DRW50

Thanks. I hope she can return someday.

I was going to say Emma Samms, but I don't even know if she's in the US anymore, and I read she had a big battle with COVID.

Oh you're right, she wasn't the head of nursing - she did work there but someone else said that to Nella. I was sure they slept together but it's been almost a decade since I watched some of those episodes so I probably invented that in my head.

If you want to see Nella's exit, try to watch the episodes from spring or summer 1989. I don't know if it was Marland's choice, or if new producer Laurie Caso wanted to clean house, but that whole Pam/Nella/Beau group was written out after Meg's departure and with Paul/Andy/Lien/new arrival Duke taking up airtime. By Marland standards the writing for their exits is both aimless and downbeat - actually it's sort of a glimpse of what is coming with Marland's increasingly aimless writing. Beau and Pam drift apart, and Beau has sex with Nella, who has a thing for him. Pam leaves in summer to return to Seattle - oddly, just as her con artist father arrives in Oakdale. Nella claims to still want to be a nurse, but misses a lot of shifts, to the point where I think her own mother (who was head of nursing by this point) basically tells her she clearly does not want to be a nurse and is just lying to herself. Nella decides to move to California with Beau. I tend to wonder if someone at P&G got cold feet about the interracial aspect (I think this was the first black/white interracial relationship on ATWT) because when they leave we're told they are just friends and not interested in making their relationship romantic.

I know some fans didn't care for the first Andy, but I liked her more than Wendee Pratt, even if she and her stories were generic. Beyond the Hunter relationship I think she spent most of her time pining after the hunky priest who was pining after Gabrielle.

Thanks for finding all these. If something is happening I hope it starts soon while various people are still with us, but far be it from me to set David Lynch's timetable. I'm glad Ray is still doing OK.

Oh wow. I'd never even heard of that.

I don't really know how popular she ever was. Antonio/Andy had a following, but most of the focus went to Kamar, both in the writing and among fans. I remember the soap magazines being happy enough to admit that she was basically an idiot, and panning the writing for her (at one point she literally clings to Antonio's legs as he walks out on her, IIRC).

Can't see that ending well.

I hope Manchin, Sinema, etc. are enjoying themselves while democracy slowly waves goodbye.

Reading through the last page I realize we have been all paying far more attention to this story than TPTB at the time did.

I thought it was supposed to be Vietnam. The "flashbacks" we got of Donna and John also seemed to be '60s themed (in one he is playing Donna the Primadonna on the car radio).

Thanks. You remember it better than I do.

Isn't all that money Milo is getting to hurt kids enough to help keep them afloat?

I'm happy for the cast and crew who work so hard, and for the soap genre - what's left of it, anyway. Yesterday is not soon enough.

Does anyone know who the blonde woman in the first part of this is?

I loved St. Elsewhere. Norman consistently did a fine job and brought a great deal of integrity to a show that could, especially in its last seasons, threaten to spin totally out of control. His scenes with Jane Wyatt were a delight.

<insert gif of someone saying, "Good.">

Didn't she have problems with Rauch? I think this may be what you mean: I really liked her with Kevin so it was hard for me to be objective, but I do think the first Ben was more interesting to watch and I think if Bethea had stayed they would have clicked.

Thanks! I haven't watched much in a few years so I appreciate your kindness. What do you think of the Carla story? The aspect of her playing with the psyches of various characters is compelling, but the stuff with her hypnotizing Nicole is a bit too silly for me. I don't think it helps that the last time I saw Nicole was the ugly, degrading Lincoln storyline, and now a few years later she's in this committed marriage. Something I like about the current episodes actually is the focus on committed married couples who are able to have stories that aren't about the usual cheating and nonsense - like Zara and Boyd and Drew and Harper. I appreciated that episode where Drew decided to try wearing a dress and instead of being treated as something humiliating, he and Harper agreed that he looked hot and then had sex. You won't see that anywhere else. (I make it sound much more pornographic than it was) What did you think of that whole story with Leanne and Rosalyn? Leanne is a good spark plug character that every soap needs. I have to admit the scene of her boyfriend/Marty's father keeling over when he saw them kissing gave me a cheap laugh. Desi is an interesting character but also so overbearing. Damo - not sure how I feel about him. I think he works a little better in serious moments. Marty seems like another of those characters who will be burnt out on misery quickly, based on the current mercy kill story, but I like the actor. (this show has very good casting people)

James Wlcek was a gorgeous man. They had to work hard to find such an unflattering photo.

He's either going to be gerrymandered out or lose a primary and is trying to use this to help him with a statewide run. Not sure he'd win a primary there at this point either...

And they sort of tested him with Frankie too, didn't they? David Forsyth was a good actor but I think Sharlene is what made him work as a character. That's probably one of the reasons so many fans were put off by the Felicia/John pairing. Donna is a character you could do anything with. It's a shame so many regimes seemed to dislike her or have no use for her - Anna saying she would have likely left AW if it had stayed on the air made me sad, although I can't blame her. It sucks that Donna had such a depressing ending.