DRW50

It lost effectiveness by the last few seasons, but Homicide was a show that did montages well for me, and even poked fun at themselves for it (in an episode about a documentary they filmed, while watching it one of the characters says, "Ooh, montage!" in a sarcastic way). Something that annoys me almost as much when overdone is a montage with someone yammering away in narration. Shortland Street started doing that a lot this year and my eyes began nearly rolling out of my head, not helped by the bad stories. One episode ended with a shot of a nurse vaping - she was part of a story about how bad vaping is, but none of this had been shown through the whole week up to that point. She just popped up again to vape. I laughed, which presumably was not the goal.

Maybe she can rent a room from Edward Snowden before they both get shipped to fight Ukraine.

Yes those videos are footage that was never put on DVD and the WLS people very kindly shared with fans. https://www.youtube.com/@WeLoveSoapsVideo/videos

There's a lot of narrative rewriting about Lost because it ticks many of the boxes of what was supposed to be - in terms of diversity, and expansion of network television mindsets - but at the time, the show mostly got buzz in that first season. The second and third seasons got a ton of negative response (especially the third) and even when things stabilized after that, there was a great deal of mockery of the navel-gazing "mystery box" world to help hide that there were no clear plans in place. Even at the time I remember fans pointing out what hacks Lindelof and Cuse were. That's true for fans and producers in general, but that label has stuck, deservedly so. I always got bad vibes off the show, as well as Desperate Housewives, and consider both to be classic examples of narrative and media hype mattering more than the product itself. I'm sorry to hear just how ugly the atmosphere was backstage at Lost, but I can't say I'm surprised. It's one of those shows where the vileness bled onto the screen, especially in the deaths of those (mostly non-white) who were deemed unworthy.

I will always support writers over scabs, but I have to admit I did not share the sense of loss over the strike for 1981 RH. I did not care for the Michael/Rae/Seneca/Kimberly story at all and I was glad to see it brought to an ugly end - I was also glad that Michael, a character I disliked, was gunned down. I also thought the material with Faith helping a teenager with a drinking problem was better than the material she had been getting before and after that (mostly feeling sorry for herself and bitching about Jill - boo hoo the man you knew loved Jill for a decade still loved her, poor you). I hated Rose being written out, but otherwise Joe's vendetta against Jack was carried along well enough and produced some genuinely tense episodes in this period, like the one where Jack and Maeve were in danger of being killed by an assassin. I am sure there are things I didn't enjoy (probably involving Barbie Siobhan, and the treatment of Delia...), but I'd still put it over the rest of 1981.

Thanks so much @dc11786 !!

I thought Barry worked fine when he was paired with Delia and living a double life, but after that when he was just one of many voices against her, he was redundant. The show already had too many not all that interesting "complex" male figures at that time (Michael, Roger, Joe). I liked the actress who played Kathleen, but I agree that Maureen would have been great in the role. She would have been too young, but it could have worked.

Kathryn Hays, in a blonde wig, guests in this episode.

A part of me wanted to say Kim Coles deserves better, but I imagine she's just happy for the work, especially as no one with the last name Wayans is involved with the show. I don't really think she looks like Jackee Harry though.

I'd say just ship him off to Easter Island. Is that Bonnie? Is Adrienne still meant to be dead?

The main struggle with Pat is she would have been a complex female figure to write for, and this era of Knots didn't really do that, aside from Paige (and I think some of Paige's complexity is down to Nicolette Sheridan being such a unique presence). Frank was a warm, sympathetic support figure on an increasingly cold show with increasingly played out leads, so I can see his purpose. In another era of the show, or a world where a black woman was ever going to get much of a shot in TV at this point, Pat could have been a strong replacement for Laura, I agree.

I imagine they will, as so much of what is still filming is being picketed, but as @DramatistDreamer said, soaps are the lowest form of entertainment to many in the industry, so I'm not sure how much anyone is going to care. I think there may also be more hesitation on some parts because most who are left in the industry probably know its in its last few years anyway. If there is a WGA/SAG/DGA strike I wonder how many of the soaps will survive.

Dillon is also now being attacked for being Jewish. The Babylon Bee is pure hate and greed. I hope their decision to provide cover for that putty-faced pig tears them apart.

Some rare good news of late. The Oklahoma state legislature overrode their dumbass governor's veto of PBS for having queer content. https://www.kosu.org/politics/2023-05-26/oklahoma-lawmakers-override-13-of-gov-kevin-stitts-vetoes-including-oeta-legislation

I'm reluctant to post the link publicly, but if anyone wants to see her 1970 Bill Gunn film Stop!, that went unreleased and has stayed that way outside of a few screenings, PM me.

@Vee

A big, nasty scandal with a "beloved" UK presenter that has been building for years. What a great image at a time of so much virulent homophobia on the rise.

Compared to most primetime soaps, aside from Peyton Place, it was something to celebrate, but that's not saying much.

That would have been great (so would the Ben return). They tried to put Anne into a double act with Stuart Pankin but it never really worked for me.

Matt Cedeno workout at about 8 minutes (with appearance by Victor Webster). Cedeno is also the first guest on this Soap Talk.

Ashley Lyn Cafagna interview/photoshoot with Mario Lopez about 4 minutes in.