DRW50

Mike Logan is a character I loved, but as always I have to remind myself actor does not = character.

I think the Dingles are at a very low ebb these days...that means less overexposure, at least. The writing is very bad though. I don't understand why they had Chas make the family banish Liv for about 4 days then change her mind.

He wants to go on the right wing circuit talking about how ABC "canceled" him. Maybe he will luck out and a few other grifters will keel over to open up a slot.

Billie Eilish hosted SNL tonight (she did a pretty good job), and during her monologue, had her mother, Maggie Baird (ex-Taylor, ATWT) come onstage with her. Her mother and father also introduced her first performance.

Which ties in to daytime's irrelevance. The man helped kill one soap, and has barely managed to write one decent story in his entire career. Yet he is given carte blanche on various soaps and treated as a god by the cliqueish, spiteful dregs of what is left of the soap press.

Michael Patrick King said they will not kill off Stanford because it would not be "charming." I think they could have managed to acknowledge the character's death and still found humor and charm, but maybe it's for the best, as it probably would just end up being a 10 minute scene of Carrie doing sad voiceovers while on her laptop.

If the show wants to start acknowledging reality, they have much more pressing issues (like how woefully out of touch the personnel involved have been for many years) than wokeness.

Hack writers making references to shows that ended nearly 35 years ago says it all about daytime's relevance.

That story was done to try to "shock" viewers because of Jay's relationship with Billy. Empty shock value pairings and storylines are all the worthless Kate Oates can manage to produce.

Here is a new interview where the producer explains what happened with Michelle's strange exit. (finale spoilers) https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/127201094/how-shortland-street-keeps-rising-to-the-challenge

I didn't see this but having middle-aged actresses in the Facts of Life roles seems very desperate, a vanity project gone wrong. The show was never great, but it had genuinely likeable leads that made you care. How that becomes an excuse to trot out overexposed Jennifer Aniston (who is generally about as funny as the clap), I don't know, but it has nothing to do with any legacy Norman Lear ever had as a producer.

I wouldn't be that surprised if he stays away. The character has barely been used for the last 3-4 years anyway. I will say I thought his exit scenes were surprisingly decent - I appreciated the old-school Emmerdale feel of them in that they were mostly solemn and character-driven. And it was good he decided to just leave toxicity behind.

Joan shares some fun Dynasty stories in this 1985 interview. It starts around 32 minutes.

Joan was interviewed for this special - starts about 32 minutes.

It's easy for me to say now, but I never liked Cuomo much. He was attractive (not in the last few years), and charismatic, and he and Don Lemon had a good double act, but his entitlement and smugness were off the charts. His pivot to lecturing viewers on "wokeness" just made me dislike him even more.

Carmine was my favorite on Laverne and Shirley. Michael McKean had some kind words on his passing. The news about Jacqueline Avant was shocking. She seems like a wonderful woman.

Adding to the above:

I still think bringing in Sam, with cameos from his parents, even over Skype, could work, but sadly it isn't likely. I think your idea of various other families makes sense. Joe was married in the '70s - maybe his ex wife had his child and never told him. I do hope Robert returns (with another recast as Ryan Hawley seems to have moved on) in a few years, as I doubt Aaron will be back. Sadly with all the controversies surrounding Matthew Wolfenden and Isabel Hodgins right now I'm not sure how much longer Victoria will be around.

Victor dominated the show for years, to its detriment as time passed. That also didn't seem to do much to stop a steady slide in ratings. The character also became incredibly one-dimensional and therefore difficult to use in a more supporting role. The main problem is many of the younger characters who could have taken some of Victor's role on the canvas were too weak to do so.

Oh you're right. It froze and I missed that part.