels padded.

Oh yes. We could spend an eternity talking about this. And now I've seen that more shows are starting lengthy recaps put into the mouths of the characters because of the "second screen syndrome" due to people only half-watching as they are on their phone or whatever. The people who used to mock soaps for endless recaps never knew soaps were just trailblazers - in this case, for something that I never especially wanted to see blazed into a trail.

This is what people voted for. I hope all those idiots who claim to be on the left and insisted JD Vance was their antitrust king are choking.

Thanks @Maxim !

Seems to be another guy who was harassing Carol (poor Carol really had nothing but misery with Jay). I laughed because, while Kelly Wood looks lovely (she looks better here than a few years later where at one point she's styled like Heidi), most of what I've seen of Mary makes me sleepy. This is probably her best episode of any I've watched with her - the 79/80 stuff is a complete dirge. I'd say the same of pretty much anything in Oakdale in this era - at least a few years later you might enjoy hanging out with Karen, Margo or Ariel. By this time unless you can get Lisa to stop wringing her hands about Grant and Joyce, your best bet is to drive to Springfield and try to hang out with Rita.

There is so much respect for the audience's intelligence in this era of GL. Nearly every character has an inner life, you can understand them, and even the characters who aren't painted as complex are still treated with dignity. It's something GL would never have so consistently after this time, and I don't know how often the Dobsons ever managed this again either. And I agree that the Diane conversation feels so modern. I'm never not impressed by how smart the show is and how little they care about going along with ideas of what a soap is meant to be. The Dobsons did some tropes, of course, but overall, so much of the show is fresh and confident.

Is this James Houghton?

That channel also has two full or partial episodes I know I've seen parts of in clip form but I'm not sure if I've seen in episodic form. Guiding Light - (1979?) (Holly returns from trial) Guiding Light (1979?) (Amanda and Ben) - YouTube The second episode has an excellent scene with Diane and Ann Jeffers at around 8 minutes. Such complex and honest writing about the pressures on women in society and in the workforce - something that GL would jettison as the '80s began (for all the businesswomen on GL in the early '80s, how often does it all feel like just actors on sets holding files?) but I can hear traces of with Curlee later on. Sofia Landon is just superb. Truly one of the most original actresses in GL's history. Before Diane starts browbeating her, I could swear Ann was flirting with her. That would have been an interesting story. They have more chemistry than Otalia did.

Part of the September 26, 1978 episode. Some of this has been around - not sure if as much as we have here, but maybe I am wrong. Any Sara/Dean Blackford fans, this is your episode. And Elizabeth with the shortest haircut I can remember on her. (she and Jackie really went through the hairstyles) Guiding Light - (September 26,1978) The channel has put up a number of 1979 episodes - again not entirely sure how much is already around.

This episode has been online for many years, but I can't remember if I've seen this version that has commercials. As The World Turns - (September 26,1978)

Thanks. I think that story would have failed even with her as all non-Nina love interests did with him, so no wonder she left.