DRW50

I think they put the brakes on Tom because of what had happened with Dan. They were fortunate in that it worked out as well as it did. I still think that choosing to ignore his '70s past was a missed opportunity, and I'm sure Judith Chapman would have been happy to return as Natalie. ATWT blew money on high-priced soap actors for guest stints in the mid/late '00s rather than spending less money and keeping people around long-term. What a waste, and were any of the stories even any good?

It was mostly some filler in summer 1994. Lisa was worried about Scott or heard he was in trouble. She went to Mexico with Shannon and Duncan, looking for a statue that was supposed to help him with a money crisis or something (I don't really remember). Lisa went back home early and Duncan and Shannon had an adventure and got back together (briefly, anyway). I think they found out that Scott had already left again (he was never shown oncamera). I mainly remember what I do remember because SOD named it as one of the worst stories of the year.

It isn't just Faux News pushing the idea of more people supporting the wall. I think I saw an ABC article saying the same. The media really wants that wall and wants Trump to have a win.

Joe Breen was on from 91-93 (or 92-93). Christopher Cass filled in during early 1993. Breen returned to wrap up the story until about spring 1993 I think. Then a year later the "search for Scott" story began that was used to reunite Duncan and Shannon. Then around summer 1995, Scott came to town. wooing his old love/con artist pal Sam. This was Laurie Caso's idea, presumably, as he had apparently planned to kill Kirk and keep him dead. Valente brought Kirk back, so Scott was moved toward Carly and Rosanna and Mike. Then he and Rosanna were written out in spring 1996. (I still remember how hilarious the Rosanna gambling addiction scenes were...)

The repulsive performance Block gave on ATWT I don't think was suited for any major role, but Meek, possibly.

I never have gotten the Rena Sofer hype as Lois, and I never will, although her makeup looks very good in this episode.

I didn't really have a big problem with Doug Wert, I thought he was cute and a bit charming, but the character bore no resemblance to the more layered man Breen had played and they did nothing with his relationships with Tom and Lisa for a lot of his return. And they pretty much just threw in the towel, as Valente did with so many characters. I feel more time was spent on Lisa searching for Scott than on the amount of time Wert was actually on the show....

I liked the story at the time. I liked Scott too. It's just long-term the story had little impact and Scott was treated as a disposable character, so I was thinking of what other possibilities could have been.

The rapid aging on ATWT in those years was such a mess - when they were talking about Tom being a 15 year old I remembered that he should only be about 6 years old. And a few years later he was around 19 or 20, scarred by Vietnam experiences. They seemed to course-correct by the end of the '70s (killing off Dan, and freezing Tom at the same age for a decade). GL seemed to pump the brakes on their rapid aging a little after Mike and Ed.

Thanks!

The media is rife with "strong father" issues. They would be happy to have Pence in as he ticks their boxes. He also hates many of the same people they have disdain for (women, gays). If they are saying the media is biding their time to get him into office and make him their new hero, I wouldn't be surprised. And once it happens there will be a full-court press, with Chuck Todd and friends gushing all the way as we are put back in our cages and never let out.

I know they did that with Lucinda and Sam but I think it could have had a lot of resonance for Lisa, especially since she had so few family members and Tom was distant at this time.

That sounds like a great idea. It also could have been used to make Scott's heel turn after his recast more logical.

Thanks!

Thanks. That's great you were able to find fan comments from those days. Who was writing Right to Happiness when it ended?

Does anyone know who these women are?

Per Wikipedia it looks like Katherine Babecki (looks like that might have been Irna's daughter, so maybe Irna still had major input over the material at this point). I think Eileen Fulton initially wondered if they were going to bring back Chucky when they told her of the long lost son story. I wonder if that would have made more sense. Lisa really was living the most insane of lives in this period. Within, what, 4-5 years she and Bob split up via affair, she was gang raped, she married and divorced John Eldridge, and then she had an affair and a baby with Michael Shea. I wonder how much of this took place oncamera. (does anyone know what this Dr. Steiner case was about? The medical drama buzzing on ATWT in the '60s and '70s is always so interesting to read about)

On soaps people seem to get phones in all the time.

Please do.

I wonder why they didn't try to transition it - maybe Irna wasn't interested? (was she involved by this time)

I'd never heard this. It's a late episode of Right to Happiness, with Lynn Loring (not that long before she left Search, I think).

Thanks for sharing that. It's difficult to imagine Sunny and Bela as stormy based on the little I've seen. Champagne reception. And this was when the ratings were low and they were on the way out. Imagine that today. They'd be lucky to have Lunchables.

When I started watching ATWT, I do remember some warmth, through Tom and Margo (who hadn't become so miserable and shouty by then), Bob, Emma, Hal, even Lucinda (she was a real harridan but Liz Hubbard gave so much life energy). I do agree it was colder than GL though, and from what I've seen of the show in earlier years it seems very cerebral. Speaking of that, Rob Wargo put up a 1968 episode - audio only. It's the first time I've ever actually heard Claire. The good thing about this is that Barbara Berjer had such a rich voice it doesn't even matter that much if we can't see the images. It's a good quality audio as well. No wonder Ellen hated Lisa and Michael Shea so much, based on this audio. Michael just ran rings around poor Claire. I did laugh when the script was dancing around having Michael call Lisa a big ol' whore.

I saw some people wondering if the script was written when Roseanne was still a part of the show as some felt Darlene's dialogue and behavior was closer to Roseanne. I doubt it, but I did think that material was a bit clunky.