Soaplovers

She said the story she played in her 2nd year was an abusive marriage story..and she was pregnant during the time. She said she liked the people, but having a newborn and becoming pregnant...plus commuting to Brooklyn made it more difficult

I had heard in the past the focus group situation occurred with Alice Barrett as well...and if she hadn't had a story for a year..that could be why she scored low in a focus group...and the other possible contender for being killed off was Paulina (she scored slightly higher in the focus group than Frankie did). I think the Brooklyn location is why the AW cast were so close...plus anyone on ATWT in the last decade. It seems like Brooklyn was another world of it's own

I watched the 1984 full episodes..and it does appear Patty/Danny were supposed to be end game...shame it never happened. I know Paul read Danny and Traci the riot act in a Nov 1984 episode about Patty leaving town

I think JFP wanted to update the show..and shed it's past...and used the focus group as an excuse.

Everyone was thinking it was cute how Tina was calling Ellen 'Maureen '..etc...but I found it very concerning tbh. To me, it was like Tina almost believed she was Lillian and that Ellen was Maureen. The letter story wasn't cute, but sad...and I'm sure Ellen saying 'write the letter' was more about being annoyed than anything.

I think anything pre Alan working at P & G might be ok to talk about..imho

Watching the 1983 Patty shooting Jack episode, AE did well with the material and I think it was the timing of her taking over the part vs her acting ability. Lilibet played the build up for well over a year so not seeing her play it out was kid of a letdown. I loved seeing Diane/Andy together.. and when the show revisited them in the 2000s..it wasn't the same because Donnelly wasn't playing Diane. And Eve was an interesting villainess because she played it as if she really believed what she was doing. Seeing julia and victor teaming up was inspired. The episode had a mix of camp and drama..plus some smaller character moments (paul/cindy..diane/andy).

It.seemed like Kevin's mom was a poor attempt at recreating Vanessa Prientess... with the possessiveness over her son, strong dislike of Nikki, and moving heaven & earth to get rid of her daughter in law. I also liked the Jack and Patty good bye scenes that occur in 1984...under stated and full of regret.

But alas if you killed Lily off..where would that leave Holden? Holden could have gotten a new lease on life had that happened

I remember back in 1998 when Lorraine Broderick was hired that she had a 6 month story projection that got her the job..but that once she was hired..all her ideas were rejected and she tried to make their edicts work as best as she could. Her stint was one of the last times Lisa had any sort of story, etc.

My mom was excited when Diane came back in 1996 and wondered if Patty would return (didn't happen at the time). She even accepted Susan Walter's as a recast cause she had the look and essence of Diane (though she had more a desperate quality that the show wanted to play up that Donnelly couldn't play). However, she was not happy about Maura West playing Diane...was too young, didn't look like the other actresses, nor had the essence of Diane either. Plus, Susan Walter's had come back for a visit months earlier so people were less willing to accept MW. I'm also hoping the real Diane is out there somewhere..but alas no.

My problem was the make up and break up of CarJack. I would have preferred if they broke up, co existed as parents while both found couplings that had decent development. It would have made their reconciliation even more powerful..imho. Look at Bob and Kim..spent years apart..both had decent pairings..but by 1985, reconciled and the impact was felt in positive ways.

What could have been.

AMC: Brooke's arrival..and Erica before she became Erica AW: Had Jacqueline Courtney not been fired..the equal focus of Rachel and Alice would have continued well beyond this point. GL: I like the dual purpose of Rita being a double obstacle with Pam/Tim and Ed/Holly....and the debut of Ben Mcfarren. Leslie was given huge focus by the Dobson's...had Lynn Adam's not quit..who knows how long Leslie would have been focused on. Y & R- it seems like Chris was the peacemaker of the Brook sisters. It's odd lorie felt inferior of Leslie..given how full of life she is

Let's face it, had Marland lived past 1993..he would have most likely resigned from Atwt eventually. Curlee,Long, Dobson's left the genre..and Nixon was kept out of the writing room at AMC. Sheffer needed a strong EP to keep him in line...while Ron on Days needs a co head writer to balance him out.

GL brought back some favorites in the last weeks of its run..so I'm sure with Atwt it wasn't just money. Sheffer was nowhere near Marland's level..and Tom/jean putting him on his level said all that needed to be said. Victoria Rowell was right to rave about Susan Dansby years ago on Twitter. She seemed intelligent and more vocal about what was wrong with soaps. I wish the 4th panelist Charlotte was given more time to speak.

Watch his oltl one from yesterday...the tea was spilling He didn't have much to do with AW...so I can see some tea spilled.

I'm surprised Alan was quiet during most of the interview especially with tea being spilled by all 3 actors.

Garcelle...awesome since Models Inc

In regards to the crime story of 1982/3...I recall the climax involved Mary Williams kicking butt in a barn or something. Am I remembering right?

They kind of touched on the Michelle/holly relationship again when Budig played Michelle in 1998. They had some scenes where Michelle was confiding in Holly about Drew's interest in Jesse..plus Michelle's reluctance to help Holly with Ken due to him.shooting Ed many years before. And when Joie Lenz played Michelle..she went to see Holly at Christmas 1998..and was woried about Holly's mental state. Shame because Holly could have been on Michelle's side against Carman

From watching episodes of SG's Melinda...the character could have worked had the character been bought back when Dorian was on the show. Melinda and Dorian had a complex relationship...different than Dorian's relationship with Addie.

I do know John/Jill/Ashley went to Victor and Ashley's wedding..so it appeared they knew of one another on some level. I think Victor and Jabot start interacting more in the fall of 1984 on a business level..but it's 1985 where the Jack/Nikki/Ashley/Victor takes off. Ashley spent much of 1984 dealing with two men vying for her..while Jack is finishing his marriage to Patty and interacting with Lindsay..while Victor/Nikki deal with his mom coming into his life, etc. Y & 4 was more like real life..everyone living in their own orbits and than poof..they interact.

Seeing DA as Jill been nice. But seeing her face off against Katherine was interesting. I felt more sympathy for Jill than Katherine. Usually in Katherine and Jill scenes...I usually think both are at fault...so it was interesting seeing how changing an actor can change the dynamic of a feud. With BD, Jill was colder and her fury was contained in cold and nasty putdowns. Like Ice. With DA, Jill seems more vulnerable..like a wounded bird. Effective technique imho With JW, Jill is fiery and driven to emotional outbursts. These different takes on Jill changed the dynamic between Jill and Katherine.

Ashley pre Victor...much better than the woman obsessed with Victor.