DRW50

It was odd as Brad was gone for several years, then suddenly popped up again. I think this was at a time the show was getting heavily criticized by some fans for moving away from diversity, not sure if those are tied together but Terry Randolph was also taken out of the bit player cupboard around the same time. IIRC, Perry said the call was very abrupt. Then he was back for, what, a few months and Lucas came back, then broke up with him once and for all due to being tired of lies...so now that gives an opening for him to reunite with Brad because Brad is, I guess, a "good" liar. You'd think they would have had him back for at least one episode when Britt returned, but her return was so mishandled all around.

Thanks @Maxim I guess the lack of focus for Andrew and Cassie on their wedding day tells you how the show felt about them as a couple... All those extras, cast members, and the big cathedral reminds you of just how much budget soaps have lost. Susan Haskell was always an interesting actress. She could be very showy, very false (like some of the first half of this clip) and other times extremely visceral (the second half of the clip). They were doing too much with her to the point of self-parody (although I liked the bit where she kissed Cassie as a gift for Andrew), but the scenes of an equally devastated Viki staggering out with her are powerful. I also like that accepting, lost smirk from Clint during the vows. Very good work from Clint Ritchie. Eda sounds fascinating. I need to watch some of that show.

There will be a special episode where Phyllis causes controversy over an enraged tweet storm when her Doordash delivery doesn't show up on time.

This is a lovely set of scenes and has a humanity that seems so lost now. GH: Mary Mae reminds Laura to hope (2/11/94)

Ah. For some reason I thought DeVry had had support at some time. Thanks. Valentin sums up many of the reasons I haven't felt very invested in the Cassadines bar the first year or two of Stefan - the hype never matches the reality (unless you are played by Constance Towers). But I think the likes of Guza never would have put up with such a lightweight character who, like the old Desperate Housewives quote, probably cries during sex.

Even dying wouldn't have mattered. I suppose he is just the new version of the type of character some fans loved with Sebastian Roche's Jerry and William DeVry's Julian, just with more producer support (although didn't DeVry have some for a while). How would rank the three, if you had to rank?

I love the design for the Tommy and Marie ornaments. Given what a deeply sad life Tommy had, it somehow feels right that his ornament looks like a bubble gum wrapper.

I wonder if anything has changed with Valentin other than swapping Anna out with Carly. Doesn't he pop up for heavy focus when JPS is available and then vanishes again for months? It was tough for me to imagine Mulcahey managing to pry him out. JPS doesn't seem to be under the same rules that Easton and Howarth were when they were finally let go. I don't think it helps with regard to ratings that they probably have no idea who is responsible for any positive numbers. They likely just give credit to their favorites, or to themselves and assume viewers will be there as long as they don't rock the boat. And any minimal boat rocking done under Mulcahey (like lip service criticisms of Sonny that had a clear out) got the blame.

Most of the audience for that softcore show would never go near a daytime soap. I'm surprised that GH even had a few intimate moments for Marco and Lucas, but I guess we all knew that could never last. Carly and Sonny are always right and the show is mainly for socially conservative women who have been watching for 30-50 years. Lucas and Brad will show up once every other month to make bitchy comments with Britt.

Was it Henry? Wasn't there spec he was going to be Palmer's son? Thanks. Never seen this. I'm glad he had a happier life than Michael Delaney did. I can't help wondering how much more virulent the response to this story would be today. One of many reasons it won't happen.

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.