DRW50

I doubt most people will be comparing them, other than as actors who have played offensive stories making light of mental illness.

How long had Frederic been on the show?

But wasn't that a trend back then? I remember those kerchiefs being popular w/ teen girls about 1998-2000. I think they were, yes, along with overalls and whatever else. It just felt very contrived with her. Kim Delaney, pretty as she was, I could believe as poor but proud. Spencer looked straight out of a commercial.

While I agree with Bill, I'm not sure why he is the messenger for the "Bernie is no Obama" when at this time in 2008 he was burning his wife's campaign to the ground by dismissing Obama as a "fairy tale" and saying he was just like Jesse Jackson. http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/bill-clinton-bernie-sanders-no-obama-n509926

That reminds me of the hideous story with Lucy and Jane on Eastenders that made me loathe Jane so I hope they won't go there.

Budig? Hell yeah.

She's a loser. If she should have won any race it was her 2010 Senate race, a big year for the GOP. She didn't even make it a contest in the end. I first heard of her when she caused problems for McCain as a 2008 TV flak and she was basically demoted. The only reason she got some notice this time around was because of her gender (which Republicans claim to hate when Democrats do it). Her constant digs at Hillary Clinton's marriage in her last debates were among the most pathetic moments I can remember in politics. Petty as hell, and hypocritical, given her own trashy history. But I'm sure it will get the speaking gigs lined up, and maybe someone can hire her to destroy another company. One of Boxer's ads (those were some good ads...):

I thought she was dull as hell, not helped by a retread story that Agnes Nixon had dusted off for the third or fourth time - the innocent, poor but proud girl against the rich bitch, and Pine Valley's social elite. By this time Pine Valley HAD no social elite, so they had to bring in the wacky neighbor from One Day at a Time, plus Vanessa (who was too unhinged to fill that role believably). Add in that Spencer had no chemistry with wooden Forbes March, and it just didn't work. I am fairly sure I remember Nixon or someone else even telling the soap press that they were just redoing Jenny/Greg/Liza, which epitomized why that time on the show made me quit watching for a while, even after I'd put up with the worst of McTavish. With the show such a mess and so full of loathsome characters (Tad, Mateo, et al.), trying to recreate 1982 wasn't going to work. The idea at the time was that Rebecca Budig stole the show, but she wasn't any good either - butch, too old for the role, and like Spencer, having no apparent chemistry with March. She was a little better with Cameron Mathison and with Josh Duhamel, which sent March packing. Spencer and Duhamel also had some chemistry, but the show gave up on Becca - she was a bit player for quite a while before she left. She didn't even have an exit, as quite a few characters at that point did not (always a sign of a show in real crisis). I still remember how she wore that kerchief on her head for months to remind us she was poor-but-proud. Looked like something from USSR propaganda. And the first scene of Scott seeing her on a picnic blanket in the woods and looking enthralled...or constipated. And she kept saying in interviews that Kathie Lee Gifford got her the job, which was certainly gracious of her, but not the best timing, as at that point people were damn tired of Kathie Lee. She certainly hasn't hurt for work since leaving AMC, of course.

Oh, absolutely (and the poor, and the disabled...unless they're rich and disabled). But Rubio is someone they can sell as above it all, even though he isn't. He's been virulently anti-gay and misogynist his entire career, he's made clear his hatred for the poor his entire career, but it doesn't matter, because the media can still spin him as moderate, and because he looks nonthreatening (unlike melting face Ted Cruz), people lap it up. I imagine Rubio will shoot up in NH as he will now be the consensus candidate for those who aren't with Cruz. Trump could still have a shot, of course, but I feel like the air has been let out of the balloon.

I'm surprised at how close it is between Bernie and Hillary - I was expecting her to win somewhat narrowly, but not THIS narrowly. I still think she'll pull it out, and post-NH the map is good for her, but Bernie put up a real fight. I read that a lot of young people didn't show up so that yet again shows that many young voters just don't care. I'm not surprised about the GOP side. Trump is a novelty, not a candidate, and the novelty wore off tonight. I think he'll drop out within the next month. And boy am I not surprised at media darling Marco getting a rim job for that mushmouth speech and for "beating expectations." The media would sell their families for this man, and for the narrative that liberals hate minorities and look out he's beating the old guard and all the young hip people are voting for him because he's so cool and today. They will do even more for him than they did for W and McCain, because he fills every fantasy Republican narrative they've ever had. They can spin that he's part of the future and the GOP is the candidate of the future, and he hates all the people the media tends to sneer at anyway (women, lgbt, minorities, etc.) which is a bonus.

Not to be prissy but the gorgeous John is dead - Emma's partner is dreary James. I still refuse to believe they are related or that he is Adam's father... That's what I thought when they had that shot of Tess sitting at the bar while Paddy and Rhona left the hotel. It's sorta hilarious how Tess keeps popping up on Paddy. But I am bored to tears by the story. I'll be somewhat surprised if Laurel doesn't learn she's still pregnant. That felt telegraphed. I'm not sure how I feel about it - it's well and good to talk about a legacy and a miracle, but tell that to a woman raising a baby, a kid who has been in more homes than I can count, and caring for a frail old man and a husband with dementia. With that said, the scenes surrounding the story were superb last week, and I'm so glad they remembered Bernice's miscarriage while married to Ashley (which destroyed their marriage). I surprised myself by enjoying Paddy and Tess at the hotel, at least once he dumped her. I actually loved seeing her screw with him in front of Rhona. A lot of fun, especially the, "I have a secret," and then the poisonous, "I didn't DO IT FOR YOU." And I almost felt sorry for Paddy when his conscience belatedly caught up with him and he choked up on the phone call from Rhona. Almost.

This amuses me: (from AFP/Getty Images)

He bribed the boarding school administrator to take Bobby early. He told Jane he'll sell Beale's to make up for it.

I think you're right about Phil, although it's ludicrous - she's dying and her liver would be affected as well. Isn't Ian selling his restaurant?

Final predictions (mine, I mean) before the caucus: - I think Hillary will win by at least 5 points, maybe 10. Maybe even more at a push. - I think a lot of people will be reluctant about Trump once they start hearing pitches from backers of other candidates. I think Cruz will win, and Rubio may challenge Trump for second.

This has been online for a few years but I hadn't seen it until reading an article on Grease tonight. A commercial for the original Broadway production, with Candice Earley as Patty Simcox.

With British soaps, the mass firings tend to be done early in a producer's run. Of course she isn't taking over fora while, so who knows.

That's not her style anyway, but beyond that, I have a feeling it comes from up top. There seem to be odd systems in place that mean the worst dregs never go away.

No surprise here, but Kate Oates says no cast cull. http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/news/a781865/coronation-streets-new-boss-kate-oates-plays-down-talk-of-a-mass-cast-cull-nobody-has-cause-to-be-afraid/ Corrie is the soap that most needs a mass firing, and the one least likely to get it. And if that awful hack Collinson is any indication, those who do get fired will be those who don't deserve it.

This second clip - the coke must have been good on GH in the '80s...