Melroser

What never happened? I remember reading that PMV did leave because he was upset that his girlfriend (Christine Tucci) was fired. I have no idea who it was that made that decision though.

I completely agree that it made no sense for Vicky to get back together with Jake after he raped Marley. I try to justify it by telling myself neither Jake nor Vicky were saints by any means when they came to Bay City. They moved past their misdeeds and accepted each other for who they were. I did like Tom and Jensen together. I never thought Paulina should have been paired with Joe. I hated that pairing. Paulina was so much more fun when she was with Jake. Ryan should never have left (but it was PMV's choice). That said, Vicky could have been paired with someone new (Shane?), gone back to Grant against everyone's wishes as Vicky never concerned herself with the opinion of others, or even recast Jamie specifically for a pairing with Jensen. Jamie was a character that should have been around during the end of the show's run.

I'm curious what pairing in your eyes had potential but never happened. For me, Vicky/Evan (Anne Heche, Charles Grant). I thought the two had great chemistry. It could have led to more of a Vicky/Amanda rivalry with Amanda tired of Vicky being in the middle of everything. Amanda's brother, ex-lover. Evan could have been a good rival for cousin Jamie or Jake. The two could have wrecked havoc in Bay City as outcasts together.

Wouldn't he know that already? I thought he helped her fake death and leave GC. Tho there should still be some fallout from Nikki.

I never knew that Anna Stuart could have been Jessica on GEN. I was a viewer of the soap and it had its good points, but nothing overly great. Anna would have given it a great shot in the arm though. I wonder if her and Robert Gentry would have had good chemistry.

How can an episode where a soap kills off a legacy character be so damn boring? I tried to tune in to see what was going on and I can't keep watching. Ali/Chanel + snore. Tripp leaving town again....ok, whatever. Susan...I just can't sit through. What a horrible mix of scenes today when this ep should be going all out hyping up Abigail's death.

I believe Sharon wanted off the show earlier than her contracted term because she was pregnant and found the abusive storyline between Peter and Brittany to be draining. She has said in interviews that the commute to Brooklyn didn't help. I think she wanted to focus on herself and her baby and the show let her out of her contract.

I loved '86! Probably because imo Cecile was a Queen! Nancy Frangione was so underrated and Cecile was such a fun character. I do think the show was making another attempt to go after DAYS viewers (as it often did at times). From bringing on Denise Alexander who was once popular on DAYS, to making Reginald the Stefano, to the over-the-top Cecile as Queen, the "young love" Marley/Jake. I think these were all moves to go after DAYS viewers. I thought the show was on the right track until it got hit with the mass exodus in the fall. Marley/Jake/Vicky, Cecile/Cass/Kathleen, Donna, Brittany all gone after driving most of the story. The show definitely faltered.

These promos are always all over the place. I wish they'd spend more time on 2 or 3 of the characters to show part of an actual storyline instead of seeing how many characters they can fit into the promo. Nothing about this makes me interested. or at least try something like this...

MJ finding out she had HIV after the reveal of her prostitution past would have been a great story to delve into! It would have involved the McKinnons and the Corys because of Adam. Prostitution and a social story at the same time? I don't think the writers-or the network- would have made it as gritty as it should be to make it a powerful story.

Who shot Jake on AW? From Marley's rape, Kathleen's return to visit him in the hospital, to the trial against Marley, then blackmailing Paulina when he remembered it was her. All led to great drama and fantastic performances from Tom Eplin, Anne Heche, Cali Timmins, Anna Stuart. Then, of course, led to Kathleen/Cass/Frankie.

Vicky seemed to be dominant "younger" female lead. That's mainly why I could picture her as a rival for someone. She was featured in so many stories. Vicky/Marley would have been a great rivalry. They had plenty of reason to be because of Jamie and Jake. I enjoyed Marley holding Vicky hostage near the show's end- Ellen and Jensen, but then suddenly Marley was "well" again and it was dropped.

At the end of AW, Donna had no story except to be a sounding board to Victoria. Wasn't Anna Stuart planning on leaving because of this? Then she stayed till the end.

I always felt that AW lacked a long-term female adversarial relationship like a Viki/Dorian. The show had Rachel, Felicia, Donna, Iris, and Sharlene and neither combo was a viable adversary. Yes, they had issues at times, but they always seemed to make up. Vicky/Marley and Vicky/Paulina are two other examples that had long-term potential but ended. Vicky/Amanda. Amanda/Olivia. I wish Lila/Vicky and Lila/Anne-Frankie would have had more time. Who do you think should have been the show's Viki/Dorian?

Melrose! this is really more of an explosion, I guess. Melrose loved those. This, Jake's boat when he was presumed dead, the ending with Peter and Amanda.

