DRW50

I notice that Charles Grant (who I did think came across better onscreen than Lau at AW) also seemed more bloated and low-key there compared to some of his earlier or later work. I know that was the big coke era, but then I also remember some actors - Linda Dano maybe - talking about how lonely and isolating the experience could be due to how remote the studio was. Thanks.

It's one of those very plot-driven relationships that is difficult to ever invest in. It didn't help that Laurence Lau seemed so ill-at-ease and also felt much older than his love interests at AW, for some reason. I think they could have done more with Rachel vs Vicky - that was the one part that had potential.

DePriest also set up the "no means yes" backstory with Donna and John that taints the material between them. You're right - I don't remember Heche having much to do of interest until she moved across the hall from Lisa and started making a play for Jamie. To be fair, DePriest is the one who set up that relationship (with Rhonda Whelan's Vicky), but that's about it. I have a really hard time watching Anna's last months as Donna for the reason you give. She is incredibly, depressingly weak, to the point where I'm surprised she can even walk and talk.

I had forgotten he was still alive. I think I'd mixed him up a bit with Jackie Cooper over the last few years. He was a lot of fun as Dobie - really the character should have annoyed you, but he was too likeable and cute.

I was just watching an In Living Color episode with her recently, and a Win Lose or Draw episode with her a few days ago, from 1989. She was a bit spacey in the latter, but you could tell she was loving the whole experience. She was always one of my favorites when I watched GLOW.

Did Lemay say that it was seeing Ford in a stage production which made him appreciate how talented she was and start writing for her more heavily, or am I just making that up?

I would agree, but people sure ate up the "Ejami" pairing.

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/home-and-away-favourite-harley-bonner-exits-soap-over-vaccine/news-story/a2bb52c3e439dafda90cfc4c680b56bf Sam Frost, one of the show's leading ladies of the last few years, also seems to have left due to the mandate. Or possibly. Bonner was only there about six months. I wonder how this was never asked at the time the network hired him. He was a very likeable onscreen presence who fit into the community well and had good chemistry with his love interest. This is a loss. But the blame goes on him.

I don't know much about this show (3rd Degree) - Bert Convy's last.

I remember reading Donald Bogle's book from the '80s about black entertainers of Hollywood, and the passages about the backlash against Sidney Poitier, his being called "Super Sidney" and so on. It reminds me of some of the backlash Whitney Houston faced when she became too successful, but as Sidney himself said, he was the only successful/high-profile black actor for a long time, so he had to be everything to everyone. He seemed to seriously scale down his public role at his career peak due to that backlash, and likely the ugly national climate at the time. I wonder what roles he might have gotten and been able to create if he hadn't hit that backlash, similar to how Denzel Washington has managed to have a lot of high-profile parts through decade after decade. I think I was more interested in some of his earlier films like Edge of the City, although that would probably be seen poorly today.

You're right - I meant he escalated into drug dealing. Thanks.

Dawn Young put up some behind the scenes photos of her work on the show. She is active on social media, sort of, but I don't really see any other Catlins content.

