titan1978

Saw this cast photo online and immediately thought except for missing Dru, this was the last time I was truly invested and felt the show itself was still good and missteps could be corrected but the show still felt like Y&R to me.

I loved those scenes with Laura, Nikolas, Bobbie, and then later the whole town at the hospital when it was revealed Laura was alive. I still think it was a mistake to not have Lesley rolled in right after her. Talk about the shock of the town.

And back then nobody talked about it. I wonder if I went back and watched anyones hands if I would spot a coke nail!

Well, according to Tony and Genie directly, and alluded to by Kin, LC and KMc, it was everywhere backstage in the 1980’s. I know Monty asked Genie if she got the set cleaned up would she consider returning after her 1982 exit, after being called out by her for what she said when Genie was in the hospital. But by all accounts it was still rocking backstage through the 80’s. Well that was an exaggeration lol, but she did look older than her very young age. But her entire storyline revolved around people way older than her.

It’s like Finola aged in reverse, because of all her severe Anna hairstyles and makeup in her first run. She looks better even as a ghost during the AIDS storyline than she did just a couple of years earlier. I always loved Anna, but I can remember my mother making fun of the super long and flat straight era of her hair- often asking this is the hair of a cop/spy? Then the updos just made her appear older. Look at Genie by 1981- this was a young woman and she looks almost 30.

The things they had to sit through back in the day…also the drugs and alcohol they consumed makes me wonder how they kept it together at all.

It was pretty cheesy in the 80’s too IMO. Frisco the singing cop/spy. Didn’t Terri Brock sing as well?

I think that cue was created when JFP was there. She likes the theme music to be included in the score. Her intro also has the first couple of notes of Autumn Breeze at the beginning, in wailing saxophones.

I’m pretty sure you are correct, the first part of the intro, when the first cast shots are shown (Steve and Audrey), that first part of Autumn Breeze is incorporated into the theme.

MTS has always come across as a not so sweet person to me, I’m shocked anyone thinks she was nice at all! I will always prefer AD, because she had that chilly vibe that always just suited Bell’s Y&R, and also an edge. When her Diane was upset or mad, it could be visceral.

It does look out of date and jarring, especially in the 1992 episodes when Riche had already started to make the show more grounded. Once FOTH and Labine arrived it was like an almost totally different show in tone, but still had plenty of characters that were beloved and could fit with the more grounded material that it all just worked. The only other contemporary example I can think of was OLTL under LG and Malone. Oh, and DAYS- but they went the other direction from heightened romance to gothic to pure camp.

The only other road for me would him actually being with a partner that supports and is allowed into his mob life fully. What could have been with Claudia, even with her instability. Because Sonny is not stabile himself- he is selfish, volatile, impulsive and dangerous. The only thing they haven’t really explored is him seeing himself in a partner and trying to deny his own destruction, or lean into it and go out with a blaze of glory. If anything, I can see a pretty direct line between Guza’s Sonny towards the end of his run and ultimately Jason and Carly having to deal with him to save everyone else. Power corrupts. But that was back when this show was exploring darkness at all times.

I actually like the current version of Laura. Towards the end of Labine’s run, she acted as if she had never been in a dangerous situation before. I get she wanted stability, but there was a way to do that without making her seem like such a basket case, and wet blanket. Then Guza came along and she was an emotional mess for years. It all made sense and was in character, but often it seemed like they had just forgotten Laura was an active part of adventuring with Luke. Now she takes risks again (like the climax of the story with Cyrus, going after Victor), but she still has that family story keeping her grounded. I think she and Kevin are incredibly boring, but I also don’t see a way to break them up with the show the way it is now. I do think Lulu and Lucky are needed. I don’t think Laura and Scotty work because with her he is always trying to be the better version of himself and failing, and she seems to always realize he loves the part of her that was his version of Laura. I think Scotty was well served in the long run by what happened, even if I think sweet Scotty was adorable and Kin was much more handsome than TG. It was so clear Guza had moved Jason into the central axis of the three characters, and once he created Dante it seemed pretty clear Sonny was not going to be the apex anymore. Involved due to all those ties, yes. But no longer the focal point character. I know we have discussed this many times, but when Jason and Carly start saying they made a mistake bringing Michael into Sonny’s world, that’s a serious tonal shift. Follow that up with what I consider to be the actual final scene of MB’s and Guza’s Sonny, when he tells Brenda power is always going to come first… a perfect exit and I don’t really think MB or the show has had him be remotely the same since, and not in a good way.

