DRW50

For some reason I think Ron was dropped to recurring several years earlier and then put back on but I may be wrong about the dates. Grant said in a recent interview that he was first asked back within weeks (I think it was weeks) of his exit. Marj is asked back to GL in late 1998, on recurring. Her material is better than a good deal of what she got the first time around, but she left within a few months because AMC was offering her a contract. She made the right choice as Vanessa was the perfect role for her. After the show finally managed to make Nick likeable, I do wonder what might have been (Susan, sadly, probably would have been killed off), but getting rid of Alan Michael was the really big mistake. I wonder if they even had him in any scenes with Rick in his flop late '00s return.

Thanks. He barely did anything with Amanda after Marj was written out, so I suppose he just wasn't interested. Alex had story for a brief period before Marj went to AMC, and they never really tried to replace her, unless you count Vicky, who was barely on. The only Spauldings he seemed to want to write for were Philip, Lizzie and Alan.

Thanks. That must be what I was remembering. I think I remember Rauch saying the Spauldings were all the same, which was true at that time, but wasn't how it ever should have been.

Someone uploaded an episode I don't see elsewhere. (June 24, 1993).

Did she work a lot with JHC? She still seems to be close to Pratt. https://www.soapcentral.com/soapcentral/news/2021/0120-charles_pratt_tracey_thomson_sulphur_springs_interview.php

Someone at Locher Room's comment section yesterday was saying that she was potentially offer the role in 1985 (leaving Loving but Marland decided to give Martha more of a chance) or 1989 (when Martha left). I don't know if that's true but she might have fit in better in those years. She didn't by the end but that's down to how Lily had changed and the show's failings. I think she worked best with Liz Hubbard. Trisha going on GH would be interesting.

You're right, that is a dark rendition. And fitting. I watched most of the movie a few years ago (didn't get to see the end). I didn't love it, although I was glad to see Cheri Oteri getting a chance.

I suppose marrying and living well was the best recognition she ever could have had but I do think her work as Trisha deserves more credit. It's not easy to play heroines, but she always managed to give Trisha sincerity and not become too cold or sanctimonious.

Thanks. So I just remembered the Fridays... They had finally given Hearst more in his last year, but I'm not sure they would have if he'd stayed. The A Spaulding story clumped the whole family together. Similar to Fiona, Beth Ehlers originally just has a guest appearance. Rauch convinces her to return in the summer. Thanks for the reminder about Zachary. That story never really did much for me, although Brody Hutzler was certainly pretty. I am still half-surprised they didn't try to keep him around as I had vague memories of them implying he could come back as human.

We've lost the wonderful Rebekah Del Rio. Rebekah Del Rio Dead: ‘Mulholland Drive’ Singer Was 57 While her Mulholland Drive appearance is rightfully famous, I think I love her Return appearance even more.

Thanks. (welcome back) I'd never seen that. Sometimes I forget just how young Noelle Beck still was at that time. By her last few years as Trisha she has more confidence.

Welcome back! The Santa Barbara thread is never the same without you.

If so, that's a shame. I know she came back in 1998 and 2000 and talked a bit about the show when it ended. At least we have those returns.

Always enjoy reading your reviews. The 60th has some good moments - the returns are well-done, mostly, especially since GL never did this as well as they could have through the '80s and '90s. There was a good amount of talk at the time about what Rauch did to the diner, as well as the garish lighting (which is still spoken of on here). Rauch did not do poverty or class differences. I never could remember if Buzz was the one who decided to end the marriage to Reva. I do remember Deas giving some nice performances in that period. Michael Dietz was almost definitely fired. Sonia Satra had been on the show for three and a half years so she may have wanted to leave, but it was also clear they had lost interest in Lucy. Did they tease Zachary/Lucy early on? I can't remember. Getting fired was probably the best thing that could have happened to Dietz, as he got a lead role on Port Charles, where he only lasted a few years, but he also met his wife who was also on an ABC soap at the time (she played That Kit Fisher Person), and they are still together. Lucy and Harley meet soon, and it's a real passing-of-the-torch moment, as Lucy was brought in as such a blatant Harley replacement (she debuted in the very same episode Harley left in, I believe - they did not interact at that time). I don't even know if Lucy is mentioned after she leaves Springfield. Maybe once or twice. I was so mad when they got rid of the cast photos in the closing credits. I adored them. Whatever the quality of the show in those years, there was something special about that Friday (IIRC it was on a Friday) where you saw the shots one by one. I remember I used to look at them and count which characters I liked and which characters I couldn't tolerate (Lillian rarely escaped my bad list at that time...).

Thanks @wonderwoman1951 That's beautifully written. I love the part about how when they were kids, they would say not all people are good, and he told them in some people the goodness was just never able to grow. That's the type of fiber ATWT had in its best years.

https://deadline.com/2025/06/grosse-pointe-garden-society-canceled-nbc-peacock-1236443923/ Melissa Fumero was a lead on the show.

Thanks. Tonja Walker had such amazing presence as Alex in these years. I can't remember if Thom Christopher was let go or wanted to leave at this time, but it seemed like Carlo was firing on all cylinders as he was written out - he was at his best not having to deal with his kids or niece.

I think they tried some buildup with Abby and Rick, and I think it worked, but mostly gave up on them after a few years. At the time this story, and the show in general, was getting a lot of praise and push, but I found it all extremely manipulative, extremely hollow. They were trying to set Rick up as having everything so we would be upset at the thought of him dying, but none of what he had felt earned (this was also undercut by Rick already having his first child not even a year earlier) and it was clearly he wasn't going to die. Choosing to just do a knockoff of a story GH and St. Elsewhere had already done just made GL feel generic. I tried with Rick and Mel, I really did...more than the show did. The show was more honest about their relationship when they split up several years later, but that was marred by the pathetic, toxic relationship with Beth.

I do wonder if something has been said behind the scenes which is why MVJ responded to some of the negativity on social media (and I haven't even seen that much negativity). I know some of the names attached (like Carlivati, Jamey Giddens, Julie Hanan Carruthers) didn't exactly suggest a needed new approach for the genre.

I don't blame you there. His returning for Alex made more sense anyway. I don't think the Marvel episode was a big deal, but I can see where a musical episode might have gotten more attention. I kind of wish they'd tried a live episode. I guess that was too difficult for most of the soaps to bother with by then, aside from OLTL.

Fletcher left town with the daughter he had with Holly. She later ended up in a special school, I think. About a decade later, Fletcher returned briefly in the finale to leave with Alexandra. (I'm still surprised the show remembered him by that point) I'm glad to know there were other Fletcher fans. I never really felt an attraction to him, but I do laugh at the memory of Pam Long saying he had great buns (this was in an interview - before they split up...).

Kudos to Chad for being gracious, especially with the usual fan wars. I've seen some who don't give Rory Gibson a chance and others who try to say he's much better than Chad. This is fine to talk about but usually ends up getting dragged all over social media and gets to the actors. I do have a feeling if Chad ever wanted to return, Frank would probably still bring him back.

The period of Jeffrey's creation may have been at the peak scumbag/"anti-hero" era for soaps. He was just repulsive. I didn't mind Cole as Richard, I would even say I liked him and his relationship with Cassie. He worked as the cardboard prince. He did not have the right charisma or talent to play such an aimless pig. Even before the rape story with Olivia (which was after I had stopped watching), his chasing Marah and [!@#$%^&*] Beth on the floor of a restaurant was more than enough for me.

I was going through some old UK commercials and saw this one that has Ilene Kristen. A nice surprise.