I'm not fully through with the year yet (I missed some November and December episodes), but what I've seen doesn't exactly blow me away so I think I am safe to go ahead and make the picks. My favorite story was probably the human trafficking story and fallout - we got to see how it affected Zara, Theo and Michelle, then further aftermath with Rani and Boyd when Zara was missing. Rani clashing with Boyd over whether Zara was dead, trying to get justice, Boyd going back and forth the whole time and then trying to move on with Kellyanne. I thought it was all very strong drama that didn't feel too preachy or sensationalized. The big scene where a pregnant Zara returned for Boyd when he was truly alone was melodramatic, yes, but I thought it was powerful. I miss Boyd, but I also thought he and Zara chose the right time to exit, even if I wonder about whether his exit is permanent or not. If so, at least it makes sense. I mostly just miss his scenes with Drew, a relationship I kind of wish had ended up in a one-nighter, yet I'm also very glad did not... I also thought the story earlier in the year with Tillie being lulled into going out with older boys and wearing makeup and how this led to increasingly bitter conflict with TK was a good family-based, believable plot. The episode where the girls and the older boys crashed their car had a real gut punch when you briefly believed Tillie was dead, even though that ended up being a copout. While the story was quickly wrapped up, I liked that it wasn't completely forgotten, as we later saw Tillie being a bad influence on Madonna's daughter, and being interested in new boys. The slow build of Louis' drug use and turn to dealing worked for me, due in large part to the very talented, handsome actor and how good he is with CeCe. I would rate this higher if the whole thing hadn't seemed to very abruptly end. I also liked the mini-story with CeCe's dying sister - I thought the woman who plays CeCe was very moving when she wept over being too late to see her one last time. As you mentioned, the early Carla material, when she was manipulative and haunted but not completely panto, was strong. The episode where she convinced Wai to kill her father stood out to me, because, yes, this was illegal, but the way the story was told, with her decaying father begging her to end his life, it was difficult to think this was the wrong choice. The brief story where Chris got hooked on Drag Race and, after Desi hosted a drag fundraiser, got to go on stage (along with Marty and TK) was lighthearted community fun that I always want to see more of. The story felt a bit padded, but I think Dawn/Prince/Samira had a number of highlights. Prince's slow falling out of love with Dawn made sense, and he had genuine chemistry with Samira. Their tryst was grotty, yet never felt overly cheap or forced. Many of those last scenes, like Prince breaking up with Dawn and his final goodbye at their old flat, were poignant. I also liked that Dawn was called out on going too far, and tried to make up for the way she treated Samira. In what was not exactly a good year for new characters, between Rico, and, frankly, what I've seen of Francesca and that new twitchy puppet of Carla's (the jury is out about Jojo...), I thought Samira was the best new character. Smart, vulnerable, sexy in an understated way, played by a good actress. I also like Madonna, but that is more down to the actress, as the character is a mess. I like Villiami too, but again, that's the actor... The brief story about Drew's career crisis and move away from plastics also felt character-based and well-acted. I'm trying to figure out what my best and worst scenes of the year would be...one for best is probably when the patient of Villiami's wheeled away, screaming. I know that was done for cheap meme purposes, but I still laughed. Another best would probably be Nicole's panic attack after she and Maeve smoked weed (remember when Maeve was meant to be in constant pain?). Often the show just makes Nicole seem irritating in moments of panic and anxiety, rather than truly distressed, but they took more care here and it was a well-shot and acted scene. I'd probably also pick the conclusion of that strange, aimless story with Esther and the little girl where we learn she had a twin sister and various siblings she was protecting, and Esther has to tell the twin that her sister died, to which the girl replies she thought that was the case. A very quiet, human moment that made up for the 50 different "Esther dreams and clutches her chest like Fred Sanford" scenes beforehand.

I'm glad someone else noticed too about her hair. I wonder if it's intentional - a full circle moment. Jane looks great.

Nate Silver and his trust fund friend comparing school closures to invading Iraq...and claiming no one at the time knew how bad that decision was.

Charles Shaughnessy and Stephen Nichols.

Marcy Walker and Nancy Grahn.

Some unsold pilots burned off by NBC in summer 1984 are being uploaded by one of my favorite Youtube channels, and both have some AMC alum. The first has (for about one or two scenes), Barbara Rush (Nola Orsini), and the second has Rosalind Ingeldew, AKA Rosalind Allen (Silver Kane #1). She's not much of an actress but she is striking, I will give her that. @SFKI always enjoy your comments on the Silver/Noelle era, so you may like to see this.

Given the current amorality, probably a cannibal holocaust. I can barely stomach the current show but I've seen other fans saying that the Ellis scenes are being clumsily edited out of episodes, presumably due to the ugliness behind the scenes. What a mess. I hope this Meena story was worth it.

I also liked Wai - I thought she h ad an old school Hollywood quality, even if her acting was hit and miss. The story was so depressing and also so rushed. I'm not sure what went on there. You're right that the actresses are not to blame. I do wonder what may have been changed (especially with Esther, as I really don't think the show would have intended for her to have two small children with men who are not on the canvas). Did you like Eddie? I did, although I may be in a minority, I don't know. I wish he hadn't been so defined by the Esther relationship. I think his relationships with Leanne and Theo (that character seems to be long forgotten) and Nicole were more interesting. Anthony Langford, who uploads Jack-related clips (and the current Jack-Esther-Curtis short web series), said that Rico was let go because the story/character were not well-received (I am paraphrasing), but I don't what they expected with the way the whole thing was told. I think one of his first scenes was punching Jack out...

Dorothy was still on Mama's Family at the time. I don't think she would have gone back anyway, as I'm not sure she left on the best terms.