I seem to recall we were supposed to get an new Alan tribute. Once the Steve Burton thing came to a head I just guessed that they cancelled those plans. Which is a shame.

I forgot to add the original Quartermaines- Alan, Tracy, Edward, Lila and Monica were so much fun. David Lewis was such a great rascal, and scenes with the whole family were always fun. Then you add in literally anyone else and it always just worked IMO. Not a knock on Ingle’s Edward, he was great too. Just not as hilarious as David Lewis.

Romantic- I always thought Bo and Carly (Both Bo’s)were hot, as were Bo and Hope (pre-Reilly) on DAYS. GH- Brenda and Sonny in the 1990’s really set everything on fire. I also thought Anna and Duke were scorching hot back in the day. OLTL- Max and Gabrielle were incredibly charismatic together, as was Tina and Cord. I never even liked Max, but the chemistry was there. I also thought Tea and TsJ’s Todd were incredible together. AMC-Angie and Jessie had sparks and also a very deep love in their stories. Non-romantic- Y&R- Drucilla and Olivia are possibly one of my favorite siblings on soaps. OLTL- Viki and Dorian (Strasser). GL- I just love Alexandra (Bev) and Blake (Sherry) sniping at each other. Y&R-Katherine and Jill (both BD and JW). It’s almost visceral.

I was shook by this twist. It was absolutely thrilling, and I remember thinking when that slow motion started that something big was going to happen. I don’t remember knowing Marlena was the desecrator until it was revealed.

There would be pockets of good stuff but overall I agree with @Khanthat it is much better when PFS is there. It’s like they stayed number one by flying by the seat of their pants and having an incredibly charismatic group of actors that Monty knew how to showcase. Because the stories were very hit and miss. Once Anna is introduced and Robin arrives, the show does get very good again. It has those same action stories (although tighter), but with some of that heart and stakes that were often missing.

The LSD episode is on YouTube, I’ve seen it a couple of times. I have just never seen Peter confront Heather and his death. I love Brooke Bundy, but Diana is always such a mess and I’m not sure it suits her. I also get Jeff has been manipulated/lied to by one woman after another. But he is always such a jerk!

It does sound really intense. Are those scenes available online anywhere? It is incredible to me how much changed on GH in less than two years and yet the show was compelling enough that they gained audience.

I can’t believe in the year of our lord 2022 I am still looking at these counts and thinking too much Sonny and Carly. I know in the early days this would be Steve Hardy and Jessie Brewer in those top spots, but even they didn’t dominate for what feels like over 20 years. Luke and Laura didn’t either, at least not as long. And thanks to the TG annual vacation we got a break from Luke quite often. Only one missing is Jason lol. Thanks for all the hard work @jcar03and @alexisfan07

GH- when Lesley was revealed to be alive, she eventually regains her life and status as a doctor, and plays a part in both Alan’s addiction storyline (supportive and maybe also the one that holds him accountable at the hospital) and vying for Chief of Staff of GH, causing friction with Monica. Rick and she share scenes but not a reunion, and Mike decides to stay with her and finish up his medical degree at PCU.

I believe we were both on team she’s leaving lol. I think it is incredibly sad that people have to post to their soap audience to be nice to a new actress. I hope she is given a chance, because it’s certainly not her fault we are where we are. And I am all about education. But I also bet if Frank had offered her what she was worth there might have been at least a 2 year contract, enough to play this out some. I really liked her as Trina, I hope the new performer brings what we love and new dimensions to the character.

I didn’t really pay attention to the show as a little kid, but I remember Laura’s return in 1983, I liked the Webbers, and I was sad when Lesley was killed. I really started watching when Felicia was introduced. But I had read about Anne Logan and I knew she was tied to Diana’s murder. Before I had actually seen her, I wanted her to be Liz’s mother. Then I finally got to see her in action thanks to YouTube, and I just think she is the most boring and annoying character. I loved the actress as Barbara on AMC. It’s not the performer. I just can’t stand Anne. She even had two of the hottest guys after her- Jeff and Joe Kelly, and I just don’t see what the appeal was. I do think the show didn’t really write a character for her that had anywhere to go. How long can you crave intimacy and also push it away without exploring what she really wanted from a relationship?

I remember the story to get us here was kind of clunky, but the payoff was scary, emotional, and affected so many people.