More AW: Northwoods Inn fire... There's also the time that Grant staged his shooting and the place caught on fire while Amanda (Christine Tucci) was upstairs. Evan (Eric Scott Woods) rushed in and saved her.

I just recently watched the entire original run of Dynasty and have finished the first season of the Colbys. I'm not a big Sable fan. I found her hard to root for. Not sure why because I loved Alexis, but I never felt sorry for Sable like I did Alexis most of the time.

Carrie on Central Park West Heather on Titans. Peyton on Savannah. 10 years seems like a long run for a soap. Even Dynasty and Melrose went under 10 and they are pretty iconic on their own.

Knots Landing? I don't see it on the list for '84-'85. Was it below 63rd?

I agree with most of what everyone here has said. Stop all the corny plots. I also wouldn't kill anyone for at least a year and then only if it were in a dramatic/permanent way. Deaths now on the show have zero impact because everyone knows the character is just coming back later. Trim the cast to at least half of what it is. I'd trim Brady, Chloe, Rafe, Gabi, Jake, Ava (tho I love Tamara), Kristen, Leo, Craig, Nancy, Bonnie, Gwen, Xander, Sarah (she's ruined with this Renee crap), Jack, Jennifer, Ben, Ciara, Roman, Clyde, T.R.. Maybe bring on Stephanie, Joey, and Paul (if Christopher Sean). Keep Eric. I'm okay with Sami coming and going, but just don't feature her in a story so that her absence makes no sense. I wouldn't completely abandoned "public places" but doing them a lot more infrequently would help. Just when it is done, a couple of extras are a must. I would keep a focus on the hospital. Accidents, crime victims can filter through. Maybe even "temp roles" for a couple of weeks at at time with a new character mixing it up with Kayla, Tripp, and Mike Horton? A Mike/Kayla/Patch triangle? Someone really needs to address Marlena being allowed to be anyone else's psychologist. I'd focus on family and relationships. Bring back romance instead of bedhopping. Build up couples. (Brook Lynn/Chase on GH). Shocking dramatic plots can be done without a big budget. A character walking in on a spouse having an affair. Who's the daddy? Gaslighting someone. If Days is going to try and do corporate stories like Y&R then slow down. It seems like they are constantly trading out the CEOs of Dimera, Titan, et all every other month. There's no suspense or build up to someone being ousted and a rival taking control. I understand making scenes short for filming purposes and keeping costs down, but it loses all the dramatic possibilities. Can characters have knockdown drag-out verbal spars if they only get to say two sentences at a time? What's the drama in someone spitting out a line, cut, the other character spitting out a line, cut.... I hate it. Giving newbies shorter scenes is probably a good idea, but use your vets. John/Marlena, Patch/Kayla, Tony/Anna, Nicole vs. Sami. vs Kate, could do longer scenes I'm sure. Let them go! Like others said, longer scenes means less characters needed to fill the show.

At the end of AW, Rachel should not have been recast if Victoria Wyndham left. I feel Linda Dano and Stephen Schnetzer's Felicia and Cass could not have been recasted. A Martinez and Marcy Walker as Cruz and Eden, SB Doug Davidson or Lauralee Bell as Paul and Christine on Y&R. Days has so many: Deidre Hall, Drake Hogestyn, Stephen Nichols, Mary Beth Evans, Thaao Penghlis, Leann Hunley, John Aniston, Doug and Susan Hayes, Suzanne Rogers. GH: Laura couldn't be recast now that Genie Francis has made the part hers. Same for Tony Geary's Luke if he doesn't want to be on. Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers, Lynn Herring.

The recent mentions of all the recasts during the mid-late 80's makes me wonder if AW suffered more than most soaps from constant recasts. Thoughts? For examples, over time: 3 Rachel Davis Cory 2 Mackenzie Cory 2 Steve Frame 5 Alice Matthews Frame (At least 10) Jamie Frame 6 Sally Frame 2 Sharlene Frame 3 Josie Watts Sinclair 3 (adult) Amanda Cory 3 (adult) Matthew Cory 2 Paulina Cory 2 Sandy Cory 2 Cecile Cory 2 Blaine Ewing 2 Iris Cory Wheeler 2 Donna Love 3 Nicole Love 3 Peter Love 4 Vicky Love 3 Marley Love 3 Vince McKinnon 2 MJ McKinnon 2 Grant Harrison

I enjoyed that era as well, but I have to say it had a lot to do with Anne Heche and the arrival of Alicia Coppola. Two of my faves of the show.

Portrait of Barnabas that hung at the Collins estate. AW's Red Swan. Texas: the state flag.

Under next week's previews for B&B in SOD, it says: "a powerful bond is formed during a chilling near-death experience". Is this Finn related, or something else? As many of you, I hope that Finn sticks around.